By Jane Roberts - The Commercial Appeal -

Three new Memphis charter schools will open next fall, including an elementary with a business focus, a first.

Memphis Business Academy received Memphis City Schools board approval Monday to start an elementary, making it the first charter in the state to offer K-12 education. It already operates a middle and high school.

The board also approved Power Center Academy High, run by the Power Center Community Development Corp., which plans to enroll 125 students in the fall.

Last month, KIPP Memphis got the go-ahead to open a high school in North Memphis.

The MBA and Power Center applications were approved after being rejected in November for shortcomings. State law allows charter operators time to correct deficiencies in their applications and reapply.

"We have always been really happy with city schools' approval process," said Matt Throckmorton, executive director of the Tennessee Charter School Association.

"Those approved have a real good track record of turning into successful schools," he said.

The 25 schools will have a combined enrollment of about 7,000 students, or about 6 percent of the total city school enrollment.

Fourteen groups applied to run charter schools. KIPP Memphis was the only one approved in November.

Of the 13 that could reapply, only six did.

The four rejected Monday were Global Leadership Academy of Memphis, Academics and Character Excellence Comprehensive Academy, Education Scholarship Preparation Nurture Collegiate Academy and The City of Life Academy.

They did not make it for a variety of reasons, including that their business plans were not strong enough to ensure school sustainability.

Charter schools are public schools with flexibility to have longer school days and year. Usually, their teachers are not union members.

MBA will start its elementary school with kindergarten and first grade at Faith United Methodist Church, 2450 Frayser, where school director Anthony Anderson is pastor.

"We already have a very intense business curriculum," he said. "Now, we'll wrap that into the elementary level, teaching business concepts as part of reading and social studies in the early grades. In grades 4 and 5, we'll implement the more practical end, teaching interest and banking concepts."

Next year, KIPP intends to apply for an elementary school, giving it a K-12 string.

"The earlier we can get the students, the better," said Jamal McCall, KIPP's executive director. "We can put things in front of them that will put them ahead, which means they more likely will be on the path to college."

Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering, one of the first charter schools to open here in 2003, did not reapply after its application for an elementary was rejected this fall, saying it wants to focus on its existing schools.

"Our middle school test scores were disappointing," said Harold Wingood, director.

MASE, which already has a middle and high school, wanted an elementary to increase "the pipeline" of students focused on math and science.

But with no room in its current facilities on Dudley Street and Jefferson Avenue, it was going to have to find a building.

"We're not even sure where it makes the most sense to locate," Wingood said, based on the struggles some charters are having to fill classrooms.

-- Jane Roberts: 529-2512