Memphis superintendent wants to create 'peace force' to replace deputies
Superintendent Joris Ray believes Shelby County Schools will be able to more effectively control the behavior of officers if they report directly to the district.
87 articles by Laura Faith Kebede :
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December 2019
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Memphis school board calls for charter moratorium
The Shelby County Schools board included the request to state lawmakers to hold off on charter approvals until the state evaluates how they are doing.
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November 2019
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Memphis report cards now available in Spanish
About 20,000 students in the Memphis district come from households where English is not the language spoken at home, or about one in five students. Most of those students come from Spanish-speaking homes.
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Lead isn't just in Memphis schools: A look at other lead problems in the city
The city recently received a federal grant to remove lead paint from 120 homes where low-income families live with young children. City officials consider any home built before 1978 to be at risk for lead paint because paint could deteriorate over time.
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750 places at Memphis charter schools could be in jeopardy
Eight schools could be forced to accept fewer students next year or un-enroll some students if the Shelby County Schools board follows staff recommendations presented this week.
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'It gets unbearable': Students await plan for aging school buildings
This week, when temperatures in Memphis dipped to an unseasonably chilly 20 degrees, some classrooms at Kingsbury High had no heat. The problem was partially caused by a gas leak that led to an early dismissal Tuesday, but a student says cold classrooms are common.
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14 more Memphis schools test positive for high lead levels in water sources
With high lead levels found in water sources at 24 schools so far, Shelby County Schools officials said Thursday they are waiting on test results from samples at 30 more schools and expect more information on Monday.
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High lead levels found in water at 10 Memphis schools
Most of the 18 sources of lead were drinking fountains, but some were kitchen sinks and coolers, according to a report submitted by Shelby County Schools to the Tennessee Department of Health last week.
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Memphis can learn from Florida's 3rd-grade retention law
Third-grade retention has now come to Memphis through a Shelby County Schools policy that will take effect during the 2021-22 school year.
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Memphis kindergarten students will be first affected by second-grade retention policy
The retention policy takes effect during the 2021-22 school year. This year’s kindergarten students will be the first class of second graders impacted by the new policy, which could hold back students with lagging literacy skills.
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Six high school classroom vacancies will be filled with online teachers
Some Shelby County Schools board members initially rejected the remote teaching idea in a committee meeting, but support mounted last week as district leaders explained the dire teacher vacancy situation.
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October 2019
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SCS shows reading, math improvement on national test
The most significant jump in student performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, was in eighth-grade math where the average score increased by about eight points.
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SCS superintendent names four to cabinet-level positions
Superintendent Joris Ray named four to top leadership posts for Shelby County Schools, leaving open the chief of schools position vacated by Sharon Griffin in 2018 when she became head of the state-run Achievement School District.
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Meet SCS Superintendent Joris Ray's leadership team
Of the 10 cabinet members who remain from the previous administration, six received raises since the beginning of the calendar year — increases ranging from about 4% to 31%, according to district data. The other four did not receive raises.
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SCS recommends closing Southwest Early College High for 'egregious' misconduct
The school district found that 60% of teachers at Southwest Early College High School do not have proper licensing for the classes they are teaching.
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SCS board members oppose hiring online teachers for high school math
Shelby County Schools had 126 classroom vacancies last week. District staff said remote teaching was a creative solution to fill the gap.
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Fired teacher sues Memphis charter school
Patricia Ange is seeking $350,000 in damages against Memphis Academy of Health Sciences High School, which enrolled about 400 students last year.
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Rejected charter school applicants appeal to the state
Five charter school applicants the Memphis school board denied two weeks ago for failing to meet new, tighter district standards on charter expansion have appealed the decisions to the state. neighborhoods are in need of better schools.
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Two Memphis schools earn national honor for high performance
Campus School and Maxine Smith STEAM Academy were recognized for their high scores on state and national tests. They were among six schools in Tennessee to earn the Blue Ribbon award this year.
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September 2019
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Shelby County Schools lay groundwork for new buildings strategy
Memphis residents will get a chance to “reimagine” what school buildings and academic programs will look like – and essentially rework a facilities plan left by the former superintendent.
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Memphis teachers will get a 3% raise, and some will get merit pay
Superintendent Joris Ray said the district’s promise to allocate a 3% pay increase to all teachers and licensed school professionals in the Memphis district will go into effect next month and be retroactive to the beginning of the school year.
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Fired secretary in grade-tampering scandal alleges lax rules in Memphis district
During her emotional, daylong testimony in her gender discrimination lawsuit against the district, Shirley Quinn described a system that did not encourage her to follow rules to prevent grade tampering.
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State denies Memphis appeal to take Geeter K-8 off watchlist
Fewer than 5% of Geeter students scored proficient or higher in English this past spring on the state’s annual exam known as TNReady. In math, 6% of students scored proficient or higher.
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August 2019
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Memphis teacher salary average dipped to 11th in the state
In 2014, teacher salaries in the Memphis district were sixth highest in the state, but three years later, teacher pay in Shelby County Schools has slipped to 11th. It was one of only two districts statewide to see the average salary decrease.
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