Chattanooga Preparatory School will be on probationary status rather than having its charter revoked, officials said, due to recent improvements at the charter school.
Officials said, "Over the past several weeks, leaders from Hamilton County Schools and the new leadership at Chattanooga Prep have worked closely to evaluate the school’s past practices and improve its procedures. As a result of these collaborative efforts, Superintendent Dr. Robertson no longer recommends revoking Chattanooga Prep’s charter. Instead, the school’s charter will be placed in probationary status while the district and the school continue to work together to ensure the school is aligned with all compliance expectations.
"A probationary charter does not affect the school’s operations or accreditation. Students, parents, and staff at Chattanooga Prep can be confident that the school and the district are committed to the long-term success of the school and its scholars."
To address the outstanding areas of concern and ensure compliance moving forward, the following corrective actions must be implemented.
- Provide Course Verification for students in grades 6-11 and provide additional evidence that all standards within the course have been taught and assessed for all current students.
- Provide Proof of Insurance Coverage to ensure no gap in coverage will occur.
- Update PowerSchool to accurately reflect the Teacher of Record. If an administrator is listed as the Teacher of Record, provide an explanation of how the administrator is teaching the course while also serving in the administrator role.
Key corrective actions already completed or underway include:
- Verification and updating of teacher licensures and certifications,
- A thorough audit of students’ transcripts to ensure timely graduation or promotion for all students who were believed to be on track,
- Revision of HR procedures to ensure proper hiring, evaluation, and documentation practices, and
- Ongoing collaboration with Chattanooga Prep, HCS, and legal and education consultants.