Rutherford County School Board says no to a fourth public charter school

Stock photo of children (Photo by Novus SMART)

Members of the Rutherford County School Board voted 4 to 3 Wednesday night to reject what would’ve been the county’s fourth public charter school. Financial concerns ended up playing a bigger role in the close decision against Novus SMART Academy (K-8) than academics.

In recent months board members have expressed concerns about the way the state’s new funding formula for public schools known as the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) allocates money. TISA funds schools on a per-pupil basis like most other states including California and Texas do. That funding amount is based on last year’s enrollment.

Rutherford County leaders have complained that TISA creates a financial issue for fast growing school districts like theirs where the current year’s enrollment may be much higher. Rutherford County Schools expects enrollment to grow by roughly 1,200 students next school year which represents a minimum of more than $8 million in TISA funding.

Rutherford County Schools Board of Education Member Frances Rosales (Photo by Rutherford County Schools)

School board member Frances Rosales says the funding challenges of that growth led her to make the decisive vote against Novus. She worries adding another public charter school might further impact the district's budget challenges.

“I don’t want to deny a charter school because I do believe in parental choice but at the same time, we have to look at fiscal impact it is causing right now,” said Rosales.

Rutherford County Schools did not conduct an extensive study of the costs and financial benefits of adding another public charter school.  Under TISA state dollars would follow any student that leaves a district run school to the charter school, but charters also take on costs for teachers, tutors, facilities, transportation, and other education expenses for those students.

Supporters on the board pointed to potential savings as one reason to support Novus.The school would’ve been located in board member Tammy Sharp’s district, and she framed the public charter school as one potential solution to the school district’s challenges serving new students.

“We are short of land on the north end. We’re short of land everywhere and as long as we continue not to purchase land, we’re going to have to depend on charter schools to come in because they can build faster than we can. They can buy faster than we can, and they can get started up before we can get land purchased,” said Sharp.

Novus school leaders now have the option of appealing to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission for approval as Rutherford Collegiate Prep successfully did in 2021.  School Board members approved the county’s other two public charter schools American Classical Academy Rutherford and Springs Empower Academy.All three are opening next month.

Board vote rejects recommendation of review team

The board’s 4 to 3 vote against Novus went against the recommendation of the district’s charter review team made up of staff, principals, educators and parents.

That team found Novus made the necessary curriculum changes to its application board members initially denied in April, to now meet all state standards for approval. The proposed public charter school would have provided students with a co-teaching model in literacy and math along with a Science, Math, Arts/Electives, Research, and Technology (SMART) focus.

Novus SMART founder and CEO Jeremy Sager (Photo by Novus SMART)

Novus founder and CEO Jeremy Sager is a former Metro-Nashville Public Schools middle school principal and district literacy specialist. Before voting, board members heard more about Sager’s educational work in Rutherford County from Boys and Girls Clubs of America Volunteer Resource Coordinator Karen Elaine Covington.

She said Sager helped create a “homework club” at the Boys and Girls Club that helped K-12 students with homework and tutoring.

“He was personable, relatable, and patient with our members and that was from day one,” said Covington. “Mr. Sager is an honorable person. He utilizes his gifts and talents to help build the next generation. He is experienced, hands on, and patient, yet driven. He is a 6-foot gentle giant who is determined to be a catalyst for the kids of Rutherford County to unlock their full potential.”