Wooddale Middle School leaders say their hands-on learning and innovative aviation program are too important to Memphis families to risk shutting down.¶
The public charter school’s future has been in limbo ever since the Memphis-Shelby County Schools Board of Education voted down its application to transfer into the district from the state-run Achievement School District (ASD) last July. That request would have allowed IOTA Community Schools, previously known as Green Dot Public Schools, to continue operating the charter school.¶
The organization took over administration of the school from the district in 2015 when it was among the lowest five percent of schools. At the time Green Dot received a ten-year charter to operate the school under the ASD.¶
Following the school board’s denial, IOTA Community Schools appealed to the governor appointed Tennessee Public Charter School Commission hoping to overturn the decision.¶
Late last month the commission held a public hearing to provide supporters an opportunity to make their case for the appeal.¶
IOTA Community Schools Chief Operations Officer Chad Everett told the commission that each year over the last decade, more than 150 Wooddale students have benefited from the school’s tutoring program, which demonstrates the district’s commitment to improvement and student proficiency. He added that the school has also previously been a “Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System Level 5” school for academic performance and improvement.¶
Everett said the school also provides several after-school programs and hands-on learning opportunities to build skills in science, technology, math and engineering related subjects like aviation.¶
“Over the last two years, 600 plus students have been provided access to our aviation and drone camp [programs], and one of our students who participated in a summer program on scholarship, where they had the opportunity to experience what it’s like to be a pilot,” he said, adding that the school also provides after-school meal programs for its students, who largely come from working class families.¶
Lisa Williams, president of Women in Aviation’s Memphis chapter, also highlighted hands-on learning in the school’s aviation program as something that sets the school apart in terms of technical education offerings.¶
“Through hands-on activities directly related to careers in aviation students are inspired and build confidence in their ability to succeed in this space,” she said, adding that the program gives students experience designing and testing electronic circuits.¶
The commission also heard from Memphis-Shelby County Schools Director of Charter School Development Arlandra Parker, who argued the school board denial should stand. Parker said that while she understands that the charter schools’ leaders are disappointed in the board’s decision, district leaders have worked to make sure that their application process is “rigorous, transparent, and fair.”¶
She said the district voted against the amended application due to the fact that “questions remained around the newly formed sponsor’s ability to operate a high-quality network of schools successfully through a new 10-year charter term.” ¶
“We recognize the hard work and time that was put into the initial and amended applications for Wooddale Middle School and your dedication to the students of Memphis and Shelby County,” Parker said. “There remain concerns around the applicant's ability to implement a successful academic model to transform public education long-term, based on the evidence and the historical [academic] data provided.”¶
The commission will use comments from the public hearing to decide whether to support Wooddale’s appeal at a public meeting on October 17.¶
If commission members grant the appeal, Wooddale would likely operate as a public charter school under the authority of the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission.¶
