Chalkbeat

Education news. In context.

Chalkbeat

Tennessee

Willie Herenton

Voter guide

Tennessee
August 28, 2019

At least 4 Memphis mayor candidates say it’s time to put city money back into K-12 schools

Chalkbeat surveyed sent a seven-question survey to each of the 11 mayoral candidates so that voters can have a better sense of their education agendas.

new year

Tennessee
July 24, 2019

Ten new schools will open in Memphis this academic year, five have closed

This is the second consecutive year in which more charter schools than traditional district schools have shuttered.

Charter Schools

Tennessee
May 2, 2019

Three Memphis charters spared from closure under new state law, while former superintendent plans to appeal decision to close one of his schools

A charter school leader running for mayor plans to appeal Shelby County Schools’ decision to close one of his schools after he said board members used a double standard.

election season

Tennessee
March 7, 2019

Two Memphis candidates for mayor have education backgrounds. Here’s what you should know

Two Memphians with education credentials are running to beat incumbent Jim Strickland in the city’s October mayoral race.

reactions

Tennessee
November 21, 2018

Hopson was the ‘right leader for a fragile time,’ Memphians say. The city reflects on his five years at the helm of local schools

Dorsey Hopson is leaving the district better than he found it, he told reporters in a crowded conference room on Tuesday as he announced his resignation.

school closures

Tennessee
October 22, 2018

Seven Memphis schools could have charters revoked next week

The vote scheduled comes about a month after the state released its “priority list” of schools that performed worst on state tests.

Momentum

Tennessee
September 21, 2018

Memphis moves from problem child to poster child on Tennessee’s new school improvement list

The city got encouraging news on Friday as fewer of its schools landed on Tennessee's newest list of troubled "priority schools."

new year

Tennessee
July 11, 2018

Here are the Memphis schools opening and closing this school year

All of the schools opening are charter schools, as are most of the closures.

Shutting down

Tennessee
April 19, 2018

Two charter schools led by former Mayor Willie Herenton will close

Du Bois High School of Arts and Technology was already in danger of losing its charter because of poor academic performance.

Warning

Tennessee
February 2, 2018

Here are seven Memphis charter schools in danger of closing

Under a new accountability system for charter schools, those scoring low on Shelby County Schools' scorecard automatically begin a review process.

Movers & shakers

Tennessee
December 19, 2016

Three things Willie Herenton has to say about Memphis education today

The former Memphis mayor and city schools superintendent says Memphis must do more to lift its schoolchildren out of poverty.

vouchers

Tennessee
October 15, 2014

At rally, Memphis activists push vouchers as civil rights issue

Voucher activists are largely focusing their organizing efforts in Memphis this year, where any proposed voucher bill in the 2015 legislative session would likely have a disproportionate impact. If several legislators have their way, vouchers would be given to low-income students at the state's lowest-performing schools, the majority of which are clustered in Memphis.

Politics & Policy

Tennessee
July 16, 2014

Board debates whether money or academics should determine charter school expansion

Shelby County Schools board granted a lease to a new charter consortium with no academic record because it was willing to pay more money than a charter school with five years of proven academic results. The decision brought into sharp relief the need for a coherent district policy toward charter schools, according to board members and the superintendent.
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