The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission voted on Oct. 17 to uphold Memphis Shelby County Schools’ denial of Still I Rise Academy’s amended charter application.

Tess Stovall, the commission’s executive director, said the school — proposed as an Opportunity public charter school intended to serve vulnerable, at‑risk students — did not provide sufficient evidence across academic, operational and financial sections to meet the state scoring rubric. "The sponsor did not adequately identify or describe a clear academic model or specific goals that would contribute to the academic success of the population they intend to serve," Stovall said in her presentation to commissioners.

Stovall also raised concerns about the sponsor’s plan for special populations, governance inconsistencies between the application and capacity interview, staffing and facility uncertainties, and reliance on a single identified revenue source for pre-opening costs. She said the sponsor "did not identify a contingency plan to support the establishment of the school" for the pre-opening year.

A written statement read on behalf of the applicant asserted that the Tennessee Department of Education reviewed the original application and preapproved the applicant for a $750,000 Opportunity Charter School startup grant, and asked the commission to apply the department’s objective standards. In that statement, Monique Wade (sponsor representative) said, "This was no token gesture. It was the result of an exhaustive evaluation by neutral experts who followed the law, applied consistent standards, and believed in our school's promise to serve children who need alternatives the most." The district’s written statement, read by staff, urged the commission to uphold the local denial and described multiple inconsistencies and deficiencies in the application.

Commissioners asked staff to clarify the meaning of CSP preapproval; Stovall explained the Department of Education preapproval indicates startup funds would be available if an authorizer approves the school, but it "does not presume that the application meets the standard of the rubric." Several commissioners, including Griscom and Patterson, cited concerns about the applicant’s readiness and the challenge of opening an Opportunity school with an unclear implementation plan.

Commissioner Eddie Smith moved to adopt a resolution to uphold the local denial; the motion was seconded and the roll call (Griscom, Marino, Patterson, Eddie Smith, Lawrence Smith and Chair Richards) recorded six ayes and no nays. The commission’s action means Still I Rise Academy will not receive authorization from the commission at this time.

The record contains written statements from Memphis Shelby County Schools and the applicant, a capacity interview, and the executive director’s review. The commission did not attach conditions or a timeline for reapplication in its adopted resolution.