A student at charter school Nashville Prep asks to be called on. Image courtesy Nashville Prep

The Tennessee Board of Education could soon decide which charter schools can open up in the state. A proposal in the General Assembly gives charter applicants a way to bypass the local school board.

The legislation would apply only to Nashville and Memphis. According to its sponsors who are from Memphis, that’s because the state’s two largest cities are where charter schools are most active.

The wording does give these privately-run, publicly-financed schools an end run around local school boards. But Matt Throckmorton of the Tennessee Charter Schools Association says such an option could lead to a more collaborative spirit.

“The district is going to look at it and say, ‘they’re going to get approved whether we like it or not – potentially. So why don’t we reach out to them and work with them and trying to get them to come through the district?’ And that’s what we want.”

An Arizona-based charter operator was rejected by the Metro school board last year over concerns about it catering to affluent students. Great Hearts Academy officials said they would only return to Tennessee if there is a state authorizer in place.

In its first test, a House subcommittee passed the state charter authorizer Tuesday. But there was one Republican lawmaker who voted no. Rep. John Forgety is a retired educator from Athens.

“If we do indeed believe that the best government is that government closest to the people, then in my opinion we need to leave those decisions – primarily – to local boards of education.”

Democrats also voiced concerns about the legislation applying only to Nashville and Memphis.

Nashville Reactions

The proposal dismayed most of Metro’s school board, including Will Pinkston, who hinted it could lead to a court fight. “If the state wants to get in the business of running schools,” Pinkston says, “have at it.”

“Based on this very unprecedented step that the legislature, in its wisdom – and I use that term loosely – is taking, then I think we need to step back and examine our options. I am not a fan of litigation as you know, but this is one where, if our hand is being forced I think this has the potential to have lasting negative repercussions.”

In sharp contast, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean supports a statewide authorizer. In a written statement he says it would “attract high-quality charters and advance student achievement.”

WPLN’s Daniel Potter contributed to this report.