State of Tennessee says it's withholding $3.4 million from Nashville district

From The Nashville Tennessean: The Tennessee Department of Education says it will withhold about $3.4 million from the Metro Nashville school board because of the board’s refusal to approve a charter school application from Great Hearts Academies. The Nashville board voted 5-4 last week to reject Great Hearts’ application, despite a directive from the state board that the application must be approved. Great Hearts has been criticized by some school board and community members for lacking a recruitment plan that would encourage diversity among its students.

Earlier....from The Nashville Tennessean: For the third time, the Metro Nashville (Tenn.) school board has decided not to approve a charter school for the city's West Side over concerns that it would cater mainly to wealthy, white families. In denying a charter to Great Hearts Academies, the board was defying the State Board of Education, which ordered the district to approve the charter school.