Weekly Policy Update | March 28, 2025

Apr 14

Breaking Down the State Intervention: Weekly Policy Update

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This is the first newsletter in our four-part series about the proposed state intervention in Memphis-Shelby County Schools. We hope you will follow along

with us:

Overview of legislation (3/28/25)
Overview of transformation efforts (4/4/25)
What needs to change? (4/11/25)
Overview of final law and next steps (TBD)

As you may have heard, the Tennessee General Assembly is considering legislation that would intervene in the operations of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools district, following recent years of public turmoil. As always, we want to ensure that you, our partners, are equipped with the knowledge necessary to advocate for the position you hold, while ensuring that we keep the education and success of our children at the center of all that we do.

Bill Structure

If you have heard competing narratives about the structure and function of the legislation in question, it is because there are two separate, but related, bills being considered. Below is a comparison of HB 0662, sponsored by Rep. Mark White of Memphis, and SB 0714, sponsored by Sen. Brent Taylor of Eads.

What triggers this law?

HB 0662

1. 30% or more of schools in the district were assigned a “D” or “F” letter grade in any school year

2. The district is in the bottom 5% of school district performance statewide

3. 25% or more of the students enrolled in the district are chronically absent

4. The local legislative body (in our case, the Shelby County Commission) approves a resolution expressing no confidence in the school board

SB 0714

1. If 50% or more of a district’s students are economically disadvantaged

2. If 50% or more of a district’s students did not meet grade-level expectations in math and English language arts on the most recent TCAP

Type of intervention

HB 0662

Two Options:

1. The commissioner of education may recommend that one or more of the existing public schools in the district be converted into a public charter school

2. The commissioner of education can recommend that the state appoint a “board of managers” comprised of nine members, each of whom must be a resident of the county in which the school district is located, to oversee the elected school board

A) Each member will have demonstrated expertise in an area of need for the district, including school facilities, data, philanthropy, etc.

B) Five members will be selected by the governor, two by the speaker of the senate, and two by the speaker of the house.

C) This board will make final decisions on issues such as the budget and district personnel, with the advice of the elected school board

SB 0714

Three Options:

1. Recommend that the state board of education replace the director of schools (superintendent)

2. Recommend that the state board of education replace some or all of the elected school board members

3. Recommend that one or more of the existing public schools in the district be converted into a public charter school

Function of the intervention

HB 0662

The board of managers will be ultimately responsible for the functions of the school district and will be tasked with creating a strategic plan for the direction of the district within 90 days of being seated. They will then execute the strategic plan with the advice of the elected school board and under the oversight of the state.

SB 0714

If the state board concurs with any of the recommendations above, they will be executed immediately.

1. If the state board concurs with any of the recommendations above, they will be executed immediately.

A) A removed member is ineligible for reelection for one full term thereafter.

B) A superintendent who is removed is ineligible for reappointment for four years.

2. An appeals process for any terminations will be reviewed by a three-judge panel.

3. If a district has had three or more superintendents in the past three years, the county mayor may recommend that the county commission employ a superintendent for a contract of up to four years. This superintendent will have the same powers as the one employed by the school board.

Length of the intervention

HB 0662

A minimum of four years, with a possibility of an additional two years if progress is insufficient.

SB 0714

In perpetuity.

The Senate version of the bill was approved by the Education Committee this week, while the House K-12 Subcommittee previously approved that chamber’s version.

Assuming both versions of the bill pass through their respective chambers, lawmakers will need to convene a Conference Committee to reach a consensus on one bill, whether it involves choosing one over the other or drawing pieces from each to make a new combination. We will keep you updated throughout the process. For any questions, please feel free to reach out to Anthony.