MSCS set to renew contracts with PowerSchool, i-Ready
Memphis-Shelby County Schools board members seem poised to renew contracts with some education service providers facing pushback during a meeting on Tuesday, June 23.
Laura Testino
There are 369 articles by Laura Testino :
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June 2026
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Education MSCS takeover board may hire attorney, director
State appointees to a board responsible for taking control of Memphis-Shelby County Schools also plan to make information requests of Superintendent Roderick Richmond.
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Education MSCS sues takeover appointees as oversight board votes to hire attorney
Attorneys for Memphis-Shelby County Schools and Shelby County government expanded their lawsuit challenging Tennessee’s takeover of the school district to include appointees to the new oversight board.
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EducationTCAP scores 2026: See how MSCS students did on Tennessee tests
Third graders in the Memphis district shined in one subject area, while math scores stagnated for elementary and middle school students.
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July 2026
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EducationTCAP 2026: These 6 charts show how Memphis-area students stack up
Compare scores on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program tests by subject and student group for districts in Memphis and Shelby County.
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Education MSCS forensic audit to include new TennCare review
Auditors reviewed three years of Memphis-Shelby County Schools’ finances and its current internal controls, prompted by lawmakers’ request for an audit in 2025. A final report is expected July 8.
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Education Federal judge orders halt on MSCS takeover
A federal judge has ordered Tennessee to halt its takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools. In the wake of that order, the state oversight board canceled its Wednesday afternoon meeting.
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EducationMSCS board approved $200M in contracts Tuesday. But will takeover appointees review them?
Even before a federal judge halted the state takeover of MSCS, it’s unclear whether the new oversight board had final-approval authority over any of the other contracts elected board members approved Tuesday. And the questions don’t stop there.
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Education Bulk of suspected abuse at MSCS tied to custodial contract, auditors find
That alleged abuse is largely associated with a single custodial contract that received elected board approval in 2022.
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Education12 things to know from the state’s MSCS audit
A forensic audit report found evidence of fraud, waste and abuse at Tennessee’s largest school district. But the most significant claims aren’t news to MSCS, according to court records and additional audit reports detailing the district’s responses.
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Education Tennessee points federal judge to MSCS audit in a push to restart takeover
In federal court documents, the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General filed motions to dismiss the school district’s lawsuit and dissolve an earlier court order pausing the takeover.
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EducationIf Tennessee takeover succeeds, these are the ways MSCS may improve
MSCS qualifies for a takeover in part because of state test performance, low-performing schools and student attendance. But state appointees to an oversight board don’t have to improve all of those metrics for the takeover to end.
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Education MSCS begins work on corrective actions after audit
More improvements are coming to internal controls, procurement, human resources and cybersecurity processes at Memphis-Shelby County Schools, Superintendent Roderick Richmond told board members.
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Public Safety Video released of fatal Task Force shooting at Burger King
Surveillance clips show the shooting that killed Darrin Pigram inside the Burger King where he worked. The release comes days after officials said there would be no charges filed against the officer.
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EducationSpaceXAI offered major construction upgrades to Memphis schools. What happened?
Fairley High students and athletes have emerged as the early — and only — major beneficiaries of a list of construction projects Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company offered to the Memphis school system last July.
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Calkins: It’s time for SpaceXAI to live up to its promise to Memphis kids
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August 2026
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Education MSCS school year begins with takeover still paused in court battle
The takeover remains on a federal court-ordered pause issued after the board had met for about two weeks. Meanwhile, school closures, mergers and relocations mean big changes for about 5,000 Memphis students returning to class.
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Education First day of school 2026: Major changes for 5,000 Memphis students
District leaders kicked off the school year with a four-campus tour Monday, Aug. 3, stopping at three schools among the roughly 5,000 students affected by summer closures, consolidations and a district return.
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MSCS school year begins with takeover still paused in court battle
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EducationHow a team sports-based school wants to make ‘alternative’ education an ‘opportunity’ in Memphis
New York City-based Urban Dove, a charter school organization, won approval to open two campuses in Memphis. Tennessee’s new ‘opportunity’ charter schools seek to reshape what education can look like for students who have fallen behind because of attendance, academics or behavior.
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2026 elections
ElectionsVoters elect four Democrats in first partisan MSCS board election
No Republicans ran for the Memphis school board seats on the ballot. Democratic nominees bested independent challengers in races for two open seats, while two incumbents on the board secured their victories in May’s primary races.
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