The primary election was a mixed bag for Mississippi children. There were some big wins, with pro-public school candidates prevailing over privatizers. In other races, out-of-state PAC money from Washington D.C. defeated staunch public school supporters. The lesson for November is clear. If we want strong public schools in Mississippi, we are going to have to […]
The Good and the Bad from the Primary Election Read More »
We’ve got six more days to seal the deal on a big win for public schools in the August 4 primary election. The game plan is simple: Make sure you know who the education-friendly candidates are, tell everyone you know, and vote next Tuesday! If you have a contested primary race in your district, here’s what we
A Critical Week for Mississippi Children Read More »
When it comes to the future of public education, the stakes are high in the August 4 primary election (see more below). We need your help to win the day for our children – and it will only take a few minutes of your time… Each week between now and the primary election, we will ask you to
August 4 an Important Day for Public Schools Read More »
Wow! You folks are engaged – and that’s terrific. We asked you to send us the questions you want to ask candidates ahead of the November election, and you responded in typical “we want what’s best for our children” fashion. Rest assured that parents and teachers all across Mississippi are paying attention to the 2015
Keeping You in the Loop on Candidates, Initiative 42 Forums, and Summer Reading Read More »
Last week, Governor Bryant signed SB 2695, the voucher bill that allows taxpayer dollars to be used to pay tuition for children with special needs to attend private academies and for-profit schools. The voucher schools are not required to admit all students who apply and are not required to provide special education services to the
Vouchers, Graduation Requirements, and Common Core Read More »
The 2015 Regular Session of the Mississippi Legislature has ended. The Senate completed its work yesterday and the House did so this morning. I cannot thank you enough for your tireless work on behalf of Mississippi children. You have been amazing! Here is an update of some of the legislation we tracked during the session… Passed: K-12 Funding – HB
Session Ends, Status of Bills Read More »
The House and Senate have taken final action on one of the bills we have been watching. Several remain on the calendar; the deadline for an initial vote is tomorrow. Still awaiting action Charter Schools – SB 2300. The conference report would allow open enrollment within counties. This provision would permit students, even those in
Update from the Capitol Read More »
The conference report for SB 2300 has added a provision to allow students to cross district lines to attend charter schools. Though the location of charter schools remains limited to school districts that are underperforming, this provision would allow students in any district, including those rated A, B, or C, to cross district lines within a county to
Calls Needed on Open Enrollment for Charter Schools, Another Tax Cut Effort Read More »
We are in the final stretch of the 2015 Legislative Session. The deadline for initial conference reports to be filed on funding and revenue bills is tomorrow, but those first reports are sometimes sent back for more work. The deadline for conference reports to be filed on general bills is Monday. Legislators will be working
Final Bills to be Decided Soon Read More »
The Legislature learned today that it has more money available to spend on state services. The Joint Legislative Budget Committee met this afternoon and revised the revenue estimate for Fiscal Year 2016. This revenue estimate is what next year’s budget (state spending) is based upon. The committee acknowledged an additional $30-million that can now be added
More State Funding Available Read More »
