photo of Dorsey Hopson

Dorsey Hopson

Former Superintendent
Shelby County Schools

Dorsey E. Hopson, II serves as the Superintendent of the Shelby County Schools (SCS), one of the 25 largest school districts in the nation. Hopson began his legal career at a prominent Atlanta based law firm. Later, he left the firm to serve as Associate General Counsel for Atlanta Public Schools. In April 2008, the Board of Education for Memphis City Schools (MCS) named Hopson as its General Counsel. Under his leadership, MCS was awarded a $57.4 million dollar judgment against the City of Memphis in a landmark case involving educational funding. In 2010, MCS surrendered its Charter and triggered the largest school merger in history. Hopson worked with state and local officials and provided strategic advice and counsel to the Shelby County School Board of Education throughout the merger process. In 2013, the Board named Hopson the first Superintendent of the newly merged SCS. Hopson has a deep passion for education and the law.



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Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.