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Memphis school leaders could close up to 15 schools in the next three years, according to a proposed long-term facilities plan released this week.
In the document obtained by Chalkbeat on Thursday, Memphis-Shelby County Schools officials did not name the 10 schools being considered for closure in 2027 and 2028. The plan cites chronic underenrollment and high-cost repair needs as the main factors for placing schools on the recommendation list.
MSCS leaders also want to develop a plan to upgrade deteriorating athletic facilities and the schools that could absorb students displaced by closures. Thursday’s report also includes data on housing developments and building age broken down by the four district regions.
The Northwest and Southwest regions of the district have faced the most school closures since 2010, the report notes, but also have seen the most drastic population declines in recent years.
“This Plan is a living document, meaning it is continually reviewed, updated, and refined as circumstances change,” the document says.
In September, Interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond proposed the first round of school closures included in Thursday’s plan. MSCS board members are expected to vote on whether to close the first four — Frayser-Corning Elementary, Georgian Hills Elementary, Chickasaw Middle and Ida B. Wells Academy — in early 2026.
They’ll also decide whether to transfer the Lucy Elementary building to neighboring Millington Municipal School District years ahead of a state-mandated schedule. Parents have raised safety concerns about proposed school mergers and questions about teacher retention during school closure community hearings this fall.
The Daily Memphian first reported on the long-term facilities plan Thursday morning.
According to the draft plan, one in four MSCS schools currently fills less than 60% of its available seats. And the district is facing over $1 billion in needed building repairs, including roof and HVAC system replacements, over the next decade. Nine MSCS buildings, including four administrative centers, are nearing the end of their useful life.
The district’s ad hoc facilities committee, formed to provide feedback on the long-term plan, recommended asking the Shelby County Commission for $750 million to fund repairs and closures in the next 10 years. That proposal is included in the draft plan, as are proposals for the district to conduct studies of MSCS attendance zones and relevant housing development plans.
Catch up on Chalkbeat Tennessee’s coverage of Memphis school closure discussions at:
Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org.
