NASHVILLE, Tenn. – State Rep. Mark White, R-Memphis, has proposed legislation to overhaul Memphis-Shelby County Schools to improve student academic outcomes and college readiness. House Bill 662 will authorize the creation of an oversight committee to assist the Memphis-Shelby County School Board in addressing areas of insufficient performance within the district. “Administrative mismanagement and […]
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – State Rep. Mark White, R-Memphis, has proposed legislation to overhaul Memphis-Shelby County Schools to improve student academic outcomes and college readiness.
House Bill 662 will authorize the creation of an oversight committee to assist the Memphis-Shelby County School Board in addressing areas of insufficient performance within the district.
“Administrative mismanagement and inefficiency have created an atmosphere that is no longer focused on the student in Memphis-Shelby County Schools,” White said. “This is the largest school district in Tennessee and should be the gold standard of quality education in our state and nation. Shelby County residents and local leaders have expressed serious concerns about the consequences of continuing with the status quo. Children in our community deserve better, but there is no unified plan to get back on track. This bill will provide an avenue for an appointed board composed of Memphis and Shelby County experts to boost achievement and college and career readiness.”
White’s proposal ensures the local education agency is meeting the needs of the students in Shelby County and efficiently utilizing its budget, which totaled $1.8 billion in the 2024-25 school year.
Dozens of schools in the MSCS system received D or F grades in the 2023-24 school year, and the district has continuously underperformed in recent decades.
The current MSCS school board would continue to serve in an advisory capacity under House Bill 662, but the oversight board would have final decision-making authority. The Shelby County Commission in mid-January approved a no-confidence resolution against the MSCS school board, citing student outcomes and the trajectory of the district.
House Bill 662 advanced out of the House K-12 Subcommittee on Tuesday and is scheduled to be heard for consideration in the House Education Committee in the coming weeks.
State Rep. Mark White represents House District 83, which includes part of Shelby County. He is chairman of the House Education Committee.