MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Shelby County General Election on August 1 will determine who will fill five seats on the Shelby County Board of Education.
Thursday marks the first school board election since then-superintendent Joris Ray was removed from his position, sparking an 18-month-long search for a superintendent, that at times drew major criticism towards the board.
We spoke with all 18 candidates hoping to represent Districts 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 about their thoughts on the current state of Memphis-Shelby County Schools and what changes they want to see made moving forward.
The winners will be sworn in this September and receive a four-year term on the board.
District 2
Rev. Ernest Gillespie III
"Reverend Ernest Gillespie III is a Memphis native and the founder and CEO of Youth for Youth Community Coalition, a mentoring program for high-risk youths. He graduted from La Salle University with a Bachelor's of Science in Management and Memphis Theological Seminary Memphis Tennessee with a Master of Divinity. Gillespie III retired MSCS after working as a special project coordinator for 18 years. He was been the senior pastor ay Pearly Gates Baptist Church for more than 40 years."
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking?
"The district needed an overhaul because of the top-heavy salaries that were given to certain people who rightly did not deserve them. I agree with limiting jobs that were taking money from the children, but I do not like the way the plan was implemented. I feel that there should have been a performance budget in place throughout the years to address these issues informing those employees whose jobs would be a part of this change with their jobs being eliminated, allowing them an opportunity to prepare themselves to qualify for something else to do but this was not done."
Give a grade on how you think the school board did on the superintendent search.
"Personally, I give them a failing grade because there were others in the district who I feel were overlooked for personal reasons. There were individuals who live in Memphis and know the citizens and children in this city and know what it would take to move this district to where it needed to be but once again was not given a chance to even be interviewed for the position. If the budget was already over strapped then why take away more money from the children to do a national search that put additional hardship on the district and children?"
What are you going to do to ensure district employees keep their job?
"I spoke earlier that if a performance budget had been in place things could have been done a lot better. The performance budget could have helped in the replacement of jobs and would have been able to deal with them and also help with job replacements."
What are the three things you think needs to be done to move the needle on academics?
"Learning strategies are for accomplishing learning goals. Learning tactics are the specific techniques that make up the plan. The use of this tactic will reflect meta cognitive knowledge. Students must be exposed to a number of different strategies not only learning strategies but also very specific tactics, such as the graphic strategies. I feel students should be taught conditional knowledge about when, where, and why to use various strategies. The next thing that the classroom teacher must understand how to implement SOCIOLINGUISTICS knowing this will help the teachers to understand why communication sometimes breaks down in classrooms and when this happen the student will become disruptive. And finally the truancy problem must be brought under control getting the students into classroom is a major problem."
Althea Greene - Incumbent
Bishop Althea E. Greene became the incumbent chair of the Shelby County Board of Education in 2020 after being appointed to serve District 2 in 2019. She is the committee chair of Academic Performance and Evaluation Committees.
Greene received her Bachelor of Science degree from LeMoyne Owen College, and earned her Master of Arts degree from Tusculum College. She also graduated from Tennessee School of Religion with a Bachelor of Theology and a Master of Theological Studies. Greene also received a Doctorate in Theology.
She retired from Shelby County Schools after 38 years and is currently the senior pastor of Real Life Ministries, where she has served for 20 years.
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking?
"I am cautiously optimistic. Dr. Feagins has a large undertaking as our new superintendent, and as the board chair along with the board, we are here to provide governance and support her in this new role."
Give a grade on how you think the school board did on the superintendent search.
"I would give our board the grade 'B.' We had to level set and start the process over. A part of that was my request to have our board participate in board governance training before we started the search process. As a board, we also wanted to make sure that the community had input in the process and had an opportunity to hear from all of the finalists for the role. I believe this process helped the board become more cohesive and focused on selecting a superintendent to guide our large urban school system in the right direction."
What are you going to do to ensure district employees keep their job?
"As chair of the MSCS Board, my job is to hold Dr. Feagins accountable for the direction of the district. I will continue to ask about her personnel plan implementation and question her about decisions proposed and made around employee jobs. The decisions Dr. Feagins makes on job reductions and repurposing positions have to make sense. As a board, it is our responsibility to question those decisions and challenge them if we believe they don’t make sense for the district."
What are the three things you think needs to be done to move the needle on academics
"As a former educator of 38 years, academic growth and proficiency for students must be my top priority. As a school district, we are working to increase student readiness in reading and math. I continue to support the schools by prioritizing their needs to help improve the outcomes in reading. I’ve been in these educators' shoes and know that with some of the socio-economic challenges facing our students and families, students may need additional support. As a school board commissioner, I can work with the Superintendent and board of commissioners to see if more reading assistants and/or after school tutors for reading programs are needed and how we can assist as a board of education."
Natalie McKinney
Before moving to Memphis in 2005, Natalie McKinney founded and served as the inaugural director of the Juvenile Law Clinic at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) School of Law. From 2007 through 2017, I served as the Director of Policy for both Shelby County Schools and legacy Memphis City Schools. McKinney is currently the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Whole Child Strategies, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that supports children, families and neighborhoods in Memphis who are disproportionately affected by poverty.
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking?
"Dr. Feagins appears to be using data and information to make informed decisions concerning curriculum, teacher salaries and recruitment, budget cuts, etc. That I can appreciate. Additionally, I appreciate and commend her insistence on engaging internal and external stakeholders, e.g. students, parents, community, non-profit organizations, elected officials, etc. And yet, I believe an opportunity exists for better communication between her and the Board. The Board must clearly understand its role and responsibilities with respect to the budget and superintendent management to avoid any future need for public reprimands, like the resolution introduced by Board Chair Althea Greene and passed by the Board."
Give a grade on how you think the school board did on the superintendent search.
"The first superintendent search, led by Chair Althea Greene, failed to follow Board Policies 1002 Superintendent Selection and Appointment Procedure and 1003 Superintendent: Qualifications, which clearly set out the process for a superintendent search. As a result, the initial search failed. The second search, led by Board Members Stephanie Love and Joyce Dorse Coleman, followed Board policies, leading to a transparent and successful process. As the Board, it is charged with developing, monitoring, revising and ensuring policy is followed not only by the Superintendent and all applicable parties, but also that it too follows policy. Following policy is not optional."
What are you going to do to ensure district employees keep their job?
"It appears Dr. Feagins made job cuts based on her assessment of the district's needs and fiscal capacity given the district had to cut $19M due to the end of ESSER funds; cuts the Board was made aware of in November of 2023. As we move forward, my hope is that the Board will align district personnel needs with a clear strategic academic, operations, infrastructure and fiscal sustainability plan; which it does not and has not had. It is the Board's responsibility to ensure the district has a clear strategic plan and the fiscal capacity to implement it with well-trained and dedicated personnel by advocating for additional funding from the County, State and Federal governments and funding from the city of Memphis. This requires the Board to advocate for new and/or revised legislation, on the state and federal government levels, and obtain legal commitments (e.g. Maintenance of Effort) from the County and City, that appropriately funds our district given our needs."
What are the three things you think needs to be done to move the needle on academics?
"We need a strategic plan that aligns with other systems (e.g. Shelby County Health Department, MATA, City Housing and Community Development, MLGW, workforce development, Chamber of Commerce, public safety, etc.), to impact the following:
- Literacy - we need literacy prescriptions for early childhood programming and across all grade bands and beyond; curriculum and instruction designed to create adaptive learners and critical thinkers; and lobbying to expand funding for early childhood education by expanding the definition of "elementary" education to include at least 2 year olds.
- Infrastructure investment and redesign - not only investing in facilities, but people, like teacher pay.
- Youth, Family and Community Engagement - actually engaging youth, families and community in a meaningful, authentic, inclusive, frequent and responsive way to identify issues and collectively craft fiscally sustainable solutions."
District 3
Jesse Jeff
Jesse K. Jeff is a Memphis native who has worked with teachers since 1998. He taught in MSCS classrooms for 17 years. He has served in numerous association positions since 2006, including central area director, parliamentarian, elementary director and vice-president.
Jeff has a Master of Science in Education Leadership from Christian Brother University and a Bachelor's degree from LeMoyne-Owen College. He is also a veteran of the United States Army and Marine Corps.
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking?
"Yes, she’s showing exceptional leadership, and I think she’s doing a great job so far."
Give a grade on how you think the school board did on the superintendent search.
"'F!' You wasted all the time and money that could’ve gone towards the kids. We lost some good people on the board like Ms. Harris. It was ridiculous with the different people that are in cliques, and you can’t speak for yourself."
What are you going to do to ensure district employees keep their job?
"It’s always tragic when people lose their job. People have mortgages, kids in college, car notes and all of that. I think that as far as the central office was concerned, it was too top heavy. We were talking about how there’s a shortage of teachers, yet there were still a lot of teachers there who could’ve gone back into the classroom and still can go back into the classroom doing redundant jobs. So, I think it was a necessary evil to cut down in the central office and it should’ve been done a long time ago."
What are the three things you think needs to be done to move the needle on academics
"I think the first thing that needs to be done is to get ahold of chronic absenteeism. It’s more than a fourth of students who are not coming to school, and they can’t get the product. The product is education, so they can’t get it if they’re not in school.
The second thing would be to try and end the school to prison pipeline. We understand that prisons are built at the rate of students that matriculate in the third grade. So, in order to fix that, I think that we should put a higher emphasis on second grade students and teachers to make sure they get everything they need. So, when they get to the third grade, they can be proficient or above proficient.
The third thing that would help move the needle forward would be to improve the parent center to help parents be more involved in the students’ lives and their teachers. We need to put more funding into that."
Stephanie Love - Incumbent
Stephanie P. Love is the incumbent board member representing District 3 currently serves as co-chair of the Community Outreach and Engagement Committee.
She has lived and been active in North Memphis, Millington and unincorporated areas of Shelby County all her life. She attended Millington Central High and studied Psychology at The University of Memphis.
Love was elected to serve on the Shelby County Head Start Policy Council, where she later became vice chair. She also served as vice president of the Frayser Neighborhood Council—a community group born out of President Obama’s Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative in 2013.
Love served on the Shelby County Board of Education in 2014 and was later re-elected in August 2016.
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking?
"I am happy that she has a strong focus on academics and mental engagement. She has a key sense of community support. But I am not happy with the way she did things because we lost some institutional knowledge when she down sided the central office. We lost some great leaders."
Give a grade on how you think the school board did on the superintendent search.
"An A! We did excellent! We did exactly what the community asked us to do, and we did it transparently and effectively. We did everything we said we were going to do. I must say I support the superintendent. This is a new relationship, and we are learning each other. She has her faults and the board members have theirs. I trust the new superintendent because everything she does is centered around the students. That’s why I supported her and voted for her. We spent thousands of dollars to get a new superintendent and we can’t let that go to waste. I know it doesn’t feel good all the time but trust the process."
What are you going to do to ensure district employees keep their job?
"I don’t have anything to do with them keeping their job. I am a board member, not the superintendent. She hires and fires employees; I don’t have anything to do with that. But what I can do is advocate for them. The community engagement office I advocate for them. The teachers’ pay raises I advocated for that. But the board members can't control who the superintendent hires and fires."
What are the three things you think needs to be done to move the needle on academics
"Parent and community engagement, new curriculum that caters to each individual child. The standards set by the state. We have nothing to do with standards. The school board and administration control curriculum and instruction material, the teachers and the way our schools operate. Parent and community engagement have to trust the process. Finally, get kids interested in school again. When I was in school, I was interested in it."
Ozell Pace Jr.
Ozell Pace Jr. is an Arkansas native who earned his bachelor's in Elementary Education and Teaching from the University of Central Arkansas. He also graduated from Western Governors University and is currently studying leadership and ministry at Grace Christian University.
Pace Jr. spent four and a half years at Youth Villages serving as residential service coordinator, residential supervisor and teacher counselor.
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking?
"Yes, I am satisfied with her direction so far. But to add to that, I was not 100% satisfied with us having to eliminate those jobs. But I do fully understand that she did not create those positions because most of those positions were created during the pandemic. It’s not her fault that she was handed this district in this state but it’s the fault of the current board members. So, she’s doing the best that she can with that."
Give a grade on how you think the school board did on the superintendent search.
"I am going to give it a “C.” I'm only giving it a “C” because if they would’ve picked someone other than Dr. Feagins, the grade would probably be lower. But because they took them so long, because it was very inconsistent, and it caused chaos and confusion, that’s why I give it a “C.” They could’ve been more transparent, and they didn’t seem unified when they came to the public. There was no solid voice saying, “Let’s move forward.” We were on a national stage, and everyone was watching. Because we’re one of the largest school districts in the country, the process should’ve been smoother."
What are you going to do to ensure district employees keep their job?
"In the economy we live in, I don’t think anyone should lose their job. I’ve been saying on my campaign trial that you don't have to get paid to be on the school board. This is a voluntary position. I recommended stripping school board members of their salaries or compensation to ensure those other people can have their jobs. There are ways we can trim the fat to prevent wasteful spending. There’s going to be tough conversations, and we will be comfortable for a little while. But until we can get back on track financially, we should be able to do something so no one loses their job. For those retaining their benchmark, I don’t think they should lose their job or have their salary cut in half. I do feel though that sometimes, good isn’t good enough and you can be replaced. Our children deserve better. MSCS should be on the cutting edge of everything."
What are the three things you think needs to be done to move the needle on academics?
"The first thing that we need to do is to increase pay. We need to get certified teachers in all classrooms. If you remember not too long ago, the teachers’ union sued the school board because they couldn’t come to an agreement about pay. I believe the starting pay for any teacher should be at least $60,000. This would help us attract new teachers and retain the great teachers we do have. For example, Atlanta Public Schools has attracted people from all over the country. People see what they’re paying more than everyone else around them, and Memphis should too especially since we are larger than APS.
We need to ensure we have great partnerships. They are already assisting our communities when it comes to truancy and literacy. They are doing the work, and we should give them extra time and attention. Maybe they don’t need to spend so much time in an extracurricular but maybe they need more time in tutoring. I won’t break the bank or our budget if we have those great partnerships.
My third thing is we need to ensure that we have literacy coaches in every school, not just one school. If our children can read, then we’re working on comprehension so they can pass standardized tests. All of this goes back to having an effective and balanced budget. We truly haven't had an effective budget. We could've put more resources to literacy and resources in our after-school program."
Angela Rogers
Angela Rogers is a Memphis native, an alumna of Northside High School and 35-year resident of District 3. She pursued higher education at LeMoyne-Owen College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Education from Jacksonville Theological Seminary.
Since 1999, Rogers has worked with multiple youth development and outreach programs, receiving Certification in Urban Youth Studies through Crichton College and the Memphis Urban Youth Initiative (UYI) training program.
Rogers is also the founder and executive director of A Mother’s Heart, an organization that assists teenage mothers in MSCS schools. She was worked in the district as a substitute teacher and volunteer for years.
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking?
"Yes I am happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking. I see her leadership driving resources back to the classroom, empowering teachers and scholars. Her decisions are shifting the trajectory of our children into a legacy we can all be proud of."
Give a grade on how you think the school board did on the superintendent search.
"I watched the process unfold as we all did. I understand that many people had concerns or problems with that process. It is what it is at this point. Overall, what matters most is the outcome. With Dr. Feagins, we’ve landed on a leader who understands that when the children win, we all win! That’s the whole story."
What are you going to do to ensure district employees keep their job?
"It is unfortunate that people have lost jobs and families are having to make adjustments. That's never easy. I understand that this has to be done in order to manage the budget. In a perfect world, I would assess the relevance of roles to determine whether or not they serve our scholars in the most effective and efficient ways. Based on the assessments, I would connect with community stakeholders to tap into and create funding sources to maintain those jobs that help to bring about the most impactful positive outcomes for our scholars. Others, I would eliminate."
What are the three things you think needs to be done to move the needle on academics
"To move the academic needle, we must change the focus to:
- Early literacy and reading which will require a comprehensive review of the curriculum and an in-depth assessment of supplemental materials and their outcomes or lack thereof. We must eliminate the pipeline to prison business and challenge those same entities to join us in investing into the education of our children and be part of the solution.
- Improving and modernizing the schools in the district. “Un” defer maintenance and let’s get the work done. We need equity in education for all students no matter their socioeconomics. All scholars deserve academic options and state of the art learning environments.
- Rebuilding the sense and strength of 'The Village.' We have to re-engage the entire community. This includes moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandparents, big sisters, big brothers, neighbors, churches and community leaders, partnering with teachers so that we ALL take ownership of the academic outcomes of our children. Improving academic outcomes is everyone’s job, not just the teachers. We must shift the community mindset from 'those kids,' 'these kids' and 'their kids' to 'our kids!' They all belong to all of us. We have to take responsibility for that, citywide. No Child Left Behind has left far too many of our babies behind. Roughly, 78% of our students are performing below grade level in reading and comprehension. We have failed our scholars. Change is now! Let’s do this together."
District 4
James Q. Bacchus
James Q. Bacchus has worked in education for more than 45 years and retired in 2021. He spent decades employed by MSCS, as a teacher, principal and assistant superintendent.
Bacchus served as the principal of Hamilton High School for more than three years and the superintendent of Hattiesburg Public School District for more than five years.
He is currently self-empliyed at Process to Progress LLC specializing in K-12 consulting.
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking?
"So far, she seems to be going in the right direction. You can only do so much with the resources. So, at some point, you would have to make some major cuts. I understand what she is doing."
Give a grade on how you think the school board did on the superintendent search.
"The search I thought was a good project. I didn’t look at it that closely, but at least they came to a decision. It seemed like they got the community involved and did the correct vetting. So, I don’t think they made a bad decision. I would give it a "B" not necessarily about the candidate but just the process.
I was also thinking about, usually, there's a budget session, like early November, December, for you to have some kind of idea of where you are going to be for the next school year. So that's when you look seriously at where you have to make some cuts. You have six to eight months to communicate it and get it out where people that will be impacted will have some earlier notice, so they start making adjustments about what they need to do themselves. So, I think the communication piece should have been much clear. I don't know if they were pulled clearly with her about it, but looking at the budget that they had proposed earlier, it had quite a bit of funds to use from the fund balance. Withdrew their fund balance below the 8% that is required. So that should have been a flag right there. So, I don't know who to blame for it, whether it's a seating come in until late. So, I don't know what they were intending to use fund balance to carry it over for another year. So, they should have communicated that to the new superintendent."
What are you going to do to ensure district employees keep their job?
"That's the superintendent's purview. Everybody knows if you take a job in central office, that you're working at the whim of the superintendent, whether it's a budget cut or whether superintendent decides they don't need your skill. So, you don't make it about people, you make it about positions. So, if you keep it about positions and your needs to meet the goals you're trying to reach, there's no problem. But it becomes a problem when you start making about individuals."
What are the three things you think needs to be done to move the needle on academics?
"One of the three things, I think, is teacher quality. One of the key things is that since there’s so many vacancies that means that we have a lot of gaps in qualified teachers, or teachers are there for the right purpose. I just recently retired as a principal in ‘21, and what I saw in the three years that I was there is that we, out of five teachers, we hired, two are really prepared to be teachers, and the other three would not be rented, nor would they get the certification in the three years that's left. So, that means that we're hiring people that's not committed to being teachers.
The other thing is, certainly, she would have to put energy and put a focus on the pre-K to three spaces. I think that's what she's doing with early literacy if you put your focus there and work with parents in that early learning space, where kids and parents would understand the importance of education and everybody on board. We have great parents, but there's a need for more parents to understand their role. A lot of times, people don't know that they are their child's first teacher, so we can't assume that they understand that and where, where areas reflect the lower literacy rate. Those are the areas we need to target parents, be intentional about supporting them and understanding their part in helping us in this process. It's a partnership as a parent, it's the school and it's the community. It's a partnership in educating children.
Every child must have a chance to experience a modern school, a 21st century school in that K-12 experience. Certainly we would not have enough funds to admire every school and build every new school. But, I think a child in their K-12 experience ought to experience a model school. For example, the last school, I think, was Alcy Elementary. At that school, those kids can leave Alcy Elementary, then they will go to Hamilton Middle and then to Hamilton. But, at least they have experienced one school, in their early grades where they received their foundation of learning, and then they've been exposed to a 21st century school. So, the facility piece is a big piece. The Superintendent and the board would have to make some tough decisions around what schools are going to close, what schools are going to repurpose and what schools that they're going to renovate. So I think renovate and they're going to be a new school. So I think they really need to make some decisions around facilities."
Alvin Crook
Alvin Crook, a Memphis native, is an officer with Memphis, Light, Gas, and Water and the head coach of Memphis School of Excellence Winchester's basketball team.
Previously, he was the Downtown Memphis Parking Commissioner, president of the Shelby County Young Democrats and a court officer for the Shelby County Sheriff's Office.
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking?
"Clearly, I’m on the outside looking in because I’m not on the board right now, but so far, I am happy with some of the directions she’s taking. She’s being transparent. She's also informing the community about what is actually going on. She's trying to keep us in the loop as much as she can. I like it that she appears to be acceptable and approachable."
Give a grade on how you think the school board did on the superintendent search.
"I would say a 'C+.' I would prefer a superintendent that worked inside the Shelby County school system and that they can show they started as a teacher, then a principal and then go to Superintendent. That's what I would like because also, when you get that they understand the culture, they understand the dynamics of certain things."
What are you going to do to ensure district employees keep their job?
"First I would look at the budget to make sure we have room to keep them. One of the things that that I would ask is if it's possible for us to keep them in their position and don't hire anybody to refill the positions until they retire or leave. Then, if that's not an option, is it an option where we can at least pay everybody that's downgraded to a livable wage somewhere in between about 40 to $42,000 a year? Let's just look at that instead of just dropping our way down to if it was $28,000."
What are the three things you think needs to be done to move the needle on academics?
"First, we need to do a literacy program. Also, check on their mental health. We need to act like we care and show that we care. I'm a head basketball coach, and a lot of the times that the kids act up is because they cannot do the work, and they cannot read. If you cannot read and cannot do through the work, that's how a lot of the behavior. Issues happen that come with mental issues. They don't feel smarter than their colleagues. I had dyslexia, and I didn’t learn to read until the age of 16, so I know how they feel."
Eric Harris
Eric Harris is the sales director and contributing editor for Tunica Voice and the president of JESSRAN Corporation, an early childhood education nonprofit.
He worked for MSCS for 16 years as a teacher, administrator and principal. Harris also worked for ther Achievement School District as a Director of School Operations.
He is also the president of the Homeowners Associations' Board of Directors for the Carolina Lofts Condominiums Owners Association, Inc. in Memphis.
Harris earned his bachelor's in history from the University of Tennessee. He has two master's degrees from Christian Brothers Univerity and the Univerisity of Memphis Fogelman College of Business & Economics. Harris also received his Doctor of Philosphy in Urban Policy and Planning from the University of Memphis.
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking?
"I think Dr Feagins will bring a lot of energy, and she is focused on taking this district in the right direction. I really do. I think that our superintendent needs the support, knowledge and experience of people who can come in to help to complete the picture that she's attempting to paint."
Give a grade on how you think the school board did on the superintendent search.
"I think [the school board] got themselves into a bind by the way they did it the first time and then having to blow it up and do it again. There's no way to give them a satisfactory rating simply because of the time frame and the issues that they identified themselves, that they had in the search. I'm sure that they probably don't feel satisfied in the way that it was handled."
What are you going to do to ensure district employees keep their job?
"Yeah, as a board member, I'm not quite sure how to answer that, because there's a board and we have one employee that would be a superintendent. In terms of employees, that is the role of the superintendent or their HR person. If it’s a matter of budgeting and trying to ensure we can keep the budget as in place as possible to protect as many jobs as possible and get the work done that we need to do, then yeah, that’s my job as a board member."
What are the three things you think needs to be done to move the needle on academics
"We need to be more engaging. We need to make sure that whatever we're teaching, whatever program we're trying to instill, engages our students and communities with that. What I mean by that is sitting, opening a textbook and completing something doesn't quite get it. Things need to be more project based. It needs to require problem solving. It requires critical thinking, something that makes our students engage in the content.
Secondly, we need to do a better job of making sure our students are what I call “future ready” when they graduate, and they make it to that hurdle, and they jump over it. Then they need to possess the hard and soft skills that it will take for them to do whatever it is they want to do, if that's going to college. They've got the required coursework. They've got the required hard skills in terms of being able to write papers and study and do those type of things but also having the soft skills of having conversations with people and being able to network themselves. If they aren't a student that's going to college, then making sure they have some sort of skill or trade, and then also having some soft skills to market themselves and figure out what it is they want to do.
Then finally, we've got to be innovative. School Education is a very, very tradition-based entity. It just is. But we have got to be willing to go outside of the box and use our strengths and our students and teachers’ strengths to get our students where it is that we want them to be. We've got to be innovative budgeting, and we've got to be innovative programming. We also got to be innovative in our conversations for that to happen."
Tamarques Porter
Tamarques Porter is a Memphis native who attended Melrose High School. He earned his bachelor's in Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management from Texas Southern University. Porter also received two master's in Techology Management and Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.
Currently, he is a board member for the Tennessee Higher Education Initaitive. He is also a board member of IT Steering Committee for the Shelby County Government and the co-founder of BLit (Blacks and Latinos in Technology).
Porter also served as a field support analyst for MSCS.
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking?
"With any change in leadership, it’s crucial to consider the culture, past successes, and past failures while also building strong relationships within MSCS and throughout the community. In Dr. Feagins' case, I believe she came in ready to serve but was understandably unsure of who to trust initially. I applaud her 100-day initiative, which included visiting schools, building a dynamic transition team, meeting with elected officials and creating an aggressive marketing campaign to effectively communicate future plans. Although she did not include state officials on her transition team, her ideas bring hope and show promise for the future progression of our students.
As with any new position, adapting, observing and training are essential. I believe it would have been beneficial for a neutral company to assist in her transition, guiding her on how to work with the board, what steps to take, etc. Board members should also consistently receive training on collaborating with a new superintendent, understanding their role and more. Just like we have new hire training at our jobs, we should have these kinds of support measures in place for both board members and superintendents for the first two years to ensure a smooth and effective transition."
Give a grade on how you think the school board did on the superintendent search.
"I would give the school board a grade of "B" on the superintendent search. The board made a concerted effort to find a candidate who is dedicated to the advancement and well-being of our students. An external firm was hired to assist in the search. Dr. Feagins, with her strong initiative and commitment to engaging with the community, is a testament to their dedication to finding a capable leader.
However, there were areas where the process could have been improved. The transition could have been smoother if there had been more support and training for both Dr. Feagins and the board members to foster effective collaboration from the early start date of the new superintendent. Additionally, greater transparency and communication throughout the search process could have further built trust and confidence among parents, teachers, and the community."
What are you going to do to ensure district employees keep their job?
"I would prioritize efficient budgeting, seek additional funding sources and focus on retaining essential staff who directly impact student success. I personally wouldn’t have drastically made the decision to lay off teachers and staff immediately within my first 100 days. I think the best step in that situation overall would have been to give proper notice such as 3-6 months at the end of the 2024-2025 school year. This would have provided people with enough time to prepare for the financial effects of the change. Overall, it’s about our teachers and students!"
What are the three things you think needs to be done to move the needle on academics?
- "Increase teacher support & development while also empowering teachers with the creativity and autonomy to teach effectively;
- Improve parent/student engagement and support;
- Meet the students where they are. What this looks like is teaching students on the level in which they understand through music, advanced technology and more."
Anecia Washington
Anecia Washington is the center director for Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes. She is both a certified academic language therapist and dyslexia therapist and has spent more than 20 years in education.
Washington attended Mississippi State University where she received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. She received a Master of Science in Dyslexia Therapy from Mississippi College.
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking?
"I have been amazed with the direction Dr. Feagins has taken MSCS thus far because she came with a plan and 'stood on business' despite not having the full support of the board at one point. The two-fold wisdom of creating a transition team to help determine and strategically solve some of the deeper issues plaguing our community as well as the shared accountability of ensuring these very barriers are conquerable for our children has been wonderful to witness. Being transparent throughout much of the process has also been a plus with the community because it allows us to see what actually is going on (beyond rumors) for ourselves, and it provides the chances to teach future leaders in and for our great community."
Give a grade on how you think the school board did on the superintendent search.
"At this juncture, a sheer letter grade should be obsolete unless they are attached to standards that reflect the nuisances of whether those effected are in an introductory (I), development (D), or mastery (M) phases of such. In my opinion, the current school board ushered in a drastic change for our school community during this search. Because of this, they would receive an 'I' because they are learning as they continue refinement. Transparency in the process is something the board has been working on since a few superintendents ago; therefore, they would receive a 'D' as they continue to develop and use strategies to secure top talent for our growing community. In regards to keeping our most prized possessions as the focal point-our children, hands down they truly deserve an 'M' because they did just that by attracting and hiring a competent and capable employee to serve our first-class community."
What are you going to do to ensure district employees keep their job?
"The job cuts were necessary and part of the process of making sure the kids and quality come first. The exact same issues are just as prevalent in the 'corporate world' because these are considered lean years - tightened financial capabilities in order to stay afloat and viable. I would have the research department work with staff, students, and university staff to determine future trends to help keep our employees ready with effective training and research opportunities. With all the doctorate holders here, it would be beneficial to allow them to research and publish our successes. These can be turned into books, guides, and training that we can capitalize on as another stream of income for the district. Also, keeping the air of transparency with district happenings would allow the grant writers the chance to help increase philanthropic/grant opportunities for access to more capital."
What are the three things you think needs to be done to move the needle on academics?
- "Effective literacy training & implementation
- Overhauling exceptional education services to provide better outcomes for the gifted, autistic (verbal & nonverbal), dyslexic, etc.
- Class size reduction"
District 5
Mauricio Calvo - Incumbent
Mauricio Calvo is the incumbent representing District 5 (Cordova) for the Shelby County Board of Education.
The Mexican-born Memphian is the president and CEO of Latino Memphis, an organization that provides the Latinx community with opportunities through social and legal services.
Calvo received his Bachelor of Busniess Administration in Marketing from Chrisitan Brothers University. He then went on to obtain his Master of Leadership & Public Service from Lipscomb University.
He also earned certificates in Nonprofit Leadership from Boston College and New Strategies Program from Nonprofit Executives from Georgetown University.
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking?
"Best practice dictates that the direction of a school district should result from a joint vision between the Superintendent and the Board. Last year, the MSCS Board established priorities focusing on improving academic growth, particularly in literacy, attracting and retaining qualified teachers and leaders, and preparing students for the workforce. Other focus areas include business operations, communications, and partnerships. The decisions made by the Superintendent in the last 100 days appear aligned with these priorities. My voting record and public comments reflect both support and opposition to her actions. With Dr. Feagins now in place and a new Board set to be installed after August 1, there is an opportunity to revise and update these priorities, as well as to design an evaluation system that ensures fair and objective accountability."
Give a grade on how you think the school board did on the superintendent search.
"I joined the process after the initial search had failed. While I would have preferred a different approach, navigating the political realities and complexities of a governing board led to an overall process that I would grade as a 'B-.' To maintain transparency, the Board had limited interactions with candidates, restricting interviews and conversations largely to scripted questions and staged answers provided by the search firm. In my experience, this isn't how most organizations would hire their leader. A highlight was hiring Tomeka Heart as a facilitator, which proved to be one of our best decisions."
What are your thoughts on the job cuts and if you could, what would you do to ensure district employees keep their job?
"I sided with the Superintendent rather than the Board regarding the resolution to halt job cuts because the resolution lacked specificity and thoughtful consideration (such as a timeline, alignment with Superintendent's personnel decisions, legal opinions and MSCS policies). It was rushed and did not meet my expectations for effective decision-making. I voted against the budget approval due to concerns over how the administration had handled the job cuts. In my view, the approach was 'too much too soon' for effective change management, which requires adequate time, communication, and leadership insight. As a Board member, my role is to oversee our sole employee, the Superintendent, and ensure the presence of checks and balances. I sincerely hope that the cuts were made in the appropriate departments, which will become clearer in the coming months."
What are the three things you think needs to be done to move the needle on academics?
"While there are numerous priorities, if I were to highlight the top three: ensuring a teacher in every classroom, achieving maximum student attendance and fostering a school culture and climate conducive to both learning and optimal work performance."
Dr. Audrey Elion
Dr. Audrey Elion is a Memphis native and a product of Memphis City Public Schools. She received her B.A. in Psychology and M.A. in Counseling and College Student Personnel from The University of Memphis. Subsequently, she earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from The Pennsylvania State University.
Dr. Elion is the owner of Elion Management Counseling, regional chair for Memphis/Shelby County Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network and co-director of Sowing Justice.
She is also a former Adjunct Faculty for Penn State, The University of Memphis, and the Memphis College of Arts.
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking?
"Dr. Feagins was given a big task to make changes and move the district forward. I support any modifications that are in the best interest of the students first and foremost, our teachers, school personnel, and the parents. I believe it is going to take a concerted effort from all parties to ensure that students receive a quality education and thrive in every way possible. I further support changes that adhere to both state law and policies. Lastly, I support and will demand that all actions taken by the Superintendent be done with empathy, care, transparency, and accountability. We must remember that these changes significantly impact lives, careers, salaries and families."
Give a grade on how you think the school board did on the superintendent search.
"I would give the School Board a grade of B-. This is largely because a large portion of the budget was spent on the first search for and recruitment of the Superintendent, and a candidate was not selected. However, the second round was more transparent, and the Board allowed both parent and community participation."
What are your thoughts on the job cuts and if you could, what would you do to ensure district employees keep their job?
"First, we must keep in mind that education is a business. We must remember that any business has a budget that must be followed. Dr. Feagins came in faced with a deficit in the budget and had to make decisions to fill some of the gaps at the school/student level. As previously mentioned, I support and will demand that all actions taken by the Superintendent be done with empathy, care, transparency, and accountability. We must remember that these changes significantly impact lives, careers, salaries and families. Though I cannot honestly say I will be able to ensure that employees keep their jobs, as a past leader and member of the Education Association, I will be a strong advocate."
What are the three things you think needs to be done to move the needle on academics?
"Most Importantly, we must create an ideal learning environment that is safe, nurturing and has all the needed resources. Here are my three recommendations to move the needle on academics:
- Ensure proper budget allocations/funding priorities: I would ensure that funding priorities align with the strategic plan. For instance, if the plan highlights the need for more mental health resources, I will advocate for budget allocations to support this area. This is key because adequate mental health resources have a profound effect on academic improvement. Regular progress reports from the superintendent and district staff would be essential to maintain transparency and accountability, ensuring that the strategic plan drives meaningful improvements across the district.
- Adress proper instructional methods: I will advocate for the adoption of instructional methods proven to enhance learning, such as differentiated instruction and formative assessments. Support professional development to equip teachers with these skills. Also ensure data utilization, which is the implementation of robust data-tracking systems to monitor student progress, identify atrisk students early, and tailor interventions to meet individual needs. Regularly reviewing and analyzing data to make informed decisions is crucial.
- Address strengthening the student support system: We must strengthen support systems which means enhancing academic support services such as tutoring, after-school programs, and summer learning opportunities to help students who are struggling or need additional enrichment. Involvement is needed from students and parents to determine mentoring and other academic needs and opportunities. Finally, we need to increase Access to Early Childhood Education programs to promote initiatives that expand pre-K programs, ensuring that all children have a strong educational foundation before entering kindergarten."
Sable Otey
Sable Otey is a Memphis Business Journal 40 under 40 honoree and the senior vice president of Making Multi-Millionaires.
She received her Bachelor of Science in kinesiology and exercise science from George Mason University. Otey also attended National University where she earned her Master of Education and Teaching Credential in English as Second Language, Physical Education and Health.
She spent four years with MSCS as a health and physical education teacher.
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking?
"As a new superintendent, Dr. Feagins is still in the early stages of her tenure, and it's challenging to fully assess progress at this point. However, I believe she has demonstrated strong intentions and a well-structured plan to redirect resources towards student achievement in the classroom. Her efforts to engage with our district, community and culture in Memphis show promise. I am encouraged by her dedication and believe she is on the right path to positively impact our schools."
Give a grade on how you think the school board did on the superintendent search.
"I would grade the school board's superintendent search process as "needs improvement." The process was prolonged, and additional funds were spent, yet the board seemed uninformed and dissatisfied with the candidates. This lack of clarity left the general public confused. While the process had its flaws, it was ultimately educational. Based on thorough assessments and data, we did select the most qualified candidate, but there's much to learn to improve future searches."
What are your thoughts on the job cuts and if you could, what would you do to ensure district employees keep their job?
"The chronic disinvestment in funding over the years made a thorough assessment and job cuts necessary. As an educator, I understand the hardship of losing income unexpectedly. Almost a decade ago, my husband was struck by an 18-wheeler, leaving him temporarily injured and jobless, and we lost a much-needed income. My heart goes out to those affected. To ensure district employees keep their jobs, I will advocate for a fiscal plan that includes a financial cushion each year. I’ll push for funding and budget allocations that maintain healthy staff levels, support skills development and training, ensure open communication and promote fair, transparent performance evaluations."
What are the three things you think needs to be done to move the needle on academics?
- "Recruiting, developing, and retaining quality educators who are passionate and well-trained.
- Providing safe and supportive environments that foster social-emotional learning, inclusion, and strong family and community engagement.
- Utilizing data to track, assess, and identify areas for growth and improvement, ensuring we make informed decisions to enhance student outcomes."
District 7
Danielle Huggins
Danielle Huggins is a Memphis native that attended Hamilton High School and earned her
bachelor’s in business administration and management from LeMoyne Owen College. She received her master’s in education from Freed-Hardemen University.
Huggins has worked for MSCS as a fourth grade English and social studies teacher for two years at Winchester Elementary.
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking? Why or why not?
"I am happy with the direction Dr. Feagins has taken the district because she continues to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the strategic plan, gather feedback from educators and students, and make necessary adjustments to ensure the plan effectively meets the needs of the school community."
Give a grade to how you think the school board did on the superintendent search and explain your reasoning.
"I will give the superintendent search a B-, because the search initially started in 2022 when former Superintendent resigned. June of 2023 the MSCS superintendent search fell apart, and the board had to restart the search for a qualified candidate. Due to the board restarting the search and selecting a qualified candidate I am pleased to have Dr. Feagins as MSCS Superintendent."
What are your thoughts on the job cuts, and if you could, what would you do to ensure district employees keep their jobs?
"Of course, we all know job cuts are very challenging. The job cuts affected individuals and Memphis Shelby County Schools as a whole. To ensure district employees keep their jobs I will support the superintendent in her decision in conducting a thorough assessment and set goals to find suitable solutions."
What are the three things you think need to be done to move the needle on academics?
- "Develop early literacy programs with a strong focus on foundational skills.
- Implement comprehensive student support programs that include tutoring, mentorship, mental health resources, and family engagement initiatives.
- Implement regular reading assessments to identify students needing intervention, provide targeted support with foundational coaches, and use data-driven instruction methods to tailor reading programs to individual student needs."
Towanna C. Murphy
Towanna C. Murphy is a Chicago native and earned an associate degree in business management from Bryant & Stratton College in Milwaukee.
She has worked as a radio host for nearly a decade. Over the course of more than 15 years, Murphy has served as the chief executive officer and marketing director for WDEM Radio in Memphis.
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking?
"I am happy with the direction she's going. I see some things that we could work on, but for the most part, I am happy with the way that she's going. But there's some things that I see that we need to probably address."
Give a grade on how you think the school board did on the superintendent search.
"I would say a 'C.' The one thing I didn’t like is the fact that we had to search twice, and so that showed me that we have to do something different. Just in case we have to go and look for another superintendent, we shouldn’t have to go through this long, draw out process. Then we find out that the top three are not even qualified, then we have to go back and look again. So, I think that was a fault made on the school board. The positive is that the community was engaged, we were able to give our feedback and listen in and see what these candidates bring to the table."
What are you going to do to ensure district employees keep their job?
"I agree that we are top petty, but I disagree with letting them go within the 15-30 days. We should have given them at least six months to a year, so that the ones that we are letting go could find a job, versus saying “they are done” with no job, and they have to figure out how they're going to provide for their families."
What are the three things you think needs to be done to move the needle on academics?
"Number one, we need more after-school reading programs. Two, we need more community centers open and three we need mental health organizations inside the schools. In order for us to move the needle on the education of our children, we have to be able to work together and get the job done. It's not just the teachers, it's the parents, but the community."
Jason Sharif
Jason Sharif was born and raised in Whitehaven and is the founder & executive director of RESPECT The Haven, a grassroots community development corporation serving disinvested Black people in Whitehaven.
He also worked with the Tennessee Department of Children's Services in Shelby and Davidson Counties. Sharif started the Boys & Girls Club at Westwood High School and taught sixth grade social studies at Craigmont Middle School in Raleigh.
He received his B.A. in Political Science from Jackson State University and M.P.A. in Public Administration from Tennessee State University.
Are you happy with the direction Dr. Feagins is taking?
"I like that Dr. Feagins came in and immediately began engaging the community. Getting out and listening to parents and students with her VIP tours and barbershop talk was a great start to learn the community concerns. Increasing parent and community engagement will be key in getting community stakeholders' buy in and improving academic achievement."
Give a grade on how you think the school board did on the superintendent search
"I will have to give the Board a 'C-' on how they handled the initial search. Not being clear on the rubrics, narrowing down to a list of finalists, and then having to start over again. But I like how during the second go around they made a concerted effort to increase community engagement and get community stakeholders input."
What are you going to do to ensure district employees keep their job?
"Though challenging, the recent staff reductions in the Memphis-Shelby County School District aimed to reallocate resources to students. As a board candidate, I propose enhancing job security, seeking innovative funding, promoting flexible roles, and prioritizing community feedback to support employees and students effectively."
What are the three things you think needs to be done to move the needle on academics?
- "We need to focus on improving attendance and truancy. Students can't learn if they're not in class.
- We need to increase parental and community engagement. 60 percent of the factors affecting our students' attendance, behavior and course performance happen outside the classroom, so we must continue to focus on community collaboration and partnerships to improve academic success.
- Recruiting and hiring more licensed teachers. Increasing teacher pay and improving the work culture to prevent teacher burnout."
