Samantha West
Reporter, Chalkbeat Tennessee
Samantha West is a Reporter for Chalkbeat Tennessee, where she covers K-12 education in Memphis. She’s a 2021 Education Writers Association Reporting Fellow and New to the Beat rookie. Before joining Chalkbeat, she was a K-12 education reporter for USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin and the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. While studying journalism and English at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, she interned at The Washington Post and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel as the Ann Devroy Fellow. A native Minnesotan and a seven-year Wisconsinite, she’s passionate about hotdish (not casserole) and the Green Bay Packers.
Mayoral hopeful sees herself as a leader who can get district, city, and county to work together
School board identifies four firms that applied to head the search
Timeline calls for naming the next leader of Tennessee’s largest school district by April
The bigger objective of improving pre-K: Containing the pandemic’s long-term impact on children and their education in Tennessee’s largest school district.
Sale price is $3.3 million; Millington will also pay for E.A. Harrold Elementary site
Nine-year transition means thousands of current students won’t be displaced
Nonprofit giant becomes an influential force in early childhood workforce training
MSCS unions disagree over whether the district should sign the pending contract or start afresh.
Votes on two other schools recommended for closure are delayed amid lawsuit against district
Deal calls for a multiyear transition for affected families
New timeline calls for choosing the next leader by April 2023
The vote to allow Believe to add K-3 went against the recommendation of district administrators, who raised concerns about the school’s academic performance
Administrator says there are likely thousands more beyond the district’s current count
Process calls for gathering input from the public, educators, nonprofits, and business leaders
Memphis school board chair aims to rebuild trust, focus on academics as superintendent search starts
Amid leadership turnover and controversy, Memphis-Shelby County Schools board Chair Althea Greene wants to keep the focus on students.
As the Memphis-Shelby County Schools board begins its superintendent search, the Memphis LIFT assembles a new task force to gather parent input.
Memphis’ two teachers unions disagree on whether to resume negotiations with the district
Yolanda Martin is the second district official in recent weeks to be placed on administrative leave
Results contrast with gains on state exam; racial disparities persist
The commission’s decision upholds MSCS’ decision earlier this year to deny the applications for Binghampton Community School and Tennessee Volunteer Military Academy.
The community activist and former educator replaces longtime MSCS board member Miska Clay Bibbs, who left the board in August after winning election to the Shelby County Commission
The recommendations uphold MSCS’ decision earlier this year to reject applications for Binghampton Community School and Tennessee Volunteer Military Academy
Students fear closure, being separated from their friends if Germantown schools leave MSCS
The appointee will join the board as it embarks on its first national superintendent search in over a decade
New chair says she wants to get new members up to speed on the process
Su Casa Preschool aims to provide quality early childhood education to Spanish-speaking immigrant children
She would become the third school board member to pursue higher office this year
Tell us what qualities, experiences matter most to you in the next leader of Tennessee’s largest district
John Barker, deputy superintendent for strategic operations and finance, will remain on leave pending the outcome of an investigation
A call to channel ‘fears and frustrations’ into ‘action and solutions’