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Staff recommend denying amended charter applications from Nova Smart Academy and Rocketship Tennessee
Summary
District staff told the school board that amended applications from two proposed charter schools — Nova Smart Academy and Rocketship Tennessee — still fall short of state and district standards, and recommended denial. The board must vote by resolution at its next meeting; denials may be appealed to the state Public Charter School Commission.
Rutherford County Schools staff recommended the board deny amended charter applications from Nova Smart Academy and Rocketship Tennessee after a detailed review found deficiencies in academic plans, operations and finances.
The recommendation came during a 2025 work session when Dr. Jeff McCann, presenting the Charter Review Committee report, said the committee scored each amended application against Tennessee Department of Education guidance and concluded both failed to meet required standards.
The recommendation matters because the board must vote by resolution at its upcoming regular meeting; if the board denies either application, each applicant has 10 days to appeal to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission. If approved, the district would negotiate a 10-year charter agreement and become the local authorizer.
Nova Smart Academy: The review team recommended denial. Staff said Nova’s academic plan showed continuing errors on English-language-learner (ELL) terminology and lacked up-to-date monitoring practices under Tennessee rules; the special-education plan did not demonstrate understanding of how Rutherford County provides services at the school building level. Nova’s proposed enrollment starts with roughly 192 kindergarten/first-grade students and grows to a full enrollment the application projects at 864 by year 8. Staff flagged facilities costs and financing: Nova increased a facilities-improvement line to $850,000 from $500,000 but staff said that may be insufficient for upgrades at the older facility the applicant identified. Nova had also included a $250,000 New School Venture Fund grant in year-0 revenue that staff said will not be awarded, leaving a projected negative year-0 balance (staff gave the figure as approximately -$45,761.91). Staff also noted the applicant intends to request a three-year variance on constructing a storm shelter; state policy changes make shelter requirements a local decision.
Rocketship Tennessee: The committee also recommended denial of Rocketship’s amended application. Staff found Rocketship’s amended application partially met standards in operations but fell short in academic, finance and performance areas. Specific concerns included limited daily time allocated to science and social studies, unresolved errors in ELL screening and service timelines (staff noted the application still referenced a 30-day screening window that applies only at the start of the year rather than the 10-day requirement for midyear arrivals), the applicant’s pupil–teacher ratios and reliance on waivers, and portfolio materials showing lower proficiency rates in Rocketship schools compared with Rutherford County schools in the Smyrna/La Vergne area. Staff also cited recent denials or nonrenewals from other authorizers as a factor the board should weigh.
Committee process and next steps: Dr. McCann described a multi-week scoring process with a review team made up of central-office staff, two principals, instructional specialists and two parents; Board member Miss Rosales was represented on the committee. The report reminded board members that approval would create authorizer obligations and that denials must include specific reasons. The board is scheduled to vote by resolution at the next board meeting; staff offered to meet individually with board members before that vote.
No formal vote on either application was taken during the work session.
