Metro school board denies charter school application after 10 years

By Jordan James

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    NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) — The future of a Nashville charter school is being called into question after the Metro school board voted not to renew its charter.

Earlier this week, board members reviewed a presentation from the district’s charter review team, which found that Rocketship Northeast Elementary partially meets standards in various categories ranging from academic success to operational stability.

MNPS claims that last school year, they only outperformed two schools in their designated cluster, which played a huge role in their decision for members to vote 8 to 1 not to accept their application.

“They have been within our school system for 10 years. However, they have not proven to be exceptional,” said board chair Rachael Anne Elrod. “I do not want mediocrity, I do want that them to be average, just like I don’t want us to be average.”

The report also states there has been a drop in teacher retention and an increase in absent students.

Over the years, WSMV has reported on numerous issues at the school, which include A/C problems and not complying with providing proper services to students.

In a statement, Rocketship executive Director, Will Hill, expressed his disapproval of the board’s decision.

“Our students’ achievement was unjustly compared to district data that includes affluent schools outside of the Maplewood Cluster,” Hill said. “This reckless decision will not have any immediate impact on our school.”

Hill says they plan to appeal the decision to the Tennessee Charter Commission and don’t anticipate any immediate impact on the school.

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