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Congratulations, Memphis!

Photo by Lisa Buser

The Hyde Family Foundations congratulate Superintendent Kriner Cash and the entire Memphis team on today’s announcement that Memphis City Schools is one of three cities and a charter school network to receive an Intensive Partnership Grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a huge vote of confidence from one of the most respected organizations in the world.

The $90 million grant will fund the innovative Teacher Effectiveness Initiative (TEI), a program designed to improve the quality of our public schools by changing the way we recruit, hire, measure, reward and retain effective teachers.

At the Hyde Family Foundations, we believe that great teachers are the foundation upon which successful students are built.

No single factor influences student outcomes more than teacher quality, which is exactly why the innovative proposal was appealing to the Gates Foundation and why it holds so much promise for our children. We’re especially pleased that the TEI was designed and will be executed in partnership with teachers themselves through ongoing collaboration with the Memphis Education Association. 

Our hope is that today’s announcement serves as a catalyst for further investment in our schools, both by local and national partners. The eyes of the nation are on Memphis. Let’s take advantage of this rare opportunity to engage new partners, to explore new ideas, to fund promising urban education entrepreneurs, and to make Memphis a national model for urban school transformation.

So, again, congratulations, Memphis.

Trustees and Staff of the Hyde Family Foundations