Shelby parents need unified enrollment
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Many of our newly elected officials ran for office promising to build a better community so more people can find good jobs, raise their families and build a life here. But to make that possible, we have to address inequality in our education system so more of our kids can get access to good schools.
In theory, we have options for where to send our students to school – Shelby County Schools, the Achievement School District, iZone schools, traditional schools, suburban schools, charter schools, private schools. Some are quality schools, some not so much.
Last month we got some good news: Shelby County reduced the number of our schools falling in the bottom five percent statewide. When the list was announced in 2012, we had 69; now it’s 27. That’s progress, but we still have the highest number in the state.
Here’s the truth we all know, but don’t want to say out loud: the system keeps some parents and students out of good schools. Maybe it’s because of where they live, or how much they make, or not being “in the know” about which schools and options are available. But a good education should not be just for the rich or wellconnected.
That’s why Memphis needs to try unified enrollment. It can level the playing field for all families.
In my case, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. I’ve been a parent of Shelby County Schools students for 13 years. Thanks to a neighbor, I found The Memphis Lift and they empowered me to look harder and find the school that was best for my kids.
It was not easy. I had to learn the lingo and how things really work in our schools. I had to learn what quality schools look like, then do a lot of work to find them.
As a working mom, it was hard enough just to get my kids’ applications filled out correctly and submitted on time. They were lucky enough to get into the schools we applied for, and I am lucky enough to be able to transport them to and from those schools every day.
But that’s not the case for every child or every parent. It shouldn’t be like this – and it doesn’t have to be.
As a parent, I see that there is not enough appropriate, positive support in our schools and not enough trained and experienced individuals working with our children to help them become successful.
Why isn’t there regular auditing and reporting on individual education plans? Why aren’t resources provided to schools based on student need? There should be plans to address the root of issues we see in schools— and ensure our kids are successful.
Unified enrollment can help solve many challenges for parents and help a whole city of kids.
Unified enrollment would provide a simple, single enrollment process for any public school in the city of Memphis, and a fair matching system to help parents get their kids into the school of their choice.
Toni Moore is a Memphis parent and an active member of The Memphis Lift.
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