Members of the Tennessee House sent a sign of increased support for innovative education options Monday by voting 70 to 19 in favor of legislation that supporters say will improve the approval process for public charter schools.

State Representatives John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, and Antonio Parkinson, D-Memphis, both serve districts where multiple public charter schools are outperforming traditional public schools nearby.  Still both lawmakers openly questioned the performance of those schools during debate over new charter legislation Monday morning in the House Government Operations Committee.

The Governor Bill Lee backed legislation would allow charter applicants the ability to apply directly to the charter commission if they want to open a school in a district that has had three charter denials overturned in three straight years.

Senator Adam Lowe’s legislation would allow charter applicants the ability to apply directly to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission if they want to open a school in a district that has had three charter denials overturned in three years.

The proposed legislation would allow charter applicants the ability to apply directly to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission if they want to open a school in a district that has three charter denials overturned in three years.

The Tennessee State Board of Education released evaluations this month for how well three local education agencies are overseeing public charter schools. Five overturned decisions contributed to Metro Nashville Public Schools earning just a “satisfactory” score.

That poll of 400 parents across the state last month by Public Opinion Strategies found 58 percent of respondents believe charter schools produce better results than traditional public schools, including nearly two-thirds of voters of color. 

Alison and Tremayne Haymer say their seventh-grade son Caleb has truly thrived during his time at LEAD Cameron Middle School and they’re upset with a decision that could divert other students away from attending the school.

LEAD Public Schools filed a motion Tuesday asking Davidson County Chancellor I'Ashea Myles to grant a temporary injunction on a recently approved Metro Nashville Public Schools rezoning plan.

The Knox County Schools Board of Education voted to keep the district’s first public charter school open for another ten-year term Thursday night, but not without renewing questions for how supportive members will be of charters moving forward.

The 9 members of the Tennessee State Board of Education unanimously approved new rules that govern expectations for future opportunity charter schools.

On Monday LEAD Public Schools filed a lawsuit challenging a rezoning plan for LEAD Cameron as a violation of its charter with the district.  LEAD is asking a Davidson County Chancellor to stop the rezoning from going into effect and potentially force the Tennessee school district to pay financial damages.

Tennessee Public Charter School Commission overturns Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education to approve two new public charter schools.

SouthEast Bank announced a three-year investment of $154,500 into Chattanooga public charter schools Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy and the Montessori Elementary at Highland Park to help hire new teaching assistants and fund a new scholarship.

Read more about how these Tennessee charter schools are serving students.