New Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent now slated to start April 1

The timeline for Memphis-Shelby County School’s new superintendent to get to work is officially moving up.Members of the Memphis-Shelby County School board voted Tuesday afternoon to move Dr. Marie Feagins’ start date to April 1.

Previously Feagins was scheduled to start after the end of this school year.

“With overwhelming community support, Dr. Feagins needs to be in Memphis building important relationships within our communities and schools,” said board chair Althea Greene in a statement prior to the vote.

“Dr. Feagins is excited to be here now to start making Memphis and Shelby County her home.”Tuesday’s vote creates a fifteen-day window for the board to terminate Interim Superintendent Toni Williams’ contract.

Williams will have the option to return to her prior role as the district's chief financial officer when Feagins takes over or serve the district in a financial consulting role for 12 months.

Williams has served as interim superintendent since former superintendent Joris Ray resigned in August 2022.

For a time, she was a candidate to take on the position permanently but board members ultimately opted to approve Feagins last month for the job. The school board developed an eight-week timeline for Feagins’ transition process that aligns with the process for previous superintendents.

This timeline will also allow the new superintendent to be on the ground as soon as possible to prepare her for a positive new school year, budget planning and to begin building relationships in Nashville with the Tennessee State Legislature.