MSCS lost money it needed for air-conditioning and roofs. Feds gave that $55M back.
Memphis-Shelby County Schools officials have said in previous months they worked with the Tennessee Department of Education to follow the new federal reapplication process. (Brad Vest/Special to The Daily Memphian)
Federal officials have reinstated $55 million in pandemic relief funds to Memphis-Shelby County Schools, the district said, allowing it access to money it has planned to use toward updating school buildings.
MSCS and hundreds of other school districts across the U.S. abruptly lost access to their remaining relief money in March under new guidance from the Trump administration about the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund money, known by the acronym ESSER.
Faced with the limbo, Memphis’ school system considered dipping into reserves to keep projects on track.
This is an excerpt of this story. To read more, please click here and subscribe.
Topics
Memphis-Shelby County Schools Second Trump administration U.S. Department of Education Subscriber OnlyAre you enjoying your subscription?
Your subscription gives you unlimited access to all of The Daily Memphian’s news, written by nearly 40 local journalists and more than 20 regular freelancers. We work around the clock to cover the issues that impact your life and our community.
You can help us reach more Memphians.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we provide free news access at K-12 schools, public libraries and many community organizations. We also reach tens of thousands of people through our podcasts, and through our radio and television partnerships – all completely free to everyone who cares about Memphis.
When you subscribe, you get full access to our news. But when you donate, you help us reach all Memphians.
Pay it forward. Make a fully tax-deductible donation to The Daily Memphian today.
Thank you for reading the local news. Thank you for investing in our community.
Laura Testino
Laura Testino is an enterprise reporter who writes about how public policy shapes Memphis. She is currently reporting from Frayser about education and housing. Please write her with your suggestions and story tips.
Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here.