The Novus SMART Academy will not be able to open its doors in 2025 after the Tennessee State Charter Commission denied its appeal.
RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Novus SMART Academy will not be able to open its doors in 2025 after the Tennessee State Charter Commission denied its appeal.
The Rutherford County School Board (RCS) had also denied its proposal, citing financial concerns. On top of that, three other charter schools already opened for the 2024-2025 school year.
“We’re still faced with the same budget we had before, but with a loss of $14 million and the prospect of adding $10 million more to that really led to the board’s decision to deny Novus based on that negative financial impact,” RCS School Choice coordinator, Jeff McCann, said.
Of the three charter schools, Rutherford Collegiate Prep, or RCP, saw nearly 100 students return to the district within the first month. According to state data, the school’s enrollment is nearly 40% less than expected.
“They are not helping address our overcrowding at all, we need to be able to focus as a district on our growth, make sure that we have adequate facilities in place and we don’t need the added burden of charter schools that we don’t want,” parent and founder of Save RCS, Lea Maitlen, said.
Some parents said they also worried about the financial impact every time a student moves to a charter school.
“That funding is coming out of a school one person from this class, two people from that class, they still have to have that classroom, they still have to have those teachers,” board member of Statewide Organizing for Community Empowerment (SOCM), Joy Warren, said.
A spokesperson for RCP shared the following statement with News 2, adding that fluctuations in projected enrollment are common when new schools start:
“We have new students enrolling every day. We are very excited with our interim principal, Dr. Angie Carter who brings a wealth of experience and passion for education to our school. Whenever a new school starts, fluctuations in enrollment projections are common. School choice is all about finding the right fit and each day, we are seeing our students thrive in the community model. Parents continue to tell us that Rutherford Collegiate Prep is the best thing that has ever happened to their child. As our enrollment grows, our school community will continue to strengthen students academically, socially, and emotionally.”