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Tennessee educators ask lawmakers to dial back or amend state testing

mbrown@chalkbeat.org (Melissa Brown) — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 19:24:07 -0500

Dr. Kevin Schaaf, a Metro Nashville Public Schools reading specialist, said students are often fatigued and disengaged in class, stressed by the emphasis on test performance.

MacKenzie Scott donation to benefit LeMoyne-Owen College, officials say

jcallahan@dailymemphian.com (Jody Callahan) — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 18:05:23 -0500

Scott’s donation is part of a larger campaign by the United Negro College Fund to raise $370 million to fund a pooled endowment for each of the country’s 37 HBCUs.

MSCS recommends five schools close at the end of the 2025-26 year

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 21:39:52 -0500

About 1,200 students will have to attend a new campus in the fall if the board approves Memphis-Shelby County Schools' plan to close four buildings and transfer a fifth.

County Commission approves moving all MSCS board seats to 2026 ballot

bdries@dailymemphian.com (Bill Dries) — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 18:19:01 -0500

The vote effectively shortens the four-year terms of office that five school board members were elected to in 2024.

Tennessee won’t say how many students are enrolled in new voucher program

mbrown@chalkbeat.org (Melissa Brown) — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 20:29:00 -0500

Months after Tennessee launched its first statewide voucher program, the Tennessee Department of Education won’t say how many students are using it to attend private school.

Memphis teacher vacancies decline, but district still struggles to hire certified educators

bhatch@chalkbeat.org (Bri Hatch) — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 04:00:08 -0500

Memphis-Shelby County Schools cut teacher vacancies by hundreds compared with this time last year, thanks to a bolstered HR team, an official said. More than 200 new hires hold conditional licenses, which expire in three years.

Total enrollment at U of M declines by 3%, but school officials find positives in the numbers

jcallahan@dailymemphian.com (Jody Callahan) — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 19:27:58 -0500

University officials said the school’s incoming freshmen averaged a 3.63 GPA, which officials said was the highest since the school began tracking that data in 2004.

Free high school curriculum takes test flight in Memphis

lwilliams@dailymemphian.com (Lydia Williams) — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 04:00:14 -0500

Drones, hot air balloons and a student-made wind tunnel were part of a hands-on demonstration of what kids could be learning in the classroom.

The AM/DM podcast: MSCS is looking to close schools — here's why and why now

mcashiola@dailymemphian.com (Mary Cashiola) — Tue, 9 Sep 2025 06:58:13 -0500

Interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond’s administration is expected to produce a list of schools to close or consolidate later this month, and at least one board member said there’s no need to keep kicking the can down the road.

Memphis schools are increasing dyslexia support to boost state reading test scores. Will it work?

bhatch@chalkbeat.org (Bri Hatch) — Mon, 8 Sep 2025 12:24:08 -0500

MSCS is required by state law to screen every student for signs of dyslexia, but Tennessee allows only an outside provider, such as a licensed psychologist, to give an official dyslexia diagnosis.

Memphis school students diagnosed with highly contagious, viral illness

amaki@dailymemphian.com (Aisling Mäki) — Fri, 5 Sep 2025 15:08:10 -0500

Memphis-Shelby County Schools said several cases of the disease were confirmed at Sherwood Elementary.

MSCS to reveal next year’s school closures, mergers

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Thu, 4 Sep 2025 22:44:57 -0500

The closure proposals, set for the school board’s review in the coming weeks, will be the first part of a larger plan that’s now expected in December. A committee recently reviewed the types of data that district officials will rely upon to determine which schools will be slated to close.

MSCS' Richmond rebuts arguments for state takeover

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Thu, 4 Sep 2025 07:48:47 -0500

Roderick Richmond, the interim leader of Memphis-Shelby County Schools, pointed to failures of Tennessee’s state-run Achievement School District during a town hall meeting opposing takeover of the school system.

U of M hits record fundraising, but as donors and federal funding drop, causes for concern remain

jcallahan@dailymemphian.com (Jody Callahan) — Wed, 3 Sep 2025 13:15:05 -0500

“I think it’s incredible that with all the things going on in our country, that we’ve had record fundraising,” said a board member. “... We’re going to have to ride (our fundraisers) really hard and look for our community to help us.”

U of M board approves $100,000 bonus for President Bill Hardgrave

jcallahan@dailymemphian.com (Jody Callahan) — Wed, 3 Sep 2025 19:18:22 -0500

Although some in the University of Memphis community are angry with President Bill Hardgrave over the recent end of the school’s DEI efforts, the school’s Board of Trustees awarded him a $100,000 performance bonus Wednesday.

Memphis students outpace state growth in reading and math, but lag in social studies

bhatch@chalkbeat.org (Bri Hatch) — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 17:34:12 -0500

Memphis-Shelby County Schools earned the highest score in the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System for the fourth year in a row. But younger students lost progress in social studies, falling behind expected growth.

Protesters gather at U of M after school announces anti-DEI efforts

jcallahan@dailymemphian.com (Jody Callahan) — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 15:07:43 -0500

“I’m here because eventually this is going to affect us all,” one protester said.

Collierville and Germantown schools restrict student cellphone use

awarren@dailymemphian.com (Abigail Warren) — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 19:19:44 -0500

In response to a Tennessee law, school leaders in Germantown and Collierville adopted rules related to students’ personal devices.

The AM/DM: U of M makes news with DEI change, hotel and Ghanaian students

mcashiola@dailymemphian.com (Mary Cashiola) — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 06:23:06 -0500

The University of Memphis started classes this week, but in the run-up to the fall semester, we learned that it was closing its Office of Multicultural Affairs, in accordance with state law.

MSCS student numbers drop at start of school year

Ltestino@dailymemphian.com (Laura Testino) — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 12:43:39 -0500

The district is dealing with teacher vacancies and laptop problems, but otherwise reports a “smooth” first day of school.