MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Marie Feagins is pushing forward with her plan to cut or restructure staff roles in the state's largest district.
“When I say we’re doing the work in such a way that we can be an exemplar for the state and a model for the nation, that requires big actions. It requires making the decisions that may appear to be uncomfortable,” Feagins said Tuesday before another budget work session.
Feagins sent an email Monday, June 10, to MSCS employees announcing the cuts of 1,100 positions. After a reaction of shock from some, the board called a special meeting and eventually passed a resolution requesting a halt to any further layoffs until Feagins presented a more detailed budget proposal.
Tuesday, Feagins said after the reshuffling about 237 people could possibly be without a job come June 30.
MSCS is required to provide advance notice about potential job cuts to affected employees and the state due to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. The letters sent to employees, many of them on Tuesday, June 17, weren't official letters of termination.
According to MSCS's general council, if the board approves Feagins' budget with the position cuts as proposed, then the official notice of termination would come.
Tuesday, Feagins also reiterated some of her priorities in her budget and what saving approximately $68 million in personnel could go towards.
The superintendent wants to spend, in total, about $21.8 million for reading and math literacy. For infrastructure, Feagins wants to invest, in phase one, $96.7 million for building improvements across 56 of 209 MSCS buildings.
The most ambitious and new part of her plan is $14.6 million for expanding before and after school programs, increasing access and participation by funding late school buses for students.
A timeline is unknown for when the board will vote on a budget ahead of the June 30 deadline.