Principals,

As we continue preparing for the 2026-2027 school year and ensuring compliance with Tennessee’s Third Grade Literacy Success Act requirements, this email serves as a reminder that all required Literacy Commitment e-Collect forms must be completed no later than Friday, July 17, 2026. The e-Collect process applies to the following groups of students:

Third-Grade Students

• All students who are required to attend Summer Learning Academy (SLA) and participate in fourth-grade tutoring.

Fourth-Grade Students

• All students who are required to demonstrate adequate growth as part of the Promotional Pathway requirements.

We recognize that this timeline presents challenges, particularly since adequate growth scores will not be released until July 1, 2026. However, according to guidance from the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE), families must be notified of a student's promotional pathway requirements at least 10 calendar days prior to the first instructional day of school. Because the first instructional day for students is August 3, 2026, all required notifications and documentation must be completed in advance to ensure compliance. To support schools with this process, an e-Collect User Guide has been created and is attached for your reference. The guide includes step-by-step instructions for completing the required forms. 2025-2026 PowerSchool Promotional Decisions E-Collect User Guide (3rd and 4th Grade).pdf

Please note the following: Throughout the user guide, you may see references labeled “CS.” This designation stands for Charter Schools. Any guidance, screenshots, or instructions marked “CS” apply only to charter schools and do not pertain to traditional Memphis-Shelby County Schools.

We appreciate your attention to this important requirement and your continued partnership in supporting students and families through the Literacy Commitment process. If you have any questions or require additional assistance, please contact Porsha Dixon at dixonpm@scsk12.org or Dr. Amy Maples at MAPLESA@scsk12.org. 

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Textbook Services began recurring textbook deliveries for Math, English Language Arts (ELA), Science, and Social Studies on Monday, June 15, 2026.

To ensure accountability and accurate recordkeeping, all deliveries will require a signature upon receipt. Following each delivery, an email verification will be sent to the principal documenting the delivery, including the date materials were delivered and the individual who signed for the materials.

Thank you for your partnership as we work to ensure instructional readiness across all MSCS schools.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your textbooks, please reach out to Tiara Oliver, Olivert4@scsk12.org, or Dr. Rahmod Traylor at traylorr@scsk12.org.

Curriculum Associates iReady will engage in annual platform rollover July 21-28 during which time there will be limitations to platform access and reporting. Please ensure that you have downloaded your 2025-2026 SY Diagnostic Results Reports, Diagnostic Growth Reports, Instructional Groupings Reports by grade (if used for class placement), and the TN Standards Report by Class if you will be doing any summer planning/prep during this time.  The platform should be available to all users beginning July 29.  Questions can be emailed to RTI2@scsk12.org.

Principals should review the incoming 6th grade and incoming 9th grade RTI2A student plan files that can be found in the On Target for Success SharePoint in the Master Templates folder, accessed by request email from RTI2A@scsk12.org, or shared by your Regional Superintendent via email.  These students should be enrolled in appropriate intervention courses in PowerSchool as they have a Tier 2 or 3 intervention plan with intervention supports beginning August 3, 2026.

Elementary School Leaders,

If your school is interested in establishing a Run Club and providing students with the opportunity to participate in Memphis Youth Athletics (MYA) Cross-Country 1‑mile races and Track & Field events, this initiative offers a strong avenue to enhance your school’s wellness, enrichment, and student engagement efforts. A Run Club not only promotes physical fitness, but also strengthens school culture, builds student confidence, and supports overall well‑being.

Please note that the MYA Elementary Division includes students in grades 3-5.

https://memphisyouthathletics.org

For questions, contact:

• Jeremiah Bland – Blandj@scsk12.org

Health, Physical Education, and Lifetime Wellness Instructional Advisor

Memphis Youth Athletics Board Member & Community Outreach Chair

All completed student growth portfolio submissions were due in TNPortfolio on Friday, May 8 at 5:00 PM. Portfolio scores will be available in the TeachAll platform on July 6th. The overall portfolio score is determined by averaging the four evidence collection growth scores and converting that average to a scaled level from 1–5. 

A portfolio will be assigned an Incomplete (I) and the teacher’s LOE (Level of Overall Effectiveness) score will NOT generate for the 2025-26 school year if any of the four collections were not 100% complete by the deadline. These educators will also be assigned to the Novice track in PLZ for SY26-27 and will receive 4 observations. 

Questions about Portfolios? Contact Floresha Smith, District Portfolio Lead.

According to state board rule 0520-02-01 and state board policy 5.201, all educators must be evaluated annually by a certified evaluator.

All evaluator certification training for 2026-27 is virtual.

• The window for RECERTIFICATION is from June 1, 2026 to September 9, 2026, 5 p.m. CT.
  • Those not completing recertification by September 9, 2026, 5 p.m. CT, will be required to complete initial certification.
  • Invitation: If you were a certified TEAM evaluator in 2025-26 and did not receive an invitation and process details, please be sure to check spam/junk folders. As invitations were sent in bulk, a firewall may have blocked receipt.
    • Registration is not required. Invitations to access the learning module and to take the recertification test will be sent directly to currently certified evaluators.
    • Contact TEAM.Questions@tn.gov if you are unable to find your recertification invitation.
• The window for INITIAL CERTIFICATION is from June 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, 5 p.m. CT.

All certification courses will be accessed in the TeachALL platform. You will need to access the courses with your Single Sign On or a self-created TeachALL account. 

Please Note: The department no longer issues a certificate at the end of evaluator courses. Evaluators can save their TASL email as proof of completion.

​**All TEAM Evaluator completion notifications should be forwarded to the Employee Performance & Support Department via email: EPS@scsk12.org.

For more information about TEAM training and certification, please visit the TEAM website  .

Contact the State at  TEAM.Questions@tn.gov should you have any questions or concerns regarding TEAM certification for 2026-2027.

Information regarding the SY26–27 TEM Recertification process was shared via email on June 10, 2026. If you were a TEM Certified Observer during SY25-26 and did not receive this communication, please contact Employee Performance and Support at EPS@scsk12.org for assistance. 

To conduct TEM observations for SY26-27, observers must complete annual certification requirements by September 7, 2026. The TEM Returning Observer Certification process ONLY applies to employees who were TEM Certified during SY25–26 and who remain in a role eligible for TEM certification for SY26-27. 

To maintain certification and observation eligibility, returning observers must: Complete the TEM Recertification Canvas course Successfully complete the required calibration activity in PLZ Observers are encouraged to begin early to ensure all requirements are completed by the deadline.