The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission voted on Oct. 16 to overturn local-denial decisions and approve two new-start charter applications: Jackson Museum School, for Jackson Madison County, and Rocketship Tennessee No. 4, for Rutherford County.

Commission Executive Director Tess Stovall recommended approval of both amended applications after the commission’s independent review process, which included the application, a capacity interview and a public hearing. “I have determined that the application in my assessment does meet or exceed the state scoring rubric, and I do believe it would be in the best interest of the students, the LEA, or the community to approve the application,” Stovall said about Jackson Museum School. She made a similar recommendation for Rocketship Tennessee No. 4, citing the operator’s network experience and the application’s recruitment and operational plans.

The Jackson Museum School application drew critiques from Jackson Madison County Schools about startup budget and facilities readiness. Dr. Teresa McSweeney, chief innovation and portfolio officer for Jackson Madison County Schools, told the commission the district’s review found the application inadequate in planned staff levels and facility renovation funding and warned of school closures documented in a Tennessee Department of Education report. The applicant’s CEO and founder, Dr. Jean Little, and commission staff responded that the amended application identified a “top contender” facility with recent renovations, secured philanthropic grant commitments and an initial “intent to enroll” pool; Stovall said the school had provided 80 intent-to-enroll forms and proposed a year‑one enrollment target of 160 students (K–2 initially). Stovall also wrote that the governing board and school leader showed evidence of capacity and partnership commitments that strengthened the application.

Commission discussion touched on staffing, facilities and enrollment risk. Commissioners pressed staff about whether the proposed facility lease was executable and whether the school had sufficient hires lined up; Beth Figueroa and Stovall told the commission that the applicant planned to sign a lease upon approval and would submit permit documents in December with construction starting in spring. Stovall said philanthropic grants from organizations named in the application would support accelerated hiring, including an office manager and a special education director to be in place in year 0. After discussion, a motion to overturn Jackson Madison County School Board’s denial and approve the Jackson Museum School passed on a roll call vote with six ayes and no nays.

The Rocketship Tennessee No. 4 appeal similarly drew a written denial from Rutherford County Schools raising concerns about academic capacity, community support and the performance of existing nearby charter schools. Rocketship Public Schools’ executive director in Tennessee, Dr. Eric Daley, said families had expressed demand: the network reported more than 100 applications from families ineligible to attend existing Rocketship campuses and said more than 50 parents and community members attended the commission’s public hearing; 174 public comments were submitted in support of the appeal. Commission staff reported that Rocketship’s amended application proposed a conservative year‑one enrollment target of 250 students (K–4), that the sponsor planned to open in a temporary facility and that network financials and past-campus data demonstrated the capacity to operate in the proposed area. Stovall said Rocketship Dream Community Prep’s performance and growth supported the network’s chances of success in Rutherford County.

Commissioners asked about Rocketship Northeast’s recent struggles and whether lessons learned would be applied; staff said the network had adjusted leadership and retention strategies and that recent state performance (TVOS) reflected academic gains. After discussion, the commission voted on a roll call to overturn Rutherford County Board of Education’s denial and approve Rocketship Tennessee No. 4; the roll call showed six ayes and no nays.

Both approvals were for amended applications and include the commission’s conditions and oversight expectations that new starts meet applicable state standards and demonstrate on-time opening plans and financial oversight. The commission said it expects to monitor startup implementation, enrollment trajectories and special‑population supports closely as part of routine oversight.