Jason Gonzales

USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee

As expected, state legislation has been filed to close Tennessee's Achievement School District.

State Rep. Antonio Parkinson, D-Memphis, and Sen. Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains, have sponsored companion bills that will close the district by July 2017.

If passed, the operations of the schools the state district oversees would return to the local school district. And if the school is operated by a charter management organization, the local district will then have the ability to revoke, deny or renew the charter agreement.

"I will tell you this, the halls are talking," Parkinson said. "Whether this is the final outcome, I don’t know, but we are serious about accountability from all schools. When schools are not performing, children are being affected."

The ASD has been the subject of much debate, especially since a recent Vanderbilt University study cast doubt on the effectiveness of the district meant to help improve the bottom 5 percent of all schools in the state.

The report said schools in the ASD across all years haven't improved academic outcomes, but added school reform often takes time. The district, in operation since 2012, is tasked with the takeover and turnaround of the lowest-performing schools in the state.

Vanderbilt report casts doubt on ASD efforts

The report also highlighted that district-run turnaround efforts of low-performing schools have yielded better results than the ASD. One researcher on the study said the ASD shouldn't be closed and more money should be spent on district-led turnaround efforts.

"While I applaud the researchers and all of the work that went into study, my duties are different than theirs as researchers," Parkinson said. "My role is to be good steward of taxpayer dollars."

The Tennessee Black Caucus, of which Parkinson is a member, recently called for a moratorium of further expansions of the ASD. Tennessee Democratic Caucus leaders expressed support for the moratorium. The Black Caucus held off from calling to close the district.

Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, also filed legislation Tuesday on the ASD, limiting the expansion of ASD schools and its ability to recruit students.

Reach Jason Gonzales at 615-259-8047 and on Twitter @ByJasonGonzales.

Tennessee Black Caucus calls for ASD moratorium