Politicians often use the percent of the state budget that is dedicated to public schools as evidence of their support of K-12 education. You have probably heard them claim that education makes up over 60% of the total state budget. That is simply not true. While it is true that all of education – including […]
“Level funding” means that the same dollar amount in state funding will be appropriated for the next fiscal year as was appropriated for the current fiscal year. The term “level funding” is typically used when the Legislature fails to provide all of the funding that state law requires in the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP). In recent
An excellent early education experience for every child (A Blueprint Mississippi 2011 recommendation) $5-million for Mississippi Building Blocks Based on a per-student cost of $2,000, this will allow MBB in 2013-2014 to reach approximately 2,500 children in child care centers located primarily in low-income areas of Mississippi An excellent teacher in every classroom (A Blueprint Mississippi 2011 recommendation) $12-million
The Parents’ Campaign’s 2013 Legislative & Policy Priorities A School Reform Agenda Read More »
In September, The Mississippi Department of Education presented to the Legislative Budget Committee K-12 education’s budget request for the 2013-2014 school year. Fully funding the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) for FY2014 (the next fiscal year) would require an increase in funding of $300-million. The MAEP is underfunded this year by almost $260-million. Several members of the
MDE Presents Budget Request, Legislator Suggests Scrapping MAEP Read More »
The Parents’ Campaign supports the authorization of charter schools in unsuccessful school zones. Our Position The Parents’ Campaign supports the authorization of charter schools in the school attendance zones of any traditional public schools that for the two most recent years have had accountability ratings that are below C – Successful (Academic Watch, Low Performing,
Charter Schools Position Read More »
The following are seven principles that should be included in charter school legislation to ensure that resources are focused where they will improve student achievement, limit increases in administrative costs, rejuvenate struggling communities, and give Mississippi children who are trapped in underperforming schools a shot at a bright future. Permit charters only in school zones
Seven Principles for Sound Charter School Policy Read More »
Legislators in our neighboring state of Alabama also considered charter school bills in their 2012 session. They had vigorous public debate about how to ensure that charter schools help the children in their state whose schools are failing to educate them. The original charter school bills introduced in both chambers were changed significantly in response
Alabama Considers Charter School Legislation Read More »
The public charter schools bill that is most likely to be debated in the Senate, SB2401, has been introduced. The bill has many of the problems we anticipated, and it needs to be amended so that it has the intended effect: to improve student achievement and provide good options for kids who are trapped in chronically underperforming schools. A strong
Charter School Bill Needs Work Read More »
The Mississippi Child Care Quality Step System is designed to provide incentives to improve the quality of existing early childhood education and after-school programs and provide Mississippi children the skills necessary for success in school. This system allows licensed programs that choose to participate to receive monetary rewards (quality bonuses over and above the current
The Mississippi Child Care Quality Step System Read More »
State dropout data on Class of 2010, reported by MDE May 4, 2011: Mississippi’s dropout rate is 17% for the four-year cohort that began with first time 9th graders in the 2006-2007 school year and ended with the 2009-2010 school year. Click here to find school district-level dropout rates. Dropout rates for Class of 2010
Dropout Prevention Statistics and Resources Read More »
