Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian | Laura Testino

Memphis Lift, Seeding Success join Tennessee's legal defense of MSCS takeover

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Wed, 2 Sep 2026 04:00:08 -0500

“The MSCS system is in crisis,” attorneys for Memphis Lift, Seeding Success and three family members of Memphis-Shelby County Schools students wrote.

Tennessee National Guard members halt patrols Friday for ‘administrative work,' Marshals Service says

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 15:19:52 -0500

The Tennessee National Guard remains deployed as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force, according to Gov. Bill Lee’s office. Lee commands deployment of the state’s guard.

TCAP results 2026: See how your Memphis-area school scored

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 14:50:01 -0500

Search The Daily Memphian’s chart to see how Memphis and Shelby County public schools scored, and whether they improved from last year.

All MSCS campuses reopen for students Thursday

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 19:31:15 -0500

School is reopening to all Memphis-Shelby County Schools students as Memphis Light, Gas and Water approaches its target date for power restoration.

10 MSCS schools to remain closed Wednesday due to power outages

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 11:20:52 -0500

Memphis-Shelby County Schools officials said persistent power outages are forcing some schools to remain closed.

MSCS keeps 19 campuses closed Tuesday due to lingering power outages

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 10:17:25 -0500

Families of students who attend the 19 closed schools can receive free meals on Tuesday. Food will be available at each closed campus between noon and 2 p.m., through a partnership with the YMCA.

Exclusive: Legal fees mount in MSCS takeover lawsuit

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 20:39:28 -0500

Memphis-Shelby County Schools’ court challenge of the state’s takeover of the school system has cost at least $211,700 in legal fees, according to MSCS and Shelby County government officials.

MSCS closes all campuses Monday due to storm-related power outages

awarren@dailymemphian.com (Abigail Warren) — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 22:49:21 -0500

All Memphis-Shelby County Schools campuses will close Monday, Aug. 24, due to a destructive weekend storm. Collierville Schools delayed start times Monday, but no other suburban school systems had changed schedules.

Voters elect four Democrats in first partisan MSCS board election

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Thu, 6 Aug 2026 23:11:28 -0500

No Republicans ran for the Memphis school board seats on the ballot. Democratic nominees bested independent challengers in races for two open seats, while two incumbents on the board secured their victories in May’s primary races.

How a team sports-based school wants to make ‘alternative’ education an ‘opportunity’ in Memphis

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 17:43:22 -0500

New York City-based Urban Dove, a charter school organization, won approval to open two campuses in Memphis. Tennessee’s new ‘opportunity’ charter schools seek to reshape what education can look like for students who have fallen behind because of attendance, academics or behavior.

First day of school 2026: Major changes for 5,000 Memphis students

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 16:08:27 -0500

District leaders kicked off the school year with a four-campus tour Monday, Aug. 3, stopping at three schools among the roughly 5,000 students affected by summer closures, consolidations and a district return.

MSCS school year begins with takeover still paused in court battle

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Mon, 3 Aug 2026 04:00:15 -0500

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.

SpaceXAI offered major construction upgrades to Memphis schools. What happened?

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 06:38:43 -0500

Fairley High students and athletes have emerged as the early — and only — major beneficiaries of a list of construction projects Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company offered to the Memphis school system last July.

Video released of fatal Task Force shooting at Burger King

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 06:48:55 -0500

Surveillance clips show the shooting that killed Darrin Pigram inside the Burger King where he worked. The release comes days after officials said there would be no charges filed against the officer.

MSCS begins work on corrective actions after audit

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 04:00:12 -0500

More improvements are coming to internal controls, procurement, human resources and cybersecurity processes at Memphis-Shelby County Schools, Superintendent Roderick Richmond told board members.

If Tennessee takeover succeeds, these are the ways MSCS may improve

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 06:35:41 -0500

MSCS qualifies for a takeover in part because of state test performance, low-performing schools and student attendance. But state appointees to an oversight board don’t have to improve all of those metrics for the takeover to end.

Tennessee points federal judge to MSCS audit in a push to restart takeover

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:16:55 -0500

In federal court documents, the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General filed motions to dismiss the school district’s lawsuit and dissolve an earlier court order pausing the takeover.

12 things to know from the state’s MSCS audit

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 21:53:04 -0500

A forensic audit report found evidence of fraud, waste and abuse at Tennessee’s largest school district. But the most significant claims aren’t news to MSCS, according to court records and additional audit reports detailing the district’s responses.

Bulk of suspected abuse at MSCS tied to custodial contract, auditors find

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 21:27:37 -0500

That alleged abuse is largely associated with a single custodial contract that received elected board approval in 2022.

MSCS board approved $200M in contracts Tuesday. But will takeover appointees review them?

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Thu, 2 Jul 2026 04:00:14 -0500

Even before a federal judge halted the state takeover of MSCS, it’s unclear whether the new oversight board had final-approval authority over any of the other contracts elected board members approved Tuesday. And the questions don’t stop there.

Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian | Laura Testino

Memphis Lift, Seeding Success join Tennessee's legal defense of MSCS takeover

Tennessee National Guard members halt patrols Friday for ‘administrative work,' Marshals Service says

TCAP results 2026: See how your Memphis-area school scored

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All MSCS campuses reopen for students Thursday

10 MSCS schools to remain closed Wednesday due to power outages

MSCS keeps 19 campuses closed Tuesday due to lingering power outages

Exclusive: Legal fees mount in MSCS takeover lawsuit

MSCS closes all campuses Monday due to storm-related power outages

Voters elect four Democrats in first partisan MSCS board election

How a team sports-based school wants to make ‘alternative’ education an ‘opportunity’ in Memphis

First day of school 2026: Major changes for 5,000 Memphis students

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MSCS school year begins with takeover still paused in court battle

SpaceXAI offered major construction upgrades to Memphis schools. What happened?

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Video released of fatal Task Force shooting at Burger King

MSCS begins work on corrective actions after audit

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Tennessee points federal judge to MSCS audit in a push to restart takeover

12 things to know from the state’s MSCS audit

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