While Nashville has plenty of options for terrific private schools, the public options are just as great for lower education. These are the best public schools in Music City.
The Best Public Schools in the Nashville Area
Brentwood High School
Just outside of Nashville in Brentwood, you’ll find this public high school that’s a great choice in education.
Brentwood High School offers schooling for students in grades 9-12 that’s previously been rated as the #5 public high school in the state.
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, you or your child will thrive in this education-focused school.
First opened in 1982, the school now teaches 1750 students each academic year. Their motto is “Excellence through Teaching and Learning,” which echoes each day spent at this notable public school.
Brentwood High School is an excellent choice for secondary education.
- Location: 5304 Murray Ln, Brentwood, TN 37027
Centennial High School
Another great choice in public education you’ll find this school located just outside of Nashville in Franklin.
Centennial High School serves the central part of Williamson County for students in grades 9-12 and serves them with a safe environment and challenging educational experience.
They focus on empowering students every day through teaching methods, support, and state-of-the-art facilities.
As part of Middle Tennessee’s Williamson County School District, they focus on the same excellence in education as other nearby public schools.
The diverse student population is reflected in their strong commitment to academics, athletics, arts, organizations, clubs, and other opportunities for students, no matter their interests.
Centennial High School is a terrific option in secondary education around Nashville.
- Location: 5050 Mallory Lane, Franklin, TN 37067
Central Magnet School
Located in Murfreesboro, this school is home to students in grades 6-12 and is focused on academic success.
Central Magnet School is part of the Rutherford County school district and is well known for many awards, along with being voted the #1 middle school in the state.
Like other magnet schools, here you’ll find academic offerings and courses not found in traditional public settings.
Along with being named number 1 in the state of Tennessee, they’ve also previously been ranked as #5 in the entire nation. Central Magnet School is a great choice for rigorous niche education.
- Location: 701 E Main St, Murfreesboro, TN 37130
Franklin High School
Serving the central section of Williamson County, this is a terrific option for secondary education in the city of Nashville.
Franklin High School offers education to students in grades 9-12 and is also a part of the Williamson County School District.
Recently ranked as #9 in the state of Tennessee for comprehensive high schools, they’re a great choice for education.
For over 100 years, they’ve been focused on students, even as the number has grown to nearly 1,800.
Their motto is “A Tradition Of Excellence,” which will be continued each academic year at Franklin High School.
- Location: 810 Hillsboro Rd, Franklin, TN 37064
Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet
Part of the Metro Nashville Public School District, you’ll find this urban high school in the heart of Nashville on Broadway.
Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet serves grades 9-12 and holds the reputation as Nashville’s very first public school.
Founded in 1912, they’ve now grown to include a very diverse group of students with over 30 languages spoken each day in the halls.
In 1983 they became the first secondary magnet school in the city as well, encouraging students to explore academic excellence that pairs with their unique interests.
Here they focus on a welcoming atmosphere for students of all ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds. Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet has a long history of academic success.
- Location: 700 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
Independence High School
This public high school is another in the Williamson County District that serves students in grades 9-12.
Independence High School contains a large student body of nearly 2,000 students but boasts one of the best student-to-teacher ratios at 17:1.
Like other schools in the same district, they focus on academic excellence and push students to challenge themselves and promote both learning and growth.
Here there’s a family-like feel with the small classroom size, and each student and teacher look out for one another while keeping education at the forefront.
Independence High School is a great choice for public high school education near Nashville.
- Location: 1776 Declaration Way, Thompson’s Station, TN 37179
Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School
As part of the Metropolitan Nashville Public School System, this school focuses on specialized secondary education for students in grades 7-12.
Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School has a focus on studies surrounding health sciences and engineering.
Students here are selected by a lottery process because of the demand for entrance to their programs and courses.
Here they work to prepare students for post-secondary education life to help create a productive and purposeful life.
Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School has won many awards and will help set you or your child up for a successful future.
- Location: 613 17th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37203
Merrol Hyde Magnet School
This unique school goes beyond even the traditional Magnet school to provide a unique and fulfilling education.
Merrol Hyde Magnet School offers education to students in grades K-12, and they follow a unique Paideia philosophy that promotes the education of the whole child – mind, body, and spirit.
Here they have an emphasis on traditional academic school but focus on foreign language education.
The current student body is around 650 in all grades K-12 and must meet the requirement of 85 percentile or higher to be enrolled.
Merrol Hyde Magnet School is a great choice for a full educational experience in primary and secondary school.
- Location: 128 Township Dr, Hendersonville, TN 37075
Ravenwood High School
Find this secondary education facility just outside Nashville in the city of Brentwood.
Ravenwood High School is another school in the Williamson County School District striving for academic excellence.
Here they focus on cultivating intellect, character, and potential in each and every student. As a blue ribbon award-winning school, they’re no stranger to an excellent education.
They always put the best interest of students at heart, and it shows through the awards they win and the success of alumni. Ravenwood High School is a great choice for education, grades 9-12.
- Location: 1724 Wilson Pike, Brentwood, TN 37027
Valor Flagship Academy
This charter academy in the city of Nashville that’s a great choice for public education serving grades 5-12.
Valor Flagship Academy is constantly ranked as one of the highest-performing schools in the state, which is part of what makes it such a great choice for both middle and high school students.
They work every year to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, making their campus a welcoming location for students of all backgrounds.
Their rigorous academic program, paired with a focus on overall child development, is part of what makes them such a great option.
Valor Flagship Academy is a great choice in Nashville for public education.
- Location: 4527 Nolensville Pk, Nashville, TN 37211
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to enroll in a private school for a terrific primary or secondary education.
Set your child up for success with an education at one of these accredited public schools around Nashville.