MSCS avoids state takeover this year
A growing cadre of opponents of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools state-takeovver bill — including elected school board members, interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond, leaders of the local teacher’s unions and some education advocates — have argued the proposal is opportunistic and doesn’t address root issues like poverty that hinder students’ improved academic success. (Ian Round/The Daily Memphian file)
Disagreements about what kind of authority an appointed board should have over the Memphis school system stopped the bill from advancing before lawmakers adjourned for the year.
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Memphis-Shelby County Schools Education Tennessee General AssemblyLaura Testino
Laura Testino is an enterprise reporter on The Daily Memphian’s metro team who writes most often about how education policies shape the lives of children and families. She regularly contributes to coverage of breaking news events and actions of the Tennessee General Assembly. Testino’s journalism career in Memphis began six years ago at The Commercial Appeal, where she began chronicling learning disruptions associated with the pandemic, and continued with Chalkbeat, where she dug into education administration in Memphis. Her reporting has appeared in The New York Times, The Times-Picayune, The Tuscaloosa News and USA Today.
Benjamin Smith
Benjamin Smith reports on state politics for The Daily Memphian. Ben studied journalism at The University of Alabama and wrote for magazines in Alexander City, Alabama. Ben currently lives in Nashville and enjoys music, basketball and reading.
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