Knowledge Academy Supporters Make Their Case to Keep the Public Charter School Open
Students graduating from KA @ the Crossings last May (Photo by Knowledge Academy)
Karen Tate (right) talking at Wednesday’s public hearing (Screenshot)
Karen Tate says she enrolled her son in Knowledge Academy when he entered fifth grade.
Over the years that followed, she says the 5-12 grade public charter school provided him with the safe, structured, and nourishing environment he needed to graduate.
“For more than a decade, Knowledge Academy has been a cornerstone in my children’s journey,” said Tate. “The teachers and staff consistently demonstrate dedication, compassion, and a genuine commitment to student success. Their efforts have made a lasting impact on my child and on many other, countless families that rely on the school.”
Tate made those comments at a public hearing on Wednesday that will help determine whether the public charter school remains open next year in South Davidson County.
Future Uncertain Following Board Vote
Members of the Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) Board of Education voted unanimously last month against renewing Knowledge Academy (KA) @ The Crossings' charter for another 10 years, citing a failure to meet performance and student growth goals. Charter schools are free public schools operated by a non-profit organization under a “charter” with a school district or the state.
The Noble Education Initiative that runs the school appealed the board’s decision to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission. Its members will decide that appeal later this month.
MNPS board members rejected the school’s charter renewal, citing chronic absenteeism and a failure to meet enrollment and academic performance goals.
During Wednesday’s hearing, MNPS Board Chair Freda Player reiterated those concerns.
“The board agrees that Knowledge Academy @ the Crossings demonstrated an inability to deliver results as promised to their students and families throughout the entirety of their tenure charter, not exclusive to the past two years,” said Player.
Improvements Cited By School Leaders
Noble Education Initiative Chief Policy, Growth, and Performance Officer Dr. Eve Carney pushed back on that criticism, arguing the school has shown important improvement.
The state rated KA @ the Crossings as above average effectiveness for student growth on the most recent Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS), and Dr. Carney points out that proficiency rates for students are rising, including nearly doubling the overall success rate over the last three years and nearly tripling the success rate of English learners during that time.
A Tennessee Firefly analysis of the recently released School Report Card found KA @ the Crossings had a higher School Letter Grade than any MNPS-run middle or high school in the Cane Ridge cluster. The charter school also outperformed those same district-run schools in math and science on state testing.
“While we aren’t where we want to be and we own that, we are certainly on the path to having more students meet those benchmarks,” said Dr. Carney. “KA @ the Crossings is the only school being discussed for closure when we are outperforming most, if not all, schools within our cluster of the traditionally zoned schools. From an academic standpoint, this is not in the best interest of KA students and families.”
History of Growth and Consolidation
Knowledge Academy opened its first middle school in Nashville in 2012, followed by a high school in 2015, and the KA @ The Crossings middle school in 2016. All three schools operated on the same campus.
MNPS board members voted against renewing the charter operator’s initial middle school in 2022 and then declined to consider a proposal to consolidate all three schools under KA @ The Crossing’s charter.
The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission then approved the consolidation plan two months later, and the school has been serving grades 5-12 ever since.
Parents who want to provide comments on the school’s latest appeal can do so online through January 14.
