MSCS Superintendent goes door to door enrolling students

MEMPHIS, Tenn.-New Memphis Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins says too many of the 110,000-plus students in the MSCS System are missing school, and she wants to know why.

Feagins started a program called “Hey Neighbor,” which consists of looking for students who have not shown up at school and providing them with the support necessary to enroll them on the spot and start on day one.

According to a video posted on the school’s Facebook page, Feagins has been going door to door asking parents why their child is not in school.

“Come on and open the door for me. It’s your superintendent. I want to make sure you are okay,” Feagins said as she knocked on a student’s door.

School started four weeks ago and like last year, plenty of kids are truant. In May, MSCS’s truancy rate was 40 percent.

Parents in the community are saying the new program is what’s best for the city.

“Everyone is not going to be on board with it, but truancy is a problem,” a concerned parent said.

“This the first one I’ve ever seen reaching out trying to see why kids are not in school. And it’s a big thing, it’s getting better and she’s trying to do something,” said Shanita Steveson, a Memphis resident.

Some leaders support what Feagins is doing because they believe it can help with the city’s crime problem.

“If young people are not in school, then they are likely out in the community doing things we wouldn’t want them to do,” said Van Turner.

Feagins says this is what it’s going to take to have a successful year and that 1,600 more students have returned to school as of Friday compared to this time last year.

WREG reached out to MSCS to discuss the truancy issue and is waiting for a response.

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