Happy New Year!
The 2024 session of the Mississippi Legislature convened at noon today. The legislators you elected were sworn in and each chamber elected its own leadership: Jason White as Speaker of the House, Manly Barton as House Speaker Pro Tempore, and Dean Kirby as President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
Being the first year of a new four-year term, this session is slated to last 120 days, with Sine Die scheduled for May 5 – though it is possible that legislators will wrap up their work ahead of the later deadline.
We at The Parents’ Campaign welcome new and returning legislators and look forward to working with them to extend Mississippi public schools’ winning streak. Our public school teachers and students have proven to be among the very best investments of state funding, achieving far above their pay grade and positioning Mississippi well to move to the next level. Among their accomplishments:
- 91% of public school districts rated C or better on the state accountability model
- #1 in the nation in improvement in grade 4 reading
- 21st in the nation in grade 4 reading proficiency
- 2nd in the nation in grade 4 reading proficiency among economically disadvantaged students
- 3rd in the nation in grade 4 math proficiency among economically disadvantaged students
These remarkable achievements provide a road map for further success and set the table for Mississippi to realize her true potential and assume her place at the top of more national “good lists.”
Watch for details as the legislative session gets underway. Our children and teachers – and Mississippi taxpayers – are counting on us, and together, we’ve got this!
