Instead, Shelby County Schools’ leaders will consider ideas such as adding an extra hour to the school day, shortening holidays and extending the school year. 

Construction on Herff addition could begin in 18 months. The U of M wants to increase STEM major graduates as part of its push to be ranked a Carnegie-level R1 university.

For educators, the retreat marked a disappointing end to a budget process that was so promising in February when Gov. Bill Lee asked the legislature for nearly $650 million in new dollars for K-12 education.

Superintendent Gary Lilly was awarded a $15,000 performance bonus. The board examined his leadership with six metrics and gave him a 4.33 out of a possible 5.

As SCS considers plans to help students recoup academic losses because of the coronavirus, teachers will be surveyed before a decision is made by the school board.

Judges, law clerks and private firms across the city have retooled their externship programs for this virtual age.

Tennessee Department of Education has also warned districts to plan for driver shortages. On social media, some drivers have suggested that returning to their bus jobs may not be worth the hassle.

The school board voted 8-1 at a special meeting Monday to approve $11 million toward a four-year lease for laptops and tablets from Microsoft and Hewlett Packard.

Union and Macon Cove campuses will open for classes that require hands-on learning. Lecture-based courses will still be online for summer session.

The district plans to present a proposal to the school board on Tuesday, and estimates a longer school year would cost between $25 million and $30 million. 

The school board planned to vote on the purchase of take-home laptops and tablets for students.

Providing take-home devices for students is the focus of a special called meeting of the Shelby County Schools Board on Thursday.

Research funding at the University of Memphis is up 70% in the last year. 

Gov. Bill Lee’s school voucher program is out for the 2020-21 school year that begins this fall.

A Davidson County chancellor in early May ruled the voucher program unconstitutional, saying the Legislature forced the program on Shelby and Metro Nashville without local approval.

School board chairwoman Miska Clay-Bibbs said with so many questions about electronic devices for students, it's not yet time to vote on the purchase.

With an assist from ALSAC and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the University of Memphis plans to offer an interdisciplinary online master’s degree in nonprofit management, which could begin in January 2021.

Staff likely will not get 1.5% pay hike; tuition not expected to rise.

SCS board members agree that students need digital devices, but say they want a better plan from the school district.

It will be up to the state Legislature to set priorities on new education spending, such as a teacher pay hike, a scaled-down literacy initiative, and the state’s embattled education savings account program, the governor said.

Classes will be held on Labor Day; fall break will consist of one day. 

The nine-member commission would report its findings to the Legislature by Jan. 1, in the face of learning setbacks for school children, disruptions to university life and the likelihood of more school closures next year.

As lawmakers begin returning to the Capitol, they’ll face cratering revenues and the need to make deep cuts to Tennessee’s spending plan.

The school was unable to withstand the impact of a world pandemic, economic recession and competition from other schools.

Classes will be a combination of face-to-face and online; in some cases, double occupancy will be possible in dorms.