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.
What Works: Lakeland School System
Welcome to the third installment of our “What Works” series, where we find out what’s behind the success of some local school districts. In this installment, we explore Lakeland School System.
Scores Galore: TCAP, NAEP, and PISA
Between 2022 and 2025, Tennessee was one of the fastest-improving states in terms of reading and math proficiency in the country, which was certainly driven by the successes of school districts like those mentioned above. For the first time ever, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) showed Tennessee in the top half of states in proficiency in 2024.
Although parts of the country are finally reaching or even exceeding pre-COVID-19 proficiency levels, the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), administered globally to 15-year-olds, shows us that our national scores are lagging behind. Reading and Math scores have both fallen in recent years.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll look at model school districts in Shelby County to discover how other districts can learn from their success.
Away from the Spotlight
The new officials sworn in this week and the under-the-radar ways they affect your life and work.
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?