NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A state-appointed oversight board unanimously approved key contract and staffing rules under state law on Oct. 8 as it prepares to take control of Tennessee’s largest school district, Memphis-Shelby County Schools, pending a federal court order.
Under state law, the oversight board must approve all MSCS contracts above $50,000 and will have final say on the annual budget and charter school applications. Chair Billy Orgel scheduled the meeting after Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw signaled the takeover could begin once the board is ready, willing, and able to perform its duties.
Board members adopted committee names and a contract and expenditure approval process. Debate over consulting firm MGT delayed the meeting by an hour. Member Dedrick Brittenum questioned committing to a drafted $1 million memorandum without a proper procurement process.
Tennessee Republicans pushed the state-appointed board after a forensic audit found $54 million of potential spending abuse from 2021-24, mostly from one custodial contract. The board was supposed to start July 1 but was blocked by a temporary court order that Crenshaw said was never meant to be long term.
Senior Deputy Attorney General J.P. Urban told members the board can develop infrastructure and processes but may not yet require anything of the school system until it files a readiness statement. Member Dorsey Hopson called the rules one more objective piece of evidence for the court.
The Oct. 8 meeting lasted over three hours. The board discussed regular meeting times but did not land on a day. Local philanthropy, including Seeding Success, reportedly paid for some of MGT’s early work while the takeover was paused.
