The sixth charter school in Mississippi was approved by Nonprofit Mississippi News. It will open next school year. The question of whether three other charter schools should be opened has been pushed back to October. The Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board approved Monday’s review of the applications by RePublic Schools, Inc., and Mississippi Delta Academies. This allows members to have more time to examine the submissions and see how they did in relation to this year’s accountability results. The annual charter application process is a lengthy one that the Authorizer Board has to go through each year. The board received applications from potential schools in May. In June, it announced the four groups that met the requirements to continue. The potential operators met in public and underwent interviews with the Authorizer Board (NACSA) and were evaluated by them. Each application was evaluated by this group on its merits and the proposed financial and operation program. Ambition Preparatory Charter School was approved by the board. It will open next fall as a K-8 school. Four schools are currently operating in Jackson, and Clarksdale has one. DeArchie Scott, founder of Ambition Prep, stated that his school is dedicated to West Jackson students and plans to serve 675 students when it eventually serves all grades. Scott, a Mississippian, said, “We’re excited,” he added. “We believe college starts in kindergarten,” said Scott, a native Mississippian. The board rejected the application for SR1 Academy, a Canton K-5 school. The NACSA reviewers discovered “substantial gaps in their educational, operational, and financial plans.” They denied it. During the public comment section of the meeting, the superintendent for Canton Public Schools as well as multiple principals from the district spoke to the board about their academic accomplishments and concerns regarding opening SR1. They told members that they were happy the school was not approved because public schools currently meet student needs. RePublic applied for two new schools in Jackson next school year: Revive Prep, which is a school for grades K-8, and RePublic High (a school for grades 9-12). ReImagine Prep is the operator. Joel E. Smilow Prep, Joel E. Smilow College and Joel E. Smilow Colllegiate are all other schools that it operates in Tennessee. RePublic’s application was approved by the board. However, Krystal Cormack, the board chair, stated that the board must decide whether the group can open two schools based on its academic record. ReImagine Prep, Joel E. Smilow Prep received a D rating on accountability scores for the first two years. (Smilow Collegiate was opened this year). Next week will see the release of ratings for 2017-18. “… While it is clear that RePublic has a track-record with its educational model, in Tennessee, RePublic’s model still has not demonstrated strong academic performance in Mississippi,” NACSA officials wrote as a summary of the operator’s application. Carey Wright, the state superintendent, said that many of the students charters are serving come from below-grade level schools and that change takes time. RePublic school students live in Jackson Public School District which has earned an F the past two years. Wright stated that people had expected these schools would be A-rated and that this was unrealistic. “When you want to change the trajectory for children who are this poor, you have to give schools at least three to five years to see if we’re changing the trajectory.” The board also delayed a decision regarding Mississippi Delta Academies’ request. NACSA reviewers recommended that the board reject it. Although their proposal did not meet the standards for education and financial planning, it met the standards for operation plan and capacity. The Authorizer Board decided to take a closer look at Leflore Legacy Academy rather than reject it. It’s evident that Dr. (Tamala] Boyd Shaw is capable of serving as the head Cormack. This is difficult because they are so close. I believe this application is stronger than other applications we have denied. However, it was still rated as only partially meets (the standards).” Tamala Boyd Shaw, founder of Tamala Boyd Shaw, said that she was grateful for the board’s decision. She told Mississippi Today that the board’s decision today “showed even more that they care about what people bring to it and that I am excited to be part of their work in this phase.” Boyd Shaw stated that she hopes to have the opportunity to meet with the board to discuss her school proposal. In the meantime, she will continue to engage Leflore County residents. Boyd Shaw stated, “Often what people tell us is that it’s not about competition, it’s all about collaboration.” It’s about increasing academic achievement. “It’s all about raising academic achievement there. Inequalities in education have existed for far too long for students from the Mississippi Delta.” Next week, the Authorizer Board will meet. The State Board of Education is expected to release statewide accountability results next week.