Rejected Nashville charter school applicants argue their case before Tennessee’s state board – Tennessean
Both charter schools asking the Tennessee state board overturn the Nashville public schools decision to reject its applications levied the district and board process was flawed.
In the case of Rocketship Education, James Robinson, the network’s Tennessee director, said the Nashville school board ignored its staff recommendation and alleged that the school board arbitrarily shot down the opening of the new school.
And representatives of the school proposed by ReThink Forward, Inc. said Nashville’s charter school review team erred in its decision not to recommend approval.
The Tennessee State Board of Education heard the appeals of both charter school groups on Wednesday as part of a process where the state board can decide to grant authorization and oversee the schools.
The state board supervises two Nashville charter schools after it authorized KIPP Nashville. Metro Nashville Public Schools originally denied KIPP Nashville’s charters in 2015.
The Tennessee education board will decide the fate of the schools on Nov. 15 at its meeting in Jefferson City on the Carson-Newman University campus.
Rocketship denied by MNPS board
Rocketship’s denial came down to Metro Nashville Public Schools board’s decision.
The district’s review team recommended approval, but Metro Legal Attorney Corey Harkey made a case to the state board that there are concerns at Rocketship’s schools.
She said the Nashville board needs to see further positive academic results from the school before a new school can be approved.
Robinson said the board bucked the recommendation and acted in a way contrary to the best interests of students and the community. He said Rocketship’s schools are showing student academic results and there is a need for options in South Nashville, where the charter network wants to open a new school.
ReThink points to review team process
Nashville schools charter review teams didn’t recommend ReThink Forward, Inc.’s application in September for Nashville Prep Collegiate Charter School due to numerous issues. The problems include the application’s financial plan and a lack of specificity about who the school would serve.
Nashville’s Executive Office of Charter Schools Dennis Queen said to the state board the review team worried the school didn’t have a solid plan to enroll students and looked to recruit students from schools that are performing well.
Carol Swann, the founder of a charter consulting firm, said the district erred in its assessment of the application and ReThink outlined a solid plan which answered many of the review team’s questions.
And Thomas Lee, a board member and Nashville attorney, argued the district’s review process has set a near-impossible standard for approval for a network new to the district. He also said if the review team recommends approval, then the Nashville school board will vote no.
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Reach Jason Gonzales at jagonzales@tennessean.com and on Twitter @ByJasonGonzales.
Published 6:00 AM EST Nov 7, 2019
