New MSCS board leader opposed school closures
As leaders of the board, the new chair and vice chair will help steer a district that’s in transition, and on the precipice of major decisions about its long-term goals and plans.
Laura Testino
Laura Testino is an enterprise reporter who writes about how public policy shapes Memphis. She is currently reporting from Frayser about education and housing. Please write her with your suggestions and story tips.
There are 209 articles by Laura Testino :
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September 2024
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EducationPorter-Leath is adding 200 Head Start seats. It wants to compete for even more.
Porter-Leath is bringing Head Start preschool programming back to Millington, and it appears poised to compete for the 3,200 Head Start seats currently with MSCS this fall.
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Public Safety School safety threats continued Thursday
Other schools closed and shifted to remote learning for students.
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North MemphisStruck by gunfire, Frayser elementary school tries to cope
After closing school on Tuesday, students at Cornerstone Prep Denver returned to class Wednesday with the support of counselors.
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Public Safety Multiple threats caused lockdowns across MSCS, officials say
Three students have been detained in connection to a threat at Whitehaven High School, according to law enforcement, but active investigations remain into additional threats made to other Memphis schools on Wednesday, Sept. 18.
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Public Safety Memphis police say officer shoots, kills man who fled arrest
Police say the carjacking suspect fired shots at officers during a foot pursuit. TBI is reviewing the shooting.
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EducationThese are the jobs MSCS cut or added for the 2024-25 school year
The Daily Memphian has compiled a table that shows every job the district has budgeted for this year and how many positions MSCS removed or added.
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Education Some area schools dismissing early today due to storms
Heavy rain, gusty winds in Memphis lead to a short day for students.
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EducationMSCS violations put $30M in federal preschool funding up for bid
Since 2020, Head Start officials have found instances of preschool teachers for Memphis-Shelby County Schools hitting, kicking and jerking students, prompting multiple deficiency notices.
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Behind The Headlines How should MSCS grade its superintendent? New board members weigh in
In its final action, the former MSCS board tasked incoming members with creating a strategic plan and evaluation for Superintendent Marie Feagins.
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August 2024
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Public SafetyNew halfway house offers ‘Lifeline to Success’ for former inmates
Working for 15 years to reduce recidivism in Memphis, Lifeline to Success has helped some 2,271 former inmates navigate life after incarceration.
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South MemphisWhitehaven schools would have more freedom in proposed MSCS structure
“I think the autonomy should be left down there in the Whitehaven area so we can show y’all ... how to do these kids right,” Shelby County Probate Court Clerk Eddie Jones said.
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Education MSCS board changes rules governing system’s attorney
The new structure, outlined in a resolution sponsored by all nine board members, is a return to a precedent of the legacy Memphis City Schools district.
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EducationShe teaches special education. The city helped her buy a house.
The City of Memphis is expanding its down payment assistance program to help more educators move to and live in Memphis.
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EducationHere’s how many teacher vacancies are at your Memphis school
Memphis-Shelby County Schools began the 2024-25 year with 478 teacher vacancies, according to documents obtained by The Daily Memphian.
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Neighborhoods Frayser landfill nixed to applause, but owners not ditching expansion effort
The Land Use Control Board sided with a recommendation to reject the landfill’s expansion in Frayser, a relief for the advocates who opposed it. But the landfill’s owners will now seek approval from the City Council.
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Education Missing funds halt construction on Whitehaven STEM lab
“Let me just call it out. The money’s at South Hollywood,” said Commissioner Miska Clay Bibbs, in an apparent reference to the school board district offices at 160 S. Hollywood St.
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Education Memphis’ new school board members are political novices — how they won
Natalie McKinney and Tamarques Porter will take elected office for the first time when they are sworn in to the Memphis-Shelby County Schools board. Knocking on doors got them here.
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Elections Contested MSCS board races could usher in new era for school system
Four sitting Memphis school board members face challengers in the upcoming election, including District 2 representative and MSCS board chair Althea Greene. She is facing Natalie McKinney, a public critic of the district’s superintendent search process, and pastor Ernest Gillespie III.
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Elections Voters overhaul Memphis school board
Voters ousted two of the three incumbents who sought reelection, including the board’s chair.
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EducationBudget shortfall looms over progress for Frayser, Cordova high schools
If funding pressures disrupt construction timelines for the new schools, Shelby County Commissioner Charlie Caswell knows what he wants to see: “Frayser’s coming first.”
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Education All-girls Grizzlies prep school approved
“We’ve seen good work from the single-gender schools, even though there’s not that many of them,” said Emily Lilley of the Tennessee Charter School Center.
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Academics, school safety top issues for voters in MSCS District 4
Academic success and student safety were the top concerns of a handful of voters who came to cast their ballots after lunch at New Beginnings Community Church on Kirby Parkway.
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July 2024
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Education Alabama media personality joins MSCS as communications head
The professional comedian, performing under the FunnyMaine moniker, gained popularity for his comedic re-enactments of University of Alabama football fans.
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Education‘Abuse of overtime’ cost Memphis district $1M, superintendent says
A new policy would require all overtime to receive advance approval from Superintendent Marie Feagins, and make no exceptions for emergencies.
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