Schoolboard Moves on Neville Charter

The Monroe City Schools Board took several steps regarding Neville High School's request to convert to a Type 3 charter school at its meeting on Tuesday, November 12, 2024. On October 25, 2024, the Monroe City School Board (MCS) received a charter application from Neville Charter Association, Inc., requesting to convert Neville High School into a Type 3 charter school. By definition, a Type 3 charter school is created when the local school board approves a charter applicant's request to convert an existing school within the school district into a charter school. If approved, Neville High School would be governed and operated by Neville Charter Association, Inc., or its designee in accordance with the authority and limitations outlined in a written charter contract and state charter laws.

The deadline for the district to consider the charter application is January 17, 2025. If a decision is not made by that deadline, the charter applicant can appeal to BESE. Taking action before the January deadline, the board voted Tuesday night to engage an independent evaluator, naming Kimberly Williams to handle the Neville application to ensure the deadline is met. The board also voted to authorize an official vote by Neville staff and parents/guardians, eligible to vote according to state law and LDOE guidelines, on whether Neville should be converted into a Type 3 charter school.

The board learned that a staff vote had allegedly already been conducted before the board had the opportunity to authorize one. After a lengthy discussion, the board decided to proceed with an official vote to ensure compliance with state law. There was also an extensive discussion on how to tabulate the votes of parents/guardians of students, with a committee formed to survey parents/guardians to maximize response.

Future meetings may raise questions about how other high schools will be affected in terms of resources and how those resources will be prioritized. Charter schools are given a certain level of autonomy that other schools do not have, raising questions about how that autonomy will impact them. Additionally, questions remain about how the makeup of the staff will change and whether the school will be seen as "independent" and setting its own direction. The public hopes that these questions will soon be addressed.