Tennessee’s annual state testing results are providing some encouraging news for Nashville’s public charter schools.
An analysis of TNReady data by the Nashville Charter Collaborative found public charter schools are serving a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students and students of color in Nashville and those students are showing stronger gains in math and English-Language Arts (ELA) at public charter schools.
Of schools that enroll a majority of students of color in Nashville, the top 10 schools for English-Language Arts growth are all charter schools according to the Charter Collaborative analysis and nine of the top 10 schools for math growth are charter schools.
Additionally, public charter schools in Nashville posted 11 percentage point gains in proficiency for both math and ELA. These scores are 3 percentage points higher than the overall proficiency gains for Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS).
“We are proud that charter schools are a bright spot within MNPS, which itself outperformed the state’s rate of improvement. Now, it is incumbent on all of us serving Nashville public school students to get to a point of true collaboration with each other, where we’re sharing what is working, and being honest about what is not. Part of that approach requires that we embrace the fact that a diversity of school types, from magnets to charters to traditional district schools are all critical to a healthy public-school ecosystem. We all have something to learn from each other,” said Laurie Brown, senior vice president of advocacy for the Nashville Charter Collaborative. “Our collective goal should be to have a great school in every neighborhood. All families — not just those in wealthy neighborhoods or with the means to relocate — deserve the chance to choose where their child goes to school.”
Demographics of Public Charter Schools
Source: Nashville Charter Collaborative
The Nashville Charter Collaborative’s analysis also sheds new light on the more than 15,000 students Nashville’s public charter schools are serving.
80 percent of Nashville public charter school students are students of color compared to 69 percent for MNPS overall. Additionally, 45 percent of students attending public charter schools are economically disadvantaged compared to 41 percent for MNPS overall.
In Nashville, these student groups typically perform lower than their peers statewide. The Charter Collaborative analysis found the opposite is true in the district’s public charter schools.
These subgroups of students are performing higher than the state average in English language arts and math.
Source: Nashville Charter Collaborative
North Nashville elementary school Purpose Preparatory Academy is among the success stories in the analysis.
Purpose Prep is the top performing Nashville charter school for students of color and those who are economically disadvantaged, growing their math scores by 37.5 percentage points and reading by 26.5 percentage points since 2021.
Founder Lagra Newman said that success shows her school’s commitment to both the discipline and the joy of learning.
“Our scholars are Black and brown, from North Nashville, and many of their families lack significant economic means, and they are excelling,” Newman said. “There is no magic recipe or even rocket science behind the results we are producing at Purpose Prep. Everything we do can be replicated in any school, and our best practices are grounded in research based best practices. Mainly, our school was created and centered specifically around the children in our community – Black and brown children from North Nashville. Our model is a testament to how successful students can be when they are empowered through their curriculum, educated by teachers who believe in their potential, and encouraged. Never underestimate the power of a community-focused school.”
