Tennessee Public Charter School Commission

The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission oversees 9 public charter schools, including 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 high school, serving diverse student populations across the region. While academic performance varies significantly across the schools, a few standouts emerge that demonstrate the potential for charter schools to drive strong student outcomes.

The KIPP Antioch College Prep Elementary and KIPP Antioch College Prep Middle schools rank among the highest in the state, with KIPP Antioch College Prep Middle ranking 190 out of 580 Tennessee middle schools and KIPP Antioch College Prep Elementary ranking 503 out of 1,008 Tennessee elementary schools. These schools excel academically, surpassing the commission and state averages in math, English language arts, and science. In contrast, Lester Prep struggles, with proficiency rates well below the commission and state averages.

Another standout is Rocketship NSH3 Antioch, an elementary school with the highest math proficiency rates among the schools, at 39.4% of students proficient or better, compared to the commission average of 28.9% and the state average of 39.7%. The data reveals significant performance gaps between the highest-performing and lowest-performing schools, highlighting the critical role of school leadership, instructional practices, and other school-level factors in driving student outcomes. As the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission continues to support its diverse portfolio of schools, opportunities exist for collaboration and the sharing of best practices to foster continuous improvement across the district.