Charter School Commission approves new location for Empower Memphis and an additional opening grade for Invictus Nashville Charter School

The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission approved a request from Empower Memphis Career and College Prep Charter Schools that would allow the charter operator to open its new school in a different location next fall.

Commissioners approved Empower Memphis Career and College Prep’s application on appeal last year to open a public charter school designed to serve families struggling with poverty in the Orange Mound and South Memphis communities. Under the change approved at last week’s special called meeting, Empower Memphis will instead open in a shared space with another charter school in the nearby Parkway Village and Oakhaven communities. Empower Memphis will now serve roughly 450 K-8 grade students in the Parkway Village and Oakhaven communities along with Orange Mound and South Memphis.

Beth Figueroa, the commission’s director of authorizing, said the school’s opening has been delayed until the 2025-26 school year, partly due to challenges in securing a suitable facility.

“Despite the school’s very extensive searches and efforts to identify a suitable facility, they had significant challenges due to limited availability in the targeted area, high renovation costs, building code requirements, etc. They have now identified a viable alternative location that’s approximately five minutes from the original recruitment site,” she said, adding that the new location would involve Memphis Empower co-locating with the Tennessee Career Academy, a charter school serving grades 6-12.

The commission acknowledged that the change will still allow the school to serve the South Memphis area and “many of the same students due to the geographic proximity of the new site,” according to documents provided by the commission.

In other business, the commission also approved a change to Invictus Nashville Charter School’s charter agreement that will allow the school to open with three grades instead of two.

Commissioners approved Invictus’ application on appeal last year to serve about 800 K-8 students in Davidson County. Much like Empower Memphis, Invictus leaders faced challenges security a facility and delayed opening to next fall.

“Within the initial new start application, they originally planned to only serve students in kindergarten through first grade, adding one additional grade level per year. However, the school did determine in order to meet the needs of families who were initially interested in enrolling their children in first grade for the 24-25 school year that they would need the ability to now offer second grade seats for the upcoming 25-26 school year,” Figueroa said.  “So, within the amendment petition, the school provides rationale for how adding the second grade will enhance the academic program, and they also believe that by adding second grade, they'll be able to immediately implement mixed age classrooms where initially they weren't going to be able to do that until the third year of opening.”

For more information on the meeting, visit the commission’s webpage at www.tn.gov.