A Statement on State Intervention in MSCS
For more than a decade, Seeding Success has worked alongside Memphis-Shelby County Schools, families, educators, and community partners with one goal in mind: improving outcomes for children.
That commitment has never changed. What has changed is our understanding of what it will take to make the progress our students deserve.
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.
Early Voting Begins
A conference committee was appointed to hash out the differences between the House and Senate versions of a bill that would appoint a board of managers to oversee Memphis-Shelby County Schools.
Additionally, early voting has begun! For a list of polling locations and times, please see this link. You can vote at any early voting location on the list, even if it is not your regular polling location or in your part of town. You can find more information on the candidates or offices on the ballot on the Shelby County Election Commission’s website.