Time Runs Out For Metro Schools To Make Amends With KIPP

The clock has run out for Metro Schools to make amends with KIPP Nashville. That means for the first time, the Tennessee State Board of Education will oversee the opening of charter schools.

These are two school applications that were narrowly rejected by the local board of education, mostly because opponents believe the city has enough privately-run charters. KIPP officials had hoped that after
winning their appeal to the state, Metro would reconsider.

“The schools we operate are Metro Schools, and we’ve always been very proud to be part of the MNPS family,” KIPP Nashville executive director Randy Dowell said in October. “We’d be excited if these new schools could be opened with MNPS.”

The Metro school board had 30 days to “reconcile” with KIPP. The board
deadlocked with a 4-4 tie vote earlier this month. And as of Monday, time is up.

Sara Heyburn, executive director of the state board of education, says the local district likely won’t have another chance to assume responsibility for the two KIPP schools until their charters are up for renewal in 10 years. Still, Heyburn hopes to bring Metro Schools officials into the process, since these charters will be serving their students.

“Geographically, these schools will be located in Davidson County, so there’s a working relationship that we will need to build with the district on a number of fronts,” she says.

For instance, Heyburn hopes to work with district leaders in deciding precisely where to locate the schools, the first of which is slated to open in 2017.

The state board already oversees two special schools — York Institute and the Tennessee School for the Blind. But charters are new territory.

Heyburn says she knows there will be more public scrutiny than normal. But she says she welcomes the attention.