One charter school plan for Rutherford County won approval Monday, but the board rejected the other applicant tied to Hillsdale College.

The Rutherford County Board of Education voted 6-1 against the charter school plan for American Classical Academy, which submitted an application with Michigan-based Hillsdale College mentioned about 450 times.

The board's decision to reject American Classical Academy was based on a committee recommendation that preceded the recorded controversial remarks recently made by Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn at a private event with Republican Gov. Bill Lee, a backer of the charter school plans in Tennessee.

“Teachers are trained in the dumbest parts of the dumbest colleges in the country," Arnn said. His comments captured national attention.

Although rejecting one application, the board voted 5-2 in support of the plan from California-based Springs Public Schools Tennessee to open Empower Academy in the La Vergne and Smyrna area of fast-growing Rutherford County. The charter school will operate independent from the authorizing board but use public education funding to open a Montessori hands-on, personalized learning approach, according to a press release from the applicant.

Empower Academy will offer a different approach from Rutherford County's 50 public schools serving an enrollment expected to exceed 50,000 students this coming year, said board vice chairwoman Shelia Bratton, a charter school committee member who called for approval.

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The approved charter school plans to open by August 2023 for 150 children in year one and could use a church or another building temporarily. The approved 10-year charter includes a K-8 campus that will serve 800 students.

Springs Public Schools Tennessee Executive Director Jared McLeod will be moving to Rutherford County with his family to oversee Empower Academy, according to a press release from the applicant. The organization operates 20 public charter schools serving more than 10,000 students across Southern California.

"Rutherford County is experiencing tremendous growth, and Springs Empower Academy is ready to serve as a partner to the district and help meet the evolving needs of students and families in this community," McLeod said in the press release.

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Board members Coy Young and Jim Estes voted against both charter school applications.

An eight-year board member, Estes complained about state lawmakers and governors ignoring the board's concerns about charter schools and vouchers that allow families to use public education tax dollars to fund private schools for their children.

"I feel like we’ve had charter schools and vouchers pushed down our throat without any say so," said Estes, who's retiring after his second four-year term at the end of August.

Only board member Tammy Sharp voted against rejecting American Classical Academy.

"Most parents have made it clear they want more 'school choice' for their children," Sharp said in a statement emailed to The Daily News Journal prior to the meeting.

Sharp's statement also suggested charter schools can help the district with overcrowding, particularly at Smyrna High with 15 portable classrooms, La High with seven portable classrooms, Stewarts Creek Elementary with six portable classrooms and Stewarts Creek High with four portable classrooms.

The board should focus on helping "the kids" rather than the politics or the comments from the Hillsdale College president, Sharp said. 

The rejected charter school would use the American Classical Education model mentioned on the original application from Michael H. Harner, a Hillsdale College chief of staff for President Arnn. 

The majority of the board rejected the Hillsdale-affiliated charter school plan despite about a dozen or more audience members holding signs that read, "I support American Classical Education."

The rejected charter school application showed that the curriculum, professional development, operations, oversight and financial backers "all directly tied to Hillsdale," said Kelly Chastain, a district administrator.

Chastain in June accepted promotion to serve as the district's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. She led the committee that examined the charter school applications and made recommendations to the board. 

The school board's charter school committee had concerns about American Classical Academy not providing enough details about operations and a 1776 curriculum.

The committee found the application from American Classical Education “Meets or Exceeds” the standard for its financial plan and capacity, but only “Partially Meets” the standard for academic plan design and capacity as well as the standard for operations plan and capacity, according to a press release from Rutherford County Schools spokesman James Evans.

The American Classical Academy plan showed the charter school serving an estimated 690 K-12 students by 2033-34 after starting year one in 2023-24 with 340 children in grades K-5. The location is yet determined. 

The rejected charter school plans to appeal to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission, said Michelle Garcia, a Rutherford County mother who's a board member for American Classical Education.

"We do not believe that this decision represents the best interests of the many parents in Rutherford County who have voiced their support and desire for a classical charter school option," Garcia said.

The state commission in January accepted another charter school application for Rutherford Collegiate Prep after the local county school board rejected this plan for a campus that also seeks to open in the La Vergne and Smyrna area.

Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips and questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden.

Source: Rutherford County Schools Charter Application Recommendation Report from committee and Springs Public Schools Empower Academy press release

The following shows members of a Rutherford County Schools committee that examines charter school applications: