Charter School Renewal
Pursuant to T.C.A. § 49-13-121, the governing body of a public charter school seeking renewal shall submit a renewal application to the authorizer on the standardized application form developed by the State Board. The authorizer shall, at a minimum, consider the renewal application, annual authorizing reports, and the cumulative performance report when making renewal decisions.
Renewal Application
Charter agreements expire 10 academic years after the first day of instruction (with the exception of some renewed charter agreements authorized by the Tennessee Public Charter School Commision). Charter schools seeking renewal must submit a renewal application to the authorizer no later than April 1 of the year prior to the year in which the charter agreement expires to be considered for renewal (T.C.A. § 49-13-121).
Submission Requirements
Charter schools shall submit a complete renewal application directly to its authorizer. Authorizers must decide whether to renew the charter on or before February 1 of the year in which the charter agreement expires.
Interim Review
In year five (5) of the school’s current charter term, the charter school must submit a progress report to the authorizer. Subsequently, the authorizer must conduct a review of the school’s performance to date and issue an interim report to the school. Authorizers evaluate charter schools on an annual basis and use the interim review as a formal checkpoint to summarize a charter school’s progress to date and likelihood for renewal in accordance with the terms of its charter agreement, renewal policy, state law, and the State Board’s Quality Charter Authorizing Standards.
Cumulative Performance Report
No later than January 1 of the year prior to the year in which the current charter agreement expires, the authorizer must provide the charter school with a Cumulative Performance Report. The Cumulative
Performance Report provides a summary of the school’s academic, organizational, and financial performance across the current charter term to date and states the charter school’s likelihood for renewal.
- Cumulative Performance Report Guidelines - DOC | PDF
With questions about the renewal application process, please email State Board staff at charter.applications@tn.gov.