There are 8 article(s) tagged early childhood education:

• August 2025

  • Universal pre-K in Memphis navigates Head Start shakeup

    As Porter-Leath works to enroll thousands more prekindergarten students, early-childhood education organization First 8 Memphis is continuing efforts toward free, quality classrooms for kids.

    By Laura Testino August 26, 2025

• June 2025

  • Head Start grant may not be awarded until beginning of school year

    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.

    By Laura Testino June 17, 2025

  • $30M Head Start contract up in the air

    Memphis-Shelby County Schools received another violation notice from Head Start monitors after a child walked away from the classroom. 

    By Laura Testino June 16, 2025

• September 2024

  • Porter-Leath is adding 200 Head Start seats. It wants to compete for even more.

    Porter-Leath is bringing Head Start preschool programming back to Millington, and it appears poised to compete for the 3,200 Head Start seats currently with MSCS this fall. 

    By Laura Testino September 24, 2024

  • MSCS 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.

    By Laura Testino September 11, 2024

• August 2021

  • What the SCS/Porter-Leath split means for pre-K

    Failed contract negotiations add to Head Start’s troubled local history, but advocates say that shouldn’t overshadow impressive pre-K advances.

    Related story: 

    How child care centers reveal pre-K’s future in Shelby County

    By David Waters August 09, 2021

• March 2021

  • New early childhood center to create more access for Frayser families

    Porter-Leath is holding a virtual ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday for its $11.7 million facility at 3060 Baskin St. in Frayser. On-site programming at the location should begin in the next couple of weeks.

    By Omer Yusuf March 26, 2021

• February 2020

  • One issue brings Tennessee voters together

    A survey by Tennesseans for Quality Early Education shows Tennessee voters are unified in their dissatisfaction with the state’s public education system and united in their support for expanding early education. 

    By Mike Carpenter February 12, 2020