Memphis-Shelby County School leaders unveil plans to move forward without federal COVID funds

Interim Memphis-Shelby County School Superintendent Tutonial “Toni” Williams says her administration is evaluating multiple strategies to move the district forward once federal COVID relief funding dries up.The federal government plans to halt providing schools districts with Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds (ESSER) funds next September.Memphis-Shelby County Schools has received a total of $776 million in ESSER funds. This money has helped support infrastructure needs along with providing advanced placement and vocational courses.Last week Williams took part in a new weekly radio news segment on the Voice of MSCS last week to discuss how she’s approaching the district’s finances and budget after ESSER.“It’s not about ESSER. It’s about reevaluating where are at this point in time in this this district to be able to give direct support to schools and schools about. And that’s really what this (budget) season is about,” said Williams. “We have to do the work to make sure we’re making the best decisions for schools and students and teachers and those who are on the ground who serve us every day and they go hard for our babies.”The interim superintendent’s administration has announced several steps to reduce costs and improve efficiency. These include the following considerations:

• Improving Fidelity of Academic Strategies: The district will take a data-driven approach in examining the impact and return of the strategies that were created or expanded through the onset of federal funds. The assessment will inform the sustainability of high-impact initiatives such as tutoring and specialized education assistants to ensure MSCS continues to serve students in ways that show academic gains.
• Streamlining Operations and Realigning Central Office Staff: The district will identify opportunities to consolidate administrative functions and streamline processes to eliminate redundancies. The ultimate objective is to realign central office staff to fill direct support positions within schools, providing teachers and students with the resources they need to succeed.
• Negotiating Competitive Deals: The district will incorporate performance-based contracts and reviews to secure better prices on goods and services, locking in savings and reducing procurement costs. This new way of business will ensure a return on investments for solicited services that provide the most return for the district and for students.
• Infrastructure Planning: The district is reviewing its entire infrastructure footprint to assess feeder patterns and proximity, including regions with historically poor academic performance, recent investments, and building utilization. Alongside communities and the Board, MSCS will consider building sale and reuse opportunities to reduce its infrastructure footprint, optimize usage, institute cost savings, and establish shared spaces to serve community-wide needs.

Williams plans to hold discussions with school board members on each measure.“These avenues are a compass that will allow us to chart a path of opportunity for every child in our District,” said Williams. “We must be efficient with every dollar so that our students will not only “see the future” but have the support and resources they need to seize the future.”When Williams started in the role of CFO in 2019, Memphis-Shelby County Schools was experiencing a $58 million dollar budget deficit.The federal government awarded ESSER funds to school districts all over the county in 2020. Traditional public schools, charter schools, and private schools were able to benefit from the money.“You can really look around and say some of those funds were probably always needed in this community to close the gap because our students have so many unique needs,” said Williams.