Gov. Lee signs MSCS takeover bill, appoints 5 Memphians to oversight board
Gabriel Huff
Bill Lee made signed the bill on Friday, May 22, exactly a month after the Tennessee House and Senate approved the legislation.
MEMPHIS, Tenn — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee appointed five Memphians to the educational oversight board for Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) after signing the takeover bill into law on Friday.
“Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, and throughout the Lee Administration, we’ve made significant investments to ensure students in Shelby County receive a quality education that best fits their unique needs,” Lee said in a statement. “I’m pleased to appoint these highly qualified individuals, and I’m grateful for their willingness to serve Memphis families and help strengthen outcomes for students across the community.”
The Tennessee House passed SB 714 on Wednesday, April 22, hours after the Senate approved the final version. Lee made the bill law exactly a month later on May 22.
The governor listed the following appointments to the oversight board.
- Tyrone Burroughs, Chairman, First Choice Global and Founder, The Burroughs Foundation
- Dorsey Hopson, Partner, City Fund
- Shanea McKinney, Senior Advisor of Product Management, The Cigna Group
- Nisha Powers, Founder and President, Powers Hill Design
- Beverly Robertson, Co-Founder and COO, Trust Marketing and Communications
Hopson is a former MSCS superintendent who announced his resignation in 2018 after serving the district for six years.
SB 714 allows the state to create an advisory board of managers for school districts that meet four of six management criteria. The board will be comprised of nine members, five of whom were required to be appointed by the governor.
Memphis Republican Representative Mark White, who co-sponsored the bill with Memphis Republican Senator Brent Taylor, claimed that Memphis-Shelby County Schools meets all six of the criteria. Democrats have called the bill targeted.
This all follows the release of preliminary findings of a forensic audit into the district that was only 25% complete. White said the early audit process showed “dysfunction,” leading to lawmakers requesting the preliminary report.
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