By Melissa Brown
The Memphis-Shelby County Schools board voted Tuesday, Sept. 29, to replace previous board chair Natalie McKinney with Tamarques Porter, the District 4 school board representative first elected to his seat in 2024.
“Leadership is not simply about how you govern in a moment,” Porter said after he was nominated by new board member T.L. Harris. “It’s about who can collectively bring board members together, the community together, and how we can set a vision for the future.”
McKinney was nominated for reelection but received one vote, and she ultimately voted for Porter after he received the majority of votes. Towanna Murphy nominated and voted for herself.
Sable Otey will join Porter as vice chair, resulting in a complete leadership turnover for the board as it faces an uncertain year ahead amid a looming state takeover threat and major decisions like pending school closures.
For its part, the board sued state Republicans this summer over the new takeover law, which aims to install a politically appointed oversight board with sweeping authority over Tennessee’s largest school district.
The board won a temporary reprieve this summer, holding off the takeover for the time being. But board attorneys will be in federal court on Friday to argue over who gets to control the district in the coming months while the lawsuit plays out in court. It could take months or potentially years to resolve.
If the federal judge again sides with the elected school board after Friday’s hearing, the elected school board and district administrators will continue to govern Memphis schools.
If the court allows the state-appointed board to take control, it would have final say over MSCS’ annual budget and charter approvals. Its members could also replace the district’s superintendent.
The first move in 2023 for a similar takeover board in Houston was to replace the school superintendent. Republican lawmakers pushing for a Tennessee takeover have repeatedly referred to the Texas takeover as a model for Memphis.
The intervention could last up to six years if MSCS continues to meet any four of the takeover laws’ six criteria, which cover student and school performance, financial management and leadership stability.
Criteria for State Takeover Law
1. Fewer than 50% of students are proficient in Math and English Language Arts (ELA)/reading.
2. More than 25% of the district’s schools receive a “D” or “F” grade from the Tennessee Department of Education.
3. The district reports a chronic absenteeism rate of 25% or higher.
4. The district/schools are designated as a state priority or low-performing.
5. A state management or financial audit finds significant negative issues or deficiencies.
6. The district has more than two superintendents (or directors of schools) within a four-year period.
Melissa Brown is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact Melissa at mbrown@chalkbeat.org.
This story was originally published by Chalkbeat.
