If each chamber passes its version, the final details of one of the most talked about pieces of legislation this session would be decided in a conference committee.

The TCAP is a statewide standardized testing program that includes assessments in English language arts (ELA), math, science, and social studies.

State Representatives John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, and Antonio Parkinson, D-Memphis, both serve districts where multiple public charter schools are outperforming traditional public schools nearby.  Still both lawmakers openly questioned the performance of those schools during debate over new charter legislation Monday morning in the House Government Operations Committee.

Speaking to House Education Committee members Wednesday evening, Representative Mark White said only 17 percent of the district’s students demonstrate proficiency in math, and just 23 percent meet reading proficiency standards.

Under the bill, the education commissioner would be able to recommend the removal of the director of schools and some or all school board members.

During a school board meeting Tuesday night, the MSCS board voted unanimously to support a resolution opposing state intervention and calling on other elected officials to oppose it as well.

School board members unanimously supported a resolution Tuesday night opposing state intervention in the Tennessee school district and calling on elected officials elsewhere to join them.

Representative White’s amended legislation would empower the commissioner of the Department of Education to recommend the governor, speaker of the house, and lieutenant governor to jointly create a board of managers for Memphis-Shelby County Schools. This board would essentially supersede the district’s existing school board and director of schools.

Legislation presented by Representative Debra Moody, R-Covington, Tuesday would sunset the state ASD, replacing it with a progressive, three-tiered intervention system that would give more control to school districts.

The legislation, referred to as the Tennessee Public School Accountability Act, would allow the commissioner of the Department of Education to recommend the governor, speaker of the house, and lieutenant governor to create a board of managers over specific school districts.

Thursday the group held one of it’s first community discussions involving panelists who acknowledged the critical issues within the district but believe these problems can be better solved at the local level.

Speaker Cameron Sexton said leaders in the House and Senate are still working out the details of legislation to create state intervention into Memphis-Shelby County Schools, but one thing that will be proposed is a forensic audit of Memphis-Shelby County Schools to look for fraud abuse and waste.

In his new position as Interim Superintendent, Dr. Roderick Richmond said one of his main priorities is to improve communication, which is something administrators, board members, and parents have previously said was lacking.

Novus SMART Academy is among the 11 new start charter applications that met this month’s filing deadline in five school districts across the state.

The co-char of the Peer Power Foundation pushed back on allegations former Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins made about his organization in her lawsuit against the district’s school board.

Attorneys for former Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins have filed a Circuit Court complaint against the district’s school board, asking that their decision to terminate her contract be thrown out.

Members of the Memphis-Shelby County School Board voted 6 to 2 Tuesday night to renew the ten-year charter for a school with just over a dozen students.

Only 14 students currently attend the 9-12 grade City University School of Independence.

The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission voted Friday to renew the ten-year charter agreements for LEAD Neely’s Bend, Libertas School of Memphis, and Cornerstone Prep Denver.

State Representative Mark White, R-Memphis, says he’s working on legislation to provide Tennessee with the ability to intervene in the Memphis-Shelby County School district.

The Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) Board of Education voted Tuesday to terminate the contract of Superintendent Marie Feagins over allegations of professional misconduct.