MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis Shelby County School Board approved two new charter schools on Tuesday. These schools will focus on several specialized areas, including science, math, engineering, and english literacy.
The Memphis Grizzles Prep charter school, an all-boys sixth through eighth-grade facility, is expanding to operate an all-girls school.
Backed by the Memphis Grizzlies, Memphis Grizzlies Prep Executive Director Tim Ware said partners envision this school improving scores in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) subjects and creating a space for women of color in those industries.
"We know that families want it," Ware said. "We know that our city could use a space where our girls can just grow and thrive and understand who they are, excel academically, develop themselves in terms of who they are as individuals and what they contribute to our city.
"You look at our math scores; there's solid improvement year over year, so we have an incredible team of teachers in those two spaces. And we want to take that learning, how we deliver this instruction in a way that makes sense to kids and helps them to grasp the context."
The other approved school is Journey Northeast Academy, which is part of Journey Community Schools.
They issued a statement to ABC24, saying in part, "Our vision is to develop a community of lifelong learners who excel in all areas of life and to continue to pave pathways to success. We are extremely grateful for this growth opportunity."
"It will provide a laser focus on literacy to help close achievement gaps for economically disadvantaged and students of color in northeast Memphis," said Sky Arnold, the Communications Director of Tennesseans for Student Success. "I think it's also important to mention that that particular school is going to be located in an area that doesn't have nearby elementary or middle school options for families. So the location for Journey Northeast Academy is also very important."
The percentage of MSCS students who met or exceeded expectations between 2022 and 2023 increased in 10 out of 11 categories, including English and math, according to data from the Tennessee Department of Education. Arnold says he hopes to see these numbers grow with the adoption of these new schools.
Both schools are expected to open in the fall of 2025.