New Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) board chair Tamarques Porter is making literacy and TCAP scores front and center amidst a looming court battle over who will control the district.¶
The MSCS board elected District 4 representative Tamarques Porter as chair and District 5 representative Sable Otey as vice chair during its Sept. 29 business meeting. Porter replaces Natalie McKinney, giving the board new leadership as it weighs major decisions and awaits a federal court hearing that could determine how much authority the elected board retains while the district challenges the state’s pending intervention.¶
Student Outcomes in Focus
Porter, who was first elected to the board in 2024, said that among the issues he wants board members aligned on are Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) results and literacy rates; two measures that help determine whether students are meeting state academic expectations.¶
“We have a great opportunity to make education better for our children, (and) just make life a little better every day (for) our children,” Porter said.¶
That focus could be especially important for a district whose next chapter will be judged not only by who is making decisions, but by whether those decisions translate into stronger classroom results. Porter also said the chair’s role requires agreement not just among board members, but across the wider Memphis community.¶
“Over the past couple of years, I’ve listened to the community,” Porter said. “I’ve listened to the constituents, the teachers, the principals, and ultimately, the decisions we make up here are based on them, and what I've heard from the community is that (they want) to continue to have somebody to set a vision, be more progressive, and have everybody's (voices) heard.”¶
The Looming Court Decision
The leadership vote comes just days before another major decision point for MSCS. A federal judge is scheduled to hear arguments on Oct. 2 over whether Tennessee’s state-appointed oversight board can begin exercising authority while the school board’s lawsuit challenging the takeover law moves through court.¶
The move follows long-standing criticism of corruption and academic underperformance in the district. Near the end of the state’s legislative session, Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill into law that allowed the creation of state oversight boards for districts that meet four of six criteria. In July, the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office released the results of its audit of the district, saying it found millions of dollars in mismanagement.¶
The school board sued the state this summer over the law. If the oversight board is allowed to take control while the case continues, it could have the final say over MSCS board decisions, including the district’s annual budget, public charter school approvals, and even the hiring and firing of the superintendent.¶
Although Porter and Otey are stepping into their roles while MSCS faces questions about who will govern the district, they made it clear they will not change how they do their jobs.¶
“At the end of the day, it's about what's best for our students, and I promise to keep that the main thing,” Otey said.¶
