Big News Week in Memphis
Some hot topics in Memphis have had major developments this week. In this update, we cover Judge Waverly Crenshaw Jr. clearing the path for the Memphis-Shelby County Schools Oversight Board and a contentious City Council meeting in which a majority of council members voted to delay a decision on a temporary data center moratorium.
Mental Health Concerns at MSCS
Memphis-Shelby County Schools is suffering a critical lack of school psychologists to help address the mental health struggles of students. With four in ten Tennessee high school students reporting feelings of persistent sadness or hopelessness and two in ten reporting having seriously considered attempting suicide, it’s clear that youth need more support, and current services aren’t cutting it.
How many mental health providers currently work at MSCS? And why are we at risk of losing access to youth mental health data?
Budget Season Wrapped
Memphis City Council and Shelby County Commission finalize budgets for Fiscal Year 2027. Additionally, MSCS TCAP scores show mixed results, and a federal judge has placed a temporary halt on the state’s oversight board.
The time to act is now.
A new study from Stanford found that a majority of school districts in the US have seen declining proficiency in reading and math, with the largest declines happening in underserved communities. According to Education Scorecard, students at Memphis-Shelby County schools performed an average of 2.37 grade levels behind their Tennessee peers between 2022 and 2025.
The data makes one thing clear: the time for bold action is now.
This Moment Demands Our Best: A Call to Build What Our Students Deserve
With the passage of House Bill 662 / Senate Bill 714, the State of Tennessee has established a path for a nine-member educational oversight board that may assume significant authority over districts in the State that have significant academic and operational challenges.
In this update, we lay out our vision for moving forward.