The Tennessee Achievement School District: Race, History, and the Dilemma of Public Engagement

Abstract

The Tennessee Achievement School District (ASD) is one of several state-run districts established to turn around under-performing schools. Like other such districts, the ASD removes schools from their local district, yet is not accountable to local political institutions. But despite its authority, the ASD has been undermined by unrelenting opposition from within Memphis where its schools reside. Underlying the political dynamics surrounding the ASD are two divergent narratives. For supporters, the ASD is an innovative effort to improve the educational experience fo the most disadvantaged students. Critics see an enterprise motivated by profit, paternalism, and racism. One lesson from the ASD experience is that while state-run districts seek to circumvent local politics, the absence of mechanisms for brokering compromise in cities with deep historical divisions may prove impossible.

Suggested Citation

Glazer, J.L. & Egan, C. (2016). The Tennessee Achievement School District: Race, history, and the dilemma of public engagement. (Tennessee Education Research Alliance Working Paper).