Metro’s first charter school is rejoicing. The school nearly closed due to poor performance on math assessment tests.
“Ms. Mary…yeah!”
That’s Smithson-Craighead’s principal announcing her teachers. They trot through the gym like NBA players before a game as students cheer wildly.
Friday the school celebrated reaching federal benchmarks on math assessment tests. Under state law a charter school is shut down if they don’t meet benchmarks two years in a row in the same subject.
Rhonda Dockery is the school’s math coach.
“It is truly a weight lifted off my shoulders. I knew we could do it but we really did put in a lot of extra hours and a lot of hard work.”
Only one charter school has ever been shut down since Tennessee started allowing charters in 2002. It was in Memphis. Another Memphis charter is still at risk of closing and is appealing to stay open.
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