Latest news with #Memphis-ShelbyCountySchool
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Thousands of MSCS students may be in summer school after TCAP
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Thousands of Memphis-Shelby County School students who did not pass the English portion of the TCAP could be enrolled in the district's summer learning program. According to the state's third grade retention law in effect since 2022, students can choose to enroll or be held back, unless they retake the test and score proficiently, enroll in tutoring for the following year, or attend summer school. Under the law, third graders who don't achieve a proficient score on the English Language Arts portion of the TCAP will be held back. WREG reached out to MSCS to find out how many students are enrolled in the summer learning program this year, and how many of those students did not pass the English TCAP, but we have not heard back yet. Last year, nearly 7,000 students participated in the program, and they showed improvements in English-Language Arts. English TCAP scores increase slightly for Memphis 3rd and 4th graders In the 2023 – 2024 school year, 26.6% of Memphis-Shelby County School students met or exceeded proficiency on the test. Although it was a slight increase from the previous year, State Representative Mark White says he wants to see more progress. 'Well, they continue to do well in growth, but that is not proficient,' White said. 'A proficiency is when you get above a certain level in reading proficiency. The latest scores that are MSCS is 23% reading proficiency for our third graders. That's not acceptable.' To improve literacy and proficiency rates, Representative White says it's important to make improvements within the school system before students enter the third grade. 'No one wants to hold back an eight-year-old, so now we're looking back at, 'What are we not doing in first and second grade and kindergarten that we don't have a child prepared by the time they're in third grade or eight-years-old?'' White said. Black bear feasts on pears in DeSoto County backyard White tells WREG that he's been working with MSCS to make adjustments that will improve literacy rates for students and better prepare them for the English-TCAP. 'The summer school is a good program, we're going to continue look at more, maybe more better ways,' he said. 'First of all, let's move back to first and second grade, so we're not talking about holding back a third grader. If you're not reading proficiently by third grade, we've already missed the mark in our education system.' This year's TCAP results are expected to be released sometime this summer. When we receive those results and a response from MSCS, we will let you know. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MSCS passes resolution to protect students from immigration policies
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis-Shelby County School board members approved a resolution that will protect vulnerable students in the community. This comes as federal and state laws continue to tighten around policies regarding immigration. 'I just wanted to be reflective that we abide by the state laws and the federal laws,' said MSCS Vice Chair Stephanie Love. The resolution read in part: 'Memphis Shelby County Schools has a responsibility to ensure all students who reside within its boundaries, regardless of immigration status, can safely access a free public K-12 education.' 'That means a lot to all of us to make sure that our immigrants are protected on the federal level and on the state level,' said board member Towanna Murphy. HS seniors' families stress over limited graduation tickets The response from MSCS comes after state lawmakers considered a bill that would allow schools to deny enrollment of undocumented students. That bill is currently on hold. 'When you have a high population of English as a second language, some of them could be legal here, but when it comes time for growing season, they just don't pick up and they leave school,' said Republican Speaker Cameron Sexton. 'They don't come back, so that's detrimental to the school system.' MSCS board members said federal law requires school districts to educate students regardless of their immigration status. CBU to partner with university in Illinois to boost academic success 'These children don't have — They should not suffer from something that we think their parents did right or wrong,' said board member Natalie McKinney. 'So, I think using children to get to their parents is not right.' 'We had already put that extra layer of protection out there to protect our immigrants and for stopping ICE from coming into our schools,' Murphy said. Both Murphy and McKinney said they have heard concerns from local immigrant community leaders and both said those concerns surround the safety of their children. They said that as long as the federal law allows it, they will fight for their students. 'I can say that for majority of our board- we are going to fight for the rights of children,' McKinney said. 'This is about children. It doesn't matter where you come from, doesn't matter about who your parents are — if you're here, you should be educated.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pastor Ricky Floyd honored at city's Day of Prayer
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Pastor Ricky Floyd's loved ones say they will continue his legacy each and every day by serving, praying, and believing in the City of Memphis. The City of Memphis participated in the National Day of Prayer on Thursday. Church and community leaders hosted an event at the Pursuit of God Church in Frayser, where Floyd served as senior pastor before he was shot and killed March 12. Dozens of Memphis-Shelby County School students were in attendance, joined by city and clergy leaders who covered them in prayer and even shared the trials and tribulations they've endured. 'One thing we all knew about Ambassador Ricky D. Floyd, he had a prayer life. He loved to pray,' said Dr. Telisa Franklin, a community leader. 'Literally, he was all about, 'How can we pray for our community?'and then once we get through praying, we got the boots on the ground, let's get out in the community and let's ignite change.' Argument over Bible led to Pastor Ricky Floyd's death, attorney says His wife, Pastor Shelia Floyd, spoke about her husband before she prayed for pastors in the City of Memphis. 'I definitely want us to lift up my husband, Ambassador Ricky D. Floyd Sr., who was the Senior Pastor of this church and we want to honor him,' she said. The event took place during a time of despair in the city of Memphis. There have been at least 36 shootings over the last two weeks, and unfortunately, some of the victims were children. Franklin, one of the event's organizers, said they're continuing the work that Pastor Floyd was known for. 'And so today was a day to charge them to go back to their communities, go back to their schools, go back to their peers and say, 'It starts with me, I've got to do better and I'm going to be the change that I want to see,'' Franklin said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
