The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission on Oct. 17 voted to uphold the Shelby County Board of Education’s denial of DreamCatchers Charter School’s application by a 6-0 roll call.

The commission’s executive director, Tess Stovall, recommended denial after reviewing the full application record and the amended materials submitted during the appellate process. "The application lacked critical detail in all sections to warrant my recommendation for approval," Stovall said, citing gaps in the academic plan, governance, facility and financial contingency planning.

Stovall told commissioners the sponsor proposed a K–12 Montessori model but did not clearly show how that model would be implemented across grade bands or how it would scale to the proposed start-up enrollment. She said the governing-entity information was inconsistent between the written application and what was presented in interviews, which hindered the commission's ability to evaluate legal and oversight arrangements. Stovall added the financial plan "did not meet the standard for approval because it lacked detail regarding the sources of revenue, contingency planning, [and] accurate and realistic budgeting." The executive director also noted that, although the applicant had received preapproval for a $750,000 Opportunity Charter School startup grant from the Tennessee Department of Education, "that in and of itself does not mean that the application is ready for full approval at the commission level."

A written statement from Memphis Shelby County Schools, read into the record by staff, said the district found the application provided "insufficient evidence of capacity in the academic, operational, and financial sections" under the Department of Education rubric and urged the commission to uphold the district's decision. The applicant’s written statement — submitted in the record by the sponsor — argued the project was intended to serve students experiencing homelessness and cited the CSP preapproval and a state representative endorsement; that statement said, "This award was not ceremonial. It represented the state's validation that DreamCatchers Academy is uniquely positioned to serve a historically excluded student population."

Commission discussion emphasized statutory obligations to apply the commission’s rubric objectively. Commissioner Eddie Smith moved to uphold the local denial, arguing, "a goal without a plan is a wish," and Commissioners Patterson and others echoed concerns about insufficient implementation detail. Hayden (staff) called the roll: Commissioners Griscom, Marino, Patterson, Eddie Smith, Lauren Smith and Chair Richards voted yes; the chair announced six ayes and the motion carried.

The commission’s action is limited to whether to grant a new charter authorization under state law; if the denial had not been upheld the local district would have had to cede authorization. The executive director’s findings and the commission’s vote mean DreamCatchers will not receive a charter from the commission at this time. The commission did not set specific follow-up conditions for the applicant in its motion.

Documentation: the record includes written statements from Memphis Shelby County Schools (signed by Arlandra Parker, director of charter school development) and the sponsor’s written appeal. The commission’s formal motion was recorded as a resolution to uphold the district’s denial.