WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:03.231 (female announcer) This is a production of WKNO-Memphis. 00:03.231 --> 00:06.764 Production funding for "Behind the Headlines" is made possible 00:06.764 --> 00:12.764 in part by.. 00:16.031 --> 00:18.998 Three Shelby County School board members talk about attendence 00:18.998 --> 00:21.998 zones, the demerger and the budget tonight on 00:21.998 --> 00:22.998 "Behind the Headlines." 00:22.998 --> 00:40.031 [theme music] ♪♪♪ 00:40.031 --> 00:40.698 Welcome! 00:40.698 --> 00:43.431 I'm Bill Dries, senior reporter for the Memphis Daily News in 00:43.431 --> 00:45.864 for Eric Barnes, who is on assignment. 00:45.864 --> 00:50.098 Joining me are Shelby County Schools Board Chairman Kevin 00:50.098 --> 00:51.098 Woods. 00:51.098 --> 00:53.631 School Board Commissioner Teresa Jones. 00:53.631 --> 00:54.631 Hi. 00:54.631 --> 00:58.298 And School Board Commissioner David Reaves. 00:58.298 --> 00:59.364 Welcome. 00:59.364 --> 01:01.664 We have a lot to talk about this evening. 01:01.664 --> 01:04.531 There's a lot going on with Shelby County Schools. 01:04.531 --> 01:08.331 And let's start with what the school board and the school 01:08.331 --> 01:10.331 system are holding hearings about, 01:10.331 --> 01:14.298 and that is the attendance zones for the school year that begins 01:14.298 --> 01:15.764 in August. 01:15.764 --> 01:21.364 Let's give people an idea right off the top of just one of the 01:21.364 --> 01:22.364 scaenrios. 01:22.364 --> 01:28.231 There are about 24 zone changes by my count that affect 7,000 01:28.231 --> 01:32.231 children, many of them but not all of them who live in 01:32.231 --> 01:35.264 unincorporated areas of Shelby county that are not within the 01:35.264 --> 01:38.631 boundaries of any of the seven cities or towns within the 01:38.631 --> 01:39.831 county. 01:39.831 --> 01:43.298 Let's take a look at one of the scenarios. 01:43.298 --> 01:45.298 Because of the suburban school districts, 01:45.298 --> 01:49.098 some students not living in the suburban towns and cities or the 01:49.098 --> 01:52.798 city of Memphis will be assigned to new schools. 01:52.798 --> 01:56.531 Some will travel a long distance to their new school assignments. 01:56.531 --> 01:58.564 Take Bartlett Elementary School. 01:58.564 --> 02:01.498 Next school year starting in August, 02:01.498 --> 02:04.364 the school and all of it's students who live in Bartlett 02:04.364 --> 02:07.031 will be part of the Bartlett School District. 02:07.031 --> 02:10.464 But students now at Bartlett Elementary School who don't live 02:10.464 --> 02:12.998 in Bartlett will go to different schools. 02:12.998 --> 02:17.398 168 would travel to Lucy Elementary School, 02:17.398 --> 02:19.998 a short distance away in Millington. 02:19.998 --> 02:24.198 395 will zoned to Dexter Elementary School, 02:24.198 --> 02:27.098 passing three other elementary schools on the way. 02:27.098 --> 02:32.664 And 162 will be zoned to Barret's Chapel Elementary 02:32.664 --> 02:35.998 School near Arlington. 02:35.998 --> 02:39.298 So that's a look at one of the more involved scenarios. 02:39.298 --> 02:43.231 Kevin Woods, as chairman of the Shelby County Schools Board, 02:43.231 --> 02:45.064 first of all, let's lay out. 02:45.064 --> 02:49.531 Are these arrangements written in stone at this point and when 02:49.531 --> 02:53.564 does the school board get to voting on these plans and 02:53.564 --> 02:55.564 possibly making changes, if there are any? 02:55.564 --> 02:57.564 Well one of the first things we wanted to do was make sure we 02:57.564 --> 03:00.864 went out to the community and heard from the community as far 03:00.864 --> 03:04.131 as how they felt about the impact of the rezoning plan. 03:04.131 --> 03:08.364 One of the first things we did as a board is we asked our 03:08.364 --> 03:11.398 planning office to create the least amount of disruption for 03:11.398 --> 03:12.398 families as possible. 03:12.398 --> 03:15.331 You mentioned in one of your scenarios where families were 03:15.331 --> 03:18.664 actually going to pass possibly three schools to get to another 03:18.664 --> 03:19.664 school. 03:19.664 --> 03:21.998 What you simply have in those cases were capacity issues. 03:21.998 --> 03:25.631 So what the planning office had to do was look at capacity. 03:25.631 --> 03:27.631 They looked at academic performance. 03:27.631 --> 03:30.898 And they looked at distance of transportation to get to those 03:30.898 --> 03:31.898 facilities. 03:31.898 --> 03:34.998 So all that went in to play as far as making a decision. 03:34.998 --> 03:36.331 I think we'll continue. 03:36.331 --> 03:38.331 We've had all our committee meetings. 03:38.331 --> 03:41.998 The board will then continue to probably deliberate on the 03:41.998 --> 03:43.264 possibilities. 03:43.264 --> 03:45.264 Possibly some additional tweaks maybe made. 03:45.264 --> 03:46.364 But no final. 03:46.364 --> 03:49.598 Nothing is set in stone until the board votes on it. 03:49.598 --> 03:52.798 David Reaves, this is your district I believe. 03:52.798 --> 03:55.064 What are you hearing from people, 03:55.064 --> 03:58.531 especially the parents of those students who would go to Dexter 03:58.531 --> 03:59.898 Elementary School? 03:59.898 --> 04:02.864 Well obviously many of these people bought homes in this area 04:02.864 --> 04:04.898 particularly with the understanding that they were 04:04.898 --> 04:07.198 going to go to school at Bartlett Elementary, 04:07.198 --> 04:09.698 Shadowlawn and many times, Bartlett High School. 04:09.698 --> 04:12.198 And what I'm hearing from them is that they want to continue to 04:12.198 --> 04:13.731 go to those schools. 04:13.731 --> 04:16.164 But as a Shelby County School Board member in the Shelby 04:16.164 --> 04:21.498 County School system, we have to make sure that we plan for 04:21.498 --> 04:24.231 capacity for those students in our existing system because we 04:24.231 --> 04:27.498 can not commit them to another system. 04:27.498 --> 04:30.998 And so that's the reason why we came up with the Dexter solution 04:30.998 --> 04:34.898 is because it was the closest to their home and provided a 04:34.898 --> 04:36.031 solution to the capacity. 04:36.031 --> 04:40.598 But by and far, most of these kids can walk to Bartlett 04:40.598 --> 04:42.664 Elementary and I think they're going to continue to want to do 04:42.664 --> 04:43.664 that. 04:43.664 --> 04:45.764 And I believe that most of them will apply for open enrollment 04:45.764 --> 04:47.098 within the Bartlett system. 04:47.098 --> 04:50.898 Teresa Jones, you have been at all of the hearings that I've 04:50.898 --> 04:54.398 attended and more beyond that. 04:54.398 --> 04:59.264 Do you think that citizens are as familiar as they should be 04:59.264 --> 05:02.964 with just how this demerger is going to work? 05:02.964 --> 05:05.464 No, I don't think they are. 05:05.464 --> 05:09.564 I think they're mainly focused on their child and the school 05:09.564 --> 05:12.498 that they thought their child would attend. 05:12.498 --> 05:14.231 And they don't really. 05:14.231 --> 05:17.964 They didn't have a vote in many of the issues that created this 05:17.964 --> 05:18.964 situation. 05:18.964 --> 05:25.431 And they just feel as if they have now been basically thrown a 05:25.431 --> 05:29.598 punch, that they're not able to go to the schools as Mr. Reaves 05:29.598 --> 05:31.631 indicated that they thought they were. 05:31.631 --> 05:32.998 And they don't really.. 05:32.998 --> 05:35.031 They understand there was a merger. 05:35.031 --> 05:37.064 They understand there was a de-merger. 05:37.064 --> 05:39.798 They understand the concept of new municipal districts. 05:39.798 --> 05:41.831 But they still either don't understand. 05:41.831 --> 05:44.731 They really can't accept the fact that they're not going to 05:44.731 --> 05:47.098 be able to attend those schools or possibly not. 05:47.098 --> 05:50.964 There are decisions to be made to determine that yet. 05:50.964 --> 05:54.531 Well and also, you were at the Cordova hearing. 05:54.531 --> 05:57.898 And this was a different scenario because the new 05:57.898 --> 06:00.598 municipal schools boundaries did come in to play but not 06:00.598 --> 06:01.598 directly. 06:01.598 --> 06:05.698 You were dealing with changes because half of Cordova has been 06:05.698 --> 06:09.598 in the city of Memphis and half of it has been in unincorporated 06:09.598 --> 06:10.598 Shelby county. 06:10.598 --> 06:13.664 Talk a little bit about the transition there. 06:13.664 --> 06:17.464 Well of course many of those students would prefer to go to 06:17.464 --> 06:18.464 Germantown. 06:18.464 --> 06:22.031 But again, we have capacity issues. 06:22.031 --> 06:26.131 The audience at Cordova, they pretty much a lot of them want 06:26.131 --> 06:27.131 to stay there. 06:27.131 --> 06:31.564 So it's all about how far my child has to travel. 06:31.564 --> 06:34.498 They understand that the re-zoning has to take place. 06:34.498 --> 06:37.998 But it's all about how far the chid has to travel, 06:37.998 --> 06:39.498 the safety issues. 06:39.498 --> 06:44.498 And of course for us, it's capacity and providing those and 06:44.498 --> 06:46.498 trying to address those safety issues. 06:46.498 --> 06:48.964 So that's primarily what the concerns were. 06:48.964 --> 06:54.098 There were a few situations I guess that didn't fall within 06:54.098 --> 06:55.098 those categories. 06:55.098 --> 06:57.064 I'm trying to think of one now. 06:57.064 --> 06:59.364 But, um.. 06:59.364 --> 07:03.331 Let me get a quick read if I can from each of you going because 07:03.331 --> 07:06.764 the board has not voted on these attendence zones at this point. 07:06.764 --> 07:10.698 Do you think there will be some tinkering wtih it? 07:10.698 --> 07:12.164 Can there be some tinkering? 07:12.164 --> 07:13.164 Of course there can be. 07:13.164 --> 07:15.164 Until there's a vote, there always can be. 07:15.164 --> 07:19.231 I know in the last meeting there was a parent who expressed, 07:19.231 --> 07:24.131 and I think I asked her specifically what would your 07:24.131 --> 07:26.898 suggestion or your desire be in terms of the zoning. 07:26.898 --> 07:30.298 And she gave a scenario and we did acutally have to look at 07:30.298 --> 07:33.964 that to see if that was possibly something we consider -- we 07:33.964 --> 07:34.964 could consider. 07:34.964 --> 07:35.964 And I think they will. 07:35.964 --> 07:39.431 So at the end of the day, no decision has been made and there 07:39.431 --> 07:40.831 can be changes. 07:40.831 --> 07:45.931 I don't expect major changes but if an adjustment makes sense and 07:45.931 --> 07:47.964 we can make it work and it's better for the chidren, 07:47.964 --> 07:49.964 then I expect we'll do that. 07:49.964 --> 07:52.164 David, what about this? 07:52.164 --> 07:53.798 Are changes possible? 07:53.798 --> 07:55.798 Well I mean if we're gonna make changes, 07:55.798 --> 07:57.798 I expect them really in two areas. 07:57.798 --> 07:59.798 One is in the Cordova area, particularly as we split 07:59.798 --> 08:00.798 Ridgeway and Cordova. 08:00.798 --> 08:01.798 There was.. 08:01.798 --> 08:05.064 At the meeting the other night, there were parents who would 08:05.064 --> 08:07.698 rather go to Cordova than send their child to Ridgeway 08:07.698 --> 08:09.698 particularly because of the distance. 08:09.698 --> 08:12.298 The other one is northwest Shelby county as it pertains to 08:12.298 --> 08:14.398 Shelby Forest area, Northaven. 08:14.398 --> 08:16.398 the original maps that I'm going to, 08:16.398 --> 08:17.698 Craigmont and Raleigh-Egypt. 08:17.698 --> 08:20.264 But I think a new map potentially might have them 08:20.264 --> 08:21.264 going to Bolton. 08:21.264 --> 08:23.631 But we're still trying to work out potentially converting 08:23.631 --> 08:25.631 Woodstock to a high school this year. 08:25.631 --> 08:27.998 So there's still a little bt that needs to be done in those 08:27.998 --> 08:28.998 particular areas. 08:28.998 --> 08:30.998 And I expect that it will probably. 08:30.998 --> 08:31.998 There might be some changes. 08:31.998 --> 08:34.298 Kevin, are you expecting amendments? 08:34.298 --> 08:38.464 Are you expecting Superintendent Hopson to possibly come back 08:38.464 --> 08:40.298 with some alterations on this? 08:40.298 --> 08:42.898 Well again, the board members I'm sitting here with now, 08:42.898 --> 08:45.231 they've attended most of the meetings. 08:45.231 --> 08:47.431 I've attended hearings, as well. 08:47.431 --> 08:52.131 And for the most part, I think families are grasping the 08:52.131 --> 08:55.364 reality of what has happened with the formation of the 08:55.364 --> 08:56.498 municipal districts. 08:56.498 --> 08:58.498 And so we're listening to those concerns. 08:58.498 --> 09:00.631 I think as board member Jones indicated, 09:00.631 --> 09:04.664 there maybe some small tweaks, listening to the areas Mr. 09:04.664 --> 09:05.764 Reaves indicated. 09:05.764 --> 09:08.164 As Superintendent Hopson as indicated on many occasions, 09:08.164 --> 09:12.164 the reason for a public hearing is not just a process that we go 09:12.164 --> 09:14.398 through with our minds already made up. 09:14.398 --> 09:17.531 You'll see tweaks based on input from those families and from 09:17.531 --> 09:18.531 those communities. 09:18.531 --> 09:20.531 And so yeah, I think there should be some changes. 09:20.531 --> 09:22.531 But as board member Jones indicated, 09:22.531 --> 09:27.198 overall I think the zoning team did a fairly good job based on 09:27.198 --> 09:28.331 what we had to work with. 09:28.331 --> 09:31.498 At the end of the day, we had to find a solution for those 09:31.498 --> 09:36.098 families to attend a school within the confines of Shelby 09:36.098 --> 09:37.098 County School system. 09:37.098 --> 09:39.931 And at the end of the day, the municipalities have formed the 09:39.931 --> 09:42.598 school system that is of their city. 09:42.598 --> 09:44.598 And as you mentioned about Bartlett Elementary, 09:44.598 --> 09:46.198 it is in the city of Bartlett. 09:46.198 --> 09:49.031 So families who live in unincorporated Shelby attending 09:49.031 --> 09:52.664 Bartlett Elementary before, our goal was to make sure that there 09:52.664 --> 09:56.631 is a viable option for those families in the unlikely event 09:56.631 --> 09:59.298 that Bartlett says we don't have capacity for you. 09:59.298 --> 10:02.698 We had to make sure that we had solutions for those families. 10:02.698 --> 10:03.698 Mhm. 10:03.698 --> 10:06.631 You think it's unlikely that Bartlett will say we don't have 10:06.631 --> 10:07.631 room? 10:07.631 --> 10:09.064 They'll probably have room? 10:09.064 --> 10:11.698 You know as I've indicated at the hearings that we've gone to, 10:11.698 --> 10:15.498 in addition to creating a plan for families and making sure 10:15.498 --> 10:18.298 we're attracting families in unincorporated areas to make 10:18.298 --> 10:20.964 sure we have good school options for them, 10:20.964 --> 10:23.864 we've also been talking to the municipality and municipal board 10:23.864 --> 10:27.398 members and making sure that they understood the impact on 10:27.398 --> 10:30.598 the families that have gone to these schools for years not only 10:30.598 --> 10:32.598 in Bartlett but Germantown and Collierville. 10:32.598 --> 10:34.831 Many of the municipal leaders have come out publically and 10:34.831 --> 10:35.831 said hey, listen. 10:35.831 --> 10:37.831 We want to have an open enrollment policy to make sure 10:37.831 --> 10:42.464 that we have the families that have been going there for many 10:42.464 --> 10:44.464 years can continue to still get an education here. 10:44.464 --> 10:46.764 Publically, we understand that they have to say their number 10:46.764 --> 10:49.731 one priority are the families that live within those 10:49.731 --> 10:50.864 municipalities. 10:50.864 --> 10:53.398 But at the end of the day, I think they'll do right by those 10:53.398 --> 10:56.464 families and make sure that if they have space to continue to 10:56.464 --> 10:58.464 try and attract those families to their schools. 10:58.464 --> 11:01.198 And what you'll see from our system is to make sure that we 11:01.198 --> 11:03.198 can continue to attract those families as well. 11:03.198 --> 11:06.564 Our responsibility is to Shelby County School system and we 11:06.564 --> 11:08.564 should be making sure that we're creating a quality school 11:08.564 --> 11:11.798 system, You look at what's going on with the Bolton and Bartlett 11:11.798 --> 11:13.098 High School issue. 11:13.098 --> 11:15.098 It's pretty interesting watching, 11:15.098 --> 11:18.798 you know, principals' leadership within those schools and say we 11:18.798 --> 11:19.798 want your kids. 11:19.798 --> 11:21.798 We don't care if you live in Bartlett. 11:21.798 --> 11:23.798 We want you coming to our schools. 11:23.798 --> 11:26.098 And I personally think that that competition is going to raise 11:26.098 --> 11:27.098 all boats. 11:27.098 --> 11:28.264 Mhm. 11:28.264 --> 11:32.464 Teresa, talk about the competition factor because I 11:32.464 --> 11:35.098 think at some of the hearings, I've seen parents who were 11:35.098 --> 11:39.564 keenly aware of when the open enrollment periods might be for 11:39.564 --> 11:42.364 those suburban school districts. 11:42.364 --> 11:45.264 Parents seem to be very well-clued in to that in some of 11:45.264 --> 11:47.798 the areas where these changes take place. 11:47.798 --> 11:50.031 Right, some parents are very informed. 11:50.031 --> 11:53.798 Of course parents want the best school that's available for 11:53.798 --> 11:54.798 their child. 11:54.798 --> 11:58.698 And it's up to us to make sure that we are providing those 11:58.698 --> 11:59.698 services. 11:59.698 --> 12:03.164 Community wide, certain schools have certain reputations. 12:03.164 --> 12:07.998 And it's not likely that we're gonna change that within the 12:07.998 --> 12:12.098 course of this school year or maybe even the next couple of 12:12.098 --> 12:13.098 years. 12:13.098 --> 12:16.331 So schools that are popular and sought after are going to be 12:16.331 --> 12:18.998 popular and sought after by these parents. 12:18.998 --> 12:22.931 And the capacity of those schools is going to be pretty 12:22.931 --> 12:24.364 much full. 12:24.364 --> 12:30.531 And so parents, I think, parents are educating themself. 12:30.531 --> 12:34.231 And we've encouraged parents to go to those municipal districts, 12:34.231 --> 12:39.131 go to those meetings, go to those principals in those areas 12:39.131 --> 12:41.731 and ask what their options are. 12:41.731 --> 12:44.698 And that's one of the reasons we wanted to have these meetings. 12:44.698 --> 12:48.431 Because parents -- number one, needed to know what we had 12:48.431 --> 12:54.164 planned for the children in that they want to educate and also, 12:54.164 --> 12:57.131 have time to explore other options. 12:57.131 --> 13:00.164 And we've heard all types of scenarios -- private schools, 13:00.164 --> 13:02.198 of course that's an option. 13:02.198 --> 13:05.864 Education reform is about change and about choice. 13:05.864 --> 13:09.798 And so parents, I think, even in the inner-city are becoming 13:09.798 --> 13:12.231 aware that there are choices out there. 13:12.231 --> 13:14.231 Whether you like charters or not, 13:14.231 --> 13:16.231 there are choices for those parents. 13:16.231 --> 13:19.498 So I think parents, as this process continues, 13:19.498 --> 13:23.398 are going to be more engaged and more aware and educate 13:23.398 --> 13:25.698 themselves what the possibilities are. 13:25.698 --> 13:26.698 Mhm. 13:26.698 --> 13:30.431 David, there is the pitch and then there is the still 13:30.431 --> 13:34.398 unfolding reality that involved the funding and the budget to 13:34.398 --> 13:35.398 come. 13:35.398 --> 13:38.764 And you talked about this in Bartlett several weeks ago, 13:38.764 --> 13:41.531 a meeting of the neighborhood council there. 13:41.531 --> 13:45.098 And a number of the parents told Keith McDonald, 13:45.098 --> 13:46.698 the mayor of Bartlett. 13:46.698 --> 13:51.464 They said look, the principal of Bolton High School is making a 13:51.464 --> 13:53.831 really good pitch for our kids. 13:53.831 --> 13:58.998 When are your schools going to start telling us what they have 13:58.998 --> 13:59.998 to offer? 13:59.998 --> 14:02.998 And you made a point about what's gonna happen with the 14:02.998 --> 14:06.798 budget because the budget situation is going to continue 14:06.798 --> 14:07.898 to be complex. 14:07.898 --> 14:12.998 It's going to continue to involve making some hard choices 14:12.998 --> 14:15.298 and some priorities here. 14:15.298 --> 14:18.798 Well so what you're finding within the budget this year, 14:18.798 --> 14:20.798 and it's kind of hit the news here lately, 14:20.798 --> 14:23.864 is significant amount of staffing cuts. 14:23.864 --> 14:27.531 And one of the big ones that is part of the staffing cuts is 14:27.531 --> 14:29.898 change in the classroom size. 14:29.898 --> 14:35.564 And Bolton has always -- well, over the last 20 years has 14:35.564 --> 14:36.964 really performed well. 14:36.964 --> 14:39.331 A lot of great programs. 14:39.331 --> 14:41.664 Has international baccalaureate program there. 14:41.664 --> 14:46.398 Has been a beneficiary of a desegregation order where a lot 14:46.398 --> 14:48.398 of students in Bartlett were sent to Bolton. 14:48.398 --> 14:51.898 So for several years, they have had large amounts of students. 14:51.898 --> 14:54.598 That's why Bartlett High School has dwindled. 14:54.598 --> 14:58.564 As a result, they've had a lot of great programs -- theatre, 14:58.564 --> 15:00.831 I-B, all of those programs. 15:00.831 --> 15:04.698 But the unfortunate part is that we are going to have to make 15:04.698 --> 15:05.698 some adjustments. 15:05.698 --> 15:08.064 And at the end of the day, we really don't know what the total 15:08.064 --> 15:10.198 impact is going to be to some of these schools. 15:10.198 --> 15:12.498 We know that some of the classrooms may get larger. 15:12.498 --> 15:16.064 We don't know if we're gonna have to cut anything out of 15:16.064 --> 15:17.064 these schools. 15:17.064 --> 15:20.231 So at this point, it's still kind of up in the air. 15:20.231 --> 15:23.198 And that's what I was talking about the other night. 15:23.198 --> 15:27.364 A lot of people wanting to know is my school going to stay the 15:27.364 --> 15:28.864 same way it's always been? 15:28.864 --> 15:32.431 Well most of your teachers will stay there and probably most of 15:32.431 --> 15:33.431 your programs. 15:33.431 --> 15:36.598 But we can't guarantee that given the fact we have such a 15:36.598 --> 15:38.064 large budget gap to close. 15:38.064 --> 15:42.231 So I think that the principal up there is doing a great job of 15:42.231 --> 15:43.231 selling the school. 15:43.231 --> 15:46.698 But I do think that looms a little bit on the horizon. 15:46.698 --> 15:49.698 So what we're primarily talking about here is the pupil-teacher 15:49.698 --> 15:50.864 ratio in the classrooms. 15:50.864 --> 15:53.864 And the way Superintendent Hopson has described it is in 15:53.864 --> 15:57.431 the merger this school year, we've gone to kind of the middle 15:57.431 --> 15:59.998 between Memphis City and Shelby County Schools. 15:59.998 --> 16:04.164 Mr, Chairman, how far are we going to go toward the Memphis 16:04.164 --> 16:07.598 City Schools model or the Shelby County Schools model once you 16:07.598 --> 16:09.064 all get a look at this budget? 16:09.064 --> 16:11.898 Well what we do know is that we won't go all the way back to the 16:11.898 --> 16:13.331 Memphis City School model. 16:13.331 --> 16:17.264 I think there was some misconception that as soon as 16:17.264 --> 16:20.598 the de-merger happened, we would go back to the Memphis School 16:20.598 --> 16:23.264 model of staffing, which overall, 16:23.264 --> 16:27.064 you have some of our high performing schools that did very 16:27.064 --> 16:28.764 well with that staffing model. 16:28.764 --> 16:33.264 You look at how well some of our schools have done with the 16:33.264 --> 16:34.264 growth. 16:34.264 --> 16:36.698 We know that that model, although is not ideal, 16:36.698 --> 16:39.098 teachers continue to do what teachers do, 16:39.098 --> 16:40.498 which is educate kids. 16:40.498 --> 16:43.931 And having a more robust staffing model toward the Shelby 16:43.931 --> 16:47.264 County side, teachers were definitely in favor of that. 16:47.264 --> 16:49.998 But Superintendent Hopson did indicate that he would probably 16:49.998 --> 16:53.998 be looking at somewhere in the middle of where we were this 16:53.998 --> 16:56.164 year and where Memphis City was before. 16:56.164 --> 16:58.064 Mr. Reaves is right. 16:58.064 --> 17:02.231 Obviously any time you're impacting the staffing formula, 17:02.231 --> 17:04.798 you're impacting the number of kids in the classroom. 17:04.798 --> 17:09.398 We want to make sure that we can limit that impact in making sure 17:09.398 --> 17:11.498 that we keep most of the resources going toward the 17:11.498 --> 17:12.498 classroom. 17:12.498 --> 17:14.731 But at the end of the day, I think Superintendent Hopson is 17:14.731 --> 17:17.164 committed to making sure the schools that remain in Shelby 17:17.164 --> 17:19.564 County School systems are still doing what they've done in the 17:19.564 --> 17:21.831 past, which is educate kids and like at Bolton, 17:21.831 --> 17:23.031 doing a great job at it. 17:23.031 --> 17:25.331 I think more of our principals should be doing what Bolton is 17:25.331 --> 17:27.898 doing, which is hey, we were good last year. 17:27.898 --> 17:29.598 We're gonna be good next year. 17:29.598 --> 17:31.664 And we're gonna do everything to attract kids to our school. 17:31.664 --> 17:35.998 That's not just an unincorporated issue that we 17:35.998 --> 17:36.998 should be dealing with. 17:36.998 --> 17:38.998 That's every principal should see it as his or her 17:38.998 --> 17:41.731 responsibility to make sure that we're attracting families to our 17:41.731 --> 17:42.731 schools. 17:42.731 --> 17:45.131 And once we do that, you'll continue to see more programs. 17:45.131 --> 17:48.598 Our staffing formula as well as our budget is based on the 17:48.598 --> 17:50.698 number of students that we're serving at each school. 17:50.698 --> 17:54.098 So the larger your school is, the more kids you're serving. 17:54.098 --> 17:56.831 What you'll see is it impacts your budget greatly. 17:56.831 --> 17:59.531 So I think Bolton is doing exactly what all principals 17:59.531 --> 18:01.598 should be doing, which is attracting families to their 18:01.598 --> 18:02.598 school. 18:02.598 --> 18:05.664 So when you go to vote on the budget, 18:05.664 --> 18:10.698 when you get this book and you look at the numbers, 18:10.698 --> 18:13.098 where does the pupil-teacher ratio.. 18:13.098 --> 18:16.998 Where is it on the list of your priorities in setting a budget? 18:16.998 --> 18:18.998 Well I think it's extremely high. 18:18.998 --> 18:21.598 One of the main concerns I've heard at the community meetings 18:21.598 --> 18:25.798 from parents and from teachers -- the number of students in 18:25.798 --> 18:26.798 each classroom. 18:26.798 --> 18:28.864 So that's an important factor. 18:28.864 --> 18:34.131 And to the extent that we can maintain smaller classrooms, 18:34.131 --> 18:36.464 obviously there will be certain situations we can not. 18:36.464 --> 18:38.564 But it's at the top of the list. 18:38.564 --> 18:41.331 I can't say one, two or three in terms of rank. 18:41.331 --> 18:44.231 But it's extremely important because it's important to 18:44.231 --> 18:45.231 parents. 18:45.231 --> 18:49.598 And I think the data shows that that has a tremendous impact on 18:49.598 --> 18:50.598 the outcomes. 18:50.598 --> 18:51.598 How much.. 18:51.598 --> 18:54.864 We've got a short amount of time left here. 18:54.864 --> 18:58.164 And I think we have enough time to kind of get in to this. 18:58.164 --> 19:02.331 But as a result of parental choice in this through open 19:02.331 --> 19:05.698 enrollment, more choices really than parents have ever had 19:05.698 --> 19:08.031 within our experience with public education, 19:08.031 --> 19:11.664 how much are the choices that they make for this coming school 19:11.664 --> 19:16.798 year going to kind of re-orient the school system? 19:16.798 --> 19:17.798 Or will it? 19:17.798 --> 19:19.231 Let me start with you. 19:19.231 --> 19:22.298 Yeah, so I think it's just not this one year journey. 19:22.298 --> 19:25.964 I think it's been happening over the past couple of years and it 19:25.964 --> 19:27.964 will continue in the next five years. 19:27.964 --> 19:31.564 Shelby County School system will not be the same as it used to 19:31.564 --> 19:32.564 be. 19:32.564 --> 19:34.564 The A-S-D will continue to take over schools. 19:34.564 --> 19:36.564 We'll have more charter schools. 19:36.564 --> 19:39.431 And I think what you'll find at some point in the future is that 19:39.431 --> 19:42.231 Shelby County may actually be a small school district compared 19:42.231 --> 19:44.198 to what we've been in the past. 19:44.198 --> 19:46.431 And so but from a funding view point, 19:46.431 --> 19:49.798 it impacts us tremendously because we have to do is we have 19:49.798 --> 19:52.898 to scale the district up and down based upon parental choice. 19:52.898 --> 19:56.831 And it's not easy when you take a child out of one school or 19:56.831 --> 19:57.831 another school. 19:57.831 --> 20:00.198 You know they're not altogether because we can't easily change 20:00.198 --> 20:01.598 the number of teachers, right. 20:01.598 --> 20:04.964 So we continue to have overhead issues that we try to address. 20:04.964 --> 20:07.498 And but I think we're getting better at that. 20:07.498 --> 20:11.398 And I think that it has forced us to really adopt a more modern 20:11.398 --> 20:15.064 model to where we can scale our system to where it's not as 20:15.064 --> 20:17.298 expensive to run from an overhead view point. 20:17.298 --> 20:20.964 And it's going to continue to be an issue that we're going to 20:20.964 --> 20:23.498 have to work at over the next several years. 20:23.498 --> 20:24.498 Mhm. 20:24.498 --> 20:25.764 Kevin, your view on that. 20:25.764 --> 20:29.331 And are we heading toward a Shelby County School system that 20:29.331 --> 20:31.698 is possibly smaller than we're looking at? 20:31.698 --> 20:35.064 Well I think at the fact that the bottom 5% schools, 20:35.064 --> 20:37.064 a majority of them are in Shelby county. 20:37.064 --> 20:39.098 You obviously know that we're going to be operating fewer and 20:39.098 --> 20:40.098 fewer schools. 20:40.098 --> 20:43.131 But at the end of the day, I think Superintendent Hopson is 20:43.131 --> 20:45.298 committed to the fact that the schools we are running, 20:45.298 --> 20:48.664 if we're servicing 140,000 kids or 80,000 kids, 20:48.664 --> 20:52.331 at the end of the day, are we doing a great job of educating 20:52.331 --> 20:53.331 those kids. 20:53.331 --> 20:55.331 I think Superintendent Hopson has stated on many occasions 20:55.331 --> 20:58.631 that what we should be doing is making sure that we're doing a 20:58.631 --> 21:01.098 great job of every kid having a great chance at a quality 21:01.098 --> 21:02.098 education. 21:02.098 --> 21:05.264 At the same time, our central office only exists to service 21:05.264 --> 21:06.264 our schools. 21:06.264 --> 21:08.264 So we have to make sure that we're operating an efficient 21:08.264 --> 21:11.898 central office to make sure that all the resources --if it's 200 21:11.898 --> 21:14.331 schools or 100 schools -- that they're getting all the 21:14.331 --> 21:17.464 resources they need to attract more families to their schools 21:17.464 --> 21:19.464 and the kids that are attending those schools are getting a 21:19.464 --> 21:20.464 great education. 21:20.464 --> 21:21.464 Mhm. 21:21.464 --> 21:24.931 Teresa, your view on the impact of parental choice on the school 21:24.931 --> 21:25.931 system? 21:25.931 --> 21:27.931 Well in terms of Shelby County School system, 21:27.931 --> 21:28.931 I agree. 21:28.931 --> 21:30.931 I think it's going to be obviously smaller. 21:30.931 --> 21:35.798 We're all waiting with bated breath this year to determine 21:35.798 --> 21:40.964 those trends and what choices parents make and to determine 21:40.964 --> 21:43.998 where exactly we will fall in terms of numbers. 21:43.998 --> 21:47.398 So I think we have to take every opportunity, 21:47.398 --> 21:50.798 make sure that we are putting the dollars in the best place 21:50.798 --> 21:54.031 that has the most impact, that we're looking at the office 21:54.031 --> 21:56.298 staff, that we're looking at the staffing model, 21:56.298 --> 21:59.898 we're taking advantage of technology because we are going 21:59.898 --> 22:02.564 to have to be sleeker, leaner and meaner. 22:02.564 --> 22:06.031 We're going to have to make better financial choices going 22:06.031 --> 22:07.031 forward. 22:07.031 --> 22:10.598 I don't know that we're ever going to be small because of the 22:10.598 --> 22:15.031 number of urban children that the system serves. 22:15.031 --> 22:17.598 But we're certainly going to be smaller. 22:17.598 --> 22:21.398 Well and during the whole run up to the de-merger -- to the 22:21.398 --> 22:25.031 merger, I should say -- there was so much discussion about 22:25.031 --> 22:28.698 Shelby County Schools, the legacy Shelby County Schools 22:28.698 --> 22:31.364 being a small school system, which it really wasn't. 22:31.364 --> 22:35.231 Forty-thousand students in a school system in Tennessee is 22:35.231 --> 22:39.698 not a small school system, either relatively or just in the 22:39.698 --> 22:41.298 raw numbers of it. 22:41.298 --> 22:45.498 So parents are waiting on the school board to make a decision 22:45.498 --> 22:46.831 on attendence zones. 22:46.831 --> 22:50.164 And the school board is waiting on the parents to then make 22:50.164 --> 22:52.298 their decision to see what you have. 22:52.298 --> 22:56.364 But you know the money travels with the students to whatever 22:56.364 --> 22:58.398 school system they go to. 22:58.398 --> 23:02.764 And Superintendent Hopson, who will be on this program next 23:02.764 --> 23:09.064 week, has talked about a dollar figure in the most recent budget 23:09.064 --> 23:12.998 briefings to kind of kick off you all's budget season. 23:12.998 --> 23:17.764 What's that number of funding that he expects to possibly 23:17.764 --> 23:20.098 leave the school system as a result? 23:20.098 --> 23:24.098 Well if you count in the fact the kids that are going with the 23:24.098 --> 23:27.831 municipal districts combined with charter schools, 23:27.831 --> 23:29.831 I've heard numbers as large as, you know, 23:29.831 --> 23:32.031 $200 million in budget impact. 23:32.031 --> 23:36.631 But at the end of the day, most of those kids are going to go 23:36.631 --> 23:38.998 with municipal schools and we knew we were prepared for that. 23:38.998 --> 23:40.998 We knew that was going to happen. 23:40.998 --> 23:42.998 A-S-D, the communication with Chris Barbic, 23:42.998 --> 23:45.364 Superintendent Hopson has always been one that we have an idea of 23:45.364 --> 23:46.364 what's going on their side. 23:46.364 --> 23:48.764 I think the supertintendent has done a great job of the best he 23:48.764 --> 23:51.198 can to plan for the number of kids that we're gonna have in 23:51.198 --> 23:52.198 this district. 23:52.198 --> 23:55.398 He indicated just in the conversation we had recently, 23:55.398 --> 23:59.664 you know, we may get 10,000 fewer kids than we thought or 23:59.664 --> 24:01.664 10,000 more kids than we thought we were gonna get. 24:01.664 --> 24:05.364 But at the end of the day, we sure hope to get more than less. 24:05.364 --> 24:08.031 And so what we have to do is exactly what the principals you 24:08.031 --> 24:11.498 indicated are doing, is making sure that families know what 24:11.498 --> 24:15.264 their options are, making sure we're looking at extending our 24:15.264 --> 24:18.564 general transfer process to make sure families have more time to 24:18.564 --> 24:21.698 choose their school options once they know what the zoning plans 24:21.698 --> 24:22.698 are. 24:22.698 --> 24:24.698 But just doing eveyrthing we can to make sure people know that 24:24.698 --> 24:25.698 hey, listen. 24:25.698 --> 24:27.698 There are good schools in Shelby county. 24:27.698 --> 24:29.698 You need to be aware of what those schools are and making 24:29.698 --> 24:31.998 sure we're doing the best job of attracting families to our 24:31.998 --> 24:32.998 schools. 24:32.998 --> 24:35.198 But most importantly, making sure that we're doing a quality 24:35.198 --> 24:36.964 job at educating our kids. 24:36.964 --> 24:40.098 And then the reputation will exceed any marketing that we 24:40.098 --> 24:41.131 could possibly do. 24:41.131 --> 24:42.131 Okay. 24:42.131 --> 24:44.131 And we should also point out that I think the common thing 24:44.131 --> 24:47.664 that I've heard here is that if you have a child who's a senior, 24:47.664 --> 24:50.364 going to be a senior next year at one of these high schools 24:50.364 --> 24:53.398 that's affected, the odds are pretty high that your child is 24:53.398 --> 24:59.631 probably going to continue to attend that school, 24:59.631 --> 25:03.298 given space considerations are always being the prime driver 25:03.298 --> 25:04.298 here. 25:04.298 --> 25:06.531 I would say that there is potential to that. 25:06.531 --> 25:08.831 However, it's still subject to open enrollment. 25:08.831 --> 25:12.731 And the reality is a lot of these municipal school are full 25:12.731 --> 25:15.631 like at Houston High School or Bartlett High School. 25:15.631 --> 25:17.898 They are full with their own children. 25:17.898 --> 25:21.498 So we're going to run in to those schools running to 25:21.498 --> 25:22.498 capacity issues. 25:22.498 --> 25:26.031 And it's going to be up to them to make that decision. 25:26.031 --> 25:29.264 So I don't think we can guarantee anything because we 25:29.264 --> 25:31.264 can't guarantee what municipals do. 25:31.264 --> 25:34.798 But I can say that there could be some difficulties in that 25:34.798 --> 25:35.798 area. 25:35.798 --> 25:38.098 I would indicate I take this opportunity to say that I think 25:38.098 --> 25:41.764 those municipal boards, those superintendents will do right by 25:41.764 --> 25:42.831 those families. 25:42.831 --> 25:46.931 Those families have been there for many years. 25:46.931 --> 25:49.131 They didn't ask for this process. 25:49.131 --> 25:52.731 I think those boards will realize that their political 25:52.731 --> 25:55.931 interests may lie with those folks that vote for them. 25:55.931 --> 25:59.264 But their job as a school board is to educate those kids that 25:59.264 --> 26:00.264 are currently at those schools. 26:00.264 --> 26:01.264 Alright. 26:01.264 --> 26:03.264 We'll leave the discussion there. 26:03.264 --> 26:05.264 If we had one more school board member here, 26:05.264 --> 26:07.264 we would have a quarum and possibly make some decisions. 26:07.264 --> 26:08.264 But we don't. 26:08.264 --> 26:10.264 Thank you for joining us this evening and we'll see you next 26:10.264 --> 26:11.364 week with Dorsey Hopson. 26:11.364 --> 26:17.364 CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY WKNO-MEMPHIS.