Tennessee lawmakers approve legislation that could lead to state takeover of Memphis-Shelby County district

Tennessee lawmakers have approved legislation that will lead to a state takeover of the Memphis-Shelby County School district.

The Commercial Appeal reports that the Tennessee House and Senate approved legislation that would effectively strip much of the power from the locally elected school board of Tennessee's largest district.

The legislation now heads to Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee's desk for signature.

State Rep. Mark White, who sponsored the legislation, said the bill isn't targeted at any particular district.

But State Rep. Antonio Parkinson asserted that many provisions of the legislation apply only to the Memphis-Shelby County school system.

School districts could be taken over by the state if they meet four of the following metrics:

• 50% or more of students are not proficient for both math and English Language Arts testing;
• 50% or more schools receive a D or F from the state letter grade system;
• 25% or more of students are chronically absent;
• One or more schools are identified as a priority school, or has maintained priority status for each of the five immediately preceding years;
• The Commissioner of Education makes the determination that the findings of an audit conducted by the comptroller show deficiencies in management, accounting or internal controls, or finds waste, abuse or financial mismanagement; or
• The Commissioner of Education determines that there have been more than two interim superintendents over the course of four years.

According to the Tennessee Department of Education, seven school districts  meet three metrics, meaning they are only one measure away from being taken over by the state. Memphis-Shelby County meets all six requirements for takeover.

If the state moves to take over a school district, a state-appointed oversight board will be placed as an oversight authority over the elected school board. The Speaker of the House and Lieutenant Governor will each appoint two members, and the governor will appoint five. 

The legislation gives the appointed board vast oversight of the district's budget and the hiring and firing of employees, including the superintendent. 

The board of managers would be in place for at least four years, and could stay for an additional two years if improvements are not made.

The Memphis-Shelby County district was formed in 2013 when the Memphis City system forced a consolidation with the mostly suburban Shelby County system. But shortly after the merger, six suburban municpalities (Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, Lakeland and Millington) voted to withdraw from the consolidated countywide school system and form their own districts.