Students Take Responsibility for
Learning at Martin Luther King Jr.
Magnet School
When Reverend Jay Hartley visited his oldest son
at college this past school year, he heard the kind
of feedback just about any parent would want.
through demanding courses of study, while picking
up values that encourage lifelong learning and
independent ownership of their progress.
At lunch with one of his son’s engineering professors, Rev. Hartley – parent of three past and present students of 2015 SCORE Prize finalist school
Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet School in Nashville
(MLK) – learned that it can be hard to predict how
young people will fare as college freshmen. The
professor told Rev. Hartley that even the best of
students can be distracted by everything available
in college.
“We try not to let them fly under the radar or accept mediocrity. I think the majority of our students
rise to that expectation,” said Christopher Dowlen,
an MLK teacher and chair of the school’s English
department. “We try to put them in situations and
circumstances where they have to have autonomy,
they have to have choice, they have to grapple
and feel uncomfortable. I think that’s key.”
This hadn’t been an issue for Rev. Hartley’s son,
the professor told him.
“He’s able to focus and do everything,” Rev. Hartley said. “I think MLK is definitely a part in that.”
MLK builds high expectations and rigor into every
facet of student life. Students are well supported
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As a public academic magnet school within Metro
Nashville Public Schools, students must meet academic requirements in order to qualify for MLK.
Typically, this includes a grade average that is 85
or above, no failing grades, and TCAP scores that
are “proficient” or “advanced.” MLK serves students in grades 7 through 12, with 800 students in
the high school grades.