Universal pre-K has been officially put on hold after the Shelby County Commission adopted an ordinance amendment that locks the county’s funding at the FY2026 level.
Commissioners approved the item with a 11-0 vote. However, the revision may be short-lived. Outgoing commissioner and county mayor-elect Mickell Lowery has picked early childhood education as his top priority after winning the Aug. 6 contest.
During the meeting, the onus was put on the commission members-elect to do likewise.
“So we’re going to have eight new commissioners after Sept. 1. I cannot say enough how important this is. This is the future of Shelby County, said Commissioner Britany Thornton. “I really hope that you work with Mayor-elect Lowery to renegotiate this contract and to allow the commission to make the investment we are ready to make into our universal pre-k. We need to stay on this five-year plan and we need to see this through.”
Commissioners and Memphis City Council members adopted the joint ordinance with the City of Memphis in 2019 to fund universal pre-K.
The agreement put the county on the hook for the majority of the costs. In 2025-26, Shelby County invested $11.5 million of a total $20 million in funding for the local head start program. Memphis covered the remainder. The plan ultimately called for a combined $22 million in funding to reach the goal.
Instead of an expected annual incremental increase towards the endeavor, outgoing Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris froze funding at FY2026 levels. Over the years, Harris soured on the payment split. In 2022 — the first year of the program — the county invested $8.5 million.
Of course, Harris doesn’t deserve all the blame. Memphis essentially tied the county’s hands when it reaffirmed its 2025-26 funding commitment. To boil it down, for every $1.35 the county gives, the city pays $1.00. If the county gives one penny more, or less, the program is terminated.
“We are off-track on our universal pre-k plan, which is to provide 3 and 4 year olds access all across Shelby County to universal pre-k,” said Thornton. “It has recently had an amendment that has put a tethering between the county and the city. So even when the county was interested to go all the way and to stay on track, it couldn’t because our investment increased above a new threshold that has been put into the contract.”
That could quickly change. Along with Lowery’s vow, nine Democrats will hold office on the commission next fall. The headcount is an instant supermajority. Only four Republicans were elected to the commission on Aug. 6.
Voting in favor of the joint ordinance amendment were Michael Whaley, Miska Clay Bibbs, Charlie Caswell, Erika Sugarmon, Mick Wright, Brandon Morrison, David Bradford, Chairwoman Shante Avant, Matthew Szalaj, Thornton and Lowery. Members Amber Mills and Henri Brooks did not vote. The amendment required a nine vote majority to pass.
