|
LAW |
|
Year Passed |
2002; last amended in 2009.
|
|
Rank |
17th weakest of the nation's 41 charter laws. |
|
Grade |
C |
|
GENERAL DATA |
|
|
• In 2009, Tennessee raised the number of charters allowed and the types of students that could attend
but the impact on chartering has been limited
• New governor supports raising the charter cap further
• Charters have few freedoms and fewer dollars |
|
INDEPENDENT OR MULTIPLE AUTHORIZERS - NO |
|
Approval |
School boards |
|
Appeal |
Yes. Applications denied by the local board may be appealed to the State Board of Education. The state board's decision is binding. |
|
NUMBER OF SCHOOLS ALLOWED |
|
Cap |
Yes. 90 new start charters are allowed in the state with 35 restricted to Shelby
County (Memphis). Eligibility to open charters limited to school systems
with at least 14,000 students who qualify for free or reduced price lunches.
Only 7 districts are eligible. Preference for enrollment is given to students
with failing grades or those from failing schools. Districts without the
14,000 F&RL students can allow F&RL students to attend charters with a
2/3 vote of the local board. No cap on conversions. |
|
OPERATIONAL AUTONOMY |
|
State |
No.Waiver requests considered on a case-by-case basis. Virtual schools are
not allowed.Management contracts with ESPs restricted to nonprofits. |
|
Local |
No. Waiver requests considered on a case-by-case basis. |
|
Teacher Freedom |
Yes. Teachers may remain covered by district contracts agreement, or
negotiate as separate unit with charter school governing body. Charter
schools may participate in state’s retirement system. |
|
EQUITY |
|
Student Funding |
• Funding formula was changed to base it on per-pupil revenue, not
expenditures which should increase equity.
• Lack of transparency in budgeting process.
• Funds pass through the district.
"The local board of education shall allocate one hundred percent (100%) of the state and local education funds to the charter school on the per pupil expenditure of the LEA. The per pupil expenditure shall be based on the prior year average daily membership (ADM) of the LEA. All funds shall be spent according to the budget submitted in the charter agreement, or as otherwise revised by the public charter school governing body, subject to the requirements of state and federal law. At the request of the governing body of the public charter school, the local board of education may act as fiscal agent for a public charter school or distribute the allocated funds to the public charter school to be administered in compliance with the charter agreement and state and federal laws." [Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-13-112] |
|
Facilities Funding |
Yes. Capital outlay funding based on average daily membership under the
basic education program to be used solely for charter facilities. Some LEAs
may match funding. State portion is about $100 per student. [Tenn. Code
Ann. § 49-13-112 (2)(3)] |
