The Rutherford County School Board has voted to approve a charter school affiliated with the conservative — and controversial — Hillsdale College. That’s despite a committee of reviewers finding that the school’s application doesn’t meet Tennessee’s requirements.
Even some school board members were caught off guard by how Tuesday’s meeting went. The committee in charge of reviewing the application from American Classical Academy didn’t get to present their findings. Board chair Tammy Sharp said that was because if they let the committee speak, the board would also have to open the floor to the charter applicant.
Board member Shelia Bratton said she “vehemently” disagreed with that decision.
“We have always had a presentation from the committee giving us the pros and cons and the recommendation. And I find this to be very nefarious.”
Bratton was one of just two members who voted against the charter application. Coy Young also cast a vote against it.
Although the review committee was not allowed to present at the special meeting, a slide deck of their takeaways was published online alongside the meeting agenda. It included a survey showing that 72% of residents don’t support the charter school.
The review committee found that the proposed charter only partially met standards in all three sections of the state rubric.
A Rutherford County Schools charter review committee found that an application for American Classical Education only partially met state standards in each of three categories.
When it comes to academics, Rutherford County’s review committee raised several concerns, including:
- Curriculum that does not align with Tennessee’s standards
- Gaps in plans to serve students with disabilities and English Language Learners
- Lack of community engagement
The review committee also pointed out potential problems with the school’s operations, such as:
- Capacity for crisis planning and safety
- Transportation
- Student health services
Finally, the committee raised questions about American Classical Academy Rutherford’s finances. Their review found insufficient funding to hire specialized teachers for English language learners and students with disabilities. It also called out a lack of transparency and failure to disclose private funding, as required by state law.
More: Read a summary of the review committee’s assessment here.
Despite the committee’s findings, board members in favor of American Classical Academy said the charter is necessary to relieve overcrowding in the district. Board member Claire Maxwell said she was frustrated by the cost and time that it takes to build new schools.
“It is in that vein that I’m willing to vote tonight for a school that will appeal to some of our families and help us with our non-stop growth,” Maxwell said.
Board members in favor of the charter also tried to distance themselves from disparaging remarks that Hillsdale’s president Larry Arnn made about teachers last year. In the end the board voted 5-2 to approve the charter application. The meeting lasted less than half an hour.
American Classical Academy Rutherford could open as soon as the fall of 2024. However, the location is still unclear, another concern pointed out by reviewers.
American Classical Education did not respond to questions about its application or next steps for its Rutherford County location.
Recent history
The concerns the review committee raised are similar to the ones brought up last year when American Classical Education, or ACE, initially applied for a charter school. In 2022, the Rutherford County School Board rejected ACE’s charter application and an amended version on the grounds that they didn’t meet state standards.
ACE appealed the decision to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission, which has the power to overturn the school board’s decision. It did the same with rejected applications in Madison and Montgomery counties, too. The commission held public hearings on the issue, but before they could issue a decision, ACE withdrew its appeals.
Since then elections have reshaped local school boards, and this year ACE submitted applications to open charter schools in five districts:
- Jackson-Madison County School System
- Maury County Public Schools
- Clarksville-Montgomery County School System
- Robertson County Schools
- Rutherford County Schools
So far, Rutherford is the only district to approve ACE’s charter application. Jackson-Madison County will vote on its application Thursday. The rest of the districts have issued rejections. ACE will have an opportunity to amend their plans for reconsideration. If they’re rejected a second time, the charter group may once again appeal to the state commission.
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