Memphis Education Leaders Present Reform Agenda Forged Through Gates Foundation Partnership

SEATTLE, July 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Leaders from Memphis City Schools (MCS) are showcasing the strides they have made in transforming their schools at the Empowering Effective Teachers Convening in Seattle this week. The symposium is bringing together thought leaders from organizations partnering with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that are working to improve student outcomes by focusing on educators.

The national conversation on education reform centers on teacher performance, and Memphis is leading that conversation. MCS recognizes not only that teachers are the most important in-school factor impacting student success, but also that they need proper support and recognition in order to employ best practices for setting student achievement goals, crafting lesson plans and leading engaging classes.

Memphis and the other districts participating in the symposium are working with the Gates Foundation to create evidence-based models for identifying and nurturing effective teaching, offering more tools for teacher growth and development, and creating school cultures where effective teaching can flourish.

Representatives from the MCS administration and teachers union are presenting their reform work to their colleagues from across the country. Those reforms include the use of innovative technology tools aimed at improving teacher practices in the classroom, the development of increased professional development resources for teachers, and the strengthening of external partnerships to advocate for education reform.

"In Memphis, our district's radical transformation is being led by our teachers," said Tequilla Banks, executive director of reform efforts in MCS. "What we've accomplished in a collaborative spirit is making real and lasting changes for our schools and our students. I'm excited to share the Memphis model with my colleagues from other districts and to learn from the challenges they have already faced and overcome."

Memphis City Schools recently earned the approval of the Tennessee State Board of Education for its innovative Teacher Effectiveness Measure (TEM). The board approved Memphis' request to use TEM—a holistic, evidence-based approach to assessing teacher performance—in place of new state guidelines for measuring teacher effectiveness.

For more information on Memphis City Schools' push to increase effective teaching, visit http://www.mcsk12.net/tei/presskit.asp.

Symposium Participants from MCS:

Tequilla Banks, Executive Director, Teacher Effectiveness Initiative
John Barker, Executive Director, Department of Research, Evaluation, Assessment and Student Information
Ken Foster, MEA Executive Director
Anasa Franklin, Measures of Effective Teaching Project
Irving Hamer, Deputy Superintendent
Tomeka Hart, MCS Board of Commissioners
Monica Jordan, Measures of Effective Teaching Project
Keith Williams, MEA President

SOURCE Memphis City Schools