The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission voted on Oct. 17 to uphold Memphis Shelby County Schools’ denial of Iota Community Schools’ application for a new 10‑year charter term to operate Hillcrest High School. The motion passed 5‑1; Chair Richards was the lone no vote.

Executive Director Tess Stovall recommended that the commission deny authorization after reviewing Hillcrest’s academic records, performance framework ratings and the application materials. "When we looked at Hillcrest data and ran it through the commission school performance framework, it would not have met the standard," Stovall said. She reported that Hillcrest’s TVAS composite score has been a 1 for three school years and that math proficiency rates were "under 5 percent." Stovall also cited a Hillcrest graduation rate of 68.4 percent compared with the resident district rate of 81 percent.

Stovall acknowledged Iota’s financial stability and the network’s provision of wraparound services, and she noted innovations such as an increased focus on career and technical education. "However," she said, "the academic plan remained insufficient in detailing how Hillcrest will accelerate students who are entering high school several years behind grade level."

Commission debate reflected the tension between academic accountability and the immediate impact on students. Commissioner Patterson and others said the decision was difficult because there was not an obvious higher‑quality, available option nearby and many students are near graduation. Chair Richards sharply criticized what she described as district practices that may shift higher‑performing students to other nearby schools, saying in the record that such selective placement "clearly impacts the scores of Hillcrest going forward" and called that practice "completely unacceptable."

The roll call on the motion to adopt the resolution to uphold the denial recorded five ayes and one no: Commissioners Driscoll, Marino, Patterson, Eddie Smith and Lawrence Smith voted yes; Chair Richards voted no. The commission adopted the resolution. The executive director and district staff discussed transition planning for students and urged Memphis Shelby County Schools to dedicate teams to support credits, on‑time graduation and other high‑school specific issues during any transition.

Because the commission denied the new 10‑year charter term, the school would revert to district jurisdiction at the end of the current charter term unless another authorizer or operator is approved. The commission’s written record includes the executive director’s analysis, district statements, applicant materials and public‑hearing testimony.