(The Center Square) – The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission reversed a decision by Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools and approved an application for a school designed for at-risk youth.
Known as "The Rock Academy," the school would address chronically absent students. It would be open initially to 88 ninth graders.
Nashville school officials asked the commission to uphold their decision, citing financial concerns with a lack of space for career or physical education.
Tess Stovall, executive director of the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission, said in her recommendation that the proposed school has a strong academic plan and community support. The concept of an opportunity public charter school is new to Tennessee, she said.
"The sponsor intends to focus on students who are chronically absent and/or are foster-involved, both defined as at-risk under statute," Stovall said. "Because the sponsor has a focused student population The Rock Academy tailored its academic plan and model to address the needs of those students. The sponsor proposes a later start time and a variety of supports to address the social-emotional needs of its student population."
The commission upheld a decision by Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools to reject an application for a school that would focus on architecture, construction and engineering careers.
Officials with the Forge School would have 240 sixth and ninth grade students in the first year. The commission received hundreds of letters from supporters of the school who said it would fill a labor need.
"The Forge School is designed to deliver the precise preparation Tennessee's construction economy needs: early exposure in middle grades; sequenced, project-based coursework in high school; work-based learning, dual enrollment, and industry credentials that employers recognize and value," said Nicolle Wilkinson. "This vision aligns directly with the Tennessee Department of Education's Architecture & Construction career cluster and the state's emphasis on coordinated work-based learning."
Commission members said they were concerned about the school's plan.
"The financial component piece is still not even in place," said Commissioner Mike Carter. "So there's a real degree of uncertainty, like what we're facing now, economically, nationally that causes me to pause. You're close to being there but are you really there now to say, 'let's move forward?'"
The commission voted 5-3 to reject the request.
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