MNPS Board Approves Two Charter Renewals, Denies One

The Metro Nashville Public School board approved two charter school renewals and denied one on Tuesday. After operating for 10 years, charters must apply to renew their contract with the school districts they operate in. If the school board denies that renewal application, the charter operator can appeal to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission, which has the power to overturn the decision of the local school board. 

South Nashville’s Valor Flagship Academy’s charter was renewed. According to MNPS’ Office of Charter Schools, which must follow a state rubric, Valor met or exceeded standards for operational stability, academic success, financial health and future planning. Seven members of the board voted to renew the charter, while District 9 representative Abigail Tylor and board chair and District 2 representative Rachael Anne Elrod abstained from voting. Tylor explained that she wouldn’t vote because the school is meeting the needs of its students, but she also accused the school of “picking and choosing” students. Elrod agreed with Tylor’s concerns and expressed disappointment in the school’s “adversarial” advertisements, but acknowledged that Valor has demonstrated stronger academic success than MNPS and expressed a desire to collaborate with the school moving forward.

KIPP Collegiate High School in Northeast Nashville also received a charter renewal from the board through a 6-3 vote. Tylor, Elrod and District 3 representative Emily Masters voted against renewal. KIPP Collegiate High School met or exceeded standards for operational stability, financial health and future planning. It partially met standards for academic success. 

“We expect a high return on investment, and we are not seeing that here,” said Elrod.

Throughout the conversations about KIPP and Rocketship Northeast School, board members discussed how the state’s evaluation process is vague, touching on the tension between the state and the Metro school board about charter schools. District 1 representative Sharon Gentry called it “intentionally vague [and] intentionally nebulous.” The board also discussed how shutting down schools can create significant negative impacts for the communities they serve. 

Rocketship Northeast School was the only charter that was not renewed by the board. Its executive director William Hill — plus one Rocketship parent via an interpreter — spoke in support of the school earlier in the meeting during the public participation period. The school partially met all of the rubric’s standards, but the charter office still recommended that the school merited renewal “with additional support.” The board voted to deny the renewal in an 8-1 vote, with District 8 representative Erin O’Hara Block the sole opposing vote.