Tennessee has approved two new public charter schools in Nashville, overturning a previous decision by the Metro Nashville Public Schools board.
Music City Academy, founded by legendary Tennessee Titan-turned-educator Kevin Dyson, won approval by the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission during its regular Oct. 9 quarterly meeting. The Gate School also won approval. Both votes were unanimous.
Music City Academy is designed for student athletes and will offer a wide variety of sports. But it will also challenge them to excel academically, work as a team and explore athletic careers that extend beyond playing the game. It is slated to open in August 2027, according to its website.
"I feel a sense of relief and joy," Dyson said after the vote.
Now he's focused on finalizing plans for a facility for the school, recruiting students and hiring key staff. Dyson is joined by Christina McDonald, who will serve as the school's chief financial officer.
The Gate School will offer grades 6-8 and focuses on excellence in teaching, discussion and academic rigor, according to its website. It also plans to open in fall 2027.
However, the commission unanimously upheld MNPS denials for Empowerment Academy Nashville and the Nashville School of Excellence. All four decisions follow recommendations by the the commission's executive director Tess Stovall.
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The state commission, established under Gov. Bill Lee's administration in 2019, has the authority to reverse the decisions of local districts and can approve or renew charter schools if they appeal to the commission. Now that the commission has approved Music City Academy and The Gate School, it will take on authorization of the schools for the two new Nashville public charter schools for next 10 years.
More information on the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission, including meeting notes, livestream links and upcoming events, can be found at tn.gov/tn-public-charter-school-commission.
Rachel Wegner covers education and children's issues for The Tennessean. Got a story you think she should hear? Reach her via email at RAwegner@tennessean.com. You can also find her on X or Bluesky under the handle RachelAnnWegner.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TN green lights charter school founded by former Tennessee Titan
