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Memphis-Shelby County Schools sets 2026-27 academic calendar

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Tue, 7 Apr 2026 21:29:40 -0500

Beginning next year, the district’s administration has said it hopes to move more quickly on producing a school calendar and potentially consider multiple calendar years at once.

MSCS advances improvement plan, acknowledges ‘critical blind spots’ uncovered by state’s audit

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Mon, 6 Apr 2026 15:07:01 -0500

MSCS head Roderick Richmond is advancing plans to improve internal controls and district processes in response to forensic audit findings released last week. Now, the district has launched two websites to track progress.

Tennessee elementary schools might limit classroom digital device use under pending law

mbrown@chalkbeat.org (Melissa Brown) — Sun, 5 Apr 2026 04:00:00 -0500

Tennessee schools could limit digital access to K-5 students under pending law.

House Republicans tie immigrant student tracking to Tennessee voucher expansion bill

mbrown@chalkbeat.org (Melissa Brown) — Thu, 2 Apr 2026 08:49:51 -0500

Tennessee House Republicans have inserted a student immigration tracking requirement into a pending voucher program expansion bill, linking two of the most controversial policies affecting state public schools in recent years.

MSCS audit yields findings 'consistent with waste and abuse'

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Wed, 1 Apr 2026 13:42:21 -0500

An interim forensic audit report of Memphis-Shelby County Schools yielded 175 deficiencies.

MSCS makes Richmond official as audit results loom

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Wed, 1 Apr 2026 07:16:16 -0500

Richmond’s contract allows the board to fire him for cause without any pay if he earns poor marks for business management or fails to implement required corrective action plans related to the incoming audit results.

Is Memphis pulling too many students with disabilities from taking state standardized tests?

bhatch@chalkbeat.org (Bri Hatch) — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 04:00:12 -0500

Memphis-Shelby County Schools designated 2,500 students with disabilities to take alternative state tests last year. That means 1,500 more than the federal cap are facing limited education paths.

Ahead of Memphis schools takeover, Republicans move to block district’s legal pushback

mbrown@chalkbeat.org (Melissa Brown) — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 16:57:42 -0500

Two Memphis Republicans are backing legislation to block Tennessee school districts from funding lawsuits that oppose accountability measures like state interventions.

High school seniors attend Adulting 101

vjaishankar@dailymemphian.com (Vani Jaishankar) — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 18:43:25 -0500

This fourth-annual showcase helps students “get on the road to success financially and in their adult life.”

MSCS must name its new Frayser high campus as it considers selling more buildings

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 04:00:05 -0500

Frayser? Trezevant? Frayser-Trezevant? As construction continues, MSCS will have to make up its collective mind.

Tennessee GOP advances bill to relax voucher testing rules for private schools

mbrown@chalkbeat.org (Melissa Brown) — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:14:36 -0500

Schools that participate in the voucher program could choose to give students a different test than the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, or TCAP.

MSCS board makes Richmond ‘interim’ again, punts on takeover alternative plan

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 06:12:08 -0500

Memphis-Shelby County Schools board members voted 7-2 during a special-called meeting on Wednesday, March 18, to keep Roderick Richmond on his interim superintendent contract.

Tennessee House passes bill to track undocumented students in public schools

mbrown@chalkbeat.org (Melissa Brown) — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 21:33:19 -0500

Tennessee educators and immigration advocates oppose the student immigration bill, criticizing the additional logistical burden schools could face and data privacy concerns in a state pushing increasingly hardline immigration policies.

These Memphis-area students are lobbying for mental health investments

bhatch@chalkbeat.org (Bri Hatch) — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 04:00:07 -0500

The Shelby County Youth Council has spent the past six months crafting a list of almost 20 policy suggestions. Now, they’re trying to get those recommendations into county and city budgets.

As forensic audit results loom, MSCS to update certain processes

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 06:44:05 -0500

Announced changes to business and records-keeping processes at Memphis-Shelby County Schools offer clues about what recommendations forensic auditors may soon publicize.

GOP push to expand Tennessee voucher program to 40K students clears first hurdle

mbrown@chalkbeat.org (Melissa Brown) — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 19:49:32 -0500

Tennessee would spend around $303 million next school year to fund private school tuition costs for 40,000 students if Gov. Bill Lee’s proposal is successful.

Tennessee would be required to use federal funding to feed low-income students under new bill

mbrown@chalkbeat.org (Melissa Brown) — Mon, 9 Mar 2026 19:14:02 -0500

Gov. Bill Lee has declined federal funding to help feed low-income students over the summer. A bipartisan group of lawmakers wants to change that.

Ask the Memphian: Why are five MSCS schools closing, and what happens now?

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 10:41:44 -0500

The closures prompted questions. What would happen to students, staff and the buildings themselves? Can more closures could happen in the future, and could charter schools could be among schools on the chopping block. Let’s get into it.

MSCS pitches ‘accountability plan’ alternative to state takeover

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Fri, 6 Mar 2026 18:47:20 -0600

Billed as “a proactive alternative to state-imposed governance,” the new intervention would create a Memphis-Shelby County Schools board committee of local elected officials and community members.

State Board of Education preserves world language requirement

lavedian@nashvillepublicmedia.com (Lillian Avedian) — Thu, 5 Mar 2026 10:38:16 -0600

The two-credit world language requirement for all Tennessee public school students has been preserved for now.