Memphis charter school responds after parents, students voice concerns with first weeks

Parents, students and a former teacher at Southwest Early College High School voiced concerns about the school at a Shelby County School Board meeting Tuesday. They said students don’t have final schedules and the school is not properly staffed or fulfilling its commitment to providing students with an associate’s degree upon graduation.

Dianechia Fields’ son is an 11th grader at the charter school and has been enrolled at the school since it opened in the fall of 2017. She voiced concerns with his schedule, credit recovery opportunities not materializing, high staff turnover, and the likelihood of her son obtaining an associate’s degree. 

“I can’t consciously fill out a dual-enrollment form, because he’s not on track to finish high school,” Fields said. 

After hearing concerns with the charter school during public comment, Superintendent Joris Ray said SCS is following protocols to address complaints and concerns with the charter school. 

“If parents choose to withdraw their students from this charter school,” Ray said, “our doors are open at Shelby County Schools.”

Shelby County Schools shared its correspondence with the school, dated Aug. 21, with The Commercial Appeal. 

The letter informs the charter school a parent came to SCS alleging the parent’s student didn’t have a schedule; there was a delay in the start of the school year; there was a lack of teachers, including for 11th grade English courses; students won’t have an associate’s degree upon graduation; and there was an overall lack of clarity regarding various testing and graduation requirements.  

In the letter, SCS requested a response within five business days. That window closes Wednesday.

Southwest Early College High School, which is managed by Artesian Schools, Inc., began operating in the 2017-18 school year. Its charter application was approved in a 5-4 vote during a special meeting on Aug. 23, 2016, where four other charter applications were approved and three were denied. 

This is the school’s first year with an 11th grade class, Sharon Jones, a Board Chair for Artesian, said in an email. The school is aware of the concerns brought forth at the board meeting, she said. 

"Despite the many positive aspects of the Southwest Early College High School community, we are also aware that we have had some growing pains," Jones said. "We have put a plan in place and have conducted numerous meetings with parents and caregivers to assure them that we hear and are addressing their concerns. Southwest Early College High School is a safe and supportive academic environment and will only continue to grow and improve."

Jones also shared an email from Ashley Smith, CEO of Artesian Schools and interim principal for the charter school, sent to 10th- and 11th-grade parents on Aug. 16.

“I am calling this evening to apologize for not speaking with you sooner about what is happening with staffing at our school,” the email began. Smith announced parent meetings for the following week, in the morning and afternoon of Aug. 19 and again on Aug. 26.

Smith also addressed scheduling and staffing issues. She said students would be on a “modified schedule” without college courses, due to the later start dates for the colleges.

In terms of staffing, Smithsaid, “as we strive to make our school the best it can be for our students, we will lose people. This is expected, but the timing has been quite unfortunate.”

Though 9th grade is fully staffed, the email said, math courses for 10th and 11th grade would be taught through a webcam by Proximity Learning “until we find math teachers who meet our standard of excellence in the classroom.” The school is still hiring one teacher to instruct both English 2 and 3.

Smith’s email also addressed concerns about obtaining an associate’s degree, stating all students “have the opportunity” to earn the degree, but there are “requirements that students must meet.” These included passing high school classes and certain portions of the Accuplacer exam. 

“What I can assure you is that every student will leave SECHS with a lot of transferable college credits,” Smith’s email said.

Minutes for Artesian’s most recent board meeting in July won’t be available until they are approved at the next board meeting in October, Jones, the board chair, said in an email.

Shelby County School Board member Stephanie P. Love was among those who voted no for the approval of the school's charter in 2016. After Tuesday’s meeting, Love said since the approval, she heard from parents about their issues with the school “as they’re related to the governance and the structure of the school.”

“The application in my opinion didn’t address what it means to fully operate a school,” Love said. “There were questions that could not be answered.”

Love saidsome of her reservations were concerning students being able to obtain an associate’s degree. 

“I think that when you look at where our children are, you first must have a plan to address getting the students where they’re supposed to be,” Love said. “I fully believe that it’s attainable, I just think that we have to ensure that we are creating plans that are best for our school ... Right now, the charter school has actually hindered that process.”

Laura Testino covers education and children's issues for the Commercial Appeal. Reach her at laura.testino@commercialappeal.com or 901-512-3763. Find her on Twitter: @LDTestino