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TNFirefly · Newsletter
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No. 23
Thu · 12 Nov · 2026
Our Thursday deep dive. We take one Tennessee education or policy story and unpack it in full — how it started, who's involved, and what it means for you.
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From the Editor
Good afternoon. This week brings a stark reminder that charter accountability decisions carry real weight. When the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission meets in January, its vote on one Memphis high school will determine whether more than 400 students need to find new schools by August or whether their campus gets another chance to prove itself.
We also have a Veterans Day story with better news. Military-connected students in Tennessee are graduating at rates that lead every other student group in the state, with about a third of them attending schools in Clarksville-Montgomery County near Fort Campbell. |
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Local Education
If Commissioners agree in January, the Memphis public charter school would close after this school year, and its students would need new schools beginning in August 2027.
By Firefly Staff
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The Executive Director of the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission is recommending against renewing the charter for Bluff City High School, a Memphis public charter school, ahead of a public hearing on Monday. If Commissioners vote not to renew the school's charter at their next meeting in January, Bluff City would close after this school year. The school currently serves over 400 students in grades 9-12 in the Hickory Hill community. In a preliminary report published ahead of Monday's public hearing, Executive Director Tess Stovall cites low test scores, uneven results over the school's 10-year charter, and frequent changes in school leadership in her recommendation to not renew. The report does credit Bluff City with stronger student growth, better attendance, and sound finances in recent years. In 2024-25, only 8.8 percent of Bluff City students were proficient in math, and just 15.5 percent were proficient in English language arts. After multiple years at the lowest rating in the state's growth measure, Bluff City earned the highest rating in 2023-24 and the second-highest rating in 2024-25. IOTA Community Schools, the local network that replaced Green Dot Public Schools Tennessee as Bluff City's operator in 2024, argued in its renewal application that the numbers need context. Incoming ninth graders arrive at Bluff City approximately four grade levels behind in both math and reading, as measured by AimsWeb diagnostics each fall, according to the application. The network described a clear, accelerating recovery over the past two years and pointed to family satisfaction rising from 57.1 percent in 2021-22 to 91.4 percent in 2024-25.
"Although there are indications of improvement in certain areas, the results are not yet sufficient to overcome the school's overall record of inconsistent academic performance throughout the charter term."
— Tess Stovall, Tennessee Public Charter School Commission Executive Director
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By the Numbers
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8.8%
Share of Bluff City students proficient in math in 2024-25, compared to 17.4 percent across Memphis-Shelby County Schools grades 9-12.
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62.9%
Share of Bluff City's 2025 graduating class identified as Ready Graduates, up from 8.9 percent in 2021.
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91.4%
Family satisfaction rate at Bluff City in 2024-25, up from 57.1 percent in 2021-22.
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Voices
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Executive Director · Tennessee Public Charter School Commission
"Although there are indications of improvement in certain areas, the results are not yet sufficient to overcome the school's overall record of inconsistent academic performance throughout the charter term."
— Tess Stovall
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Operator · IOTA Community Schools
"One fact is essential to interpreting every number that follows: incoming 9th graders arrive at Bluff City approximately four grade levels behind in both math and reading, as measured by AimsWeb diagnostics each fall. This is our starting line."
— IOTA Community Schools renewal application
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Watchfront
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Mon
Nov 16
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Public hearing on Bluff City High School charter renewal
The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission will hold a public hearing at 2:30 p.m. at the school, 4100 Ross Road. Up to 15 people may speak for two minutes each; sign-up closes at 2:30 p.m. Friday, November 13, or sooner if slots fill.
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Mon
Nov 23
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Deadline for written comments on Bluff City charter renewal
The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission will accept written comments on Bluff City High School's charter renewal application until 2:30 p.m.
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TBD
Jan 2027
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Commission vote on Bluff City High School charter renewal
Commissioners are expected to vote on whether to renew Bluff City's charter for 10 years or deny it. If denied, the school would close after this school year and its 400-plus students would need new schools beginning in August 2027.
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Coming Tuesday
The Signal
We'll track the Commission's vote on Bluff City High School and provide updates on Memphis charter school news.
Subscribe to The Signal →
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Signoff
That's a wrap on this week's Beam. We covered a charter school renewal recommendation in Memphis and graduation rates for military-connected students across Tennessee. Thank you for reading.
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Our Thursday deep dive. We take one Tennessee education or policy story and unpack it in full — how it started, who's involved, and what it means for you.
You are receiving this because you subscribed to The Beam.
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