Memphis leaders decide to keep Ida B. Wells open despite school closure vote in February

“Sign up for Chalkbeat Tennessee’s free newsletter to keep up with statewide education policy and Memphis-Shelby County Schools. District officials will delay closing one Memphis school for at least a year despite the school board voting to shut it down in February . Memphis-Shelby County Schools officials confirmed Wednesday that students and teachers from Ida B. Wells Academy will be moved into the Norris Achievement Academy building next year, and the original location will close. Chief Academic Officer Angela Whitelaw said that decision was motivated by an outpouring of community support for the K-8 alternative school during closure meetings this winter. “The conversation was around (Ida B. Wells) being a level five school, and working with a very small student population,” Whitelaw said during an interview Wednesday. “Hearing that feedback and listening at both meetings, we wanted to lift up the programming that the school had.” District officials provided more details of the now-altered closure plan on Wednesday following Chalkbeat Tennessee reporting that raised questions about how the school transfer would affect students and staff. It’s a departure from the plan for four other schools that will close this year, where students will be dispersed into nearby schools and teachers relocated throughout the district. Director of Alternative Education Melita Thomas said Wells’ class sizes won’t be changed, and students won’t mix with Norris attendees. Principal Tarcia Gilliam-Parish will also join the transition to Norris, as will some teachers. Superintendent Roderick Richmond originally said MSCS was considering a temporary transfer in February. After months of workshopping the plan, Whitelaw said the district told Ida B. Wells leaders and teachers about the relocation in April. MSCS leaders decided to close the Ida B. Wells building in February because it was severely underenrolled, with more than 400 open seats, and needed almost $6 million worth of facility repairs. It’s part of Richmond’s plan to close up to 10 more schools by 2028 in an effort to combat those district-wide issues. And at a graduation ceremony Tuesday, Ida B. Wells’ parents and staff said the district hadn’t given many details about what that move would look like. Some families have already made the decision to send their children to other schools next year. Whitelaw said they’re planning as if all current Wells students will make the move to Norris. It’s unclear how many educators will follow, she said, because positions change significantly throughout the summer. “Some teachers may not want to go in a building where there are two schools,” she said. “And we will be sharing an art teacher, music, PE, whatever exploratory classes that they have, that’s just efficient and maximizing staff.” Whitelaw said Ida B. Wells will stay open in Norris for at least one year, but she’s not guaranteeing any longer. “We want to make sure that we get in there and see, to give the programming some additional time, as well as the students to transition,” she said. Bri Hatch covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Bri at bhatch@chalkbeat.org .

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