LEAD Academy High School, 1034 First Ave. S.: grades 9-12, 487 students in 2024-25, state letter grade D.

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. Sources: LEAD Academy High, Metro Nashville Public Schools’ school directory, 2026-27 pathways chart (PDF), district calendar and zone finder, the Tennessee Department of Education’s State Report Card, 2024-25 letter grade, school profile, graduation rate and ACT files and spring 2026 test file and the federal NCES school directory.

LEAD Academy High School is a public charter school authorized by Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS), serving ninth grade through 12th grade. MNPS’s 2026-27 pathways chart lists it with the Glencliff cluster in the district’s Southeast quadrant. LEAD’s website describes it as a free, open-enrolled public high school in South Nashville.

Who to call

  • Front office: 615-800-8293
  • Applying: the school; MNPS says families who want an MNPS charter school may apply year-round, and its School Options page explains the application. MNPS Family Information Center 615-259-4636

Principal

Principal Joseph Yurchak, according to the school’s website.

Enrollment

The federal NCES directory counted 486 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 41 full-time-equivalent teachers, about 12 students per teacher. The Tennessee Department of Education’s 2024-25 school profile file has a newer count of 487 students.

State report card

Tennessee grades every public school A to F. The department says School Letter Grades give “a snapshot of how each school in the state is performing, including student achievement and academic growth measures for all schools, as well as a measure of college and career readiness just for high schools.”

From the state’s 2024-25 letter grade file, 2025 graduation rate file and 2024-25 ACT file:

Measure LEAD Academy High
Overall letter grade, 2024-25 D (score 2.3 of 5)
Achievement grade D
Academic growth grade C
Growth of the lowest-scoring 25% of students C
College and career readiness grade F
Overall success rate on state tests, 2024-25 21.7%
College and career readiness rate, 2024-25 17.8%
Graduation rate, class of 2025 92.4% (109 of 118 students)
Average ACT composite, 2024-25 16.2 (104 students tested)

The state’s spring 2026 test file has the share of LEAD Academy High students who met or exceeded expectations on each end-of-course exam: English I 18.2%, English II 29.1%, Algebra I 15.4%, Integrated Math II 14.9%, Integrated Math III 35.3%, Biology 27.7% and U.S. History 31.5%. The 2025-26 letter grades have not been published yet.

The State Report Card page for LEAD Academy High holds the full detail: results by grade and subject, chronic absenteeism and results for each group of students.

Admission and pathway

LEAD Academy High has no attendance zone of its own on MNPS’s zone maps. MNPS lists it in its charter schools directory; its School Options page says families can choose a participating charter school, and that families who want an MNPS charter school may apply year-round. LEAD Public Schools takes applications online (LEAD enrollment page).

The district’s 2026-27 pathways chart (PDF) lists LEAD Academy High with the Glencliff cluster, whose zoned high school is Glencliff High.

Calendar and school hours

The MNPS 2026-27 district calendar has these dates next:

  • Thursday, Oct. 22: report cards issued
  • Tuesday, Nov. 3: parent conference day, no school for students
  • Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day, district closed
  • Nov. 23-27: Thanksgiving break (district closed Nov. 26-27)
  • Friday, Dec. 18: half day; the second quarter ends
  • Dec. 21 to Jan. 1: winter break
  • March 22-26, 2027: spring break and the spring holiday
  • Tuesday, May 25, 2027: last day for students, a half day

Charter schools can set some dates of their own; check the school’s calendar.

Sports and activities

LEAD Academy High competes in the TSSAA, the state high school athletic association. Boys basketball is in Class 2A, Region 4, District 8. LEAD’s website says the school co-ops with James Lawson High for football and with East Nashville Magnet for other sports. For game nights, see our Friday night football guide and the scoreboard.

More

Frequently asked questions

What grades does LEAD Academy High serve?

Ninth grade through 12th grade. The school is at 1034 First Ave. S. in Nashville; the main office number is 615-800-8293.

What is LEAD Academy High’s state report card grade?

LEAD Academy High received a D overall in Tennessee’s 2024-25 School Letter Grades, according to the Tennessee Department of Education.