Metro Nashville Public Schools is leaving one of its newest charters, KIPP Antioch High School, in the hands of the State Board of Education.
The local school board made the decision after some members wanted to send a message about the burden charter schools are placing on the district.
Board members initially rejected the school in April and again during a meeting in July. KIPP Nashville appealed to the state to overrule their decision this summer. The new high school was approved in September.
“I don’t feel like they want a partnership. If they wanted a partnership, they would’ve done better improvements,” says board member Rachael Anne Elrod, who represents Brentwood. “They would have come to us with a better application.”
Elrod says that KIPP chose to partner with the state instead of Metro Schools. This, she says, means they should be overseen by the state instead of local education officials.
Other board members argued that it would be best for students if the district were able to intervene to address academic, financial or operational issues.
“This is merely about oversight and making them a part of MNPS,” says Fran Bush, a board member who represents Antioch. “I don’t think that’s hard, especially when we’re already giving them funding.”
KIPP’s new high school marks its third charter that won’t be overseen by the district. KIPP Antioch College Prep elementary and middle schools were brought on by the state in 2015.
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