The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission unanimously voted to overturn a Jackson-Madison County’s School Board decision and clear the way for the Jackson Museum School to open in 2026.

The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission is holding a meeting tomorrow to decide appeals from the Jackson Museum School and Rocketship Public Schools.

If the Jackson Museum School’s appeal is granted next month, the school would open with an initial class of 160 students in kindergarten through second grade.

The Jackson Museum School would utilize a “museum model” similar to schools in Atlanta and Chattanooga, which infuses subjects like science and math into weekly expeditions to local cultural centers.

The proposed kindergarten through sixth-grade school would operate under a “museum model” that integrates immersive learning experiences into the curriculum.

Board members voted 8 to 1 to reject the Jackson Museum School but left signs they might be willing to approve the school this summer. 

Five Tennessee school districts across the state received letters of intent for 17 proposed new public charter schools by last week’s deadline. Letters of intent are the first official step in next year’s new start charter application process.