Libertas School of Memphis ‘on track’ for 10-year renewal

Libertas School of Memphis was founded in 2015 after school leaders acquired Brookmeade Elementary, which was performing in the bottom five percent of all schools in the state. (Photo from Libertas School of Memphis’ website)

Since opening its doors nearly a decade ago, Libertas School of Memphis has gained support from local community members in the Frayser area for showing a “strong trajectory of student growth” and tackling chronic absenteeism.

Among those community members is Ricky Ford, a local pastor and grandfather of three children enrolled at Libertas who joined others in a recent public hearing to urge the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission to renew the charter school’s 10-year term. Ford said he believes diversity is one of the charter school’s key strengths, adding that the school has encouraged “racial reconciliation” in the community.

“They're changing perceptions and giving us new realities in the community, and bringing the glory back to Frayser,” he said during public comments.

Bob Nardo, the school’s executive director, said that in addition to creating an inclusive learning environment, the school has shown a track record of preparing students for future career paths. The school has also consistently outperformed its resident district Memphis-Shelby County Schools in English Language Arts (ELA) and supporting students with disabilities.

“Over these last 10 years, we've not only transformed the education in the school, but we've been part of the uplift of the whole community, helping to create new economic opportunities for families, helping people become homeowners,” he said.

According to documents from the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission, Libertas opened in the 2015-16 school year and was authorized by the Achievement School District before transitioning to the commission in 2022. The school serves 459 students in pre-K and K-6 grade levels, with about half of them being categorized as “economically disadvantaged.”

The documents noted that parents and families have consistently expressed “high satisfaction with the school’s inclusive culture,” which encourages “strong communication and support networks for students.” In addition, commissioners said that Libertas’ commitment to supporting special populations of students is “evident in the performance of economically disadvantaged students and students with disabilities.” The school has also consistently met or exceeded performance standards from both the Achievement School District and the commission.  

In terms of operations and finances, the commission noted that most of the school’s resources “are directed toward instructional and student support services.”

Noting such findings, Tennessee Public Charter School Commission Executive Director Tess Stovall said in her preliminary recommendation that she believes “the performance of the school is on track for renewal and a ten-year renewal term.”

She said the commission will meet on Jan. 24, 2025 to review Libertas’ renewal application and provide the commission’s final recommendations.

For more information on the meeting or the commission’s preliminary analysis, visit www.tn.gov.