Local educators plead case to Nashville legislators

WMCTV.com
February 21, 2005

It was a meeting of the minds, specifically educators dealing with Urban school districts in Tennessee.

"Urban districts face uniquely different challenges greater concentration of poverty, a greater concentration of at risk students, you also have all the issues of living in Urban community and the issue of size also," said Shelby County School Board chairperson David Pickler.

This was the second year the Urban School Caucus met to try to pool resources and get their message to legislators and others will influence and control of education dollars.

"It shows to the Governor that this is common throughout the state and so we're banning together as a team and there's strength in numbers," said Tomeka hart of the Memphis City School Board.

The caucus chose to focus on three key issues:

1. Getting more money for Pre-K students to help them in their formative years.

2. Also getting Special School District privileges--primarily the ability for school districts to bypass city or county leaders and set their own tax rates.

3. Changing the way the state divides money between school districts.

School leaders spent Tuesday evening schmoozing with legislators, pleading their case.

"It's important that they know where their votes are going towards so in the upcoming years we're get the kind of support we need from our state legislators," said Memphis City School board member Wanda Halbert .

State Senator Mark Norris wants to help but says money is going to be a problem.

"Dollars have to be reallocated and reallocated appropriately and that will take some time," said state Norris.

Tuesday at 7:30 in the morning educators from around the state will have breakfast then spread out across the Capitol doing meet and greets with law makers.