{"county":"shelby","description":"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/)).","district":"6","districtgroup":"county_school_board","id":107,"key":"county_school_board_division_6","lastchangeby":null,"name":"Keith Williams","next_election":"2018-11-08","notes":"117","officegroup":"county_school_board","partisan":0,"party":"","qualities":"- 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.","quantity":1,"source":null,"state":"TN","term_end":"2026-09-01","term_start":"2022-09-01","term_years":4,"terms":[{"current":1,"description":"","electiondate":"2022-08-06","name":"Keith Williams","person":{"biography":"Keith O. Williams is Executive Director of the Memphis-Shelby County Education Association. He is a proven leader and champion for parents, educators, students, and public education in Memphis and Shelby County. Williams graduated from Melrose High School, Knoxville College, Trevecca University, and the University of Mississippi. He is married to his college sweetheart, Gloria Sherfield Williams, the proud father of Dr. Mialika Watkins and Keith Chad Williams, and the proudest grandfather of Micah and Moriah Watkins.\n\nAfter 41 years of dedicated service, Williams retired from legacy Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools. He is committed to the success and empowerment of students, educators, and parents; his motto is \u201cTogether, we all win.\u201d","firstname":"Keith","lastname":"Williams","token":"sV5x79UddV"},"term_end":"2026-09-01","term_start":"2022-09-01"},{"current":0,"description":"Elected in the May 5, 2026 Shelby County general election.","electiondate":"2026-05-05","name":"T. L. Harris","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n- Candidate for Memphis-Shelby County School Board, District 6 in the Democratic primary on May 5, 2026. ([Chalkbeat](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-6/))\n\n- One of five candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for the seat held by former teachers union leader Keith Williams since 2022. ([Chalkbeat](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-6/))\n- Campaign site: [voteharris901.com](https://voteharris901.com/)\n- Signature initiative is \"The Third Grade Standard,\" aiming to increase third-grade reading proficiency by 10% within two academic years. ([Campaign Site](https://voteharris901.com/))\n- Endorsed by the Memphis-Shelby County Education Association, labor union Memphis AFSCME Local 1733, and city council member Pearl Eva Walker. ([Memphis Flyer](https://www.memphisflyer.com/past-cocaine-conviction-a-campaign-smear-says-school-board-candidate/))\n\n## Background and education\n- Product of Memphis\u2013Shelby County Schools. ([Campaign Site](https://voteharris901.com/))\n- LeMoyne-Owen College alumnus. ([Campaign Site](https://voteharris901.com/))\n- University of Memphis Political Science graduate. ([Campaign Site](https://voteharris901.com/))\n- LSU MBA Candidate, Class of 2027. ([Campaign Site](https://voteharris901.com/))\n\n## Career\n- Healthcare executive and Managing Partner of Whitehaven Family Healthcare (also referred to as Walhaven Family Healthcare or Memphis Family Healthcare). ([Campaign Site](https://voteharris901.com/); [Memphis Flyer](https://www.memphisflyer.com/past-cocaine-conviction-a-campaign-smear-says-school-board-candidate/))\n- 2024 Leaders of Color Graduate. ([Campaign Site](https://voteharris901.com/))\n\n## Office history\n- Served as a Memphis police officer two decades ago. ([Memphis Flyer](https://www.memphisflyer.com/past-cocaine-conviction-a-campaign-smear-says-school-board-candidate/))\n- Led a youth violence prevention program for three years. ([Chalkbeat](https://www.chalkbeat.org/tennessee/2026/04/14/voter-guide-memphis-shelby-county-schools-board-election-district-6/))\n\n## Documented disputes and controversies\n- Pleaded guilty in 2006 to attempting to possess with the intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine while serving as a city police officer. ([Memphis Flyer](https://www.memphisflyer.com/past-cocaine-conviction-a-campaign-smear-says-school-board-candidate/))\n- Sentenced to 51 months in federal prison and 60 months on supervised release; supervised release was terminated early in 2013. ([Memphis Flyer](https://www.memphisflyer.com/past-cocaine-conviction-a-campaign-smear-says-school-board-candidate/))\n- Qualified to run for office after having his civil rights restored in a local court. ([Memphis Flyer](https://www.memphisflyer.com/past-cocaine-conviction-a-campaign-smear-says-school-board-candidate/))\n\n\n\n---\n*Compiled from publicly available web sources on 2026-04-18.*\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=HARRIS&id=103879&f=201007&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- 30+ year Whitehaven resident. ([Campaign Site](https://voteharris901.com/))\n","firstname":"T.","lastname":"Harris","middlename":"L.","token":"8mn7tjtyxC"},"term_end":"2030-09-01","term_start":"2026-09-01"}],"title":"County School Board Division 6","type":"legislative","url":null,"whenchanged":"2026-04-25 19:49:19"}