Charter school operator files lawsuit accusing Metro Nashville Public Schools of diverting students of color to a lower performing school

Students learning in a LEAD Cameron classroom (Photo by LEAD Public Schools)

For more than a decade, middle school students living in neighborhoods just south of downtown Nashville have been zoned to attend a unique type of public charter school.

LEAD Cameron Middle School essentially operates like a normal zoned school that elementary students attending Fall-Hamilton, Glenview, and John B. Whitsitt feed into when they advance to middle school. The arrangement is different from most other public charter schools in Nashville that have open enrollment policies. Charter schools are free public schools operated by an independent contract or “charter” with an authorizing agency like a school district or the state.

The unique arrangement for LEAD Cameron began in 2010 when charter operator LEAD Public Schools took over operation of the then Cameron Middle School from Metro Nashville Public Schools following years of under-performance and threats of a state takeover. Since then, the middle school has achieved the state’s highest rating for growth (Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System Level 5) each school year with the exception of 2020-21, and outperformed the other district run middle school in the Glencliff School Cluster in every subject on recent state tests.

That history of success with a student body that’s more than 60 percent English language learners and more than 90 percent students of color is now embroiled in a lawsuit that could determine whether LEAD Cameron’s unique partnership with the district continues.

Last month, MNPS school board members approved a new rezoning plan for schools in the Antioch, Glencliff, and Hillsboro School Clusters that essentially diverts public school children from feeding into LEAD Cameron as they have been.

The district’s plan moves Margaret Allen Middle School from the Antioch Cluster into the Glencliff Cluster, and feeds elementary students from Fall-Hamilton, Glenview, Napier, and John B. Whitsitt elementaries into that school. The plan would additionally classify LEAD Cameron as an optional charter school, forcing families who want to attend it to apply.

On Monday LEAD announced a lawsuit challenging the rezoning 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 district to pay financial damages.

“LEAD Public Schools is very disappointed by the MNPS board’s decision to rezone LEAD Cameron students to Margaret Allen Middle in what appears to be a maneuver to boost enrollment at an underperforming school. High-quality public schools are important for all communities, and this rezoning plan will move students from the best middle school option in their area to a priority school,” said LEAD Public Schools in a statement to the Tennessee Firefly. “The decision to rezone students from LEAD Cameron to Margaret Allen Middle is not only not in the best interest of families, it also violates LEAD’s charter agreement with MNPS. The agreement states that LEAD Cameron is a zoned charter school, which means any middle school student living in the zone attends Cameron, unless the student decides to opt-out for another school. Because of this immense impact on the community and the breach of our charter agreement, LEAD Public Schools has made the difficult decision to pursue legal action against MNPS. It is not a decision we came to lightly but our focus must be on what is best for families and students living in the Cameron community, and that is what we will continue to fight for.”

In the suit, LEAD claims the rezoning plan, if allowed, would reduce the school’s enrollment by approximately 400 students and potentially force its closure. Currently zoned students make up more than 84 percent of LEAD Cameron’s enrollment and the school is not currently enrolling new students from outside that zone.

MNPS has yet to publicly respond to the lawsuit but at last month’s meeting, district leaders defended the rezoning plan as being more convenient for families. It would go into effect next fall.

LEAD Public Schools applied earlier this year to open two new elementary schools, including a proposed LEAD Cameron Elementary that would have also fed students into LEAD Cameron Middle School. LEAD chose not to move forward with an appeal for LEAD Cameron Elementary and focused instead on the proposed LEAD Southeast Elementary School. LEAD currently operates five public charter schools in Davidson County.