I, [NAME], as a candidate for Shelby County [MAYOR/COMMISSIONER], pledge to uphold the tenets of the Cradle to Career Promise, should I be elected to the office I seek. I will advocate for budgetary and statutory improvements at every opportunity to ensure that my promise becomes a reality.
Fully Fund Pre-K For All: Funding for local Pre-K currently stands at around $19 million. To fully realize the promise of “Pre-K For All,” that figure needs to be closer to $50 million. I pledge that the total local Pre-K investment will be $35 million by the end of my four-year term.
Expand Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS): I pledge to advocate for funding to put into operation five new Full-Service Community Schools each fiscal year in Shelby County to address the out-of-school factors that hinder the ability of our students to learn.
Bridging the Workforce Gap: I pledge to oversee the creation and execution of a plan to rectify the disconnect between education, the workforce, and businesses by the end of my four-year term and ensure that the needs of the entire workforce ecosystem are met.
Coordination of Services: I pledge to work with the City of Memphis, school districts, the business community, and all relevant public, private, and governmental entities in the city, county, and state to reduce siloes and formalize coordination and investments into critical Cradle-to-Career investments.
