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Executive Summary of the Put Education First Platform

Stand for Children began the campaign to Put Education First in support of the plans to consolidateShelby County and Memphis City Schools. Our platform is structured around the ten educationalpriorities identified by the Transition Planning Commission. This document outlines ourrecommendations around these fundamental priorities that we believe will result in a world classeducation system for Shelby County

Every Child Ready for School

Across the nation, quality early childhood education programs are helping close achievement gaps thatappear in babies as early as nine months old; yet, disadvantaged families have limited access to these

programs. In Shelby County, there are currently only enough spaces to serve roughly half the childrenthat qualify (based on income) for free pre-K. Pre-K is an essential investment for the long-termsuccess of our kids. We ask the TPC to recommend acomprehensive early childhood investmentstrategy that serves the most children with the highest quality programs.

Effective Instructional Leaders

Principals are essential to improving their schools, as they set the culture and expectations for ourteachers and students. Our schools will be more successful with strong leaders. The consolidateddistrict should reward great principals by giving them more autonomy, and better recruit,evaluate, and support all principals to drive school success.

Effective Teachers

We know that good teachers are essential for students to succeed, but schools everywhere arestruggling to ensure there is a great teacher in every classroom, every year. Memphis has been leadingthe nation in creating a comprehensive system to guarantee all students an effective teacher, theTeacher Effectiveness Initiative. The new district must expand the Teacher Effectiveness Initiative,while also incorporating best practices from Shelby County Schools.

Rigorous Implementation of Standards

No matter how rigorous standards may be, improved educational outcomes depend on localimplementation. Since winning the $500 million Race to the Top grant, Tennessee has a tremendousopportunity to overhaul its academic accountability systems. We hope the TPC will help Shelby Countyadoptnext-generation assessments linked to commonstandards that present parents, students, andeducators with in-depth, personalized academic results.

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Tailored Interventions and Supports

Many students, through no fault of their own, face unequal opportunities for success, but the bestschools address these educational challenges proactively. The TPC should ensure that the consolidateddistrict empowers schools to choose the tools fortargeted interventions to meet students' uniqueneeds, particularly for English language learners and students with learning differences, and giftedstudents.

Quality and Accessible Choices

School choice programs demand careful public oversight. We recommend that the TPC's multiplepathways model use a portfolio strategy to create morehigh-quality schools, increase high-

performing schools' autonomy, and ensure all schools a high level of accountability to district-wide standards. The district must effectively communicate their school reform strategy to thecommunity and provide all families with desirable local schools.

Engaged Parents

Children whose families are involved in their education are much more likely to succeed in school andlife. We recommend the TPC create a district wide parent engagement strategy that followsresearched best practices and that meets the needs of all our parents. Parents must be welcome partnerswith the district and schools.

Culture and Climate of High Expectations

Every child deserves to attend a school that expects the most out of them and believes in their success.The TPC can help the new district create safe and positive school environments by recommendingsystems and policies that help schools and our students thrive.

Every Student Ready for Success in College and Career

All students deserve to graduate from high school prepared for college and a career. Adhering to theprinciples outlined above will do much to prepare students, but the TPC can ask the districts to do moreto ensure all students have access to college-preparatory curriculum, Advanced Placement, IB,STEM, and Dual-Enrollment classes, Career Training Education, multiple pathways to college,

and dedicated counseling services.

Supportive Community Members and Partners

To achieve all of these ambitious goals, the consolidated district must cultivate support from ourcommunity. We expect the TPC to put forth a plan toidentify and expand educational partnershipsspanning from cradle to career.This framework must draw upon the community's existing strengthsand respond to its particular needs.