Early voting has kicked off in Memphis, and five of the nine seats on Memphis-Shelby County Schools board are on the ballot in the Aug. 1 election. Twenty candidates are vying for board seats in Districts 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7.

Marie Feagins , the new Memphis superintendent, officially started leading Tennessee’s largest school district in April . Because one of the board’s main responsibilities is to hire, manage, and evaluate the district’s top leader, Feagins’ actions are especially relevant this election cycle.

As the school board awaits Feagins’ first strategic plan for the district, candidates to serve on the board have different definitions of what a successful blueprint would look like.

We asked candidates: Feagins expects to have a new district strategic plan in place by September 2024. Describe a successful strategic plan, and how you’d use the plan to evaluate the district’s progress and budget recommendations as a board member.

Their responses are below. Chalkbeat lightly edited and condensed the candidates’ bios for clarity, but not their responses, other than adjusting the formatting to improve readability. (Alvin Crook for District 4 and Chavez Donelson for District 7 did not respond to our voter guide questions). Find candidate responses on more topics — like chronic absenteeism and struggling school buildings — in our in-depth voter guide for the Memphis-Shelby County school board race.

District 2 Memphis-Shelby County Schools board candidates

Althea Greene

I look forward to reviewing Supt. Feagins strategic plan for the district. I believe any strong strategic plan should have a clear academic strategy for growth with a budget that is aligned for academic advancement.

Natalie McKinney

A successful strategic plan requires effective strategic planning. Effective strategic planning includes taking the time to determine the goals necessary to reach our stated vision and mission, while staying true to our core values (which we must determine). Given our district’s vision and mission, the Board, Superintendent, and all stakeholders would need to invest the time to set our core values that will drive our work towards each of our goals. Those goals should include academic proficiency and preparedness, effective and efficient business operations, strategic infrastructure investment (facilities, teachers and staff), safety, strategic systems alignment, and fiscal sustainability. We must then clearly understand our district’s capacity, be open and honest, include all relevant stakeholders to provide input and feedback, prioritize, and provide an implementation plan that includes the activities/programs/tactics to meet the stated goals, expected outcomes and impact, SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats), set metrics, benchmarks, a timeline, and cost projections. Clear expectations, processes, metrics, and evaluation provide us with data to inform how we allocate district resources and address challenges. As one of nine Board members, it is our collective responsibility to hold the superintendent responsible for implementing, with fidelity and demonstrated progress, the strategic plan; develop, approve and monitor a budget aligned to the district’s strategic plan; through policy, set, follow, and hold ourselves, and others, accountable to the parameters for governance and the strategic plan; and advocate for local, state and federal policies and sustainable resources to successfully implement the strategic plan.

Watch Chalkbeat’s Memphis school board forum: Boosting literacy, ending teacher shortages top candidates’ priorities

District 3 Memphis-Shelby County Schools board candidates

Jesse Jeff

A successful strategic plan would be the blueprint or schematic. It should include an academic, safety and security, fair compensation, facility maintenance, constituent inclusion, and effective educator deployment components. The way I would use the plan to evaluate the district’s progress and budget recommendations boils down to a simple matrix. I would ask the two specific questions. Did you follow your blueprint to the letter? Were you able to achieve your plan within the allotted budget? The answer to these questions would inform my opinion of success or failure.

Stephanie Love

Supt. Feagins has not shared a plan with the school board yet. A successful plan will be one that addresses growth in academics and strategies around obtaining additional funding resources that we need for our school district.

Ozell Pace Jr.

A successful strategic plan should have a mission, vision, core, and goals.

The mission and vision must be clear, concise, and attainable. It should be one that the entire board, administrators, teachers, staff, students, and community can truly buy into.

The goals should focus on -

• Maintenance & Upgrades of Facilities
• Staff Recruitment & Retention - Student Readiness & Holistic Well Being
• Community Engagement & Partnerships

I believe in Dr. Feagin and will fully support her.

Angela Rogers

A successful strategic plan is one that has scoped out and assessed the needs of the target population and put a plan in place to address the needs. A successful strategic plan shows well thought through strengths and capacities to meet the needs and has identified the barriers that provide opportunities to partner for the success of the mission and goals. Our superintendent is spot on with her plan from what I have seen. I trust it. I am ready to lock in, partnering with her and holding her accountable for the follow through.

District 4 Memphis-Shelby County Schools board candidates

James Q. Bacchus

From my experience, the superintendent strategic plan should align first with the goals that the Board has set for the district. Secondly, the plan should provide a clear snapshots of the district current standing related to those set goals with outcomes with a minimum of a three year trend data. Finally, the superintendent will prioritize goals that she will address in the first three years that will include the who will do it, what it will look like, when it will be done, how it will be done, and what cost, and there should be an aggressive timeline to demonstrate the urgency of the plan. Finally, it should provide clear communication on how each division, department and school strategic will be connected to the district’s plan. Also, if there are budget concerns, the plan must show what you will stop doing, how or if what you stop will impact the district and how the funds will be redirected to cover the new initiatives cost. This structure of a strategic plan will ensure alignment of the Board’s goals, proven clear data driven picture, prioritized, timely, and financially responsible. As a board, the ability to forecast from the plan should lead to making a budget decision to move forward as is or with recommendations to consider.

Eric Harris

A successful strategic plan for MSCS will clearly communicate the priorities and goals of the district and detail how the district plans to achieve them within a set timeframe. It should be a guiding document for the school and larger Memphis community about how the district can respond to critical needs while always prioritizing positive benefits for our students. Once adopted, the board (and therefore public) should receive quarterly updates on the district’s progress to review which policies and programs are helping us reach our intended results. Similarly, budget considerations must also be weighed on how they further the district’s ability to meet our stated priorities and goals in the strategic plan.

Tamarques Porter

A successful strategic plan for the district would prioritize safety, academic excellence, mental health, and community engagement. In light of new laws such as guns in classrooms and the correlation between third-grade reading levels and prison bed projections, the plan must include robust safety protocols and targeted literacy programs. Student feedback would be integral to the planning process, ensuring the plan reflects their needs and experiences.

As a board member, I would use the strategic plan to evaluate progress through regular assessments and quarterly reviews in each department, including sanitation and safety. Ensuring a secure and clean learning environment is foundational to student well-being and academic success. The plan should also encompass mental health support, expanding the number of counselors and resources to address students’ emotional needs.

Parental involvement is another critical component. I would advocate for programs that educate and empower parents to support their children’s learning at home, reinforcing the connection between school and home environments. Healthy food programs must be part of the plan, ensuring students have access to nutritious meals that fuel their academic performance.

By setting clear goals and metrics, the strategic plan will guide budget recommendations, ensuring resources are allocated effectively to meet these priorities. Quarterly reviews will be essential to ensure that each department is meeting its goals and addressing any emerging issues promptly. This comprehensive approach will help create a thriving educational environment where every student can succeed. Regular evaluations and adjustments based on data and feedback will keep the district on track, ensuring we are not failing our students.

Anecia Washington

A successful strategic plan would focus on the following strategic framework as defined by the Chief Counsel of State School Officials (CCSSO) as it is implemented in the MSCS community:

1. Response & recovery
2. Equity, access & critical infrastructure
3. Modernizing the education system

These standards address many of the issues that plague school districts today, including literacy, digital access, and updated assessment models. Every decision and dollar should be accountable to the people of this great community.

District 5 Memphis-Shelby County Schools board candidates

Mauricio Calvo

Any organization or corporation that owns facilities should have a regular assessment and a plan to make decisions about those buildings (we have about 200 facilities). Is this in the best interest of students? Is the facility adequate, safe, and effective? Can we properly sustain it? A successful plan will include a building assessment of its condition and repair needs. The plan will also look at the under-over student capacity of the school, the classes and activities offered, and our ability to adequately staff teachers. Parental and student input is another consideration; however, I will make decisions based on the data and in the best interest of current students.

Audrey Elion

A successful strategic plan for the district should include clear, measurable goals, evidence-based strategies, and a detailed implementation timeline. It should prioritize academic achievement, equity, community engagement, and the well-being of students and staff. Key components of this plan should include:

Specific targets for improving literacy and numeracy, graduation, and college and career readiness.

Initiatives to close achievement gaps, provide resources for underserved communities, and promote inclusive practices.

Strategies to enhance communication with parents, students, and community partners, ensuring their input shapes decision-making.

Programs to support mental health, reduce bullying, and ensure safe, supportive learning environments.

Plans for efficient use of financial and human resources to support educational goals. As a member, I would use the strategic plan to set benchmarks and evaluate progress by regularly reviewing performance metrics tied to each goal. This would include analyzing data on student achievement, equity indicators, and feedback from community surveys. By comparing these metrics against the strategic plan’s benchmarks, I could identify areas of success and those needing improvement. Additionally, implementing a system for routine monitoring of progress reports to track performance against the benchmarks. When making budget recommendations, I would ensure that funding priorities align with the strategic plan. For instance, if the plan highlights the need for more mental health resources, I would advocate for budget allocations to support this area. Regular progress reports from the superintendent and district staff would be essential to maintain transparency and accountability, ensuring that the strategic plan drives meaningful improvements across the district.

Sable Otey

As a school board member, a successful strategic plan must be comprehensive, data-driven, and community-focused. My platform centers on transparency, equity, and student success, which aligns with best practices in strategic planning. A successful strategic plan involves clear goals, measurable objectives, and specific actions that address the needs of all students.

For our district, I envision a strategic plan with three key pillars: academic excellence, community engagement, and resource optimization. Academic excellence focuses on enhancing curriculum, investing in teacher development, and supporting diverse learning needs. Community engagement ensures that parents, students, and local stakeholders have a voice in decision-making processes. Resource optimization aims at maximizing budget efficiency, investing in essential programs, and ensuring equitable resource distribution.

To evaluate the district’s progress, I would use a continuous improvement model. This involves setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals and regularly reviewing performance data. For example, we might set a goal to improve reading proficiency by 10% over two years. Regular assessments and data analysis would help us track progress, identify areas needing attention, and adjust strategies accordingly.

Budget recommendations would be closely tied to our strategic goals. For instance, if data shows that reading intervention programs are highly effective, we would prioritize funding for these initiatives. Regular budget reviews and community feedback sessions would ensure transparency and accountability.

By aligning our strategic plan with budget decisions and continuously evaluating our progress, we can create a dynamic and responsive educational environment that fosters student success and community trust.

District 7 Memphis-Shelby County Schools board candidates

Danielle Huggins

When elected this is how I envision Superintendent Feagins new district plan. First the plan should have measurable goals and objectives to target. Focus on expanding access to early childhood education, additional support services for students, and strengthening partnerships with community stakeholders. I would use the plan to evaluate the district budget by the priorities outlined in the plan. Lastly, the plan may need to be adjusted or adapted over time in response to the needs of the district. With Superintendent Feagins and administration I will revisit the plan periodically and make necessary revisions.

Frank Johnson

na

Towanna Murphy

A course of action that outlines the steps needed to achieve a specific goal. This plan should be clear, measurable, purpose-driven goals, and full team working together to collaborate on a plan and budget. This plan and budget should be consistent and doable for all involved. I can’t give you a precise plan until I get in office, speak with the Superintendent and the fellow school board members in order to come up with a direct, proficient, successful acceptable plan.

Jason Sharif

A successful strategic plan will clearly communicate the District’s priorities and goals. Key priorities I would like to see in the strategic plan are strengthing family and community engagement, improving academic success, and improving our public school facilities. A successful strategic plan will include specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time based goals that I would use as a Board member to evaluate the District’s progress and make budget recommendations based on the data collected on each strategic plan benchmark.