School Stories

See the Reform in Action

In August 2010, we approached leaders of several Memphis schools with an idea for a novel experiment: what if we were to develop a window into the proposed reforms, enabling us not only to watch TEI in action, but to track the process of change in real time, in real settings: what works, what doesn’t, what we can adapt, and what we must rethink.

These are the stories of those schools that agreed to participate. We tell each school story through the lens of its community, from teachers and principals to parents and partner organizations—all key players in our children’s educational experience.

Which School Communities Were Selected?

This growing list of schools will ultimately represent a cross-section of the broader Memphis school district, and include elementary, middle, and high schools. Most of the communities represented here are relatively small in size, and together they reflect a range of school standing levels: schools in Good Standing, Optional Schools, Striving Schools, and Achievement School Districts.

Many schools are under the guidance of new leadership. Each reflects conditions that are ripe for change, or schools that have already begun the process of transformation. All subscribe to the goal of an effective teacher for every child, in every classroom.

Change doesn't happen overnight. Follow along on the journey of these school communities, as we see the story of reform unfold.