Memphis City Schools Beat Blog

Interim Supt. Dan Ward has put a hold on hiring in the district's central office. His decision comes on the heels of a 10-3 vote earlier this week by the Memphis City Council that cut more than 60 million from the districts budget for next year.

While schools officials weigh a legal challenge, Ward is taking a thorough look at the budget to see where cost savings can be found.

The hiring freeze is the first of many steps the district will likely take if the funding is not restored.

Here's the text of Ward's e-mail to staff:

In light of the City Council’s decision to cut funding for Memphis City Schools, I am imposing a hiring freeze on all central office positions that have not been filled, except those positions where offers of employment have already been made. This freeze does not mean that these positions can never be filled. However, it does allow us to review how we can manage our resources better. Any request for an exception to this directive will be reviewed by our Budget Committee.