Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen announced the next round of 40 public charter schools selected to receive a total of nearly $2.3 million in the second award cycle of the state’s Charter School Facilities Program.  This funding will support high-quality charter schools with a track record of success in their mission to improve or develop school facilities where public school students in Tennessee are served.

Check out the full article and list of recipients here.

The Tennessee Charter School Center hosted Charter School 101: The Basics of Tennessee Charter Schools and the Application Process. The TCSC's Director of Quality School Initiatives provided a review of the current state application, a resource list to assist with application writing, and a Q&A section aligned with the key application components.   

The following week, TCSC's Director of Communications teamed up with RALLY Communication to host Communication 101: Making Your Words Matter, an interactive workshop focused on developing the ability to build effective communication strategies, tune in to an audience, navigate political landscapes, and craft messages for clarity and impact. 

To view the Charter 101: The Basics of Tennessee Charter Schools and the Application Process Webinar, click here.  The password is: QsM5xwa8. 

Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy participated in Green Spaces "Green Prix," a student led design and build race car event. CGLA represented one of eight local elementary, middle & high school students that have spent the past year constructing GreenPower USA electric power race cars and learning team building, engineering, electrical & wiring, alignment and aerodynamics. Green Spaces' mission is to work toward regional sustainability by progressing the way citizens live, work and build in Chattanooga and the surrounding region. 

CGLA participants were interviewed by local media stations about their preparation for the event and how this ties in to their future careers. Listen to the radio interview here, and check out CGLA's video of the day here! 

LEAD Public School celebrated its fifth senior class of soon-to-be-graduates and announced for the fifth consecutive year that the class has earned 100 percent acceptance to college! With a focus on college success – and not just access – LEAD Academy has built a successful Alumni Association that motivates students to continue their educational journeys at a four-year college and find success while there. LEAD students persist in college at a rate of four times the national average. Congratulations LEAD Seniors! We cannot wait to see how you change the world!