The research of Tennessee’s more than 100 public charter schools found these students consistently outperformed traditional school peers in math and English language arts following the pandemic.

Board members Tammy Sharp, Katie Darby, Stan Vaught, and Vice-Chair Frances voted in support of Novus SMART, while Chair Claire Maxwell, Butch Vaughn, and Caleb Tidwell voted against it.

Members of the Rutherford County Schools Board of Education denied Rocketship’s application in April, but multiple members encouraged the charter operator to make revisions and resubmit for a vote tonight.

On Thursday, members of the Rutherford County Board of Education will decide whether to approve Jeremy Sager’s application to open Novus SMART Academy (K-8).

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.

For the last five years, students at Valor Collegiate Academy have been able to participate in school-based athletics on Overton High School teams as part of an agreement between the schools.

Attorneys for American Classical Education notified the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission last month that the charter operator had made the “difficult decision” to terminate its agreement signed in March.

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

In years past, district leaders in Nashville have given staff more time to review the sometimes-expansive applications by scheduling charter decisions in the July school board meeting.

Memphis-Shelby County School Board Chair Joyce Dorse Coleman announced Promise Academy Hollywood’s voluntary closure at Tuesday night’s meeting.

The school board is expected to vote next week on the proposed $2.5 million sale of the Wooddale building.

Across Nashville, families are waking up to a painful truth: The public education system that’s supposed to serve all children is too often more invested in maintaining power than producing outcomes.

All three applicants have the ability to appeal to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission that has overturned at least one MNPS charter denial four years in a row.

Seven years ago, a group of sixth-grade boys walked through the doors of Chattanooga Preparatory School for the very first time. Last month, they returned as the school’s first-ever graduating class.

Thomas B. Fordham Institute Associate Director of Research David Griffith told members of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Wednesday that research shows the growth of public charter schools is increasing reading and math scores in traditional public schools.

The public charter school operator opened its first school, KIPP Academy, with one fifth-grade class in 2005. Today KIPP Nashville operates nine schools serving 3,417 students and employing a staff of more than 450.

The board rejected applications from Still I Rise Academy, KIPP Memphis Creative and Performing Arts Elementary School, and Dream Catchers Charter School.

Leaders of Rocketship Public Schools and Novus SMART Academy (K-8) have the option of submitting an amended application for approval this summer.

Among the bills that did pass were multiple changes to help Tennessee’s public charter schools. 

The Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education is scheduled to vote on applications from Forge School, the Rock Academy, and Rocketship Public Schools Tuesday night.