More than 30 parents in Donelson and Hermitage wrote the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission to urge members to overturn a decision by the Metro Nashville Public School Board.
In July board members denied Invictus Nashville Charter School’s application open a Montessori based K-8 public charter for students in the Donelson and Hermitage communities. Invictus supporters appealed to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission whose members have the option of overturning local district denials.
Those commissioners will consider written comments from prospective parents like Ashley Broadnax when they make their decision on Invictus’ appeal next month.
“I firmly believe in the transformative power of diverse educational approaches. Invictus Nashville charter school promises to offer MNPS families a Montessori education – a holistic approach that nurtures the whole child, from intellectual to emotional development. Our community deserves a free Montessori option, one that understands and harnesses the natural curiosity of our children and guides them towards becoming lifelong learners,” wrote Broadnax.
School founder Dr. Brenda Jones is a former Metro Nashville Public Schools teacher, and she designed Invictus to serve a diverse population of children, including those facing the challenges she faced growing up in East Nashville’s Cayce Homes. The prospect of having a Nashville native like Jones leading a proposed public charter school appealed to other prospective parents including Alexandra Ross.
“I am a prospective parent and I see the benefits of this school. I want to support a Nashville Native. We are here! Dr. Jones is standing in the gap for us. Please approve Invictus Nashville,” wrote Ross.
During the approval process, Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) raised questions about Dr. Jones’ ability to finance the proposed public charter school but commissioners received additional information to help ease any potential money concerns.
Mia Howard with NewSchools Venture Fund wrote that her organization has awarded Invictus a $215,000 planning grant to support the design and development. Additional funding may be on the way if the school is approved.
“We were impressed by the passion, commitment, experience, and track record of the team leading and supporting the design and launch of the school. Additionally, we were impressed by the community engagement and partnerships at the table to design Invictus according to community needs,” wrote Howard. “Invictus Nashville will be eligible for a larger, multi-year grant in 2024 when they have – amongst other requirements – secured formal approval, developed their innovative instructional program, hired key staff members, identified a suitable facility, and mapped out a path to financial sustainability.”
Questions About Competition
The MNPS District 4 where Dr. Jones wants to establish Invictus currently has one traditional public school offering a Montessori curriculum. Multiple parents from Stanford Montessori Elementary School expressed concern that a new Montessori school in the district might negatively impact their school.
“The applicant kept stating that she is “not in competition” with Stanford, but while she may not believe that, her school will absolutely dilute resources for Stanford and the other schools in District 4. I also feel strongly that our elected School Board members are doing what is best for our community and making the decisions that will benefit all of us,” said Stanford Montessori parent Ryan Sweeney.
Under the state’s new TISA law, school dollars follow the student, and the district didn’t present any evidence showing a direct impact on Stanford Montessori if Invictus Nashville is approved.
Stanford Montessori students are admitted through a lottery process and Invictus leaders have said they aren’t targeting those students to switch schools. Instead, Invictus plans to appeal to a more diverse group of students for enrollment than Stanford Montessori where most students are white.
Despite that, even Stanford Montessori Principal’s Olivia Travis Stanford weighed in with comments to the commission comparing the schools.
“Stanford Montessori has community support which is built on years of providing a safe, effective, and consistent education for all students. Based on information I have been provided, Invictus cannot meet even the basic safety and academic needs for students at this time. As such, please deny Invictus Nashville and support the education our students deserve,” wrote Travis.
This isn’t the first time Stanford Montessori parents and supporters have placed themselves in opposition to Invictus’s appeal. Earlier this month a group of parents spoke out at a public hearing on the appeal and inadvertently made the case the area needs a Montessori middle school like Invictus would eventually become.
Community member Charles Webb hasn’t forgotten those comments and he wrote the commission to vent his frustration at them.
“The parents from Stanford Montessori should be ashamed of themselves for the privilege and hypocrisy that they exuded when they each tried to limit the growth of another Montessori school in the area when their children’s school has a waiting list a mile long. Truly pathetic,” wrote Webb.
