GERMANTOWN, Tenn. — The final two votes needed to resolve the years-long dispute over the future of Germantown’s three namesake schools passed Thursday evening.
The Memphis-Shelby County School (MSCS) Board and the Germantown Municipal School District both voted unanimously for the agreement to go through, which involves investing more than $70-million in building a new high school in Cordova without a tax increase.
Germantown High will be sold by Memphis-Shelby County Schools with assistance from the city of Germantown, with proceeds expected to go toward building the new school. Germantown Elementary and Middle schools will become property of the Germantown Municipal School District.
In a post to Twitter, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said, “The “3G” schools consensus agreement allows us to create a path for impacted families, invest in a state-of-the-art school, and avoid likely litigation. With the work of the parties’ administrative and legislative bodies, we can move forward together for our students.”
The City of Germantown approved the deal in their vote Monday night, while the Shelby County Commission voted in favor of the agreement Wednesday.
“This agreement is a win for students, a win for this county, and would not have been possible without the overwhelming support of our school families," MSCS Interim Superintendent Toni Williams said Thursday. "Student advocacy has been a vital part of the conversation, and their sentiments have clearly expressed their desire to stay together.”
It could take nine years before everything in the agreement is final, although most involved don't expect it will take that long.