Interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond says stabilizing Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) has been his central focus during his first 11 months in the role. On WKNO's Behind the Headlines, Richmond spoke with host Eric Barnes and Daily Memphian reporter Laura Testino about enrollment declines, chronic absenteeism, school closures, and the district's efforts to better align services with community needs.
Richmond said his decades in the district shape his approach. "I have been here 32 years, so I one thing I bring is the historical context," he said. "I understand this community because I've been in it all of my life. I also bring credibility… and I'd like to think that my team and I have truly steadied the ship over the past 11 months."
He outlined early goals focused on rebuilding trust with the school board, strengthening governance, and returning emphasis to "academics, attendance, attitude, athletics, and the arts." Richmond also described efforts to reconnect staff systemwide, saying he has tried to meet employees across all departments so "they would know that they had someone that they could trust who truly cared about them."
Chronic absenteeism remains a significant challenge. After last year's rate climbed to 31 percent, Richmond said he is "extremely hopeful" the district will reach its goal of a five-point reduction. MSCS launched a "Showing Up for Greatness" campaign to canvass neighborhoods and encourage enrollment and attendance. The district also hired about 75 attendance liaisons to contact families daily. Richmond credited department leader Stacey Davis and her team, but said MSCS is also looking into whether some disciplinary practices, including suspensions, may contribute to absences. "We have to do things that don't cause us to hurt ourselves," he said.
The district has also seen an estimated loss of roughly 2,000 students in its traditional schools this year. Richmond noted that this pattern stretches back nearly two decades and said MSCS must improve how it presents itself to families. He has asked principals "to make our schools and our district a place that people escape to rather than from."
A significant portion of the conversation centered on school facilities. MSCS has proposed closing five schools, including two in Frayser, as part of a larger plan to "right-size" the district and better align attendance areas. Richmond said aging buildings with high repair costs, declining density in some neighborhoods, and the need to place teachers more efficiently all shape those decisions. He also pointed to recent property sales as evidence that the district is moving with greater discipline, noting that MSCS has sold 11 properties and generated about $27 million from those sales.
Throughout the discussion, Richmond emphasized staying focused despite outside pressures. "One of the most important things we can do is to not deal in hypotheticals," he said, "but to just stay focused on the work."
