Tennessee Public Charter School Commission Approves Two High-Quality Public Education Options for Nashville Families

NASHVILLE — Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS) released the following statement to applaud this week’s decision by the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission to support the needs of families in Nashville by approving two new public charter schools, LEAD Southeast Elementary School and Nurses Middle College.

“These two schools are a welcome addition to Nashville’s dynamic public education landscape as each will provide students with an academic option that’s not currently available,” said Lana Skelo, President and CEO of Tennesseans for Student Success. “LEAD Public Schools has provided families in Nashville with a high-quality education option for more than seventeen years and this new elementary school will enable students to spend their entire education journey with LEAD. Nurses Middle College will help our state address the concerning nursing shortage by putting more students on the path to becoming nurses earlier. We’re excited to see the impact both of these public charter schools will make putting a diverse group of students on the right path for success.”

The Commission’s vote overturns a misguided decision last July by members of the Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education, who chose to reject the wishes of families by denying applications for these schools.

LEAD Southeast Elementary School will join five other high performing schools in Nashville operated by Lead Public Schools. It will eventually serve up to 360 students and create a K-12 pipeline to existing LEAD schools in Southeast Nashville and Antioch.

Nurses Middle College will serve students in grades 9-12 with a high-quality curriculum that infuses nursing lessons into every subject and provides a faster pathway to a career in nursing.

Our independent Quality Charter Review analyzed the applications from both LEAD Southeast and Nurses Middle College earlier this year and recommended approval for both.

Tennesseans for Student Success is a statewide network of parents and caregivers, teachers, community leaders, volunteers, and advocates dedicated to championing and supporting Tennessee’s students and their futures.