[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,74,86],{"_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":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6428659,"mediaKeyId","5905287-df7a770c0d4ae109b69be54cea2b9ce4","parentId",5905287,"title","Commission staff proposes adjusted accountability framework for Opportunity Public Charter Schools","audioSeconds",1295,"startMs",230000,"endMs",1525000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5905287-df7a770c0d4ae109b69be54cea2b9ce4&start=230&end=1525","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5905287-df7a770c0d4ae109b69be54cea2b9ce4/thumbnail_230000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6428659/Commission-staff-proposes-adjusted-accountability-framework-for-Opportunity-Public-Charter-Schools","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428659-0cd554b0580df5421265be3784fd0fe8/orig.mp4?Expires=1775290909&Signature=nvaQCtjHMG4us9qKRA2t4k~S-8bPk6oIMyYo5WaRUHIVVunE7kW5RJlymJFphEEXSUiDDQO1Y-rb39B5RrhI~hxE82VuJHvDVLarV6wESnbd26b9Cxfi9amDukOcpChX5jelscwPOQ6JSNEkUb8q2~UEuiVJf0AU6ex1hrTAJOvdDYdmGaFGLaBwd~2vWFt6U-dcItRCZPs84nWi~IxejR32P5wGDSNfN2JVBbFTVX6L0OKFF~DMXceOtNdSbZKc2npySUtr1LoTtIdF2FjYJ2utTYOn2GcpRIfbiDmxIF0jZy~ZVTpZVJkTzpkkQbVBaDMBCy3oVD2PcMXM9UdxRA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tennessee Public Charter School Commission","date","2025-10-07T20:00:40Z","article","Deputy Director of Authorizing Maggie Lund presented a draft adjusted performance framework, Commission Policy 3.71, for Opportunity Public Charter Schools at the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission’s School Performance and Accountability Committee meeting Oct. 7.

The proposal responds to Tennessee Code Annotated 49‑13‑133, which the presentation cited as establishing Opportunity Public Charter Schools and requiring an authorizer-developed adjusted framework. Lund told the committee these schools must serve at least 75% “at‑risk” students as defined in statute and may serve grades 6–12.

Lund said the framework is built on four academic indicators — student outcomes (the state’s adjusted letter grade), a mission‑specific goal, comparative performance, and the TVAS/TVOS growth composite — with adjusted weights meant to reflect the mission of schools that serve high proportions of at‑risk students. “We added additional weight to the mission specific goal from 10 to 20%,” Lund said, noting mission goals will be embedded in each school’s charter agreement. She also said Opportunity schools are held harmless from a letter grade in year one and that the state adjusted the statewide letter‑grade calculation to increase emphasis on growth and on students with continuous enrollment.

Why it matters: Opportunity Public Charter Schools are a new statutorily defined school type in Tennessee. The commission’s framework will determine how the commission evaluates start‑up and alternative models that explicitly target students with concentrated academic or nonacademic risk factors.

Key elements Lund outlined

- Statutory basis and at‑risk definition: Lund summarized the qualifying criteria, including a household income threshold (described in the presentation as 400% of the federal poverty level) plus one or more conditions such as prior dropout, juvenile adjudication or incarceration history, repeated retention in K–8, chronic absence, pregnancy or parenthood, documented substance abuse, or documented abuse or neglect. She emphasized the student must meet at‑risk criteria at the time of enrollment in an Opportunity Public Charter School.

- Adjusted state letter grade and growth measures: Lund said the state has shifted 5 percentage points from achievement to growth/college‑and‑career readiness in the adjusted letter‑grade calculation and added a mechanism to weight either the growth of the lowest 25% or continuous‑enrollment growth, whichever is more favorable to the school. The commission framework will use the state’s adjusted letter grade as the student‑outcomes indicator.

- Mission‑specific goals: The proposed framework raises the weight of mission‑specific goals so schools may report model‑aligned measures that are not part of state accountability. Lund said these measures are school‑reported, included in charter agreements and intended to honor innovation while requiring consistency and rigor.

- Comparative performance: Because Opportunity schools are new and currently lack peer comparators, staff proposed a time‑and‑model analysis that compares a school to itself over time for students who remain enrolled. Lund said the analysis will use statewide proficiency data (TCAP) to review year‑over‑year changes in proficiency and performance level for returning students.

- College and career readiness (CCR): For high schools, the draft framework includes an option for schools to use CCR measures (as defined in state accountability) and to compare CCR rates to the resident district within a 5 percentage point band; this metric is optional and may not apply to credit‑recovery or other specialized models.

- Growth: The commission’s TVOS (growth) composite remains in the framework; schools earning high TVOS scores will continue to receive additional weighting.

- Organizational performance: The draft adds an organizational compliance line to ensure schools accurately track the required at‑risk documentation. Opportunity Public Charter Schools must maintain 75% at‑risk status; Lund said the draft requires amendment of the charter agreement if a school fails to maintain that threshold for three consecutive years.

Commissioner questions and staff responses

Commissioner Chris Richards called the 75% enrollment requirement “very harsh,” saying small enrollment shifts could trigger a charter amendment for a small school. “My concern being that you might get into a world where changes in one or two students impacts the charter arrangement of the whole school,” Richards said. Lund and other staff noted two relevant protections in the draft: (1) at‑risk status is fixed at the time of enrollment (so students whose circumstances change remain counted) and (2) action is triggered only after three consecutive years below 75%.

Commissioner Tom Griscom (identified in committee roll calls as moving procedural items) urged staff to prepare clear explanatory materials for outside audiences so the adjusted measures and the framework’s rationale are not misread by lawmakers or the public.

Process and next steps

Lund said staff have consulted the State Board of Education and other authorizers, surveyed alternative‑school frameworks nationally, and pressure‑tested design choices with available data. Staff will continue stakeholder engagement and pressure testing as additional data are released; the draft was slated for a rules‑committee action and a final read at the commission’s January 2026 meeting.

Provenance: The committee discussion of Policy 3.71 began when Lund introduced the framework during the committee’s Oct. 7 meeting and concluded with questions from commissioners and staff commitments to stakeholder engagement. The presentation referenced Tennessee Code Annotated 49‑13‑133 and repeatedly cited the 75% at‑risk enrollment requirement and the statutory at‑risk criteria.

Ending: Staff will bring the draft back in the coming months for additional stakeholder feedback and a final read at the commission’s January 2026 meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","October 7, 2025 School Performance and Accountability Committee Virtual Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Deputy Director of Authorizing Maggie Lund presented a draft adjusted performance framework, Commission Policy 3.71, for Opportunity Public Charter Schools at the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission’s School Performance and Accountability Committee meeting Oct. 7.","taxTitle","taxId",0,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6428650,"Commission staff reports new schools, enrollment trends, amendments and intervention updates",279,1870000,2149000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5905287-df7a770c0d4ae109b69be54cea2b9ce4&start=1870&end=2149","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5905287-df7a770c0d4ae109b69be54cea2b9ce4/thumbnail_1870000.jpg","/articles/6428650/Commission-staff-reports-new-schools-enrollment-trends-amendments-and-intervention-updates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428650-be5946836b81f13475d1f8d46f7b05d0/orig.mp4?Expires=1775290909&Signature=AwU8K4MEV1Fq~V6DIhymHyAgy9phsS1u6v0uV-gf60sNsRJbzSMM0pxyZfpoVD4bYfuJSXbBQPICE5o~vVQ21~ZDh0mw8Kj85OMjWQnrHjqFKO~bcAZvFbDeK2Ga2SMWAL-20Qwc7h0jWYaqdFaxvdMH67B6MozJzaIQG~j~zSBttJQM2YUyo2OKol33PfVBX5qbG4989I-Vn-kbdws9dtut3edQgI0LAT3llsbYTY2sy1NG2-v7i6to~7ugxmq29a0r0TCwje~dJc4QnG8FV0Te4e6vxM~hPjrsxg3BhB5T3cWW~ebSE9CFZ4l9gSbattkhswamYBmAEuz9a7lKzA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Commission staff reported on 2025–26 school openings, enrollment trends, amendment activity and intervention status at the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission’s School Performance and Accountability Committee meeting on Oct. 7.

Deputy Director Maggie Lund told commissioners that all schools the commission opened this year are operational. “All schools that we have opened this year are running smoothly. They are up, they are running, and they are serving students,” Lund said. Staff provided budgeted‑to‑actual enrollment comparisons for both new start and expanding schools and said results vary by campus: some schools are over budgeted enrollment and some are under.

Amendments and application timeline

Beth (staff) said the commission received an amendment letter of intent and application (deadline Oct. 1) from Lead Lehi Neeley's Bend requesting an enrollment increase and additional seats; staff said that amendment will be presented to the commission in January 2026 after the SBA committee’s review.

Assessment, accountability and interventions

Staff reported TVOS (growth) composites for school year 2023–24 and 2024–25 and said the portfolio shows growth in many schools. Promise Academy Spring Hill has moved off intervention after progress on corrective items, staff said. Bluff City High School remains on tier 2 intervention with a plan of correction and with bimonthly meetings between the commission and the school. Tennessee Nature Academy and Rutherford Collegiate Prep received staff outreach to review data; staff will evaluate whether further intervention is required after the state’s letter grades are released.

Nashville Collegiate Prep is undergoing its fifth‑year interim review in 2025–26: the school must submit an interim report by Dec. 1, the commission will conduct an extended site visit in January, and staff will run the school’s data against renewal criteria and report back to the commission, likely in spring 2026.

Data release dates and reporting

Staff outlined an upcoming data timeline: TBOS public site release Oct. 8, federal designations (for example, federal support labels) on Nov. 21, and the state report card on Dec. 18; staff said they expect to publish the commission’s annual report by Jan. 1 once all data are public.

Governing boards

Beth said the commission continues an outreach initiative with governing boards, attending annual board meetings to share data and build relationships with school governing boards, which hold the charter agreements. Staff said board‑engagement visits are calendared for the 2025–26 school year and dates will be shared with commissioners.

Ending: Staff said it will bring the Lead Lehi Neeley's Bend amendment to the January 2026 commission meeting and will return with intervention recommendations after the state releases letter‑grade data.","At the Oct. 7 committee meeting staff said the commission’s new and expanding charter schools are operating for the 2025–26 school year, reported mixed budgeted‑to‑actual enrollment, detailed an amendment application, and updated the committee on TVOS growth and intervention status for a few schools.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6428646,"Committee approves TISA accountability report, will file to state by Nov. 1",168,2604000,2772000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5905287-df7a770c0d4ae109b69be54cea2b9ce4&start=2604&end=2772","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5905287-df7a770c0d4ae109b69be54cea2b9ce4/thumbnail_2604000.jpg","/articles/6428646/Committee-approves-TISA-accountability-report-will-file-to-state-by-Nov-1","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428646-6bd216c1af112aecedc386cc0b26cafa/orig.mp4?Expires=1775290909&Signature=k1Qu3hEpgJKjAoCMy2T6MK10sTQ4WXqVTyQd0jqTSMFkdBLiyOoy36sd6XD7-atH0BTTdS9QzX-qjGgkVgxfHc76Krq3KoF1zZ46orjgGjiOkHAGjxKM6cwWIIcWZ0L4XgP8VUIQt8XRRwOc2LZem10BAIHvTmcT6nuj86NJcRSkh6BkyAomKC9XyjXjCGaAz4FqdUTXiCzKwYk~5AYjKvH5rRQhvSF8YS1GAbtL6l8d1ZaP-E~VwR8IHPj0NILQ4tFsWAgi1zf~hfG7meORxdqZsKeEhaKj~dJ-VxovE4HOkximgas8rDFTeBWJTwQhTDsSBVMPPU3ZNmA5N4LdKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission’s School Performance and Accountability Committee unanimously approved the commission’s 2025–26 TISA accountability report at its Oct. 7 meeting.

Executive Director Tess Stovall presented the annual TISA accountability report and told commissioners the report documents progress against accountability goals set beginning in the 2023 school year and explains how the commission used TISA funds. “There are some areas where we met our goals. There are some areas where we didn't meet, but we increase and made progress toward those goals,” Stovall said.

Commissioner Chris Richards moved approval; Commissioner Tom Grissom seconded. Roll‑call votes by the three members present recorded three ayes and no nays, and staff said it will submit the finalized report to the Tennessee Department of Education by the statutory deadline of Nov. 1.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Approve 2025–26 TISA accountability report. Mover: Commissioner Chris Richards. Second: Commissioner Tom Grissom. Result: Approved by roll call, 3 ayes, 0 nays.
- Motion: Approve meeting agenda. Mover: Commissioner Tom Grissom. Second: Commissioner Chris Richards. Result: Approved by roll call, 3 ayes, 0 nays.
- Motion: Adopt minutes of July 24, 2025 meeting. Mover: Commissioner Tom Grissom. Second: Commissioner Chris Richards. Result: Approved by roll call, 3 ayes, 0 nays.

Staff will forward the approved TISA report to the Tennessee Department of Education by Nov. 1, as required.","The School Performance and Accountability Committee voted unanimously Oct. 7 to approve the commission’s 2025–26 TISA accountability report; staff will submit the report to the Tennessee Department of Education by Nov. 1, the deadline cited in the meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission staff proposes adjusted accountability framework for Opportunity Public Charter Schools

Commission staff reports new schools, enrollment trends, amendments and intervention updates

Committee approves TISA accountability report, will file to state by Nov. 1