Rutherford County Schools review team recommends approval for a fourth public charter school

Novus SMART CEO Jeremy Sager (Photo by Novus SMART)

Next month Rutherford County will see three new public charter schools open and a fourth could see approval before the first class bell rings.

Tuesday night Rutherford County Schools School Choice Coordinator Jeff McCann told school board members that the district’s charter review team made up of staff, principals, educators and parents is recommending approval for Novus SMART Academy (K-8).

The proposed public charter school would provide students with a co-teaching model in literacy and math along with a Science, Math, Arts/Electives, Research, and Technology (SMART) focus. Novus founders are proposing opening the school to an initial kindergarten class in a church building in Smyrna during the 2025/2026 school year. Novus would add an additional class each year until it serves grades K-8.

The Rutherford County School Board voted Novus’ initial application down in April after review team members found it didn’t meet state standards. Under Tennessee law, charter applicants have the option of submitting an amended application to addresses any district concerns.

Rutherford County Schools School Choice Coordinator Jeff McCann (Photo by Rutherford County Schools)

McCann said Novus leaders did that and he says the review team felt the changes now fully meet state standards.

“They did adequately address all the required stipulations that we put in place for them,” said McCann. “They’ve revised their curricular materials. Everything they are using now is on the state approved list which indicates alignment with Tennessee content standards. Their ELA (English language arts) curriculum has changed, and their math curriculum are both aligned with what we’re teaching here in Rutherford County.”

McCann says Novus also made important changes to its science curriculum and strengthened its plans to serve students with special needs and English language learners. The proposed public charter school also altered its co-teaching model.

Previously Novus proposed the model to allow one certified and licensed teacher and one educational assistant. The plan now would consist of one certified and licensed teacher and another teacher in training who is on the path to earn their license.

Questions remain about community support

The proposed charter school will still face some questions though when board members vote on the application, likely Wednesday night.

McCann told board members that oversaturation is a concern as the location Novus leaders are looking at is in the same area as two other public charter schools that are opening next month.

“They have not really been able to demonstrate much in the way of community support,” said McCann. “They’ve abandoned one of their surveys, their scholar connection survey because they only had two responses and those were of families of students that were outside their intended grade band. They had two other surveys that they had limited response to. One only got 6 responses, one got 35.”

The proposed school may also face funding questions.McCann says Novus lost a $250 thousand grant school leaders included as part of their initial application. To make up for that lost funding Novus leaders are proposing reducing salaries and adding the capacity for additional students.

Under state funding guidelines, public schools receive funding per student and Novus is now proposing allowing up to 96 students per class. The original application called for 88 students per class.If approved Novus SMART Academy (K-8) would eventually would join three other public charter schools in the county including American Classical Academy Rutherford, Springs Empower Academy, and Rutherford Collegiate Prep.