Interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond says stabilizing Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) has been his central focus during his first 11 months in the role. On WKNO’s Behind the Headlines, Richmond spoke with host Eric Barnes and Daily Memphian reporter Laura Testino about enrollment declines, chronic absenteeism, school closures, and the district’s efforts to better align services with community needs.
Richmond said his decades in the district shape his approach. “I have been here 32 years, so I one thing I bring is the historical context,” he said. “I understand this community because I’ve been in it all of my life. I also bring credibility… and I’d like to think that my team and I have truly steadied the ship over the past 11 months.”
He outlined early goals focused on rebuilding trust with the school board, strengthening governance, and returning emphasis to “academics, attendance, attitude, athletics, and the arts.” Richmond also described efforts to reconnect staff systemwide, saying he has tried to meet employees across all departments so “they would know that they had someone that they could trust who truly cared about them.”…