{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Ayleem Connolly","chatgptsummary":"Connolly served as a Spanish teacher and department chair in MSCS from 2015 to 2023, providing direct classroom experience with district operations. Her current role evaluating multi-million dollar projects for a Fortune 500 company suggests capacity for budget literacy and policy judgment regarding capital expenditures. Holding two master\u2019s degrees in education supports her academic background. Endorsements from Mayor Lee Harris and the National Women's Political Caucus indicate community support, though this does not confirm constituent relations skills.","notes":"","party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n- None; candidate in the Democratic primary on May 5, 2026, for Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) District 8. ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Ayleem_Connolly))\n\n- Running against fellow Democrat Toshina Williams in the primary; the winner will face independent candidate Leigh Ann Scarbrough in the general election on August 6, 2026. ([Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Ayleem_Connolly))\n- Campaign website: [voteconnolly.com](https://www.voteconnolly.com/)\n- Endorsed by Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and the National Women's Political Caucus of West Tennessee. ([Vote Connolly](https://www.voteconnolly.com/); [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Ayleem_Connolly))\n\n## Background and education\n- Holds two master's degrees in education. ([Vote Connolly](https://www.voteconnolly.com/))\n\n## Career\n- Former Spanish teacher and Department Chair at East High School. ([Vote Connolly](https://www.voteconnolly.com/); [Chalkbeat](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-8/))\n- Previously taught at Trezevant High and Oakhaven High schools. ([Vote Connolly](https://www.voteconnolly.com/); [Chalkbeat](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-8/))\n- Currently works as a corporate trainer for a Fortune 500 company and evaluates multi-million dollar projects. ([Vote Connolly](https://www.voteconnolly.com/))\n\n\n\n---\n*Compiled from publicly available web sources on 2026-04-18.*\n\n## Office history\n- No prior elected office held; former teacher in MSCS from 2015 through 2023. ([Chalkbeat](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-8/))\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n- **2026** \u2014 [School Board (SS-8005)](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/view_form_8005.htm?name=CONNOLLY&id=103870&f=201068&v=1) \u2014 filed as a Shelby County official/candidate\n\n*Source: [Tennessee Ethics Commission Statement of Interest Search](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/search.htm). Scraped 2026-04-25.*\n\n## Family\n- Mother, wife, and grew up in the Dominican Republic before moving to Memphis in 2014. ([Vote Connolly](https://www.voteconnolly.com/); [Chalkbeat](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-8/))\n","firstname":"Ayleem","lastname":"Connolly","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"LhGxPvXUkC"},"token":"ayleem_connolly"},{"candidatename":"Tanya Frey","chatgptsummary":"Frey\u2019s two-decade tenure as an employment and nonprofit lawyer, including roles at AutoZone and ALSAC, provides experience in organizational governance and accountability through her firm Terra Firma Consulting. Her sons\u2019 attendance at Richland Elementary, East High, Middle College High School, and Houston High establishes direct constituent relations with parents and community members across the district. Residing in District 8 for twenty years further grounds her local engagement.","notes":"","party":"D","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n- Candidate in the Democratic primary for Memphis-Shelby County School Board District 8 on May 5, 2026. ([Chalkbeat](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-8/))\n\n- Runs under the name Tanya Frey for MSCS District 8. ([tanyafrey.com](https://www.tanyafrey.com/))\n- Campaign website: [tanyafrey.com](https://www.tanyafrey.com/)\n\n## Background and education\n- Holds a J.D. degree. ([tanyafrey.com](https://www.tanyafrey.com/))\n\n- Has called District 8 home for two decades. ([tanyafrey.com](https://www.tanyafrey.com/))\n\n## Career\n- Has spent over 20 years as an employment and nonprofit lawyer. ([Chalkbeat](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-8/))\n- Worked for 21 years as a Memphis-based lawyer, including time at Autozone and ALSAC (the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude\u2019s Children\u2019s Research Hospital). ([Chalkbeat](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-8/))\n- Runs Terra Firma Consulting, which advises nonprofits on leadership decisions and helps boards hold members accountable. ([Chalkbeat](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-8/))\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n- **2026** \u2014 [School Board (SS-8005)](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/view_form_8005.htm?name=FREY&id=103874&f=200875&v=1) \u2014 filed as a Shelby County official/candidate\n\n*Source: [Tennessee Ethics Commission Statement of Interest Search](https://conflict.app.tn.gov/conflict/search.htm). Scraped 2026-04-25.*\n\n## Family\n- Has three sons who attended Richland Elementary, East High, Middle College High School, and Houston High. ([Chalkbeat](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-8/))\n","firstname":"Tanya","lastname":"Frey","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"gSuQJWg59i"},"token":"tanya_frey"}],"choices":null,"description":"","district":"8","districtgroup":"county_school_board","districtgroupname":"Shelby County School Board","districtname":"District 8","job_type":"school_board","o.office":"county_school_board_division_8","office":"county_school_board_division_8","officedescription":"Members of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) Board of Education are elected from nine districts covering all of Shelby County. The board hires and evaluates the superintendent, adopts district policies, reviews and approves the school-district budget, and sets the district's goals. Board members are elected officials, not district employees; as of 2025 they are limited to two consecutive four-year terms. Regular business meetings are held on the last Tuesday of each month at the Frances E. Coe Administration Building, with a preceding work session.\n\n**Compensation:** members receive a per-meeting stipend set by county government; state law requires a minimum of $4/day ([T.C.A. \u00a7 49-2-202](https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-49/chapter-2/part-2/section-49-2-202/)).","officequalities":"- Policy judgment on a large urban district \u2014 Memphis-Shelby County Schools serves roughly 110,000 students across more than 200 schools, with a budget over a billion dollars.\n- Budget literacy for both operating and capital budgets, in coordination with the County Commission (which appropriates) and the Tennessee Department of Education.\n- Ability to hire, evaluate, and when necessary replace the superintendent \u2014 historically the highest-stakes recurring decision the board makes.\n- Constituent relations with parents, teachers, principals, and community members across an economically and racially diverse district.\n- Willingness to complete the state-required seven hours of annual training through the Tennessee School Boards Association School Board Academy.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"County School Board Division 8","partisan":0,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":"","source":null,"title":"County School Board District 8"}