On the 2nd day, we heard some exciting updates from other system leaders:
MLGW highlighted critical investments they are making to address power demands, improve system resilience, and create a national model for energy production and sustainability.
The Airport Authority shared plans for improving commercial air travel and renovations to the airport concourse to bring the building up to seismic and fire codes, with additional future plans to improve commercial performance of the airport, which is the 3rd busiest commercial airport in the world.
Seeding Success and our statewide partner, Cradle to Career Tennessee, also had the opportunity to present to the delegation. If day one underscored government fragmentation, day two was about how all of us–residents, nonprofits, governments, private-sector business, education institutions, philanthropy–can work together to drive economic opportunity in Memphis, Shelby County, and Tennessee. We walked the delegation through Seeding Success’ policy agenda over the next five years. At its core, the message was simple: If we want economic mobility for children and families, we need aligned systems.
We talked about our efforts over the years to improve cradle to career outcomes across systems including: expanding locally-funded public pre-k classrooms, which has just recently been amended to grow into a “Pre-K For All” model led by First 8 Memphis; the TN Opportunity Act which unlocked ~$75M in regional pilot projects and required the state to spend down its TANF funding each year, resulting in hundreds of millions for poverty reduction efforts over the last three years; the launch of the first federally funded full-service community schools grant in TN; and the More for Memphis plan, which provides a roadmap for policymakers to improve economic mobility. We asked the delegation to consider deepening state funding for these priorities, and for continuing to improve how federal entitlement dollars are spent and flow to local communities.
At the state level, we shared a few emerging trends for consideration:
Addressing educational facilities modernization and deferred maintenance;
Aligning state and federal funding streams to improve economic mobility through place-based partnerships; and
Expanding state funding for community schools
These are the kinds of efforts that shine a light on the effectiveness of connecting siloed systems for children and families into coordinated and accountable strategies. A child who has access to quality early education will be on a path to achieving 3rd grade reading benchmarks, more likely to graduate high school, and more likely to succeed in postsecondary studies and their career. A parent who is supported by these systems is more likely to be able to guide their child along with them. It’s truly as simple as that.
This retreat highlighted a huge opportunity: If our local governments and nonprofit partners can come together in pursuit of economic opportunity, with aligned efforts, leveraging data, engaging in continuous improvement, and sharing accountability, we can collectively drive transformational systems change—change that leads Memphis to shed the distinction of the highest rates of childhood poverty. Change that will benefit the ~45,000 youth aged 16-24 who are not enrolled in school and don’t have a job. Change that will reduce health and food disparities for our communities. Change that is long-term and lifesaving.
