Charter Transition at Cameron Middle Could Take Five Years

Metro Schools is taking proposals for converting one of its middle schools to a charter. That’s after Cameron Middle failed to score well enough on standardized tests for several years.

Officials say the managed transition could take five years, and whatever teachers are pushed out can still count on jobs elsewhere in Metro.

Alan Coverstone oversees charter schools in Nashville. He says the transition will start this fall, with the new charter operator observing the way things work at Cameron and putting together a strategy for the switch.

During that process, Coverstone doesn’t expect dramatic turnover from the staff.

“Frankly, most if not all of the teachers that are there will continue to be there, provided that they would’ve been there anyway, and will continue to work for MNPS during the transition.”

Coverstone says whether teachers stay after a few years depends on how well they mesh with the charter.

“Teachers who are displaced in that process will be guaranteed another job in Metro – that’s under the charter school law.”

Coverstone says fifth grade could switch to charter classrooms first, with upper level classes shared by traditional and charter school teachers. Charters are licensed to run a school autonomously while still receiving funds from the district.

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EXTRA:

The section of the 2002 charter law, as referred to above by Coverstone:

At the time of conversion to a charter school, any teacher or administrator in the charter school shall be allowed to transfer into vacant positions for which they are certified in other schools in the school system prior to the hiring of new personnel for those positions. Personnel who transfer into vacant positions in other schools in the school system shall suffer no impairment, interruption or diminution of the rights and privileges of a then existing teacher or administrator, and the rights and privileges shall continue without impairment, interruption or diminution with the local board of education. “Rights and privileges,” as used in this subdivision (b)(2)(C)(ii), include, but are not limited to, salary, pension or retirement benefits, sick leave accumulation, tenure, seniority and contract rights with the local board of education. The director of schools shall have the option to specifically assign these teachers or administrators to those vacant positions.