Some area schools dismissing early today due to storms
Heavy rain, gusty winds in Memphis lead to a short day for students.
Laura Testino
Laura Testino is an enterprise reporter who writes about how public policy shapes Memphis. She is currently reporting from Frayser about education and housing. Please write her with your suggestions and story tips.
There are 152 articles by Laura Testino :
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September 2024
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EducationMSCS violations put $30M in federal preschool funding up for bid
Since 2020, Head Start officials have found instances of preschool teachers for Memphis-Shelby County Schools hitting, kicking and jerking students, prompting multiple deficiency notices.
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EducationAfter axing hundreds of jobs and adding new ones, where does MSCS stand?
The Daily Memphian analyzed public records to determine what Memphis school district jobs were cut and which ones were created for this 2024-25 school year.
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Behind The Headlines How should MSCS grade its superintendent? New board members weigh in
In its final action, the former MSCS board tasked incoming members with creating a strategic plan and evaluation for Superintendent Marie Feagins.
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August 2024
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Public SafetyNew halfway house offers ‘Lifeline to Success’ for former inmates
Working for 15 years to reduce recidivism in Memphis, Lifeline to Success has helped some 2,271 former inmates navigate life after incarceration.
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South MemphisWhitehaven schools would have more freedom in proposed MSCS structure
“I think the autonomy should be left down there in the Whitehaven area so we can show y’all ... how to do these kids right,” Shelby County Probate Court Clerk Eddie Jones said.
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Education MSCS board changes rules governing system’s attorney
The new structure, outlined in a resolution sponsored by all nine board members, is a return to a precedent of the legacy Memphis City Schools district.
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EducationShe teaches special education. The city helped her buy a house.
The City of Memphis is expanding its down payment assistance program to help more educators move to and live in Memphis.
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EducationHere’s how many teacher vacancies are at your Memphis school
Memphis-Shelby County Schools began the 2024-25 year with 478 teacher vacancies, according to documents obtained by The Daily Memphian.
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Neighborhoods Frayser landfill nixed to applause, but owners not ditching expansion effort
The Land Use Control Board sided with a recommendation to reject the landfill’s expansion in Frayser, a relief for the advocates who opposed it. But the landfill’s owners will now seek approval from the City Council.
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Education Missing funds halt construction on Whitehaven STEM lab
“Let me just call it out. The money’s at South Hollywood,” said Commissioner Miska Clay Bibbs, in an apparent reference to the school board district offices at 160 S. Hollywood St.
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Education Memphis’ new school board members are political novices — how they won
Natalie McKinney and Tamarques Porter will take elected office for the first time when they are sworn in to the Memphis-Shelby County Schools board. Knocking on doors got them here.
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Elections Contested MSCS board races could usher in new era for school system
Four sitting Memphis school board members face challengers in the upcoming election, including District 2 representative and MSCS board chair Althea Greene. She is facing Natalie McKinney, a public critic of the district’s superintendent search process, and pastor Ernest Gillespie III.
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Elections Voters overhaul Memphis school board
Voters ousted two of the three incumbents who sought reelection, including the board’s chair.
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EducationBudget shortfall looms over progress for Frayser, Cordova high schools
If funding pressures disrupt construction timelines for the new schools, Shelby County Commissioner Charlie Caswell knows what he wants to see: “Frayser’s coming first.”
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Education All-girls Grizzlies prep school approved
“We’ve seen good work from the single-gender schools, even though there’s not that many of them,” said Emily Lilley of the Tennessee Charter School Center.
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Academics, school safety top issues for voters in MSCS District 4
Academic success and student safety were the top concerns of a handful of voters who came to cast their ballots after lunch at New Beginnings Community Church on Kirby Parkway.
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July 2024
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Education Alabama media personality joins MSCS as communications head
The professional comedian, performing under the FunnyMaine moniker, gained popularity for his comedic re-enactments of University of Alabama football fans.
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Education‘Abuse of overtime’ cost Memphis district $1M, superintendent says
A new policy would require all overtime to receive advance approval from Superintendent Marie Feagins, and make no exceptions for emergencies.
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Education Spending nears $150K in five Memphis school board races
Political action committees have reported more than $73,000 in donations to candidates for the Memphis-Shelby County Schools board.
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Education Memphis school board incumbent withdraws bid to keep District 7 seat
The departure from the race leaves voters in parts of South Memphis and Oakhaven neighborhoods with four other candidates to consider.
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Education Memphis-Shelby County Schools settles in Satan Club lawsuit
Representatives for the club filed a lawsuit in March, claiming that the school district had “chosen to defy the First Amendment” by charging “excessive” and “unexpected” fees to rent space at Chimneyrock Elementary School for the club.
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EducationTN tops US in financial-aid forms, but many high schools lag behind
Two Frayser high schools increased financial-aid application completion rates this year, bucking state and district trends. But more students still need to fill out the form for college.
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DowntownSterick redevelopment has plans for newly named Stereo Alley
The historic alleyway runs east from Second Street now to Fourth Street between Court and Madison avenues. Stuart Harris, a developer who spearheaded a renaming effort, said the “in-between” place holds “a lot of possibility and magic.”
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Education Southwest sold its Frayser campus. Here’s what a new location could offer.
The college is considering a future location in Frayser or Raleigh with programming tailored to the neighborhoods’ needs and interests.
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