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 189 articles by Laura Testino :
Ousted Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Marie Feagins told a local court she “was publicly humiliated for following the law” in new documents requesting a judge overturn the school board’s vote to fire her.
MSCS board members are poised to finalize four property sales in June, one each in northeast Shelby County, Parkway Village, South Memphis and Whitehaven.
Federal officials say they are negotiating with finalists who want to operate Head Start preschool programming, which funds 3,200 seats, for students from low-income families in Shelby County.
Memphis-Shelby County Schools received another violation notice from Head Start monitors after a child walked away from the classroom.
Tennessee legislative leaders alleged that Memphis-Shelby County Schools was illegally destroying records ahead of a state-funded forensic audit, but MSCS officials “are unaware of any such alleged acts.”
How many schools should MSCS operate in order to best serve its students and families, and where should those buildings be located?
Expected staff changes at Memphis-Shelby County Schools, including some reassignments, are not part of the budget and are expected to take place in coming months.
Tennessee officials expect to choose a firm to perform the audit by the end of the month. But many details of the audit’s scope may remain secret.
The claims offer the 18-month, $487,500 payout described in Feagins’ contract as an alternative outcome to returning her to the school district’s superintendent seat.
About half of those incarcerated in the Shelby County Corrections Center don’t have high school diplomas, according to The Goodwill Excel Center, which is expanding its adult learning programs into the prison.
Memphis-Shelby County Schools board member Keith Williams has retired from his role leading a local teacher union, a position that has stirred concerns of conflicting interests throughout his tenure on the school board.
Memphis-Shelby County Schools is suing the student-data system after a data breach exposed the personal information of about 500,000 current and former students and staff.
Memphis-Shelby County Schools board members voted to affirm access for students regardless of immigration status, but the district’s number of Spanish-language registration sites has been cut in half.
Across the state, families’ interest in the new EFS vouchers, which relaxed family-income thresholds and academic testing requirements, has exceeded the available 20,000 spots for its first year.
Construction begins on the public Montessori school’s $7.5 million expansion, revamping Southwest Tennessee Community College’s former Gill Campus building into a middle school with a kitchen and workshop for students.
What the Memphis-Shelby County Schools budget says about job cuts, additions.
The students graduated high school on Wednesday, and on Thursday received college diplomas from Southwest Tennessee Community College.
This year’s funding request for building upgrades promises to be the final ask Memphis-Shelby County Schools leaders make before establishing a long-term plan for closing and consolidating schools.
The software company stores personal information for students and their families, including addresses and Social Security numbers.
“I think you could hear a pin drop in the courtroom when the judge read out the verdict: ‘not guilty, not guilty, not guilty,’ seven times, not guilty for each officer,” Memphis journalist Katherine Burgess said.
Half of the deals would keep current charter school tenants in their buildings. Another Memphis-Shelby County Schools building could be a warehouse, and Elvis Presley’s alma mater could go to New Ballet Ensemble and School.
The Daily Memphian obtained audio and video excerpts of Marie Feagins’ “Take a Seat” event cohosted by former CNN news anchor Brooke Baldwin. Feagins advertised the event as being open to media, but The Daily Memphian’s ticket was refunded without explanation.
Memphis-Shelby County Schools interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond released a set of goals. But he told board members that accomplishing some of those goals will require more district reorganization.
The Memphis-Shelby County Schools board approved a resolution supporting private school vouchers, directed the superintendent to have local leaders weigh in on a facilities plan and did not censure board member Towanna Murphy for ethics violations.
The Daily Memphian reviewed public records that illuminate the needs for Memphis-Shelby County Schools facilities. The assessments found about $40 million in immediate needs for the district, and some $1.38 billion in estimated upgrades.