Memphis Faculty Senate Speaks Out on Relay Deal

Last week, we reported (thanks to Nancy Bailey) on a proposed collaboration between the Relay Graduate School of Education and the University of Memphis to create a new teacher education program that would train teachers to serve in the lowest-performing schools in Memphis.

Now, Chalkbeat has the story of the Memphis Faculty Senate expressing its displeasure at the move.

The bottom line: The faculty in the Deparment of Education wasn’t consulted about the move and views it as unfriendly competition.

The Relay Project in Memphis is receiving funding from the Hyde Foundation there, among other supporters.

For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport

Changing Teacher Ed in Memphis

Nancy Bailey has the story about a new program at the University of Memphis that appears to be an attempt to change teacher education.

Bailey notes that the new program will be run by The New Teacher Project and the Relay Graduate School of Education.

It is designed to give would-be teachers an intensive residency and those in the program must commit to teaching for three years in a high-needs school.

Here’s what Bailey has to say about Relay:

The Relay Graduate School of Education follows the same pattern and was started in New York City by Teacher U which launched in 2008 by the charters Uncommon Schools, KIPP, and Achievement First. It uses words like “systematic” and “alignment.” You could say Hunter College’s Graduate School of Education at the City University of New York opened the door to this quasi-“blind leading the blind” faux teacher prep.

And here’s who is behind the project:

Relay’s Collaborators are:

  • Teach for America
  • The New Teacher Project
  • Citizen Schools

And their investors include:

  • Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  • Carnegie Corporation of New York
  • Credit Suisse
  • Fund For Public Schools
  • The Leona M. And Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
  • JP Morgan
  • The Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF)
  • New Schools Venture Fund
  • Robin Hood

In Memphis, the Hyde Family Foundation is supporting the new venture.

For Nancy’s full take on the issue, read here.

For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport

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