Former Mayor Karl Dean among those providing comments supporting denied Nashville public charter schools

The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission received no written comments from the public in opposition to the four charter school appeals members are hearing from Nashville.Commissioners are planning to decide the appeals for KIPP Southeast Nashville College Prep Elementary, KIPP Southeast Nashville College Prep Middle, the Tennessee Nature Academy, and Saber STEM Academy of Nashville later this month.   As part of the appeal process, the board accepted written public comment on each appeal.Every single written comment the commission has posted online for all four schools is supportive. It’s a contrast to some of the other appeals the commission received written public comment on.

KIPP Nashville

KIPP Nashville is appealing the denials of two public charter schools it hoped to open in Antioch.  The Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education voted down charter applications from KIPP Southeast Nashville College Prep Elementary and Middle School in July claiming these additional charter seats were unnecessary in the Antioch and Cane Ridge clusters.The organization envisions these schools feeding students into the soon to open KIPP Antioch College Prep High School, similar to the model currently in use for KIPP Nashville schools in North and East Nashville.Former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and former Speaker of the House Beth Harwell provided some of the 16 written comments all in support of KIPP Nashville’s appeals to the commission.“Antioch has long been one of the fastest growing communities in Davidson County. Antioch needs more school options,” said Dean. “KIPP already serves this community. Existing KIPP elementary and middle schools in Antioch are fully enrolled and have long waiting lists. The existing KIPP schools have shown strong academic performance.”“Throughout KIPP eighteen years in our city, they have a proven track record of producing academic results at or above the district and state, while maintaining a commitment to their original goal of preparing students with the academic and character skills needed for success in college and the competitive world beyond,” said Harwell. “Approving this request I believe will make Tennessee a better place.”The commission also received comments from former KIPP students including Kiara Molina who credits KIPP Nashville with helping break her family’s cycle of poverty.KIPP allowed me to see a future without limits and because of that, I was able to become the first in my family to graduate from college,” said Molina. “I support KIPP adding a new elementary school and middle school in Antioch, because I know there are many students like myself in the Antioch community. Students in Antioch are deserving of a quality education.”

Tennessee Nature Academy

Much like the two applications from KIPP Nashville, MNPS board members denied the Tennessee Nature Academy in July claiming these additional charter seats were unnecessary in the Antioch and Cane Ridge clusters.Administrators with the Tennessee Nature Academy hope to establish the first nature-based public middle and high school in Middle Tennessee but its application with MNPS was filled with controversy.Administrators with the Tennessee Nature Academy argue MNPS board members received an inaccurate report on their application before voting from the district’s charter evaluation team, who are alleged to have made 18 incorrect statements in their recommendation against the Tennessee Nature Academy.Parents and students who participated in earlier Tennessee Nature Academy programs provided some of the 25 written comments all in support of the Tennessee Nature Academy’s appeal to the commission.“My daughter attended the TNA Wild Discovery Art and Nature Camp this past summer,” said Shelby Slowey. “I recognize that new and evidence-based models like TNA can address the needs of students for whom traditional public education might not be the best fit. All children deserve to thrive, and nature-based learning can and will make for more peaceful societies if only embraced and funded now.”“I have participated in Tennessee Nature Academy's earlier programs before and it was really fun and it also opened my else to more things that I didn't know of,” said Franpaul Lobo. “I was also able to create strong bonds with people in the community who I have known for 8 years know and I'm only 17! I want to say that you guys should accept Tennessee Nature Academy because I would love for my younger nieces, nephews, and other kids to experience what I did so they can have fun and to also discover new things that can be fun and to help build survive skills.”

Saber STEM Academy

Saber STEM Academy received the most signatures from individuals providing public comment of the three schools.Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education denied the proposed school's application last July to open a public charter school in the Antioch community of Davidson County.Saber STEM Academy proposes to offer the interdisciplinary STEM approach to students in grades Kindergarten through eight, focusing on hands-on and problem-based learning. Administrators also plan to offer an Arabic language program.More than 120 individuals signed a petition that was provided to the commission and 147 individuals signed a form letter in support of the appeal.“We believe that Saber STEM Academy will be our choice because of its promise to provide a culturally responsive and rigorous STEM education for our students.  Our community values the Arabic language and it will be the only school to offer such a robust program in the area. The proposed facility is conveniently located for my family and I believe that it is a safe, and welcoming environment for my child(ren)'s needs,” said each of the signed letters.The state commission plans to decide the appeals from KIPP Nashville and Saber STEM Academy at a meeting October 5.  The Tennessee Nature Academy’s appeal will be decided at a meeting October 18.