The Memphis City Schools board and the Shelby County Schools board each approved the settlement of the schools consolidation lawsuit Thursday, Aug. 25, in separate meetings.

And the MCS board appointed its five members to a 21-member transition planning commission. The slate is the first group of appointees to the commission which will make recommendations on the coming consolidation of Shelby County’s two public school systems in August 2013.

The board has appointed former MCS board member Barbara Prescott, former SCS board member Fred Johnson, Kenya Bradshaw of the Stand for Children group, University of Memphis professor Reginald Green and University of Memphis Law School professor Daniel Kiel.

County school board members have until Monday to submit a list of three possible appointees each to county school board chairman David Pickler for selection.

The Memphis City Council and Shelby County Commission must approve the settlement that was tentatively agreed to Wednesday.

Under terms of the settlement, a new 23-member countywide school board begins running both school systems starting Oct. 1, 2011 to September 2013 when the two school systems will merge.

Read more in Monday’s edition of The Daily News.