Porter-Leath Assumes Head Start Control From MSCS in Shelby County

Porter-Leath, a Memphis-based nonprofit, will take over the federally funded Head Start program in Shelby County previously managed by Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS), following repeated deficiencies and safety violations by MSCS. The $30 million grant will support nearly 3,000 additional children aged three to five, expanding Porter-Leath’s existing preschool services, which currently serve over 1,500 children. MSCS will now focus on Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten classrooms funded by state and local sources, while also assessing impacts on staff and contracted childcare providers, including many minority-owned businesses. The transition aims to be smooth and coordinated, with collaboration among Porter-Leath, MSCS, the Office of Head Start, and local partners, including First 8 Memphis. The change follows incidents such as a four-year-old child leaving school unsupervised, which triggered federal deficiency notices to MSCS. Porter-Leath President Sean Lee emphasized the commitment to providing safe, high-quality early childhood education and comprehensive family support under the new stewardship.