Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education said no to three proposed high-quality public charter schools Tuesday night, including one founded by a former student.
The board voted 5 to 2 against Invictus Nashville Charter School and unanimously voted against Pathways In Education-Nashville and Nashville Collegiate Prep High School.
Board members rejected every new public charter application last year as well, and the vote Tuesday is the latest in a series of politically motivated moves opposing charters despite their strong academic performance.
Invictus Nashville Charter School
The vote against Invictus Nashville Charter School followed multiple speakers arguing in favor of the school, including its founder, and former MNPS graduate Brenda Jones.
“I want students to just be and if you take away the access barriers, if you provide them with the support that they need and help them define what success is, they thrive. I know this to be true because that was my journey. I know this to be true because I’ve worked in the education system and I’ve seen it to be true.,” said Jones.
The proposed K-8 Invictus Nashville Charter School would provide a Montessori curriculum to elementary students and then change in middle-school to a project-based learning model (with Montessori undertones), where students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects.
The district charter review found Invictus partially met state standards for its academic, operational, and financial plans but recommended the board deny the application.
School Board member Berthena Nabba-McKinney represents District 4 in East Davidson County where Invictus would be located. She voted against the application saying it appeared to lack community support.
“I have not received a single email outside of board members who serve on Invictus expressing interest in opening up a charter school in our community,” said Nabba-McKinney. “We do not have one elementary school in our District 4 that is low performing or priority. Parents tend to like our local public schools across our community.”
Pathways in Education
Pathways in Education (PIE) operates eight public charter high schools for “at-risk” students across the country and the organization has previously operated schools in Memphis under the Achievement School District. The organization is now applying to open a school serving at-risk students in Southeast Davidson County.
District charter reviewers found PIE-Nashville partially met state standards for its operational and financial plans but failed to meet academic standards. Much like Invictus, board members referenced the reviewers recommendation to deny the school as a reason for their vote.
“I really did love the idea and the concept of this school, given the uniqueness of the cluster in providing new pathways and providing unique opportunities and different and alternative opportunities ,” said board member Freda Player. “I really do admire the innovation and the idea behind it but we have a certain set of standards and criteria that we have to hold our schools and other schools accountable to.”
Nashville Collegiate Prep High School
Nashville Collegiate Prep High School would also be located in Southeast Davidson County. The school’s college preparatory design would offer students access to higher education programs and pathways in art and technology.
District reviewers found the school’s application partially met state standards for academic, operational, and financial plans and they recommended the board deny it. Board member Cheryl Mayes referenced that review in her vote.
“Generally speaking I would welcome the opportunity to have a educational facility that supports our students learning, however based on the findings of the review committee, I would have a difficult time supporting this application,” said Mayes.
The board’s vote against all three schools stands in contrast to the recommendation provided earlier this Spring by independent reviewers with the Quality Charter Review. Its reviewers looked over the three applications and found they all met state standards for their academic, operational, and financial plans.
Under state law, leaders of all three proposed schools will have 30 days to address board concerns by submitting an amended application that board members would make another vote on.
This story is breaking and will be updated with additional information.
