[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6100741,"mediaKeyId","2812491-9a821b6e0ab1fd5a8f598a950a856642","parentId",2812491,"title","Panel questions Rocketship governance transfer, financial resiliency and mixed performance record","audioSeconds",3063,"startMs",4572000,"endMs",7635000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2812491-9a821b6e0ab1fd5a8f598a950a856642&start=4572&end=7635","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2812491-9a821b6e0ab1fd5a8f598a950a856642/thumbnail_4572000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6100741/Tennessee/Panel-questions-Rocketship-governance-transfer-financial-resiliency-and-mixed-performance-record","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6100741-9f49b8e0ae8efac06570a42710fd3132/orig.mp4?Expires=1770504374&Signature=PI4c6O6xA9hS2K1EIzLcd~4gIefrCaKmxcMTfnlsv9BddnpRXDYiy7JcIPAQz6AXVG5hPs~ahMEQ-pJRxWCS~cJ66VW5FJwtKuyG9n4Msp940CqalCGp1mUC4ip8c13IJUN5jvG2RCGh58r6bGuhfRJDpf4~FzGwj5l48W~uco9L~f9HcINm8vNhGpD6yJFUs-MJR6BLjJTEKPRVF3~7VwlwFaRmVBnOooogh92a~VVPvlj5gMXY5At67wMkccWmIgsfh3E7PtoHb7EQyn-nE4nPDVSkd2UJKpc4kpwkKvuoPddbKG6DHU-Nwup9esFuL3~L6ow~QvU49rvLKuBUgQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Rutherford County Schools","date","2025-03-28T06:50:41Z","article","Rutherford County School reviewers questioned Rocketship Public Schools about a pending transfer of governance authority from its national board to a local Tennessee regional board, the network’s plans to achieve financial sustainability if enrollment falls short of projections, and past authorization and performance issues in Nashville.

Legal and governance: Rocketship’s chief legal officer, Maria Herrera, told the panel an asset-transfer agreement between Rocketship National and Rocketship Tennessee is in draft and expected to be finalized before July 1; she said the network has board authorization from its Tennessee authorizers to effect the governance transfer but the formal amendment to shift governance authority remains subject to authorizer processes.

Finance and enrollment risk: The panel noted that several district-authorized charter schools operated below enrollment projections this year and asked how Rocketship would remain financially viable if the new campus under-enrolled. CFO Ben Carson said the network manages scale risk by targeting appropriately sized facilities (avoiding an oversized building for a small opening), leveraging a regional/national network services fee model, standing up incubator or temporary spaces if needed, and using the network to spread certain overhead costs while matching staff to enrollment.

Performance and oversight: Panel members asked about two recent authorization decisions in Nashville, and about litigation/administrative matters referenced in the application. Eric Daley said denial or non-extension decisions reflected local authorizer dynamics and that the state commission has authorized or renewed Rocketship campuses in other instances. On litigation, Maria Herrera characterized those matters largely as administrative proceedings and said only one had proceeded to litigation; she did not provide additional legal detail in the interview.

Next steps: The district panel requested documentation supporting financial projections, governance-transfer documents, and more records on authorizer actions and outcomes before final recommendation to the board.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Charter School Capacity Interview - March 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Rutherford County reviewers pressed Rocketship on governance transfer from a national to a Tennessee board, contingency plans for enrollment shortfalls, and variations in the network’s academic performance; Rocketship said governance transfer documents are in progress and defended financial and turnaround practices.","taxTitle","Rutherford County, School Districts, Tennessee","taxId",13507,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6100746,"Rocketship describes Smyrna-area facility, 10‑month renovation plan and safety measures",621,4924000,5545000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2812491-9a821b6e0ab1fd5a8f598a950a856642&start=4924&end=5545","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2812491-9a821b6e0ab1fd5a8f598a950a856642/thumbnail_4924000.jpg","/articles/6100746/Tennessee/Rocketship-describes-Smyrna-area-facility-10month-renovation-plan-and-safety-measures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6100746-52b75fd021c389b03d24a68d3345cc72/orig.mp4?Expires=1770504374&Signature=kKmkHqQC7mO-gkL8l8NOv22ua8UN0gXDPRbdPQeM9suDiLAh6-h-rzj2YOzbOMNZVUr-sE54STMVbHFy47L3DByEuTa~LOT9U49rf4xovtuYdWR7aG-xq-eeA~vvtITnwmOgFS9Md9nrNyGe2IWw9nZu6x8v8J8HOEU6SYOPBffJzoyaKE~zaI8XhcwLr6mVCuGhE3CgPdbaumlgojR1QojjqBA96WTKn8K0LZ11aSaVACqZu9jtvpPy75EmxErJnZ9t9fjXINvpYcK~JZjVV6kc~qzSNvG1h6IzlooarzRbs3E9jvG9LHXnDnpfVDJ0lYi-vUGMnawi01W-ybF6fQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rocketship told the Rutherford County Schools panel it is targeting an existing commercial building near Smyrna Airport—about 20,000 square feet—as a likely first campus site and described a light-touch renovation approach that would include a storm shelter and phased expansion if demand grows.

CFO Ben Carson described the 10-month timeline as “shovel in to shovel out,” with about five months for entitlements and financing and six weeks on the back end for punch-list items. Carson said Rocketship prefers light renovations to ground-up construction to meet a fall 2026 opening target and said the organization is exploring short-term temporary options (church space, community partner) if needed.

Safety and operations: Rocketship outlined layered facility and operational precautions: cameras at points of ingress/egress, access control systems, impact-resistant film on ground-floor glazing, front-desk panic alarms, visitor-screening software (driver-license scan), bus monitors and a pickup system tied to SIS identification numbers. Eric Newman and operations staff said the network uses school resource officers in Nashville and plans to do so in Rutherford County if local arrangements match those partnerships.

Transportation: Rocketship confirmed it will provide transportation and described route-design priorities to limit ride times, using hub-style pick-up points where practical. The network said it currently operates buses in Nashville and plans to scale routes and drivers to Rutherford County needs.

Panelists asked to tour the proposed facility if the application advances; Rocketship agreed to make presentation slides and follow-up materials available to the panel.","Rocketship told Rutherford County reviewers it is under contract for a light-touch 20,000 sq. ft. building near Smyrna Airport, proposed a 10-month shovel-in-to-shovel-out renovation timeline, and outlined security, storm shelter and transportation planning.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6100749,"Rocketship outlines rotational schedule and supports for English learners and students with disabilities",1303,1471000,2774000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2812491-9a821b6e0ab1fd5a8f598a950a856642&start=1471&end=2774","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2812491-9a821b6e0ab1fd5a8f598a950a856642/thumbnail_1471000.jpg","/articles/6100749/Tennessee/Rocketship-outlines-rotational-schedule-and-supports-for-English-learners-and-students-with-disabilities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6100749-d7a8222c5cae430d8a73aac553244525/orig.mp4?Expires=1770504374&Signature=cSdqRMaxqfIgcK4PM0C4dAWl94nri23XkyKyBOizKnunJ61ptVwy1OdZuHhofDgGv50mm6Xf5rzEjJMWjOf3MhMEJfz8aS88yntXjYBhVcOB4EKdLQh30AXTKNfMXw3wrHL7lgyy8rWTcvNPmixjpAafaq9phxmRdmvWCwjJVpVlmA3EvpFHByyxU3pS6ONxtMYuvF~fGUoTSx8doqf-IVvl6NWnSR3VQMkDLidYSLQFmLN8TBLY9LTj040abTvrj38z~riB4hIP6lF58fKsWhZ7ImFM0B8MF-LFrpLnkZY8Eaj2meTYM3LrUQzeeHjcKa4SJB0S74TH7QeuutUjTA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rocketship Public Schools told the Rutherford County Schools review panel its elementary model uses four daily instructional blocks—humanities, STEM, learning lab and enrichment—that rotate students through specialized teachers and aim to provide targeted intervention time.

Chief Academic Officer Isir Kaur said students typically receive about 160–180 minutes of literacy (humanities) instruction, roughly 70–90 minutes of math (STEM), 50–90 minutes of learning-lab instruction for high-dosage tutoring or differentiated online work, and about 40 minutes of enrichment. “Our students experience about anywhere between 5 to 7 months of accelerated learning, based off of our model,” Kaur said, citing network research.

Curriculum and Tennessee alignment: Rocketship told the panel it uses Amplify CKLA (CKLA skills/knowledge/integrated depending on grade band) for humanities, Eureka Math Squared for math and Discovery Science for science; staff said the application language referring to “Common Core” was an error and that curricula were selected from the Tennessee Department of Education’s approved adoption list.

English learners: Rocketship representatives said they project roughly 40% of the new school’s student population will be identified as English learners and outlined five staffing and programmatic “buckets”: a codified identification process, staff development, EL-certified teachers providing direct instruction, an EL-aligned intervention that connects with grade-level curriculum, and collaborative co-teaching/co-planning/co-assessment structures. The team said they use WIDA and EDPA/ELPA screening and DIBELS for interim checks while identifying a longer-term ELPA-aligned screener.

Students with disabilities: Rocketship said the majority of students with IEPs would be served in inclusive, co-teaching classrooms with additional small-group or pull-out instruction during the learning-lab block; the team projected three special-education teachers in year one and said speech-language pathologists and occupational therapy may be provided either in house or via contracted providers with contingency plans to source alternate providers if needed.

Staffing and credentials: Rocketship described recruitment pipelines with local colleges and a national pool, credential pathways for staff to become EL certified, and a professional-development model that includes 210 hours of teacher PD annually and live coaching. Panel members pressed on contingency plans for certified EL teacher shortages; Rocketship said it plans a mix of EL-certified specialists, dual-certification development for other teachers and university partnerships to meet mandated ratios.","At the Rutherford County capacity interview Rocketship described a four-block daily schedule, curriculum adoptions aligned to Tennessee standards, and staffing plans to serve large populations of English learners and students with disabilities.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6100756,"Rocketship Public Schools seeks to open elementary campus in Rutherford County",7620,0,7620000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2812491-9a821b6e0ab1fd5a8f598a950a856642&start=0&end=7620","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2812491-9a821b6e0ab1fd5a8f598a950a856642/thumbnail_0.jpg","/articles/6100756/Tennessee/Rocketship-Public-Schools-seeks-to-open-elementary-campus-in-Rutherford-County","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6100756-7aad62f6fe537110587af160f085a393/orig.mp4?Expires=1770504374&Signature=RCYFIPWr9-k-va-1EgUBF~QW6ZLsMaZ9MY7iz6dXInXo~vSU406E53Bitbx9t4WrI67G0fF-HeqQnPY8v7pko3fg1dnBj16mvxbG0XTWl90189OA4zTFlCvHX8lcKRqq31tPSo6AeZABmAGdPHYVuBSYLWPTt0d5o94XN9h6foDotL8MEwK4iaD-xHjeDmAh~DzM72q~zGy1XSho2YtKNw9ZFCiVjPIpsOBofVcR6jfXVA8VVjDSgcEi90gUwno~htHsJet5y5SBpx2btKBhAnVHQAZoHxkhQst7BfPdMzukfTXv8Kzvi3gC3pJMgscYajDFsE8c-pjLtdUNcoNHUg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rocketship Public Schools presented its charter application and capacity plan to Rutherford County Schools in a formal interview, describing a plan to open an elementary campus in the northern part of the county and laying out timelines for approval, facilities and governance.

The district’s charter and choice coordinator, Jeff McCann, opened the session and explained the interview structure. Rocketship’s executive director for Tennessee, Eric Daley, said the application reflects “a methodical” 12-to-18-month green-lighting process and emphasized the organization’s experience operating three Tennessee campuses.

Why this matters: Rutherford County is experiencing rapid population growth and the district’s panel said some elementary buildings are at or near capacity; Rocketship told the panel it sees an opportunity to expand choice and to serve students the network says it has historically supported well, including English learners and students with learning differences.

Key points Rocketship presented include its three-pillar model (personalized learning, talent development, parent engagement), a rotational schedule that separates humanities, STEM, enrichment and learning-lab blocks, and a regional governance transition from a national to a Tennessee board. Rocketship representatives said they are under contract on a light-touch commercial building near the Smyrna Airport as a likely first facility and proposed a 10-month shovel-in-to-shovel-out schedule for initial renovation.

The Rutherford County panel will convert interview feedback into rubric scores; McCann said the committee will meet again in April to prepare a final recommendation and that the Board of Education is scheduled to vote on April 24. The interview produced no final decision; the transcript records only the presentation, questions and follow-up timeline.","Rocketship Public Schools presented its charter application to Rutherford County Schools during a capacity interview, outlining its model, community engagement, timeline and next steps; the district panel will score the application and the board plans a final vote in April.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Panel questions Rocketship governance transfer, financial resiliency and mixed performance record

Rocketship describes Smyrna-area facility, 10‑month renovation plan and safety measures

Rocketship outlines rotational schedule and supports for English learners and students with disabilities

Rocketship Public Schools seeks to open elementary campus in Rutherford County