MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Just days before the July 1 deadline, the Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) Board of Education approved a $1.8 million budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, per a press release by the district.
“I think that change, any change that is massive like this, the district hasn’t gone through this type of process in nearly a decade,” Superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins said. “So to be able to facilitate the process, for me has been a privilege.”
The approval came after an 8-1 vote in favor of the budget, one of the biggest in the district’s recent history.
“Thank you to our Board Commissioners for their support of a budget that prioritizes learners and leaders,” Dr. Feagins said. “What happens next for a generation of children depends on the decisions we make and the actions we take now. These bold strategic investments hold the potential to profoundly impact our students and shift the trajectory of Memphis and Shelby County.”
The lone vote against the budget came from school board member Mauricio Calvo.
“The job of the commissioner is not to teach, it’s to hold the superintendent accountable, to be responsible for taxes, to approve a budget, and I don’t feel like I had enough information, despite what anybody says of how many hours they have spent with me, and we have spent a lot of time, it’s worth it,” Calvo said. “It’s $2 billion.”
The approved budget cuts 1,100 positions in an effort to save money but restructures new positions to get faculty closer to the classroom.
In a hiring blitz today, hundreds of jobs were offered, bringing the current total of vacancies to roughly 300.
“People have dedicated their lives to Memphis City Shelby County Schools and my prayer, as you heard me say to Dr. Feagins, is that we will continue to get jobs for those people,” Board of Education Chair Althea Greene said.
The press release lists the following as key highlights of the approved budget:
- Student Achievement
- Business Operations
- Next-Level Readiness
- Talent Management
As MSCS works towards its goal of “becoming the exemplar” for the state and a model for the country, Board commissioners and Dr. Feagins say they are confident that the approval of the budget will deliver significant outcomes.
“We have approved a balanced budget centered on students and rooted in fiscal responsibility,” Greene said. “My colleagues and I take this work very seriously, and the 2024-25 budget reflects our commitment to this district and our community.”
The district’s proposed 2024-25 budget moves on to the Shelby County Commission for final approval at the end of the month.
