Chancellor Patricia Head Moskal Ignores Higher Student Performance in Ruling Against LEAD Cameron

Chancellor Patricia Head Moskal (Photo by the Tennessee Courts)

LEAD Public Schools’ legal fight to keep LEAD Cameron as the zoned middle school for students in South Nashville appears to be over.

Davidson County Chancellor Patricia Head Moskal granted Metro Nashville Public Schools’ (MNPS) motion for summary judgment on Tuesday, effectively dismissing the charter operator’s case against a rezoning plan for South Nashville and Antioch that sends LEAD Cameron’s students to a lower-performing district-run school.

Unlike most public charter schools with open-enrollment policies, LEAD Cameron has operated under a unique agreement with the district for more than a decade that allows it to serve as the zoned school for students living nearby. Charter schools are free public schools operated by a non-profit organization, such as LEAD Public Schools, under a charter issued by a school district or the state.

Zoned School History

The charter operator referenced that past performance as a “zoned school” in its 2021 renewal application for LEAD Cameron, but the final charter agreement did not designate the school as a “zoned school.” MNPS attorneys argued that the lack of a “zoned designation” in the agreement gave the district the right to designate LEAD Cameron as a choice school in 2024 and rezone the students who would have attended it to Margaret Allen Middle School in Antioch.

LEAD Public Schools filed suit a month after the rezoning plan was approved and received a temporary pause on the plan’s implementation for this school year.

In her ruling, Chancellor Moskal ended LEAD's hopes for permanently stopping the rezoning plan. Moskal said the “plain language” in the school’s charter agreement allows MNPS to make the zoning change.

“The Court finds that LEAD Cameron’s submission of information in their Renewal Application that referenced past performance as a “zoned” public charter school does not create an enforceable obligation under the 2021 Charter Agreement for Metro to designate LEAD Cameron as a “zoned” public charter school absent an express contractual term,” wrote Moskal. “To the contrary, the 2021 Charter Agreement’s terms authorize LEAD Cameron to operate as a “parental choice” public charter school.”

Negative Impact on Students

Moskal’s ruling did not address the impact on students, who will now be zoned to a lower-performing school.

According to data on the state’s School Report Card, students at LEAD Cameron outperformed Margaret Allen Middle School in every subject on state testing, with proficiency rates 5 percent higher in English language arts, 12 percent higher in math, and roughly 8 percent higher in both science and social studies. LEAD Cameron also received a higher School Letter Grade than Margaret Allen.

Both schools serve high percentages of students of color (93 percent for LEAD Cameron and 87 percent for Margaret Allen) and English language learners (61 percent for LEAD Cameron and 58 percent for Margaret Allen).

“While we are disappointed in the Court’s ruling, we will continue LEAD Public Schools’ mission of ensuring that all of our students receive an excellent education regardless of their zip code,” said LEAD Public Schools in a statement sent to the Tennessee Firefly. “The data speaks for itself: During the 2024-25 school year, LEAD Cameron outperformed Margaret Allen Middle in every subject area, overall success rate, TVAAS, and letter grade. Unfortunately, with this ruling, students in the Cameron community will now be rezoned from the best middle school option in their area to a priority school.” 

South Nashville families will still have the option of sending their child to LEAD Cameron, but they will have to go through an application process that the charter operator has said could be challenging for some of its immigrant families.

District Response

MNPS leaders have claimed that the rezoning plan itself was created to be more convenient for families.

The district sent a statement to the Tennessee Firefly applauding Chancellor Moskal’s ruling as validation that the rezoning plan was approved legally.

“Today’s decision is a strong affirmation that the Board acted lawfully and responsibly in approving the 2024 rezoning plan,” said the district in a statement. “From the beginning, we have been confident that our actions were grounded in the charter agreement and Tennessee law, and the Court’s ruling reinforces that position. We are grateful for the clarity this brings and look forward to continuing this important work with stability and focus for our students and families.”