Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Charter School Compliance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parent tells board Springs Empower Academy lacked certified staff, special education support, urges investigation
Summary
A parent raised allegations during public comment that the recently approved Springs Empower Academy charter opened without properly certified staff and with missing special education services; she asked the board to investigate oversight and said she filed an administrative complaint.
During public comment at the Rutherford County Schools Board of Education meeting, Sarah Long, a parent, urged the board to investigate Springs Empower Academy, a newly approved charter in Rutherford County, saying the school opened with uncertified staff and lacked a certified special education teacher until December 2024.
Long said she read the school’s approved application and cited a passage that the school would "follow all federal, state, both, and local laws that pertain to operating a public school," but told the board the reality at the school differed. Long said the school’s principal only became state certified on 01/22/2025; that classrooms were led by unlicensed teachers and long‑term substitutes; and that special education services had not been provided to students with individualized education programs (IEPs). She said, "This isn't just a failure. It's a violation of trust and responsibility to the students and the families that relied on the school's commitments." Long asked the board to investigate and offered to provide details; she supplied an email address for follow‑up.
Board members responded in general discussion noting the board had taken action on the charter earlier in the process. No formal board action or investigation directive was recorded in the meeting minutes; the board did not vote at this meeting to open a formal inquiry.
The transcript records Long's allegation that more than 50 hours of special‑education services were not provided to her child; that claim and the timeline of certification and staffing should be confirmed by district staff, the charter operator and state licensure records before any public report is issued.
