Gov. Bill Lee is pushing for a major revision to Tennessee charter school law to create ways for operators to bypass their local elected school boards.

“A lot of our junior faculty that we are hiring ... are well-trained in research and finding funding for their research,” the U of M’s Jasbir Dhaliwal said. “It has absolutely become part of our culture.”

Jared Myracle is the first top-level departure since Marie Feagins’ controversial ouster as superintendent last month.

While the $447 million initiative has been touted as a “universal” program for anyone interested, Republican leaders included a key provision: Students living in the country illegally will be prohibited from participating.

A Collierville Schools official credited an investment in teachers and classroom resources for the boosted test scores. 

Shelby County Commissioners Mickell Lowery and Britney Thornton talked on “Behind The Headlines” about the political boundary between the commission and the MSCS board.

The private school opened the third campus in an effort to diversify its student body. The Memphis campus could become a public school by the fall. 

Without a revived contract with Memphis-Shelby County Schools, the Peer Power Foundation began working instead with area charter schools, board co-chair Dow McVean wrote in a public letter Wednesday.

The awards ceremony will begin with reception at 5:30 p.m. in the Michael D. Rose Theatre on the University of Memphis campus.

Former Superintendent Marie Feagins claims in a new lawsuit that Memphis-Shelby County Schools board members violated the Tennessee Open Meetings Act in their pursuit to fire her. The violation, she claims, should void the vote to oust her.

If ICE officials come to school campuses, Memphis-Shelby County Schools officials have directed principals to ask for identification, the purpose for visiting and whether the official has a warrant or other documents.

Shelby County Commissioner Mickell Lowery said on “Behind The Headlines” that he would like to see the commission have line-item control of MSCS spending.

Germantown leaders submitted three names to administration before appointing Scotty Hendricks Jr. to school board. He was the only name to appear on the list of all five aldermen.

“Tennessee students did well relative to other states, and we did better than some of our neighbors,” Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds said.

A new agreement will allow Shelby County Health Department to provide screenings, treatment, preventative care and education to public middle and high school students, whose HIV infection rates are rising at an alarming rate. 

The Education Freedom Act passed the state House Education Committe, the House Government Operations Committee, the House Finance Ways and Means Committee and the House Calendar and Rules Committee.

City University School of Independence is among a handful of Memphis-Shelby County Schools charters farthest from initial enrollment goals. 

The covered 110-yard outdoor practice facility announced by Superintendent David Stephens is expected to cost between $2 million and $3 million. Stephens said he hopes to start the planning process later this year.

“Education, to me, is the great equalizer,” said Scotty Hendricks Jr., who Germantown leaders appointed to the Board of Education. “There is nothing that prevents someone that has education from being able to figure out how to overcome obstacles.”

The Daily Memphian obtained a document that shows Williams is banned from visiting schools in his capacity as a union leader for the duration of the investigation.

Germantown’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen appointed a member to the suburb’s school board. It’s the third time in the district’s history that city leaders have gone through the process.

The governor and the legislature’s GOP leaders are seeking even more funding for the program’s first year than the legislative analysis identifies.

With the discussion of school vouchers beginning this week, suburban leaders said they are watching the events in Nashville and hoping the special session doesn’t mean approval of the controversial approach.