House GOP to push forward Memphis school takeover plan with ‘teeth’
If lawmakers can agree this year, change could come quickly to Memphis-Shelby County schools, which is already primed for major upheaval in 2026.
Topic: Chalkbeat Tennessee
RSSThere are 55 article(s) tagged Chalkbeat Tennessee:
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December 2025
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Is Tennessee’s ban on religious charter schools unconstitutional? Attorney General says likely.
The state law banning religious charters has not yet been legally challenged, nor has any lawmaker proposed legislation to amend the current law.
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Memphis leaders lay out reasons for second school closure proposal in Frayser neighborhood
Memphis parent Chajuana Williams said she would miss the family history embedded at Georgian Hills Elementary if district leaders decide to close the school in June.
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Top GOP lawmaker wants to drop income, enrollment caps in Tennessee’s early voucher program
House Speaker Cameron Sexton has already said he wants to at least double the capacity of the Education Freedom Scholarships program, which launched this year with 20,000 seats.
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Tennessee House speaker wants to fund student teacher stipend amid teacher shortage
Educator advocates say unpaid student teaching requirements can be a barrier for aspiring teachers. The Tennessee House speaker wants to start providing state-funded stipends for those internships.
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Over 30 Memphis schools could lose cleaning services in January after board rejects custodian contract
Board members said the company recommended by MSCS leaders has a history of poor service. It’s not the first time custodian contracts have caused issues.
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November 2025
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Which students are eligible for Tennessee’s 2026 voucher program?
Students currently enrolled in the program can renew beginning on Dec. 9.
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First Memphis school closure meeting raises concerns about displaced teachers, students
The MSCS board is expected to vote on the suggested closures in February.
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Memphis schools will give out free food boxes next Monday and Saturday
Memphis-Shelby County Schools will offer free food boxes next week to families in need during the holiday season.
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Memphis parents say district is leaving deaf students behind
An MSCS parent who is deaf and volunteers at Sea Isle said students are also missing out on learning about deaf culture.
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Tennessee education department wants more money for summer learning, tutoring
The Tennessee Department of Education wants a $30 million increase in summer learning funding next year.
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This Tennessee school is stepping up to feed local families cut off from SNAP
Winchester Elementary opened its food pantry in March. The government shutdown means more Memphis families are going to the school for food.
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October 2025
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Tennessee graduation rate improves for third straight year
Tennessee graduation rates had steadily risen for about 10 years before the COVID-19 pandemic and related disruptions triggered a three-year slide in the state.
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In increasingly Hispanic Memphis schools, immigration enforcement surge brings fear, absences
Board member Amber Huett-Garcia said multiple high school teachers told her that students “have just stopped showing up.”
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Fewer Memphis students are showing up to mental health assemblies. This state law may be to blame.
MSCS Mental Health Director Donna Goings said attendance at suicide and bullying prevention trainings fell by two-thirds last year. That’s because most students don’t return parent permission slips required by a 2024 state law.
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Tennessee should fully fund special education pre-K, districts say
The Lakeland School System has criticized the state’s focus on private school choice over fully funding special education pre-K classes.
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Memphis lawmaker to lead national standardized test board
State Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis) will lead the National Assessment Governing Board which oversees “the nation’s report card.”
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September 2025
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Tennessee educators ask lawmakers to dial back or amend state testing
Dr. Kevin Schaaf, a Metro Nashville Public Schools reading specialist, said students are often fatigued and disengaged in class, stressed by the emphasis on test performance.
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Memphis teacher vacancies decline, but district still struggles to hire certified educators
Memphis-Shelby County Schools cut teacher vacancies by hundreds compared with this time last year, thanks to a bolstered HR team, an official said. More than 200 new hires hold conditional licenses, which expire in three years.
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Memphis schools are increasing dyslexia support to boost state reading test scores. Will it work?
MSCS is required by state law to screen every student for signs of dyslexia, but Tennessee allows only an outside provider, such as a licensed psychologist, to give an official dyslexia diagnosis.
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August 2025
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Memphis students outpace state growth in reading and math, but lag in social studies
Memphis-Shelby County Schools earned the highest score in the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System for the fourth year in a row. But younger students lost progress in social studies, falling behind expected growth.
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June 2025
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Tennessee won’t know how many new vouchers go to existing private school students
As Tennessee lawmakers debated a new universal voucher program earlier this year, one financial analysis projected that 65% of vouchers would go to students already enrolled in private schools.
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Here’s where Shelby County families can find free meals and snacks this summer
For the first time in five years, many Shelby County families are missing out on supplemental grocery cash this summer after Tennessee stopped participating in a federal program that served the entire state.
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Tennessee schools could remove students with disabilities from classroom before assessment under proposed rule change
Tennessee may soon make it easier for schools to temporarily remove some students with disabilities from their classrooms.
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Tennessee launches its summer food benefits this week. Most students in the state will miss out.
The program is a significant rollback of Tennessee’s previous summer food benefits initiative.
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