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MNPS board denies Music City Academy amended charter application amid fiscal concerns
Summary
The board denied Music City Academy's amended application (grades 9'12) after hearing district estimates of seat losses and fiscal impacts; vote was 7 in favor, 1 opposed, with one recusal.
The Metro Nashville Public Schools board voted to deny the amended NewStart application for Music City Academy, a proposed grades 9'12 school serving 480 students, after extended discussion about district fiscal modeling and methodology.
The charter schools office explained its methodology for estimating seat loss and fiscal impact, noting analyses based on proximity to proposed sites and grade levels. Board members repeatedly raised concern that a new charter could redirect dollars from existing schools. "Every new charter school redirects public funding dollars away from MNPS while the district remains responsible for the fixed cost of operating more than 160 schools," the chair of the budget and finance committee said during debate.
Member O'Hara Block moved to deny the application, citing an estimated recurring loss of roughly $1,671,012 in year one and an estimated $6,684,049 at build-out across impacted high schools per district analysis. The motion passed 7-1 with one recusal; board staff will prepare the written denial and notify applicants of appeal timelines.
