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Many unanswered questions remain after Memphis education leaders presented their recommendation Tuesday to close four schools and transfer control of a fifth at the end of this academic year.
Interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond said at the board meeting that he expects to share more details next month on the impacted schools, including student rezoning plans.
“We don’t take any of this lightly,” Richmond said. “We realize that whenever we’re repurposing or closing schools, it does impact families.”
Here’s what we know — and don’t know — so far:
Which schools are on the closure list, and why?
Ida B. Wells Academy, Frayser-Corning Elementary, Chickasaw Middle, and Georgian Hills Elementary are slated for closure at the end of this school year.
Lucy Elementary is recommended for transfer to Millington Municipal School District, one of the six suburban districts that separated from MSCS in 2014.
Richmond said Tuesday that these schools face chronic underenrollment and climbing repair costs. According to an independent report released earlier this year, the five buildings in total have more than $6.5 million in immediate maintenance needs and a projected $48 million over the next 20 years.
Four of the five affected schools were also considered for closure in 2024 under different district leadership.
Are these Memphis schools definitely going to close?
It’s not a sure thing yet. The MSCS school board is scheduled to vote on the plan in February.
And before then, district leaders plan to hold a minimum of two public hearings for each of the five schools before the end of December. They will also host “community forums” in affected neighborhoods to address questions and gather ideas for repurposing the buildings.
Richmond said Tuesday that he will be providing board members and the public with full reports on the recommended schools in October. Those reports will describe building conditions, financial impacts, academic performance, and student reassignment needs.
Where will students and staff go if these Memphis schools close?
It’s unclear where exactly students will be rezoned for the 2026-27 school year.
After past closures, students were mostly reassigned to nearby neighborhood schools in better physical condition. That didn’t always translate to better academics, though.
After 21 schools closed from 2012 to 2016, around half of the rezoned students wound up attending schools that performed on par, or academically worse, than their original placement.
Richmond said district leaders will present plans for student and staff relocation in October, which could include renovations for buildings absorbing displaced students. He also said teachers will be allowed to follow their students, if there are openings.
Those rezoning plans will also include information on transportation, Richmond said Tuesday. He said these changes will “possibly mean more students are being placed on a bus.”
What’s going to happen to the old buildings?
It’s not yet known what the school buildings will be used for in the future. That’s part of the information Richmond said he hopes to bring to the public next month and finalize by January.
Facilities Services Officer Michelle Stuart said Tuesday that the district plans to use the Ida B. Wells Academy building for alternative services such as adult education or student support. According to the independent facilities report, the building is in need of roofing and plumbing fixes and has key accessibility issues.
Chickasaw Middle, Frayser-Corning Elementary, and Georgian Hills Elementary could be used for similar purposes, Stuart said.
The Frayser-Corning building is in need of a new electrical system. Chickasaw Middle has non-functional HVAC and lighting equipment, as well as some exterior structures that are “life-safety” issues. And four additional buildings on the Georgian Hills campus, currently being used for storage, are recommended for closure.
MSCS board member Natalie McKinney, who chairs the district’s new facilities committee, has been adamant about repurposing closed buildings for community use.
Next week, board members will consider selling the building that housed Humes Middle, which closed in 2024, to local nonprofit New Ballet. The organization hopes to build an arts-focused middle and high school.
Are we done with school closures now?
Most likely, no. This list represents the first phase of what’s expected to be a much larger facilities plan for the Memphis-Shelby County district, in response to a growing maintenance bill of over $1.6 billion in the next decade.
The school board formed a facilities committee composed of local business and community members this summer to spearhead that plan development. The group is expected to make its recommendations in November.
It’s unclear how many school closures or upgrades could be included in that longer term plan.
According to a Chalkbeat analysis, 10 school buildings will reach the end of their usable life by 2035. And eight schools, including Ida B. Wells Academy, failed to reach the committee chair’s enrollment threshold of 150 students in recent years.
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Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.
