School boards in as many as six counties could vote on applications this year for new public charter schools.
A diverse group of potential charter operators sent 21 charter application letters of intent to school districts across the state, the first step in this year’s new start charter application process. Those operators include an existing charter operator, prior applicants who failed to receive approval, along with a host of new organizations with no experience in Tennessee.
Organizations that filed letters of intent and could file charter applications include:
Blount County
- Patriot Academy of Blount County
Hamilton County Schools
Teach Right Traditional School, Chattanooga
Knox County Schools
- International USA Envisage Leadership School
- Teach Right Traditional School, Knoxville
MNPS
- Encompass Community School
- LEAD Cameron Elementary
- LEAD Southeast Elementary School
- Nashville Collegiate Prep High School
- Nashville School of Excellence
- Nurses Middle College Nashville
- Teach Right Traditional School, Nashville
Memphis-Shelby County Schools
- Journey Northeast Academy
- Blueprint College and Career Prep
- iEmpower CS 2 Empowerment Charter School
- Journey Northeast Academy
- Memphis at Work
- Memphis Grizzlies Prep STEAM School For Girls
- Southern Avenue Charter School
- Stellar University Charter School
- Wooddale Middle School
Rutherford County Schools
- Novus SMART Academy (K-8)
New to the state
The group of new charter applicants includes one proposed school in a county that hasn’t had a public charter school before.
Patriot Academy of Blount County is proposing establishing an initial K-5 school in 2025-2026 school year, with the goal of adding a grade each year until it reaches K-12. The school’s website indicates that it would provide a Classical model education, utilizing language from Hillsdale’s K-12 Classical Education in its FAQ section.
“Patriot Academy of Blount County will provide an enriched learning environment that will help students learn, develop and grow. Our classical curriculum and teaching methods will help students take the next step in their education and approach the future with confidence,” wrote Patriot Academy.
Another potential new entrant into Tennessee’s charter school landscape this year is the organization Teach Right Traditional Schools. The organization is connected with the Charter Institute at Erskine. The Christian college’s institute claims to operate 27 schools in South Carolina serving 30,000 students.
Teach Right’s website describes an educational model that stresses A.M.E.R.I.C.A.N. (accountability, mindfulness, excellence, respect, integrity, courage, action, and noble-mindedness) virtues and related core beliefs.
“Belief that our Western traditions and institutions created the greatest freedom and flourishing in human history and therefore must be preserved,” wrote Teach Right.
Teach Right has submitted letters of intent in Hamilton, Knox, and Davidson County but isn’t expected to file applications in all three this year. If approved, group’s plan is to open public charter schools serving grades K-6 during the first year and then add a grade each year until the schools are K-8.
Back again
School board members in Memphis and Nashville could see applications this year from charter operators they denied last year.
Members of the Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of education voted down the proposed Nashville Collegiate Prep High School last July but the application came one vote short of approval on appeal.
The proposed high school would serve as an extension of the existing Nashville Collegiate Prep elementary and middle schools, offering additional sports facilities and innovative art and technology pathways.
Members of the Memphis-Shelby County School Board could also see a repeat application this year. Board members voted down an application to establish the Memphis Grizzlies Prep STEAM School For Girls last April. Operators sent a letter of intent to submit an application again to establish a sister school to the existing all-boys Memphis Grizzlies Preparatory Charter School.
New schools for an existing operator
Another existing charter operator sent in letters of intent for new expansion proposals.
LEAD Public Schools is a network of six public charter schools in Nashville. The organization is proposing adding two new elementary schools in south and southeast Nashville. These schools would add to LEADs existing middle schools in area that are outperforming traditional public schools on the recently released School Letter Grades.
Rocketship Public Schools also submitted letters of intent to two school districts this year but leaders are no longer planning to submit applications.
Last year school districts received 23 letters of intent but only 14 applications. Of those, local board members approved just two and the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission approved another three on appeal.
All charter applications have to be submitted to school districts by February 1, 2024.
