Events
February 10 New Memphis Teachers’ Lounge
The district says state auditors haven’t presented any evidence of fraud or abuse to constitute further investment. Republican lawmakers didn’t name specifics either.
The district says state auditors haven’t presented any evidence of fraud or abuse to constitute further investment. Republican lawmakers didn’t name specifics either.
The district used up all of its built-in snow days as of Wednesday. Thursday’s closure means MSCS students could lose scheduled break time or face an extended school year.
Democrats opposed to the bill argued prominent displays of religious texts would violate the U.S. Constitution and expose schools to lawsuits.
Tennessee Republicans have been pushing for an MSCS takeover since July. Community advocates say they’ve been working behind the scenes to protect local control.
In his final year in office, Gov. Bill Lee is pushing for an aggressive expansion of the state’s new voucher program. Teacher pay bumps are also on the horizon.
After a week of school closures, many Tennessee districts are running low on snow days. What happens next?
The district is moving quickly through its allowance of inclement-weather days.
The district has cancelled class for three days in a row this week in the aftermath of last weekend’s winter storm.
While Memphis dodged anticipated power outages, officials are still working to clear local streets buried in snow.
According to Saturday’s social media post, the district will continue to monitor weather conditions to see if additional cancellations are needed.
The MSCS board rejected a contract with ABM Industries twice, leaving the schools without cleaning services through January. Parents say conditions are “deplorable.”
Lawmakers say they want to improve Memphis academic performance like a 2023 Houston takeover did. But Texas measures school progress differently, so results may not be the same.
In December, MSCS board members filed an initial lawsuit against local election leaders for putting all nine seats on the ballot. Now, they’re also targeting the county government for authorizing those changes in the first place.
It would be the second donation this year from an entity tied to Musk. MSCS approved the first in July, sparking backlash amid community protests over xAI data centers.
Roderick Richmond’s temporary contract expires in July. Two board members want to appoint him as the full-time leader without a search, despite a gap in favorability among principals and school-level staff.
Tennessee GOP officials want to start tracking the immigration status of all K-12 students. They won’t yet say whether the state would share that data with law enforcement.
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Ida B. Wells Academy is 1 of 5 schools the district is recommending for closure due to high facilities costs and chronic underenrollment. Parents say it should be a model for the district.
Memphis Republicans want a state-appointed oversight board to control the district. Their plan is likely headed to a special committee to hash out a compromise.
Rep. Gabby Salinas, a Memphis Democrat, wants to block civil immigration enforcement from using Tennessee school grounds or religious property as a staging ground.
The Shelby County Commission will pause on issuing candidate petitions for five district races currently being challenged in court. Twenty-two challengers have taken that first step to qualify for the May 5 primary.
Do you have questions about education bills or policy debates in the 2026 Tennessee legislature? Sign up for Chalkbeat Tennessee’s new texting service.
Five board members suing over potential term cuts filed for a temporary restraining order Tuesday. But the state attorney general said pausing candidate filing would cause “electoral chaos.”
As MSCS sues to stop all nine board seats from being on the May ballot, a potential state takeover and new superintendent hire are on the horizon.
The voucher program that began in 2022 targeted urban districts with certain low-performing schools.
A Tennessee House Republican plan to install a new board overseeing Memphis-Shelby County schools governance will move forward in 2026.
MSCS school board candidates can begin filing to run starting today. Most incumbents will be seeking re-election, especially those facing shortened terms.
The majority of low-income Tennessee students did not receive help paying for summer meals in 2025 for the first time in years. Now, local officials want the state to bring back federal aid for 2026.
The number of MSCS schools earning the lowest grade, an F, stayed stagnant. But two-thirds of the district’s schools received a C or higher, an increase from last year.
The facilities proposal includes a plan to close three to five schools per year. Five schools have already been recommended for closure in 2026.
The number of Tennessee schools receiving a C or higher on the state’s report card increased slightly this fall, with about 20% of eligible schools scoring the highest A grade.
A major fight over religious charter schools could be brewing in Tennessee amid a national push to declare religious charter bans unconstitutional.
The Shelby County Commission reset the election timeline this fall, cutting five school board members’ terms short. The new lawsuit comes days before candidates can begin requesting election petitions for the 2026 May primaries.
MSCS officials say closing Georgian Hills Elementary would consolidate neighborhood enrollment into fewer buildings, reducing district cost.
Board members didn’t budge on their refusal to hire ABM Industries due to complaints filed over a decade ago. The current contract expires Dec. 31.
The new safety center uses artificial intelligence and live camera footage to monitor MSCS campuses all day, every day. It’s a security upgrade years in the making.
The proposal could significantly expand voucher access amid another push to increase the number of vouchers in a statewide program.