Knox County Schools committee recommends another 10-year charter for Emerald Academy

Emerald Academy is located in Knoxville’s Old Mechanicsville neighborhood. (Photo from Emerald Academy website)

The Knox County Schools Board of Education is scheduled to decide the future of the district’s first public charter school on Thursday, following a recommendation from the district’s charter review committee to renew Emerald Academy’s contract for another 10 years.

According to the committee’s recommendation, the combined elementary and middle school is considered to be a “model” charter school due to the fact that students there “are performing at adequate or better levels.” The recommendation added that the school “effectively addresses areas of deficiency and achievement gaps to ensure academic success is achieved by all students” and models “a continuous improvement process to better meet the need of each scholar.” Charter schools are free public schools operated by an independent contract or “charter” with an authorizing agency like a school district or the state.

Knox County Schools Board of Education member Lauren Morgan. (Screenshot)

“It was an absolute pleasure to get to visit the school and see the scholars last month and learn more about what Emerald does. I’m so thankful for [the school’s] work and the scholars you all are helping in our community,” board member Lauren Morgan said during Monday’s Knox County Schools Board of Education meeting.

In addition to comments about student performance, the committee’s recommendation also noted that the school “has operated at optimal capacity and has provided evidence that parents and students are satisfied with their overall experience at the school.” Committee members said families provided evidence that the school consistently addresses the physical, social, and emotional needs of their students and families. The committee added that the academy has also “established an environment where educators feel valued,” which “creates an atmosphere conducive to effective teaching, learning, and development.”

The academy first received approval in 2014 and opened in 2015 with Jon Rysewyk, the district's current superintendent, as its founding principal.

According to data from the Tennessee Department of Education, the charter school’s student body is 70 percent Black and 16 percent Hispanic, with more than half of its students coming from low-income households.