In the 2015-16 school year, these schools joined
Innovation Zone. Similar to the ASD, iZone schools
the ASD:
perform in the bottom 5 percent of schools in
• Cornerstone Prep-Denver Campus
• KIPP Memphis Preparatory Elementary
• Libertas School at Brookmeade
Tennessee, as measured by student achievement
on TCAP assessments, and aim to move into the top
25 percent of schools within five years. Local school
districts continue to manage these schools, rather
than a statewide district or charter school operator.
• Memphis Scholars Florida-Kansas
In many ways, iZone schools are a locally run
• Neely’s Bend College Prep
counterpart to the state-run ASD.111 Currently there
• Wooddale Middle School 110
are eighteen iZone schools in Shelby County Schools
and six in Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools.112
Legislative Change. In April 2015, legislators passed
To improve these schools, districts grant iZone
HB 473/SB 293 allowing for expanded enrollment
schools additional flexibility
in ASD schools. Governor Haslam subsequently
over their budgets, staffing,
signed this legislation into law. The new enrollment
schedules, and programming.
provisions allow out-of-zone students who qualify for
Many of these schools have
free and reduced lunch, who have failed statewide
implemented innovative
achievement tests, or who are directly related to an
practices such as extended
ASD school employee to comprise up to 25 percent
school days and using
of students in any ASD-operated school. Qualifying
technology to supplement
students may enroll if seats remain open in ASD
teaching through blended
schools following the initial enrollment period for
students zoned to the school or already attending
Priority schools.
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