Supporters make the case for Novus SMART Academy in Rutherford County

Following the Rutherford County Schools Board of Education’s recent decision to deny Novus SMART Academy’s application to become the fourth charter school in the district, supporters and educators from the charter school have taken their appeal to the state.

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Local Education, News Brandon Paykamian Local Education, News Brandon Paykamian

These Memphis middle and high schools have a new program to boost student literacy

IOTA Community Schools, formerly Green Dot Public Schools, has partnered with Reading Horizons to boost literacy instruction in four Memphis middle and high schools. The partnership brings the Reading Horizons Elevate program, which focuses on foundational reading skills for older learners, to schools like Hillcrest High, Kirby Middle, Wooddale Middle, and Bluff City High. IOTA's Chief Academic Officer, Christina Austin, emphasized the program's goal of better preparing students for college and careers through enhanced reading instruction.

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Data and Polling, News, State Education Brandon Paykamian Data and Polling, News, State Education Brandon Paykamian

SCORE TCAP analysis indicates need to address performance gaps

While recent results from the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) exam indicate that students across the state achieved “record-high” proficiency rates in English Language Arts (ELA) and made some notable progress in math, analysts from the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) say more work is needed to address performance gaps affecting non-white and economically disadvantaged students.

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Memphis Grizzlies boys' prep school looks to replicate success with new girls' public charter school

For nearly 15 years, the Memphis Grizzlies Preparatory Charter School has leveraged community partnerships with the Memphis Grizzlies NBA team to provide boys with hands-on learning and a focus on literacy and math. Now leaders want to extend those opportunities to girls.

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Local Education, Memphis, West Tennessee Brandon Paykamian Local Education, Memphis, West Tennessee Brandon Paykamian

Memphis-Shelby County Schools recommends approval for an all-girls public charter school

The Memphis-Shelby County Schools charter review team recommended school board members approve an application for the Memphis Grizzlies Preparatory STEAM School for Girls at Tuesday’s work session meeting. The proposed school would be one of three all-girls public charter schools in the state.

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EFI Charter School Report: Tennessee charter school sector ranked in middle of the pack

Tennessee ranks 14th out of 30 states included in a recent report from the Education Freedom Institute that measures the quality and accessibility of states’ public charter school systems.

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College and Higher Edu..., Local Education, News Brandon Paykamian College and Higher Edu..., Local Education, News Brandon Paykamian

Students of color make up the majority of public charter school students in Tennessee. Should HBCUs get involved?

A recent report by the Tennessee Charter Center found roughly 95 percent of the state's 44,000 public charter school students are students of color and supporters believe HBCUs might be be well positioned to provide a unique K-12 learning experience, especially with the important role HBCUs are already playing in educating the next generation of Black educators and professionals.

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House district candidates weigh in on private school vouchers and property taxes

The proposal to allow Tennessee families to use public dollars to send their children to private school proved to be a topic of disagreement for three candidates running in Blount County's House District 20 Republican Primary.Jason Emert, Tom Stinnett, and Nick Bright weighed in on Governor Bill Lee’s Education Freedom Scholarship Act, frequently referred to as vouchers, during a forum held last week by the Blount County Chamber of Commerce.

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Local Education, Nashville Sky Arnold Local Education, Nashville Sky Arnold

MNPS offers families a convenient way to engage in school choice

Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) has opened the optional schools application process for the 2023-24 school year.This process provides families and parents with the convenience of being able to select from over 100 open enrollment school options within the district. That includes many public charter schools that are among the highest performing in the district.

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