Superintendent Dorsey Hopson is warning that the state’s soon-to-be-released standardized test scores will be “disheartening” for Shelby County Schools and should galvanize the district to address “underutilized, poor-performing schools that have dire needs.”
The school board took that first step Tuesday evening by starting the process to close two Memphis schools and build two others. In all, Hopson is proposing to close seven schools and build three under his plan released last month.
The board quietly approved the actions after more than 20 community members spoke against Hopson’s plan amid a standing-room-only crowd.
Community meetings will begin next week on the proposed closures of Dunbar and Carnes elementary schools. The district also will ask the Shelby County Board of Commissioners for funding to construct buildings to replace Alcy and Goodlett elementary schools.
Hopson tied the need to reshape Tennessee’s largest school system to upcoming TNReady test scores, which the State Department of Education is expected to release by next week.
“When I listen to the crowd, I hear ‘Close those schools, just don’t close my school,’” Hopson said. “Everyone has reason for why they don’t want certain action to happen, and I respect that. At the end of the day, we have 25,000 more seats than students. There has to be some action around right-sizing the district.”
State officials have been warning for more than a year that test scores likely will go down under Tennessee’s new assessment, and they did. Last month, the Tennessee Department of Education released statewide TNReady scores showing that the vast majority of the state’s high school students aren’t ready for college based on the state’s rigorous new test and tougher grading scale. The upcoming scores will provide a closer look at the performance of individual districts and schools.
School closures require two votes by the school board, which is scheduled to take up the closures of Dunbar and Carnes again in January or February.
Specifically, the proposal would close Dunbar and consolidate those students in Bethel Grove and Cherokee elementary schools. The closure of Carnes would fold those students into the Bruce and Downtown schools.
“Dunbar is a neighborhood school and the only elementary school in Orange Mound that provides public education,” student Khamari McElroy told the board. “It would be hard to move on, leaving friends and teachers who care so much about us. Our principal and teachers provide excellent lessons. We hear ‘failure is just not an option’ every day.”
Hopson’s plan involves not only closing seven elementary schools — Dunbar, Carnes, Knight Road, Charjean, Magnolia, Lucy and Northaven — but building three new ones to replace Goodlett Elementary, Alcy Elementary and Woodstock Middle.
Lanna Byrd, a veteran teacher at Knight Road, told the board that building new schools isn’t a bad thing, but that she doesn’t understand why Knight Road’s campus was passed over for a new construction project. She said many of the school’s families live in poverty, making it hard to transport their children to schools further away.
“I’ve seen a strong bond developed between parents and students and feel that bond would be broken if this school is demolished,” Byrd said.
Hopson has urged timely action by the school board so that the district could secure funding for new construction. Members of the Shelby County Board of Commissioners, the funding agent for local schools, have expressed support of Hopson’s plan and encouraged the school board to move ahead.
Next week’s community meetings are set for:
- Carnes Elementary — Dec. 12, 4:30 p.m.
- Dunbar Elementary — Dec. 15, 6 p.m.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include community meeting dates and that the district will seek funding for new schools from the County Commission.