Charter schools in Nashville will try a new recruitment tactic this weekend – they’re hosting a charter fair for interested parents and students. Mayor Karl Dean will speak at the event for schools that run their own way, setting their own hours and methods, while getting public money.

Right now Nashville has about a dozen charters, mostly elementary and middle schools, and six more are set to open next school year. Asked about balancing the growth with traditional public schools, Mayor Dean says there’s room for plenty more charters.

“What I’m concerned about is seeing achievement test scores go up, seeing the city be an attractive place for young families to live, for the quality of education. I think charter schools are part of that.”

The first-of-its-kind event is sponsored by the Tennessee Charter Schools Association, which successfully lobbied in recent years to open charter enrollment to anyone.

Details

The charter fair is set for Saturday, December 8, 2012, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Tennessee State University’s main campus:

Floyd Payne Campus Center, Kean Hall
3500 John A. Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37209

Event schedule:
10:45 a.m. — STEM Preparatory Academy Performing Arts Club performance
11:15 a.m. — Remarks by Mayor Karl Dean
11:30 a.m. — KIPP Academy Nashville Choir performance
11:45 a.m. — Nashville Preparatory Charter School Step Team performance
12:00 p.m. — TCSA charter school information session