Tennessee school board rejects charter proposals despite parent support

A Tennessee school district denied four charter school applications despite strong support from parents and community members.

The Metro Nashville Public Schools board heard public comment on the four proposed charter schools at its April 28 meeting before the vote.

“This is not about competition. It’s about opportunity,” said Viva Price, a local mother and board chair of one of the proposed charters.

Price described how public school zoning forced her child to attend a low-performing school.

“We were zoned for a school that currently has a 5% third grade literacy rate while passing a higher-performing school just half a mile away,” she said. “Like so many parents, I spent nights researching schools, visiting campuses and anxiously awaiting lottery results.

“Access should not depend on income, zip code, or luck.”

Jasmine Rabia, a former educator, also testified to the value of charter schools and the choices they provide families.

“Parents want choices and students thrive in environments where they are truly seen and supported,” she said.

Sanjar Akparov, a representative of Nashville’s Uzbek community, said he knew hundreds of families interested in more educational options.

“Approximately 370 families have already expressed interest in this school reflecting clear community demand,” Akparov said.

Charter schools are publicly funded and tuition-free but are overseen by independent boards and have greater flexibility than traditional public schools.

The four proposed charter schools were:

• Nashville School of Excellence, a STEM-focused middle and high school  
• Empowerment Academy for K-5 students  
• The Gate School, a middle school focused on teacher leadership  
• Music City Academy, a high school emphasizing athletics and career pathways  

Despite community support, the board voted unanimously to deny all four applications.

The board cited reasons including unclear mission statements and insufficient evidence of need or interest.

However, several board members made comments suggesting concern about students – and funding – leaving traditional public schools.

“There are only so many children in Nashville and only so many seats,” one board member said.

“We are looking to take more money away from the students who currently attend,” another added.

Board member Erin O’Hara Block said the district lacks a clear plan for charter growth. The city currently has 26 charters and more than 125 traditional public schools.

“We don’t have a shared plan for charter growth in Nashville,” she said. “Until we, this board, the charter community, the Commission, can answer all these questions together, it’s really hard for me to want to say yes to anything new, even if I think there might be some good elements.”

While public school enrollment is declining nationwide, charter schools are growing.

Between 2019 and 2024, traditional public schools lost nearly 4% of their student population, or about 1.75 million students. Charter schools grew by 12%, adding nearly 400,000 students.

Research has found charter students often outperform their traditional public-school counterparts academically.

Under Tennessee law, charter applicants can revise and resubmit their proposals within 30 days.