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Tennessee Public Charter School Commission upholds denials for four Memphis-area charter applications
Summary
At its Oct. 17 meeting the commission heard NewStart appeals for DreamCatchers, Still I Rise, Kirby Middle and Hillcrest High and voted to uphold the local board or executive director recommendations not to authorize new charter terms or to deny the applications, citing gaps in academic plans, governance, finance and enrollment evidence.
The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission on Oct. 17 heard four NewStart appeals from Memphis-area applicants and voted to uphold denials or decline new charter terms, citing persistent gaps in academic plans, governance inconsistencies and weak evidence of sustainable enrollment and implementation.
Executive Director Tess Stovall recommended denial for each application after reviewing the commission’s record and the Tennessee Department of Education rubric. Stovall told commissioners, "there were far too many gaps that need to be addressed" and concluded for each applicant that the record did not meet the standards for approval.
The meeting began with DreamCatchers Charter School. Memphis Shelby County Schools (MSCS) urged the commission to uphold the local board’s denial, saying the application lacked sufficient evidence of academic, operational and financial capacity. In a written statement read into the record, the DreamCatchers applicant said the school would serve students experiencing or at risk of homelessness, highlighted a state pre-approval for a…
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