MSCS school year begins with takeover still paused in court battle
Kate Bond Middle School students are greeted by Memphis Shelby County Schools Interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond during the first day of school on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)
The takeover remains on a federal court-ordered pause issued after the board had met for about two weeks. Meanwhile, school closures, mergers and relocations mean big changes for about 5,000 Memphis students returning to class.
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Memphis-Shelby County Schools MSCS takeover Tennessee Department of EducationLaura 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. Reach Laura with questions, story ideas or tips: Ltestino@dailymemphian.com or Ldtestino.54 on Signal.
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