Emily Masters

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Emily Masters

Nonpartisan

Prior offices

Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools school board, District 3

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Education

Bachelor's

Appalachian State University, 1997

Graduate

East Tennessee State University, 2001

Personal

Birthplace

Nashville, Tenn.

Contact

Campaign website

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Emily Masters was a member of the Metropolitan Nashville Board of Education in Tennessee, representing District 3. She assumed office on August 27, 2020. She left office in 2024.

Masters ran for election to the Metropolitan Nashville Board of Education to represent District 3 in Tennessee. She won in the general election on August 6, 2020.

Masters completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Emily Masters was born in Nashville, Tennessee. She earned a bachelor's degree from Appalachian State University in 1997 and a master's degree from East Tennessee State University in 2001.

Elections

2020

See also: Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, Tennessee, elections (2020)

General election

General election for Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools school board, District 3

Emily Masters defeated Brian Hubert in the general election for Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools school board, District 3 on August 6, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Emily Masters (Nonpartisan)	68.5	7,378
	Submit photo	Brian Hubert (Nonpartisan)	31.0	3,338
		Other/Write-in votes	0.5	51

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 10,767
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

To view Masters' endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Emily Masters completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Masters' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Emily Masters. I'm running for the Metro Nashville Board of Education in District 3. I am passionate about encouraging all students to become lifelong learners and empowering teachers by offering them the support and tools they need to succeed. I'm a Nashville-born Goodlettsville mom. Both of my children attended Dan Mills Elementary, where I served on the PTO Board for 7 years.

In 2008 I started a "hobby" business that grew into a successful community dance school. I sold the business in 2018, after building it from an initial enrollment of 8 to an enrollment of more than 500. The 10 years I spent as an entrepreneur taught me important lessons about seeking out and cultivating partnerships, listening to customers/constituents, and the value of community.

I have a Master of Arts in English Literature. In 2010 I attended a Peabody Professional Institute at Vanderbilt, where I learned about fundraising techniques for educational institutions. My first job in Nashville was as a Resolution Writer for the Tennessee General Assembly. I then spent 8 years as a Program Officer and then a Program Director for Humanities Tennessee. In 2009 I began work as a freelance fundraising consultant, and since then I have worked with many wonderful not-for-profit organizations throughout Nashville and beyond.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Equity and ensuring fair access to resources is a priority. Our children and our schools have unique needs. Some may require more resources than others, and I am committed to making sure the necessary programs and resources are in place for the benefit of every child in every school.
• I will focus on fully-funding MNPS. Our school funding mechanism is broken, and MNPS is underfunded as a result. We must stop the TN School Voucher Program from taking more dollars away from our public schools and keep the funds intended for our schools in our schools.
• Our schools, teachers, and staff play a critical role in promoting the health and well-being of our students. Disparities illuminated by the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrate the need for full-time nurses, more counselors, supplemental meal programs, funded transportation plans, and connections to resources in schools. Given the fact that our schools will begin virtually this fall, we must make sure that our families and teachers have the necessary technological resources and training to navigate this ever-changing, challenging time.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about encouraging students, empowering teachers, and supporting schools. I sincerely want to advocate for our schools to have fair access to the funding and resources necessary for success. I love Nashville and want to be a part of making our public schools the best they can be - not just for my kids, but for all kids.

I have been volunteering in our schools since before I even had children of my own, and I ran a dance school of my own (with more than 500 students and a staff of a dozen teachers - and programs in place for scholarships and outreach programs to help ensure as many kids as possible could have access to dance education) for ten years.

I've witnessed the effects of social inequalities on all aspects of kids' lives and believe our schools are the best avenue for working to alleviate those effects. The issue of equity in our schools is extremely important to me, and I want to make a difference for the generation that includes my children and the many children I've taught, tutored, and mentored over the course of the past 18 years.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

It is the responsibility of the school board to monitor spending and oversee the work of the Director of Schools. School board members advocate for the funding needed to ensure all school system needs are met. While boards of education in Tennessee do not have the authority to raise taxes, they do have a unique opportunity to influence those who exercise that authority. That influence should always be applied with a focus on ensuring schools have everything they need to succeed and all resources are equitably distributed. The school board also has the responsibility to ensure public transparency while advocating for resources, financial and otherwise. It is vital for board members to keep the needs of constituents in mind when promoting excellence in our schools. If elected, I will apply the skills I have gained in my nearly 20 years of advocating for MNPS as I communicate with public officials, teachers, administrators, and families regarding the need to fully and equitably fund our schools.

What will you do to build a better relationship with parents in the district? What plans do you have to be inclusive of parental involvement?

I would like to see us establish highly accessible mechanisms for family and community involvement. The board can request input prior to making big decisions through surveys and town-hall style meetings and then use those same tools to gather community response and questions even after policies have been implemented. Transparency can be better achieved by sharing all meetings virtually and through ample correspondence provided after. Board members also need to be thoroughly educated about sunshine laws and how to avoid violating best practices around transparency. By institutionalizing parent involvement - much as is done by the most successful Parent Teacher Organizations throughout MNPS and in many other communities - the board could gain valuable policy-making input and assistance in establishing and honing the best possible vision for the school district.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Candidate

Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools school board, District 3

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