Memphis-Shelby County Board denies proposed public charter school that meets state standards but leaves door open for one that doesn’t

A short-handed Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) Board of Education chose an unexpected path in the public charter school approval process Tuesday night. With several members absent, the board voted to support a proposed public charter school that failed to pass multiple reviews while denying others the district itself rated higher.Both independent reviewers with the Quality Charter Review and the district’s own charter review team determined the Tennessee Career Academy’s application failed to meet state standards for approval.The proposed public charter school would be led by former district MSCS Deputy Superintendent Dr. John Barker and eventually serve 750 students in grades 6 through 12 with four career and technical education “pathways” including business and communication, engineering and advanced manufacturing, health and human services, and skilled trades.MSCS Assistant Superintendent of Charter Schools Brittany Monda told board members the proposed school lacked the necessary components to meet state standards.“A lot of the critical components of this school are rooted in a third party contracted vendor to carry out a lot of the hiring, a lot of the recruitment efforts, the professional development, the curriculum development and as a school that is finding their identity within the community, there’s concerns about how that will overall be executed,” said Monda.Despite that recommendation for denial, board members voted 5-1 in support of the Tennessee Career Academy in part because of its proposed career and technical education (CTE) focus.“When we can take a pilot model and say, you know, what could an independent run partner do in that space and what could we learn together,” said Kevin Woods (District 4). “When you think about the companies that are coming online, the need for hi-tec jobs, this district alone can not possibly produce the type of workforce that’s needed in the next eight to ten years.”The board initially denied the Tennessee Career Academy’s application last April along with applications from proposed public charter schools Pathways in Education, CHANGE Academy, and Empower Memphis Career and College Prep.  Each proposed school was allowed the opportunity to provide an amended application to the district to consider.While technically not a vote of approval, the board’s vote Tuesday essentially assures the Tennessee Career Academy’s amended application will be approved. Under state law if a district fails to deny an amended charter application within 60 days, it’s automatically approved. The school board doesn’t have another meeting scheduled to meet that deadline.

Empower Memphis voted down despite strong review

The board’s decision to support the Tennessee Career Academy because of its CTE focus is notable as members chose to vote down the higher rated CTE proposed school Empower Memphis Career and College Prep without discussion.Both the district charter review team and QCR reviewers determined Empower Memphis met all state requirements. QCR reviewers recommended approval for the school while district evaluators recommended denial because the proposed school is in an area that is considered “saturated.”Empower Memphis Career and College Prep would serve K-8 students in the Orange Mound and South Memphis community with a career technical education (CTE) model that’s designed to provide students with academic and technical skills through hands-on training and experience.  Currently 40 percent of public schools the schools in those communities are considered low performing Priority Schools.“We have letters of support from the YMCA, University of Tennessee, City Year, and many others who are willing to provide internships, support school clubs, and participate in yearly career fairs and field trips. They too believe in Empower Memphis and its mission to accelerate academic achievement, foster individuality, and cultivate career mindsets as early as kindergarten,” said Empower Memphis founding member Tim Rollins to the board.Board members voted Empower Memphis down along with amended applications from Pathways in Education and CHANGE Academy in one vote at the end of Monday’s meeting.All three will have the option of appealing the decision to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission in the fall. Pathways in Education also received strong reviews from the QCR's independent evaluators and may have a strong case to make to the state body along with Empower Memphis.Following the vote, education advocates with Tennesseans for Student Success criticized board members for ignoring the need families in South Memphis and Orange Mound have for a high-quality education choice.“Tonight’s decision by the Memphis-Shelby County Board of Education overlooked the district’s own findings that Empower Memphis met or exceeded all state requirements to serve the students of the South Memphis and Orange Mound communities. The board failed to account for population growth and the needs of students both now and in the future in its decision, ignoring the concerning reality that 40 percent of the public schools in these communities are Priority Schools,” said Latetrica Wilson, West Tennessee Advocacy Coordinator for Tennesseans for Student Success. “The board should focus its attention not on empty seats, but on seats filled with students who are falling behind and want more diverse learning options.The Tennessee Firefly receives funding from Tennesseans for Student Success.