Shelby County’s New Year’s Resolutions
If you’re anything like us, you’re struggling to stick to your New Year’s resolutions, and it’s hardly been a week. That’s because it’s way easier to carry on the status quo than to make important, difficult changes to your life. Memphis is the same way—our local governments, education systems, nonprofits, and budgets can easily fall into the same playbook year-in and year-out.
Just like our personal resolutions, we won’t achieve our community resolutions without a plan. While we still face low educational outcomes, entrenched poverty, and a myriad of other challenges, a set of shared resolutions and commitments across our efforts can begin to change how we support our children and families in 2026.
Good data drives systems change.
Pre-K is a long-term investment. Children benefit from Pre-K across a lifetime. Pre-K enrollment has demonstrated positive effects onthird-grade reading, high school graduation, postsecondary success, and adult earnings. These benefits are why we were able to help secure investment from the Memphis and Shelby County governments in local Pre-K.
But to make the case for Pre-K, we need long-term data. Seeding Success and First 8 Memphis have taken on the task of data analysis to help schools, non-profits, and other institutions improve the lives and learning of students.
Data is vital infrastructure. Learn more in this week’s policy update.
All the Money in Shelby County
The Tennessee comptroller rejected Shelby County’s budget for the first time due to what he claimed were unmet requirements. This means Shelby County cannot access bonds or take on debt in fiscal year 2026, but major projects, like new schools and the Regional One rebuild, should stay on track.
In this update, we show you what public funding we have locally and where it comes from. We also highlight what Memphis and Shelby County officials can focus on in budgeting for the upcoming fiscal year to support children and families.
TCAP Scores Show Growth, Pre-K Funding, and xAI Tax Dollars | Weekly Policy Update
The Tennessee Department of Education released state and school district-level data for this year’s Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). While the results are not ideal, there are several positives to glean and build upon.
Statewide, the assessment shows growth in proficiency for most grade levels in English Language Arts (ELA), an increase in proficiency for every grade level in math, and two to four percentage point increases in proficiency in science and social studies.
Exciting News: Pre-K For All Passes | Weekly Policy Update
The Memphis City Council passed the third and final reading of the “Pre-K for All” ordinance this week, joining the Shelby County Commission in creating the state’s first ever local, universal pre-kindergarten program.
Additionally, the council advanced a proposal which would add $1.5 million in funding for the first year of implementation of Pre-K for All. This followed an additional $2 million provided by the Shelby County Commission this week for the same purpose. This will bring the total annual local funding for pre-K to approximately $21 million.