All About Charter Schools inMississippi: Charter Legislation and Law, Charter School Numbers, Enrollment and Academic Achievement, and Charter School Resources and Support Organization Contacts, as well as Mississippi Department of Education Charter School Offices

Charter Schools in Mississippi

Law:   Passed in 1997

Rank:   Weakest of the nation's 40 charter laws.

CER Grade:   F

Schools:   1

Students:   334

State by State Summary of Laws Passed (May 2000- April 2001)

POLITICS:

WHAT'S IN A NAME: Mississippi's charter law has received an F on CER's Charter School Law Scorecard for the sixth straight year because it simply offers no real charter environment at all -- it's a law in name only. Charter School Laws Across the States: Ranking Scorecard and Legislative Profiles, January 2003.

OVERHAUL?: Mississippi has had the distinction of having the nation's worst public charter law, with the result that after three years the state has only one charter school. But now hope is on the horizon for some improvement. Mississippi House Education Chairman Joe Warren has introduced legislation to expand the number of chartering authorities and permit the creation of new schools (current law only allows conversion of existing public schools). For the first time, the proposal would also address transportation (state shall provide), governance issues, and start-up assistance (creates a state revolving loan fund). CER Newswire, January 10, 2001.

RESOURCES:

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION:

Mississippi Department of Education
PO Box 771
Jackson, MS 03905

Contact: Walter Moore , Charter School Consultant
Tel: 601-359-3501
Fax: 601-359-3501