2 Existing Chattanooga Charter Schools “In Trouble,” Members Observe
by Judy Frank
posted November 12, 2009
If they had to vote today on whether to approve Adira Academy Charter School’s application to teach elementary school students in Hamilton County, several Hamilton County Board of Education members said Thursday, they’d vote no.
And in the formal evaluation of that application, school officials gave the proposal just 57.49 of a possible 100 points – and zero points for “financial health and stability.”
That’s because the proposal understated expenses and overstated revenues, officials said, which means the facility’s first year of operations would result in a deficit – a violation of Tennessee law.
But applicant Marcia Griffin, noting that she intends to prepare written responses to all issues raised by local educators and board members, said she’s not discouraged.
“I will respond to your comments point by point,” Ms. Griffin told the roomful of skeptical board members and school administrators. “I would like to have my application treated fairly . . . I would like to be taken seriously. I’m not going anywhere; I’m here to stay.”
The Florida woman, who is associated with Eagles Nest schools, said she is aware that the two existing charter schools in Chattanooga – Ivy Academy and Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy – “are struggling at this point.”
“You’re thinking ‘We have two failing charter schools already. Why should we let another one open up?’” she observed. “But I would hope our application would be considered on its own merits, not in the light that the schools that are here are struggling.”
Board chairman Kenny Smith was quick to try to reassure her.
“I know it seems like we’re hammering you,” he said. “We don’t mean it that way. We’re just trying to gather information.”
Opening a charter school in Tennessee is uphill work, officials noted, because the state’s rules regarding which students may and may not attend such facilities are extremely restrictive. To qualify, students must be failing in their current school, assigned to a school that is failing and/or already attend a charter school.
Existing charter schools already approved by the school board are the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy on the Westside and Ivy Academy, an environmental school meeting in portables at Soddy Daisy.
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