"Eight failing Memphis City Schools could be turned over to charter school companies or other nonprofit groups as early as this fall, according the state's 1,100-page Race to the Top application made public Wednesday.While the local school board would likely govern the school lunch program and athletics, the length of the school day and specifics related to academic achievement would be up to the commissioner of education or his designee.
'Most functions in those schools would not fall under the local school board,' said Rachel Woods, Department of Education spokeswoman.
Tuesday was the deadline for the first round of applications for $4.35 billion in federal money the Obama administration has set aside for education innovations. Thirty-nine states, plus the District of Columbia, applied.
In the Mid-South, Arkansas applied; Mississippi did not."
