state oversight board
Coverage of state oversight board in the Nexus archive.
- 5 key takeaways from the final Memphis schools audit report
A state audit of Memphis-Shelby County Schools found $54 million in potential spending abuse and widespread document mismanagement under previous administrations. The audit, which led to a Republican-led state takeover temporarily blocked by a federal judge, highlighted issues in a 2022 custodial contract and identified $65 million in policy-violating spending.
- MSCS will pay the state oversight board’s salary. But who will fund its work?
Tennessee has established a state oversight board to control Memphis-Shelby County Schools, with MSCS funding the board members' $30,000 annual salaries. The board's operational costs may come from a state reserve fund of $500,000 to $1 million or amendments to MSCS' local budget, though details remain unclear. A lawsuit challenges the board's constitutionality.
- Memphis school board approves last budget before impending state takeover
The Memphis-Shelby County school board approved a $1.7 billion budget ahead of an impending state takeover. The state oversight board, appointed by top Republican leaders, will control final budget decisions for four years, but its ability to alter the proposed budget remains unclear. The budget includes teacher bonuses, school repairs, and cuts to pandemic-era support positions.