The time to act is now.
A new study from Stanford found that a majority of school districts in the US have seen declining proficiency in reading and math, with the largest declines happening in underserved communities. According to Education Scorecard, students at Memphis-Shelby County schools performed an average of 2.37 grade levels behind their Tennessee peers between 2022 and 2025.
The data makes one thing clear: the time for bold action is now.
Memphis 3.0 and Place-Based Policy
You may have seen Memphis 3.0 mentioned in the news or on your feed. This comprehensive plan aims to revitalize neighborhoods, grow opportunity, and strengthen Memphis for all families. The impact of Memphis 3.0, however, depends on updates to the UDC—the very rules that determine what gets built, where it gets built, and how our communities grow. These regulations are not just paperwork—they decide whether your neighborhood has safe parks, affordable housing, and thriving local businesses.
Election Results and Looking Forward
Election Day was on Tuesday, and we now have some idea of what our county’s elected leadership will look like when the victors are sworn in on September 1st. While the general election is not until August, historical trends can tell us who is likely to emerge from the field.
A Look Back on 20 Years of Data
The American Community Survey (ACS) recently released aggregate data from 2020-2024, marking the fourth time that they have released aggregate data for five-year periods. With this new trove of data to study, we thought it would be interesting to take a look back at how Memphis has changed in key statistical areas over the last 20 years.
This Moment Demands Our Best: A Call to Build What Our Students Deserve
With the passage of House Bill 662 / Senate Bill 714, the State of Tennessee has established a path for a nine-member educational oversight board that may assume significant authority over districts in the State that have significant academic and operational challenges.
In this update, we lay out our vision for moving forward.