State May Take Responsibility for 68 Underperforming MCS Schools

Memphis, Tn - The state identified the bottom 5 percent (85 schools) of the schools in Tennessee.

68 of the 85 are in Memphis.

The federal government accepts is considering a plan for the state to take responsibility of these schools.

If everything goes as planned, those 68 Memphis city schools will become what is called "the Achievement School District," a state run district with its own superintendent, Chris Barbic.

There are four options the Achievement School District can choose for the underperforming schools: The school can be left alone, it can be turned into a charter school with leadership and curriculum independent from Memphis City Schools, it can be controlled jointly by MCS and the state, or the state can come in and take over completely.

Barbic says he wants to work with MCS administration, but will have the final say in how these low performing schools are turned around.

"These are students and families attending the bottom 5 percent of the schools across the state and we need to make sure we are doing better than that. The kids and the families and communities deserve better than that."

Right now, eight Memphis city schools are part of the achievement school district.

That number would grow to 68 if the plan is approved by the federal government. Memphis city schools declined to comment until it hears if the plan is approved.

Schools with a C in the Priority Column of the following document are the one's being considered for state takeover.
 

Reward, Priority, And Focus Schools