Who Has Signed the Cradle-to-Career Pledge?
You may recall an edition of this newsletter in February that introduced the “Cradle-to-Career Promise”—a pledge we hoped that candidates for Shelby County elected positions would take to show their support for expanding public Pre-K and Full-Service Community Schools, as well as bridging the workforce gap and improving governmental collaboration.
With early voting starting next Wednesday (April 15th), we wanted to update you with a list of candidates for County Commission and Shelby County Mayor who have signed the pledge.
MSCS Audit and Where We Go From Here
The much-anticipated preliminary findings of the state-funded audit of MSCS were released this week during a press conference headlined by Lt. Governor Randy McNally and Speaker Cameron Sexton. The audit covered FY2022 - FY2024 and found significant systemwide challenges in governance, internal controls, documentation, and procurement practices.
This critical moment calls for focus, collaboration, and a commitment from our entire community.
Breaking News from the SMZ
In the fall of 2025, More For Memphis—a multi-sector initiative dedicated to improving the quality of life for all residents of Memphis and Shelby County by ensuring equitable access to essential services and resources—launched a new chapter of its work in South Memphis. This community-focused effort, called the South Memphis Zone (SMZ), is a 12-month proof-of-concept designed to show what can happen when organizations come together to support the same families in the same place at the same time.
How Do We Solve Population Decline?
Last month, Mayor Paul Young broke with the tradition observed by recent mayors of Memphis by acknowledging the fact that the city’s population is in steady decline. Now, a new state law could change the way sales tax revenue is allocated to municipalities based on what proportion of Tennesseans live there.
Population loss affects more than sales tax revenue: it also means less revenue in property taxes and fewer patrons for local businesses. So what do we do about this?
Connecting K-12 with career opportunities to create purposeful pathways for students
When we think about “mobility” for high school students, our first thoughts are often about driver’s licenses, cars, and how teenagers physically get from place to place. But what about their ability to be economically mobile after they graduate from high school?