We asked the 20 candidates for Memphis school board to tell us about their approach to the district’s strategic and facilities plans, plus ways they’d direct improvements for academic outcomes and remove barriers to learning. Here’s what they said.
Although position cuts in Memphis have been expected all year, details were sparse until a meeting Tuesday where board members pushed back on how Superintendent Marie Feagins has communicated to staff.
Replacement plans remain unclear, as Feagins reorganizes schools based on their state letter grade.
The superintendent of Memphis-Shelby County Schools has been thinking about this role for a long time. How will she approach it?
The goal is for students and teachers to develop a richer understanding of Memphis’ pivotal role in American history, at a time when discussions of race are constrained by state law.
Maintenance projects for existing Memphis schools will take priority, Feagins says.
The increase could make open teaching positions more attractive, especially to staffers whose positions may be eliminated.
Feagins expects the board to approve the new plan in September, following the Aug. 1 election.
Tennessee lawmakers voted this week to approve the proposal, but it threatens to disrupt an existing contract between the university and Memphis-Shelby County Schools.
Century-old Humes was operated as a charter under the state’s unraveling Achievement School District.