Community Information Meeting: The Future of Public Education in Shelby County

January 19, 2011

Daniel KielThe University of Memphis

School of Law

Shelby County Comparison:Government vs. Schools

Shelby County Government

Serves ENTIRETY of Shelby County (including Memphians and non‐Memphians)

Shelby County Schools

Serves only the portion of Shelby County outside of the Memphis city limits

City of Memphis Taxpayer

City of Memphis Government

Shelby County Government

Individual 1: The Memphian

PATH OF PROPERTY TAXESVotes for Member of Memphis City School Board

Children Assigned to Attend Memphis City Schools

Taxpayer Outside Memphis

Shelby County Government

Individual 2: The Non‐Memphian

PATH OF PROPERTY TAXES

Votes for Members of Shelby County School Board

Children Assigned to Attend Shelby County Schools

Funding Sources

Source(103,593 students) (47,342 students)

State of Tennessee $428M (49.5%)

$174M (50.7%)

Shelby County Property Taxes(paid by all county residents –Memphian and non‐Memphian)

$255M (29.5%)

$115M (33.5%)

Shelby County Sales Taxes $89M (10.3%)

$43M (12.6%)

City of Memphis Property Taxes (paid only by Memphians)

$84M (9.8%)

N/A

Other $8M (1.0%)

$10M (3.0%)

Why Change the Status Quo?: Interests of the Two Districts

Sustainability in Funding

Continued Local Control

Strategy: SCS Conversion to Special School District

Currently: SCS is a “County” District

Changes if SCS Converted to Special School DistrictoFrozen BoundariesoIndependent Taxing AuthorityoVeto Power Over Merger with Other School Systems

To Create a Special School District:oLift Statewide BanoLegislative Creation of New Special School District

Why Change the Status Quo?: Interests of the Two Districts

Sustainability in Funding

Continued Local Control

Strategy: Surrender of MCS Charter

Motivating Force: Funding UncertaintiesoCity ContributionoCounty Contribution if SCS becomes Special School District

Meaning and Effect of Charter Surrender

To Dissolve Memphis City Schools Charter:oSchool Board Surrender of CharteroCitywide Referendum

Step One: MCS Board Votes to Surrender Charter (Dec. 20, 2010)

Next Step: Citywide Referendum

What If…..the referendum succeeds?

Impact on Funding:Single-Source Local Funding – Shelby County Gov’t

Impact on Governance: Merged DistrictShort-Term UncertaintyLong-Term = Reconstituted County-wide Board

Impact on Students:Transition Period to Hammer Out Details (for

example, uniforms, staffing, textbooks, etc.)New Board to Make Long-Term Decisions on student

assignment, academic programs

What If…..the referendumdoes not succeed?

Maintenance of Status Quo in funding and governance

Shelby County Schools free to continue pursuit of Special School District status in state legislature

Memphis City Schools free to consider other agreements to ensure sustainable funding

Current Sub‐Issues

Continued Negotiation Between the DistrictsoMCS Rejection of SCS Proposed Agreement

Legislation that Could Change Current LandscapeoState LegislatureoMemphis City Council