Shelby County Commissioners will consider proposed revisions to the universal pre-K program on June 10. Mayor Lee Harris seeks to revise a 2025 ordinance setting a goal of providing pre-K to all eligible county students.

The revisions would replace the single fiscal agent model distributing pre-K funds with multiple entities. Harris stated too much funding has been allocated to First 8 Memphis administrative overhead rather than classrooms. The amendment would allow direct funding to learning facilities and additional vendors.

County administration officials met with nonprofit First 8 Memphis on June 1. Kandace Thomas, First 8 Memphis Director, said, "First 8 Memphis recently met with county attorney Megan Smith and special assistant Hannah McCarthy this evening. They are bringing a couple of revisions to Mayor Harris, per our conversation."

Thomas said, "It was decided at that time you needed an independent fiscal agent to do this work without compromising the community." She added, "The organization that you work with to invest the pre-k funds should actually be seen as more than a vendor. It really should be seen as a community institution for early learning."

Yvonne Matlock, former Shelby County health director, said, "The proposed amendment that you all have before you as a joint ordinance would dismantle more than 10 years of effective alignment of early childhood services system building." Bob Nardo, Libertas Memphis Executive Director, said, "I want to let you know, our kids are finishing up their pre-k year in the 55% national percentile for reading." Changing the structure requires a two-thirds majority vote by county commissioners.

The county hired the organization to implement a five-year pre-K plan. The revised ordinance sets an annual pre-K funding target of $21 million. Last year, the county paid more than $14 million toward pre-K funding, while the City of Memphis provides the remainder. The county baseline early childhood education allotment was approximately $8.5 million before the ordinance.