Hamilton County School leaders stood their ground when questioned about the decision to deny an application from a proposed public charter school.¶
The district’s Board of Education voted down Empowerment Academy Chattanooga in July, and school leaders appealed to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission.¶
Thursday, the commission held a public hearing to give both sides an opportunity to make the case whether the proposed all-male public charter school would be a viable fit for the community.¶
District Concerns
Representatives from Hamilton County Schools told the commission that leaders had questions about the proposed school’s budget for special education staffing and services, as well as the sustainability of the network model if other proposed campuses in Nashville and Memphis do not open.¶
Hamilton County Schools Director of Access and School Choice Fannie Moore defended the board’s decision to deny Empowerment’s amended application, saying it failed to meet standards in academics, operations and governance, and financial viability. Moore was also uneasy about the school’s plan aligning with the expected expenses.¶
“(The issue) was whether the allocation was reasonable and sustainable for a 50-student school, and whether the application demonstrated that the school could support those costs independently,” Moore said. “The primary concern was capacity. Empowerment was an emerging (charter management organization) that did not yet operate a brick-and-mortar school, yet the proposal called for opening three schools simultaneously in different communities.”¶
Expenses were projected to range from $708,000 to $716,000, with only $624,000 in anticipated public funding.¶
Support for Underserved Boys
The proposed Empowerment Academy would serve boys in kindergarten through fifth grade, with an agriculture and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) focus. School representatives said their proposal addresses persistent achievement gaps affecting Black and economically disadvantaged boys in Hamilton County.¶
Empowerment Academy Board President Natisha Brooks and attorney Miles Brooks described the school as a small, relationship-centered, all-male model focused on early literacy, academic growth, leadership, and character.¶
“Our long-term goal is that they enter middle school (and) high school well-prepared, socially adjusted, and confident,” Brooks said.¶
Brooks made it clear that she was confident in Empowerment’s proposal and even indicated that leaders would consider opening as an independent private school if the commission denied the appeal. She said prospective students could be encouraged to apply for programs like the Education Savings Account that allows them to use taxpayer dollars for private school expenses.¶
“Despite your decision, we're going to open,” she said.¶
The commission will vote on Empowerment’s appeal at its Oct. 8 meeting in Nashville. If approved, Empowerment Academy proposes to open in the 2027-2028 school year.¶
