NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Metro School Board voted Monday night to keep Drexel Preparatory Academy open, placing it on a continued probation.
A special meeting was held Monday to discuss potentially revoking the school's charter. In a five to three vote, the Drexel was given a second chance by the school board.
Drexel Preparatory Academy had been on probation before the hearing on allegations that school leaders disregarded the terms of the original charter agreement.
"Dr. Ridley, I must say that I am really disappointed. As chair of this board, I am very disappointed," said school board chair Gracie Porter.
The school board said Drexel was hiring teachers who were not licensed and were not providing services to special needs students in a timely fashion. Also the school was under investigation for what's been described as food service irregularities.
"I'm having a hard time understanding why four months into the school year those requirements have not been followed," explained school board member Cheryl Mayes.
Officials at Drexel said some of those issues required getting Metro the necessary paperwork and finding quality teachers to provide the services, and all of those concerns have now been addressed.
Two hundred and thirty seven students attend Drexel Preparatory Academy.
Shameka Steven's son is a third grader at the school. She came out to the meeting to show her support for the school.
"For them to close a school in the middle of the school year, I really felt like that was jeopardizing his education," Stevenson said.
The MNPS executive director of charter schools will have to provide school board members monthly progress reports on Drexel's situation.
Drexel is located in the same building as the former Global Academy. In 2010 Global became the first charter school the school board closed. It was only open for one year.
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The crowd cheers as the school board decides to keep Drexel Academy Open
