Shelby County Schools has opted not to renew its early childhood education partnership with nonprofit organization Porter-Leath.
In a press release, Porter-Leath, which had been negotiating for a contract renewal this year, said that it learned of the seven-year partnership’s termination in a statewide phone call with SCS this morning; the arrangement will come to an end on June 30, 2021.
The organization will continue to provide early childhood education resources to eligible families, and will open its Porter-Leath Preschool families with preschool-age children at American Way Preschool & Early Head Start, Cottonwood Preschool, Early Childhood Academy, Early Childhood Academy in Frayser, Frayser Preschool and Early Head Start, and Porter-Leath and University of Memphis Early Childhood Academy (opens January 2022).
“We were not included in the Reimagine 901 Plan [to transform education in Shelby County] by the District, but had responded to three issued, then canceled, RFPs from the District,” said Porter-Leath president Sean Lee. “We remained in negotiations with SCS, including Superintendent Dr. [Joris] Ray directly, and were appalled to learn indirectly of the District’s move on a statewide phone call this morning. SCS is walking away from millions of dollars of private investment in infrastructure and quality improvement, but Porter-Leath will continue to utilize those investments to serve families going forward.”
The partnership boasted national commendation and several achievements, including $49.5 million in funding for four Early Childhood Academies, as well as an increase in school readiness results, up from 61 percent to a 72- to 82-percent range.
In its own statement, SCS said that it would bring all remaining Pre-K services in-house, and there would be “no disruption of services or support for students and families.” The statement claims that the move would generate several million in savings.
“Our early childhood director Divalyn Gordon has identified up to $3 million in educational cost savings to provide services to SCS families,” said superintendent Ray. “Rather than paying increased administrative costs to Porter-Leath, SCS aims to apply these cost savings to strengthen services and program expansions.”