MSCS student numbers drop at start of school year
The district is dealing with teacher vacancies and laptop problems, but otherwise reports a “smooth” first day of school.
Laura Testino
There are 269 articles by Laura Testino :
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August 2025
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Behind The Headlines Universal pre-K in Memphis navigates Head Start shakeup
As Porter-Leath works to enroll thousands more prekindergarten students, early-childhood education organization First 8 Memphis is continuing efforts toward free, quality classrooms for kids.
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Education Arts school or MLGW substation? MSCS to decide fate of Elvis’ alma mater
Memphis-Shelby County Schools has offers to purchase Humes Middle School in North Memphis from public utility Memphis Light, Gas and Water and local dance studio New Ballet Ensemble and School.
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City of MemphisMSCS prepares for audit findings: ‘Something’s going to come out’
“Something’s going to come out of this audit. And what we’re going to have to be able to talk about — and it’s not good, bad or indifferent — is how we strengthen our internal controls,” a top official told school board members.
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State GovernmentTCAP results 2025: See how your Memphis-area school scored
The Daily Memphian’s chart includes scores for all public schools in Memphis and Shelby County, including charters and campuses in the suburbs.
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EducationMSCS could fight vandalism with $612K cameras
Memphis-Shelby County Schools could install new security measures its staff say would prevent vandalism at its vacant buildings.
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Education ‘Hard decisions’ ahead for group looking at MSCS school closures
A new Memphis-Shelby County Schools committee met for the first time Wednesday, Aug. 13, to guide looming decisions on school closures and consolidations, plus plans for repurposing facilities and building new ones.
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EducationAuditors arrive at MSCS looking for fraud in high-stakes probe
Results from the audit could chart a path for state legislation to take over Memphis-Shelby County Schools. New documents reveal what firm is doing the audit and what they may be looking for.
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EducationJudge declines to reinstate Feagins
A Shelby County Circuit Court judge declined to reinstate Marie Feagins to her former position as superintendent of Memphis-Shelby County Schools.
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Education ‘Pre-K to Ph.D': U of M launches second elementary school
With the launch of a second elementary school campus in Sherwood Forest this week, University of Memphis’ new K-12 district began its first expansion effort outside the college’s campus. Even more could be on the horizon.
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Behind The Headlines Two state lawmakers plan to push for MSCS takeover
Rep. Mark White and Sen. Brent Taylor, both Republicans, propose the next steps for their bills that would give the state more power over Memphis-Shelby County Schools.
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EducationMemphis-Shelby County Schools has a lot going on. Here are 5 things to watch.
MSCS board members start another academic year with a temporary district leader, as state takeovers loom, school closures are expected, and new policies could take hold.
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Education ‘Nervous and excited': MSCS students embark on new school year
This first day of school, Memphis-Shelby County Schools third grader Willie Perry felt “nervous and excited at the same time.” Adults interested in the school system have reasons to feel the same about the new academic year.
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Education Last year, MSCS started school missing 478 teachers. This year, it’s hoping to be down to 240 vacancies — or fewer
In Memphis, significant portions of the teacher population are either new to the profession or nearing retirement eligibility.
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July 2025
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EducationInterim head is breaking MSCS into regions. Here’s what they are.
According to interim superintendent Roderick Richmond, carving up Memphis-Shelby County Schools prioritizes “localized decision-making.”
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Education MSCS directs xAI to move forward with school building upgrades
The four schools in Southwest Memphis that xAI has proposed supporting have some of the greatest deferred maintenance needs in the district.
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Education Board refuses last remaining ASD schools’ applications to become charters
MSCS rejected requests for Kirby Middle and Hillcrest High to become district charter schools once their ASD terms end. The denials could carry consequences, under a new state law.
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MetroXAI could tackle some MSCS building upgrades
“You should look forward to going to school,” said Brent Mayo, a key executive of xAI in Memphis, in talking about the company’s plans to invest in upgrades at schools near its data centers.
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EducationIn deposition, Marie Feagins was pressed on private meeting claims and a ‘formal complaint’
During the deposition, Feagins also denied sexual harassment allegations that an attorney for the MSCS board said are part of a “formal complaint.”
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Education Education Department says it will release billions in remaining withheld grant money for schools
The move is expected to restore $17 million in federal funds to Memphis-Shelby County Schools, which pays for school-based translators and helps educators hone their teaching strategies.
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EducationA Feagins return to MSCS leader would be ‘short-lived,’ attorneys argue
“It would be contrary to and would not serve the public’s interest, in anyway, to legally mandate” that Memphis-Shelby County Schools restore Marie Feagins as superintendent, the school board’s attorney argued in court documents.
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EducationFeagins made her case to be MSCS’ leader again. Here’s what she said.
Marie Feagins’ attorney argued the public termination meetings were just a “rubber stamp.” The school board’s attorney argued Feagins lacked evidence of direct knowledge of violations and instead relied on secondhand information.
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EducationPorter-Leath beats MSCS in local battle for pre-K money
Porter-Leath, a local early childhood education organization, appears to be taking over local management of a $30 million, federally funded preschool program known as Head Start.
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EducationAt six months with Richmond as interim, what’s next for MSCS leadership?
Roderick Richmond is one third of the way through his interim superintendent contract, which expires in July 2026. MSCS board members haven’t discussed how long his role will last.
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Public Safety County reentry head sues feds over blocked access to firearm
In the early 2000s, DeAndre Brown was convicted of bank fraud, and cannot own a gun. Now, he’s suing in federal court, claiming a violation of Second Amendment rights.
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