We have been following the unfolding saga of the Metro Nashville school board’s refusal to approve a charter for the Great Hearts charter school in Arizona. The school board voted four times to deny the charter. The state board and the education commissioner Kevin Huffman ordered the Metro Nashville school board to approve the charter but it refused. The state is punishing Nashville by withholding $3.4 million from the district. So far, what we know about this affair is what we have read in the local Nashville newspapers. But here is an insider’s report about why Great Hearts has been turned down four times. Please read the Google document that is linked. It contains links and documentation. It is an eye-opener.
The reader writes:
“Wow, this is SO very needed for me as I sit here after a REALLY long day of just shaking my head at the insanity that is going on in the city that I call home (Nashville). I can not tell you how much I appreciate the breath of fresh air from all of your comments.
“Our newly elected board took a stand for ALL of our students with their 4th and final denial of Great Hearts. There was enormous pressure from the Mayor and our state officials and our Governor. The most ironic part of the 3.4 million dollar fine is the fact that it is from the BEP funds that are designated for “non-classroom”. Several things fall under that heading and of them is transportation. So the state has decided to withhold money that would go toward transporting our children to school who are Free and Reduced Lunch (FRL), in zone but not within walking distance or who are disabled.
“Do you know one of the major sticking points for why Great Hearts did not get approval? Transportation! They did not want to provide adequate transportation for students that were outside of the affluent west Nashville location. Their plan was to provide MTA bus passes for (FRL) kids that are old enough to ride mass transit and then they were going to provide limited busing to a specific neighborhood if the demand was great enough. Sounds pretty good until you get to the part that they were only going to do it for 2 years. Apparently after 2 years those kids’ families were magically going to come into some money to be able to buy a car or quit their second job or whatever so they could drive their child to and from school that is across town.
“So it seems that the state has shown us exactly how they feel about our students that need transportation. When they tried to bully the elected board into approving a charter that did not meet diversity requirements via transportation to the school or location of the school it didn’t work. Now they are punishing the very kids that would have been punished by approving a charter that did not give them adequate access. Oh the irony.
“I wrote an open letter to Nashville prior to the last board meeting which lays out the whole mess and the reasons Great Hearts’ business model was not a good fit for ALL of our children and therefore not a good fit for Nashville. You can read it here if you want all the details.
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bx0LSuayKtIWTlI0Zy1pM2U3WkE/edit?pli=1
Diane Ravitch's blog 
This is probably one of the most inaccurate reports of what happened on the “inside story with Great Hearts.” For starters, the local school board – not the state –will choose how to reallocate funding with their reduced budget for 1 month. Denying transportation to FRL kids (as if they could single out who would not be picked up due to being FRL) is ludicrous and a complete inaccurate assesment. this insider has clearly slanted all angles to support their dislike for Great Hearts in general. Furthermore, Great Hearts did meet the diverstiy requirements as well as the transportation requirements-as required by their application, which is why they were approved by the local MNPS charter review committee as well as the State to begin with. Quite frankly, metro is scared to approve a school that would outperform them and shed greater light on a District that is failing academically.
Interestingly as well, the major naysayers to Great Hearts are not yelling from East, South or North Nashville. No no. They are West Nashvillians themselves. Interesting, isn’t it?
When you say that you have been following it, what exactly do you mean. It appears that you, like so many, have been following for about five minutes. Unbelievable lack of credibility. What a shame.
If you are addressing me, I have posted three or four times about the Great Hearts controversy. I was in Chattanooga this week and learned more about it.
Do you have to be in Nashville to have “credibility” to recognize a con job when you see it?
Metro Nashville Public School System does not provide transportation for all of their alternative school options. Nor is there very much diversity in the current charter schools. This isn’t about diversity, transportation or quality education for ALL students. Based on the boards decision, apparently they believe that some students don’t deserve quality education alternatives.
From a distance, the dispute in Nashville is the same as it is everywhere else. Do you want to keep a public school system? Do you want to allow a private charter to skim off the best students? Do you want to re-create a dual school system based on class? Do you like privatization? Basic questions. I think your school board answered them with courage.
You are right the current charter schools are heavily populated with FRL children because up until last year it WAS THE LAW that only disadvantaged children were eligible for charter schools. In 2011 an open enrollment law was passed so everyone and anyone regardless of economic or disability status can attend a charter school. And interestingly enough there is a charter school about 1.5 miles down the road from the corner of charlotte pk and white bridge rd where GH claimed they were going to locate. One would think that all those parents that are clamoring for a charter school on the west side would have covered that place up with applications to get in a quality charter school. But here we are, one year into the law and that school is still a majority FRL. Bottom line is that there ARE quality education alternatives but it seems that there are those who only want them if they are segregated away from the undesirable kids.
In the future, the charters are going to target affluent white families.
easier to educate and able to make a generous contribution.
Elizabeth, nice name but so hard to put a face to without a last name. Leaves one wondering why you don’t share your full name. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read the document attached with the post. Or maybe you didn’t. Yeah, I’m thinking you didn’t because this is not about fear on Metro’s part unless you are referring to the fear of having a substantial chunk of their student population left out in the cold after the two year busing plan stopped. Because THAT was a definite fear of the elected board. I’m not sure why you think GH met the diversity requirements because the STATE board put that contingency on the approval and GH did nothing to alter their faculty plan or their busing plan to reflect that they had recognized their lack of adequate faculty for Nashville’s average of 12% special ed population or that kids do not magically find rides to and from school after they have been in a school for two years and the busing stops. If you have kept track of any of this you know why the West Nashvillians are opposed to Great Hearts setting up shop. But since you didn’t read the document then maybe you haven’t read anything else either. We want excellent public schools for our children just like everyone else and guess what? The west side has several successful integrated schools that run from K all the way up to 12th. If you cared to look at their quarterly report you would find out that GH pulls over 30% of it’s population from public schools in AZ. It is very clear by looking at their numbers that they do not pull the kids that are FRL, ELL or Special ed. Instead they are pulling the cream of the crop and as public school parent (well I suppose you could be some 60 yr old businessman masquerading as a school parent but let’s pretend you ARE Elizabeth! mother of public school kids). As a public school parent you have to be keenly aware of the balance that lies within our highly diverse schools. Once you tip the scales you have nothing but a mess on your hands. As for Metro picking out what they won’t spend the money on to make up for the $3.4 million fine. Where would you suggest they start? Here are a list of items that are covered under the non schoolroom costs. Utilities, maintenance, transportation, teacher stipend for room supplies. Should we just tell them to not worry about the heat or airconditioning or lights or water or should we tell them not to worry about a broken door or heating and cooling unit or lights or should we tell them to stick it to the teachers? So many choices so little time.
Diane, you might be very interested in the latest developments here in Nashville. http://jamiehollin.com/2012/09/21/did-mnps-board-ignore-its-own-legal-advice-on-clear-state-law/
[…] while commissioner, in response to the Nashville School Board refusing to issue a charter for his personal darling Great Hearts charter school, fined MNPS $3.6 million. The action brought heavy criticism against an already controversial figure. While it may not have […]