Federal Bill for After-school Programming
The new AFTER SCHOOL Act aims to award grants to school districts and nonprofits to run after-school programs in targeted areas. In other large cities, after-school programming has both decreased youth crime rates and kept more children safe from violence!
Learn more about local after-school providers in the latest update.
xAI, Head Start, and How to Read the Law | Weekly Policy Update
Porter-Leath has been awarded federal funding to expand its Head Start services for Shelby County and will serve an additional 2,920 children ages 3-5 years old in partnership with First 8 Memphis and dozens of local providers. Porter-Leath is now enrolling children at over 30 locations and hiring staff to serve children and families.
xAI, the company at the center of several news stories related to air pollution in South Memphis, is donating millions to facility upgrades to be used in four high schools in xAI’s surrounding area.
Also in this edition: learn how we review upcoming legislation!
A Critical Budget Hearing | Weekly Policy Update
On May 13, 2025, Memphis City Council convened during a critical budget hearing to discuss the launch of a new Community Enhancement Division.
This division aims to improve environmental and neighborhood conditions by addressing “blight” or problem property-related issues. Ultimately, these efforts will work toward bettering the quality of life, public health, and safety for Memphians.
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.
Good News for Hospitality Hub!
A couple of weeks ago, Hospitality Hub, a local nonprofit organization that aids Memphians experiencing homelessness, recently broke ground on a new project on the site of the old Manassas High School building in North Memphis. The organization plans to build 20 “cottages” for use in housing those who need it, with a goal of 60 such structures by the end of 2025. After the groundbreaking, Kelcey Johnson, Executive Director of Hospitality Hub, said that the organization will next set its sights on helping those in need in Southeast Memphis.
While the new Hospitality Hub location is welcome news in addressing a critical issue facing too many Memphians, the necessity of this kind of intervention follows a truth that we can all see throughout the city: Quality, affordable housing is becoming so scarce that it has turned into a full-blown crisis.