State Takeover of MSCS One Step Closer to Reality
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A state takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools is one step closer to reality.
State Rep. Mark White, R-Memphis, and State Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Memphis, are advancing a proposal to create an oversight board for Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) to improve student academic outcomes and college readiness.
“Families in Memphis and Shelby County deserve a school system that works and prepares them for a strong future,” said White. “Our community has a responsibility to ensure children receive the highest quality education possible. This vital legislation will help make MSCS – Tennessee’s largest school district – a model for the state and nation by boosting transparency and addressing the fundamental issues negatively impacting student success.”
House Bill 662 / Senate Bill 714 will create a local oversight board to assist the MSCS Board of Education in addressing areas of insufficient performance within the district. The proposal will ensure the local education agency (LEA) meets the needs of students in Shelby County and efficiently utilizes its budget, which totals nearly $1.9 billion this academic year.
“Memphis parents are tired of excuses, and taxpayers are tired of writing blank checks to a system that keeps failing our kids,” said Taylor. “When dozens of schools are earning D’s and F’s and nearly $2 billion is being spent, it’s clear the status quo isn’t working. This oversight board will Make Memphis Matter by bringing necessary accountability and transparency because Shelby County students deserve better than business as usual.”
House Bill 662 / Senate Bill 714 authorizes a board of managers to serve for three years, with the option for a three-year extension if necessary.
The MSCS board would be required to submit its proposed budget to the oversight board for approval before being adopted by the appropriate local legislative body. It would also prohibit the school board from authorizing any purchase or entering into, renewing, or amending any contract worth $50,000 or more without oversight.
All board members would be required to live in Shelby County, with the governor appointing five and the speakers of the Tennessee House of Representatives and Tennessee Senate each appointing two members.
Dozens of schools in the MSCS system received D or F grades in the 2024-25 school year. The district has continuously underperformed in recent decades. In January 2025, the Shelby County Commission approved a no-confidence resolution against the MSCS school board, citing concerns over student success and the district’s trajectory.
Tennessee lawmakers approved $6 million in the 2025-26 state budget for a forensic audit of MSCS. The audit began over the summer to identify potential fraud, waste and abuse within the district as part of continued Republican efforts to improve academic outcomes in Shelby County and across the state.
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