As Knox County considers a new charter school, concerns rise about students left behind
The administrators working to open Knox County’s first boys-only charter school say they’re motivated to serve students in a way that public schools in the district don’t. Public school advocates and some school board members are against charter schools because they worry about the irrevocable problems they could cause for students who are left behind.
The Knox County Board of Education will vote April 6 whether to allow Knox Prep to join the district and be funded by tax dollars with little oversight.
At an April 3 school board meeting, some members asked direct questions to Chattanooga Preparatory School leaders because they are the administrators behind Knox Prep.
Chatt Prep is an all-boys charter school in Hamilton County.
Before school board members vote on the charter school, these are the issues some have raised:
What did Knox County school board members ask Knox Prep leaders?
Why are the leaders of Chattanooga Prep willing to put extra private dollars, potentially their own dollars, to bring this school to Knox County? - Katherine Bike, District 4 representative
"We received numerous calls from community members here in Knoxville," Brad Scott, chief executive officer of Chattanooga Prep, told the board. Chattanooga and Knoxville have similar challenges and similar opportunities for growth, Scott said.
"We see Knoxville students as our students," he said. "That's our why. The students."
How will you help dissuade concerns from the community that here are some wealthy white folks wanting to come in and save our kids? - Daniel Watson, District 3 representative
"We're very self-aware of that," Scott said.
The leaders said they will hire staff members who look like the students in their school, he added. "We're intentionally recruiting diverse leaders and teachers," Scott said.
Why would you bring an all-boys school to Knox County? - Bike
Mentorship for boys, especially those from single-parent households, helps with academics and overall development, Scott said.
"Our model of an all-boys (school) can really give young men the opportunity to lead," he said.
State law says it’s up to the “exclusive discretion of the school board” to allow same-sex charter schools.
How will you ensure you're achieving your goal of reaching students in poverty and from minority communities if admission is wide open to everyone and since district policy allows transfers? - Jennifer Owen, District 2 representative?
While the school cannot control who applies for admission, it has been strategic in marketing and holding events, Scott said, to ensure "our application and marketing is geared toward those that are underrepresented and are looking for choice in their education."
What organizations and leaders in Knoxville have you reached out to and worked with to adapt the Chattanooga model to Knoxville's needs? - Bike
The applicants said they have met with leaders at the University of Tennessee, parents and community leaders from East Knoxville and Western Heights neighborhoods.
Knox County Commissioner Dasha Lundy, who has long been an advocate for social justice in the community and has been the driving force behind Knoxville College's rebuilding efforts as its vice president, is listed among the proposed school's advisory council members, along with seven others.
How will the school address concerns around parent engagement for enrolled students, especially for those parents who might not be able to be as involved? - Bike and Watson
Parent engagement is a recommendation, not a requirement for enrollment, Scott said. "If a parent's not coming to the school, they're (the student) not going to be removed from the school."
The school's teachers and leadership team in Chattanooga visit students' homes when needed, Scott said.
"We will go to the parent wherever they're at," he said. The school also surveys parents to gauge their satisfaction, they said.
Since the school is all boys, there could be problems with socialization. How do you plan to address it? - Watson
"We believe the single-gender model really helps boys in the classroom by removing distractions," Scott said. "But socialization outside of school with the opposite gender is very important to us."
By way of proms, dance parties and other social events outside of school hours, students are encouraged to socialize, Scott said. The school's partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs also will help expose students to co-ed programming.
The school is planning to lease the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tennessee Valley site at 967 Irwin St.
How will you handle applications from transgender students? - Bike
"We would take it case by case," Scott said, adding that administrators will work with their legal team to ensure compliance with state and federal laws.
"Knox Prep, like other schools and school systems around Tennessee, will continue to monitor the current status of the law on gender identity and respond accordingly if/when anything should change," Scott said in a written statement to Knox News.
How things work with Emerald Academy, Knox County's only charter school
Knox County currently has only one charter school, Emerald Academy, which opened in 2015 and is in District 1, where Knox Prep also would be located.
Board member John Butler, who represents the district, along with Owens and Watson, asked the charter review committee how the district oversees Emerald Academy's academic success.
Per the district's charter school authorization handbook, district officials must conduct at least two site visits each year, meet with school administrators and be in communication with charter schools about their policies.
What happens if the Knox County school board does not approve Knox Prep?
If the district does not approve Knox Prep's application, the school can appeal the decision to the state, whose decision is then final. Schools that are authorized by the state report to the state public charter school commission and not the local district board.
Knox County's charter review committee recommended the Knox Prep application, moving it to the full board for approval.
The school board is set to vote on the application during a 5 p.m. April 6 meeting at 500 W. Summit Hill Drive.
About Knox Prep
Chattanooga Prep's inaugural class was predominantly students of color and over two-thirds of its students came from low-income families. In Knoxville, the proposed Knox Prep charter school is looking to serve the same demographics: mostly students of color from low-income families, and all of them boys. The schools from which Knox Prep is most likely to draw students are Bearden, Gresham, Northwest and Vine middle schools.
Acknowledging the school's success in Chattanooga, several elected board members and public education advocates worried about the effect Knox Prep would have on schools from which it would pull students. Those concerns have been echoed by the Knoxville NAACP and Knoxville state Rep. Sam McKenzie.
Last year, for the first time, four Knox County schools were named to the list of Tennessee's lowest performing schools.
State scores on student growth, achievement and chronic absenteeism show Chattanooga Prep has scored well, outdoing all Knox County middle schools and scoring far above the existing schools Knox Prep expects to draw students from. But critics say direct comparisons aren't fair because charter schools can market to specific students.
Areena Arora, data and investigative reporter for Knox News, can be reached by email at areena.arora@knoxnews.com. Follow her on Twitter @AreenaArora.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knox County discusses new charter school application
