Former Tennessee Titans Receiver Kevin Dyson is Among 26 Potential Public Charter School Applicants in 2026

Music City Academy co-founder Kevin Dyson (Photo by Dyson)Dyson

Next month marks the 26th anniversary of the Music City Miracle, when Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kevin Dyson utilized a lateral pass during a punt return to score the go-ahead touchdown during the waning seconds of a playoff game against the Buffalo Bills.¶

The play cemented Dyson’s place in Titans’ history, as it sent the franchise to its only Super Bowl. Dyson went on to play six years in the NFL before retiring and earning two master’s degrees and a Doctorate of Education. He’s now hoping to combine that background in sports and education to create a new kind of public charter school.¶

If approved, the proposed Music City Academy would serve up to 500 high school students in Nashville with a team-centered, career-connected learning model that utilizes athletics and multiple career and technical education (CTE) paths.¶

Dyson is the school’s co-founder, along with former Nashville Classical Operations Lead Bobbe Hill.¶

“Too many high school students feel disconnected academically, socially, and emotionally,” wrote leaders on the school’s website. “Music City Academy was built to change that. Rooted in the unifying power of sports, MCA delivers a rigorous, career-connected education that develops the whole child: mind, body, and spirit. Students belong to a team, guided by coaches and mentors who know them deeply. Daily movement and embedded wellness practices strengthen resilience, while pathways in sports, health, and wellness give students real-world skills and certifications.”¶

26 Letters of Intent Filed

Leaders of the Music City Academy are among 26 who have submitted letters of intent to apply to open new public charter schools next year. That’s up from the 17 letters of intent school leaders filed last year. Eleven of those applied, and five received approval. Charter schools are free public schools that operate under a “charter” with a school district or the state.¶

Next year’s cohort of potential applicants includes the first potential applicant for Dyer County Schools, along with seven for Metro Nashville Public Schools and nine in Memphis-Shelby County Schools.¶

Shelby County will also see a tenth applicant apply directly to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission under a newly approved state law that allows existing charter operators to do so.¶

Bob Nardo (third from the right) at last May’s bill signing (Photo by Sky Arnold)Sky Arnold

Libertas Executive Director Bob Nardo joined Governor Bill Lee at the legislation’s signing last May. His organization currently operates the K-5-grade Libertas School of Memphis, and Nardo submitted an LOI to apply to open a high school next year.¶

“This legislation creates more pathways for schools that are proving to be delivering on their promises to have the opportunity to expand and serve more families,” said Nardo to the Tennessee Firefly in May. “In the areas where there (is) a mismatch between the number of quality schools and the number of families needing another school option, this legislation will allow charters to expand and create more seats where they are really needed.”¶

Higher Education Applications in Madison County

Jackson-Madison County School System received five letters of intent by this month’s deadline, following the approval of the county’s first public charter school in October. Those letters include two from institutions of higher learning, including Lane College’s proposed Lane All-Male Academy for K-8 grade boys and Union University’s proposed K-12 grade Union Academy.¶

Union is affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention and offers students a Christ-centered education. The university describes its proposed charter school as being “faith-based Christian college preparatory.” As public schools, charters aren’t legally allowed to be faith-based, but lawsuits have been filed to challenge the restriction.¶

Lane College is one of Tennessee’s seven Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and its application comes as City Fund and Bloomberg Philanthropies are announcing a $20 million commitment to help HBCUs create new public charter schools.¶