The Tennessee Charter Commission overturned MNPS’s decision to reject KIPP Nashville’s applications, approving two new schools in Antioch.

Although other public charter schools have garnered more media coverage, Oxton Academy sets itself apart by focusing on high school students failing to thrive in the traditional and alterative school options in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS). Oxton Academy not only targets drop out students, but students needing a flexible learning environment due to socioeconomic hardship. It will be the first school to offer work-based learning with hybrid course options in the district. Oxton Academy offers an opportunity to better support struggling students while increasing workforce development opportunities within the district.

Supporters of school choice received another setback to efforts to establish a high-quality public charter school in Tennessee's largest city without one.Friday afternoon, Tennessee Public Charter School Commission Executive Director Tess Stovall issued her recommendation to the full commission to deny Oxton Academy's appeal to establish a public charter school serving at risk students and recent dropouts in Montgomery County.

Administrators of a proposed public charter school in Clarksville told the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission their concept to serve at risk students and recent dropouts has already attracted the interest of local businesses and institutions of higher learning.Oxton Academy director Marcel Monnar said his proposed school has had discussions about partnerships with LG Electronics and Hankook in Montgomery County along with Austin-Peay State University, the Tennessee College of Applied Technology, and Bethel University.