State education officials say the schools overseen by the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission are faring well when compared to the school districts that rejected them.

This week’s release of state-level Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) results is providing some good news for the 44,000 children who attend public charter schools in the state, especially those who are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Tennessee Charter School Center recognized 5 middle schools and 8 high schools for having the greatest positive impact on student academic growth and achievement.

A new report from the Tennessee Charter School Center found public charter schools are outperforming traditional public schools on state measurements for student growth.

Tennessee Charter School Center (TCSC) Chief Executive Officer Dr. Maya Bugg announced she will be stepping down in early summer after leading the organization for the last nine years. The center plans to name an interim CEO and conduct a search for a long-term replacement following the 2024 legislation session.

In 2010 the future looked anything but bright for the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy (CGLA).The new public charter school had just finished its first year of operation and the school was in danger of not making it to a second.

Monday’s vote in favor of legislation to support economically disadvantaged students came with a misleading attack by a State Representative whose city would be among those benefitting the most.The bill makes several changes to laws governing public charter schools, including allowing an enrollment preference for students who are economically disadvantaged.

Members of the House Administration Committee advanced legislation Wednesday designed to help provide at-risk students with more accessibility to public charter schools.The legislation gives public charter schools the option of providing preference to students who are economically disadvantaged, including homeless, migrants, in foster care, runaways, and those eligible for free and reduce lunches.

By any measure, Chattanooga Preparatory School’s first high school basketball season was a slam dunk success.The newly established public charter school entered the 2020/2021 season with only a 9th grade class, so the varsity boys team consisted solely of freshmen. The Sentinels still went 10 and 5 on the year, coming one game shy of qualifying for the 8-team state tournament.That record included a 5 and 1 district result for the only public charter school in Tennessee’s Division I Class 1A Region 3 District 5. The Sentinels only district loss came to Polk County rival Copper Basin. The two teams split their season series and then faced off in the district championship game where Copper Basin won a nail-bitter by just two points.It would appear one season of facing the Sentinels was more than enough for Copper Basin.During last month’s Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) annual regional meetings, the small Polk County school proposed moving all public charter schools out of the Division I that they are currently in with traditional public schools. Under the proposal, public charter school athletes would instead compete in Division II with private schools.