A letter from Commissioner Porter
Children are the best indicators of how we are as a society!
As we march towards the merger of the Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools systems in 2013, let me share my optimism in being a part of the education reform of the entire county. In the position as your Board Commissioner, I am currently seeking opportunities to gain efficiencies and productivity from multiple angles within BOTH systems.
I am pleased to see outstanding programs in BOTH systems and desire not only to bring the best from both, but take the new “Unified” School system to the next level. Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools have bright and talented faculty and staff that are willing to develop and implement new strategies for forward progress. What’s needed is support from YOU – the parents & the broader community!
It is not enough to compare the Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools systems to each other, the systems in the State of Tennessee, or the United States. We must look outside the box at world leading school systems like China, India, Russia and Finland. In order for us to arm our children with the absolute best education, we have to examine the best in education.
Education in Shelby County will never be the same. It’s up to US to decide what it will become.
Commissioner Reginald Porter, Jr.
Shelby County Schools (Unified)
