PUBLIC Policy
Through public policy work, we strive to shift the social policy conversation from developing programs to creating comprehensive systems of support that improve the lives of children and families.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Computer Science Education
S2 has worked with CodeCrew and the TN General Assembly over the past couple of years to advocate for computer science as a significant pathway for opportunity in the state. The resulting proposed statewide legislation was enacted into law as of June 2022.
Tennessee Child Care Task Force Legislation
S2 works in close partnership from a data and continuous improvement standpoint to support our local representatives in their roles on the committee, and we look forward to its recommendations.
Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) Legislation
S2 supported advocacy around reforming the basic education funding formula by providing back channels into the district and feedback from our local community to TN Education Commissioner Dr. Penny Schwinn on scope, scale, and design. Our partners served on the committee that designed the new weighted formula, resulting in an additional $200M dollars for Shelby County.
TENNESSEE OPPORTUNITY ACT LEGISLATION
S2 helped shape the TN Opportunity Act, which guides the TN Department of Human Services use of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) including how $750M in unspent funds will be distributed. We are now looking to be an implementation partner, catalyzing funds to flow directly into Memphis through multiple collaborative proposals.
Joint Resolution
In December 2022, Seeding Success coordinated a joint resolution between the Shelby County Commission, Memphis City Council, and the Memphis-Shelby County Schools Board for More For Memphis. The resolution, which stipulates how the partnership will engage with elected leaders in the city, county, and school board throughout the plan writing process, passed unanimously through all three bodies, with every attending member of the school board joining as a sponsor of the legislation.
Over the course of the next year, S2 and the rest of the MFM project management team will work with elected and appointed leaders to engage with their constituencies and appear before these bodies to present updates on the policy development work. This is a foundational step in engaging the city and county in a public-private partnership effort to improve social and economic mobility for residents. Learn more at moreformemphis.org.
WEEKLY POLICY UPDATE
Keep up with legislation, meetings, and hearings related to education policy in Memphis, Shelby County, and the state of Tennessee.
Sign up for the Policy Team’s weekly updates and get expert analysis of key issues in your inbox every Friday.