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Board adds Pre-K for All resolution, discusses expanding seats and county/city fiscal agent
Summary
The board added a resolution supporting the First 8 Memphis Pre-K for All initiative to the agenda and discussed current pre-K capacity, funding blends, and the target to expand publicly funded pre-K seats.
The Shelby County Board of Education on March 15 added a resolution supporting the First 8 Memphis Pre-K for All initiative to its meeting agenda and discussed capacity, funding strategies, and next steps for expanding pre-kindergarten access in the district.
Board Member Natalie J. McKinney moved to add the resolution, which was seconded and added without objection. The resolution calls for collaboration with a joint city–county appointed pre-K fiscal agent and other stakeholders to increase access to high-quality publicly funded pre-K seats for 3- and 4-year-olds across Memphis and Shelby County.
Director Gordon (early childhood) told the board that MSCS currently funds roughly 5,200 pre-K seats (the meeting transcript lists that figure as funded seats), of which about 1,000 are funded through First 8 and an additional number are served through Head Start and state voluntary pre-K blends. Gordon said the district serves “a little bit over 10,000 kindergarten students,” and staff estimated a target pre-K population in the county roughly in the 12,000 range based on live birth data and kindergarten enrollment.
Board members asked practical questions about how seats would be phased in and how the city and county fiscal agent would allocate new seats each year. Interim Superintendent Rod Richmond said the city and county would decide the annual number of added seats, and the expansion would proceed year-by-year until the program reached its goal.
Members stressed the importance of attendance and family engagement once seats are available. Vice Chair Stephanie Love asked staff to work with the First 8 effort to ensure parents understand the value of regular attendance. Several board members described the proposal as a potential “game changer” for reading and early academic preparation.
No final funding vote was recorded in the work session; the resolution was added to the agenda for formal consideration at the next board meeting and board members encouraged continued coordination with municipal partners.
