What is the "Memphis Safe Task Force”?
According to Governor Bill Lee, the “Memphis Safe Task Force” will consist of federal agents from the FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF); U.S. Marshals Service; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); and the National Guard in addition to local law enforcement.
In this edition of the Weekly Policy Update, we gather information currently available on the influx of federal agents to Memphis. We also highlight several prevention-focused efforts, such as after-school programming and workforce pathways, that can sustainably reduce crime in the long run.
Who, What, Why is a School Board Member?
Last week, the Shelby County Commission took a final vote on the resolution to align MSCS board elections with those of the county commission. All nine school board seats will be on the ballot in 2026 with all 13 county commission seats.
In this update, we discuss the duties of school board members and what kind of expertise future candidates can bring to the table.
230,000 Futures in the Making
The future is advancing quickly and our systems are failing to keep up. The unemployment rate for recent college graduates averaged 5.3%, while their underemployment rate remains over 41%.
Together with the StriveTogether Network and our new statewide collaboration—Cradle to Career TN—we are working to invest in students, improve their academic outcomes by improving their lives, and prepare them for the future.
I watched a six-hour Shelby County Commission meeting so you wouldn't have to
In an (at times) explosive six-hour long Shelby County Commission meeting, Commissioners tackled several big ticket items.
Featured topics included funding for certain staff positions under District Attorney Steve Mulroy, removing a New Chicago brownfield site from consideration for the construction of a new jail, the state of the Shelby County Ethics Commission, and rescheduling future elections for Memphis-Shelby County School board members.
Expanding the Scope of Possibilities | Weekly Policy Update
What should our education system be preparing our students to achieve throughout their time in the workforce?
Is a school’s job to sustain the status quo or to provide resources for a student to achieve whatever it is that they desire?
We imagine a world—but closer to home, a county, city, community—where children are not limited by the existing opportunities available to them. Read up on the value of College, Career, and Technical Education (CCTE) in this week’s update!