Resolution over the financial state of Memphis City Schools is anything but clear.

The new fiscal year starts in two weeks, and both board members and administrative staff have no idea how much money the school district will have next year--or even if it will have enough to keep operating after doors open for students Aug. 11.

First, the City Council voted to lower the tax rate for education, which means the district will get $20.2 million of the $93.5 million it was expecting next year. The Tennessee Department of Education believes the council's action is illegal, and will start witholding the district's $423 million in state funding on Oct. 1 if MCS can't produce a balanced budget that includes a maintained level of funding from both the council and the Shelby County Commission.

The Memphis Board of Education met last night in a rare Friday session to address the issue and voted to sue the council if it doesn't reconsider its stance. The board said it is also willing to sue the state to avoid losing such funding.

Meanwhile, top district officials are at work today preparing a media campaign for the upcoming week that will detail some how losing this money could impact not only the district also the city.

For example, if the state cuts funding, more than 16,000 Memphians will lose their health and life insurance. That's because MCS, like most large employers, has self-funded insurance.

Council members are also sharing their thoughts. Veteran councilman Myron Lowery sent this e-mail late last night:

The “State to Schools: Recover or Suffer” article in today’s Commercial Appeal raises many questions.

I believe its time for the Memphis City School Board to host a meeting with the Tennessee Department of Education, the Shelby County Commission, Memphis City Council, the Governor, and our City and County Mayors.

The Memphis School Board has been caught in the middle of discussions with its major funding sources and its time that we all meet together to resolve these extremely important issues.

Much is being said and written these days about Kriner Cash and the Memphis Board of Education's decision to pick him as superintendent.

The Tri-State Defender's Tony Nichelson wrote a column saying Memphis showed a lack of class during the superintendent search and needs to support Dr. Cash now that he's been appointed.

http://tri-statedefenderonline.com/articlelive/articles/2896/1/While-the-finalist-showed-some-class-the-city-showed-its/Page1.html

The Commercial Appeal and most of the local TV stations have polls asking if the board made the right choice.

More have voted for than against Cash. You can take our poll here: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/jun/12/cash-already-rolls-up-sleeves/

And Mediaverse noted (as The CA did) that Cash was pretty clear Tuesday night he wasn't going to Cincinnati, but broadcast outlets didn't portray it that way on their 10 p.m. newscasts. http://mediaverse-memphis.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-memphis-city-schools-cash-in-hand.html

Kriner Cash has put all of his eggs in the MCS basket.

Cash, who was selected last night as the new superintendent of Memphis City Schools, withdrew today from the superintendent races in Cincinnati and Waltham, Mass. He was a finalist for the top schools job in both places and had been scheduled to interview in Cincinnati this evening.

Cash said he's already working with MCS officials on negotiating his contract and doesn't expect any major obstacles to getting one signed and having him in the superintendent seat by July 1.

For more on Cash's plans for Memphis City Schools, check tomorrow's editions of The Commercial Appeal and comemrcialappeal.com

Who's ready for a new superintendent of Memphis City Schools?

After the challenges of the past year, it's safe to say the whole community is ready for fresh and permanent leadership to take the reins of Tennessee's largest school district.

The Memphis Board of Education meets at 5:30 today to select a new leader.

Will it be Kriner Cash or Nick Gledich?

Word on the street seems to be that Cash has the upper hand after his passionate and commanding performance last week. He certainly has the vote of board member Kenneth Whalum Jr., as you can see in my story today.

Our colleagues at the Smart City Memphis blog have written an impassioned post about today's selection and the promise the future holds for Memphis City Schools.

The new leader has some immediate concerns to deal with, so board members are relieved the process is coming to a close and excited by the prospect of having a new partner on board to help them reform MCS.

Stay with the MCS beat blog throughout the day for the latest news on the Memphis City Schools Superintendent search.

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.

You can forgive Memphis school board members for looking a little tired these days.

More than enough has happened in the past month to make anyone feel a bit dazed and confused. The bad behavior of students made airwaves across the world before school ended and both city and county government officials are looking at possible cuts in school funding to help make ends meet in their tight budgets.

While Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton was at City Hall advocating for their overthrow and the consolidation of the two school districts, board members were across town in a conference room with the district's human resources executive director, figuring out the type of deeper questions they plan to ask superintendent candidates next week.

His shadow was felt in the city schools' central office, and Betty Mallott told her fellow board members she was concerned there are people in Memphis working behind the scene to intimidate the two superintendent finalists, a fear that was heightened after she read Thursday's story in The Commercial Appeal detailing efforts by some Memphis CEOs to promote Herenton as a candidate for the superintendency.

"I'm concerned about a deliberate attempt to intimidate the candidates," she said. "I have a concern there's strategy going on behind the scenes."

Board members have soundly rejected such efforts, saying they have no intention of abandoning the national search process they began in February and that they believe their two finalists are both talented educators who would push MCS forward.

Fellow board members told Mallott they were focused on the task ahead and believed the candidates would not bow to outside pressure, reassuring news to her ears.

"I'm truly impressed with the way this board has carried out this entire process," Mallott said. "I feel good about both of these candidates. Board president Tomeka Hart echoed similar sentiments, saying she appreciated the board's ability to remain focused even as outside forces attempt to sway their decisions.

The road ahead remains long for the board, with many of them having to take off all of next week to deal with the onslaught of meetings.

Monday brings another session before the County Commission, while the City Council is expected to make a decision on funding on Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday brings the interview sessions with finalists Kriner Cash and Nicholas Gledich.

Today is the last day of school for Memphis City and Shelby County school students.

Across the region, educators (and a few of us reporters) are breathing a sigh of relief.

For those who follow city schools, it was a year to remember.

As the Memphis Board of Education looks for a new leader, other challenges presented themselves as school shootings and inappropriate dancing garnered Tennessee's largest school district the national cable news coverage administrators and and board members would rather reserve for a discussion of academic progress.

You can read about the often-tumultuous school year in our story today.

From Bill O'Reilly to Mayor Willie Herenton, everyone had their say about Memphis City Schools and its current state.

Much more, no doubt, will be said in a few weeks when the superintendent finalists return to face the public and a few key stakeholder groups in their quest for the top job.

And while Shelby County Schools had a bit more to celebrate this year, the 47,000 school district had its share of controversy and challenges as well. My colleague Jacinthia Jones takes a look at the Year That Was in her story today.

What will you remember most from this school year?

Interim Supt. Dan Ward is hanging around a little longer.

He announced during tonight's meeting that he is planning to stay on until the new superintendent is on the job, reversing a decision he recently made to head back into retirement June 10.

If the board has a new superintendent on board by July 1, it may mean just a few more weeks of work for Ward.

He made note of the letter he sent to board members Friday night announcing his previous intention and seemed to chafe at its wide publication in media accounts this weekend.

Broadcast journalists have shared similar frustration that they were not given a copy of the letter--a public record--when they requested it this weekend.

Interim Supt. Dan Ward is hanging up the hat next month after 10 months on the job.

Asked why he decided now was the time, he said simply: "It's time to go."

Ward has served as the district's top leader during one of the most tumultous school years in recent history.

And it's not over yet.

The Memphis City Council hasn't decided yet how much, if any, of the school district's $93.5 million in city funding to fork over for next school year.  That will come later this month.

In the meantime, the last superintendent candidate, Nicholas Gledich, interviews at 1:30 Monday.

Stay tuned!