Innovative School District to Launch at UofM

Bill Approved in TN General Assembly Will Scale University Schools Model

April 24, 2024 — The University Schools education model at the University of Memphis is poised to scale up following today’s passage of the Innovative School District Act in the Tennessee General Assembly. Sponsored by Sen. Brent Taylor and Rep. Mark White, the act authorizes the UofM to operate a local education agency as an Innovative School District, the first of its kind in the state.

The approval of the Innovative School District Act marks a new era for the University Schools, which currently operate as the training and laboratory schools at the UofM. Since the University’s founding in 1912, the University Schools have educated thousands of local students while serving as a training site for teaching candidates and related professions at the UofM.

“The University of Memphis is the only PreK to PhD educational system in Tennessee, and we now have an opportunity to scale what works by empowering the University Schools to become the state’s first Innovative School District,” said UofM President Bill Hardgrave. “This legislation has the potential to impact the lives of thousands of students, and I am excited to see the University of Memphis carry this forward.”

The University Schools are the highest-performing school system in Tennessee and produce research findings that shape policies, practices and learning across Memphis, the state, the region and the country. These schools serve a diverse population of students from every zip code in Shelby County, without any educational requirement for admission.

In the 2022-23 school year, the University Schools had the highest pass rate across all subjects of any school system in Tennessee at 70%. The University Schools also had the highest pass rate in English, Science and Social Studies and were a close second in Mathematics. All three schools earned an "A" letter grade from the Tennessee Department of Education and all schools earned a Level 5 TVAAS score for student growth.

“While this is certainly a new concept for our state, being innovators in public education is not new to the University of Memphis,” said Dr. Sally Parish, Associate Vice President for Educational Initiatives. “We have always been trailblazers in education, and this opportunity is truly a testament to that.”

University Schools have been asked for three years by state partners to expand its model to serve a greater role in high-quality public PK-12 education.

“I sponsored this legislation because I believe in the work they are doing and know the impact it is having on our local community,” said Sen. Brent Taylor of Memphis. “Let’s scale that impact and ensure that more students get access to a University Schools education.”

The legislation (SB 2557 and HB 2678) authorizes the University of Memphis to operate a local education agency, or LEA, as an Innovative School District.

 “The opportunity this provides to our local children is life changing and one of the most notable pieces of legislation we have passed this year,” said Rep. Mark White of Memphis. “I am proud to have sponsored it and look forward to seeing the impact the Innovative School District Act has on our local community.” 

The University Schools in the Innovative School District will follow state standards like any other school district while continuing the laboratory and training school tradition of utilizing innovative teaching and learning practices. The UofM Board of Trustees will serve as the Innovative School District’s local board of education for the Innovative School District and will appoint from its membership a committee to perform the functions of a local board of education.

Currently, the number of students University Schools can serve is capped at 1,050 under the existing contract with Memphis Shelby County Schools.

"Not only do I represent the University of Memphis as a State Senator, I am a proud alumnus of the University of Memphis' University Schools," said Sen. London Lamar. "I've seen first-hand the incredible education they provide for students in Shelby County, and I'm excited that more students in our area will have the opportunity to benefit from the new Innovative School District." 

The Innovative School District will launch in Fall of 2024 as a standalone LEA that will serve as a home to training and laboratory schools in Shelby County, including the existing schools currently under the University Schools umbrella. The expansion of University Schools will follow a slow-growth and community-informed model that promotes excellence in teaching and enthusiasm for learning while addressing the current demand for enrollment.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Jennifer Godwin
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jennifer.godwin@memphis.edu
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