Mississippi

The worst charter law in the country has yet to be reformed despite many attempts. Parents not only lack choices, but also have little assurance that teachers in their assigned schools are held accountable. Some digital learning helps, and votes at the ballot box are likely to count more than in some states where elections are spotty on the calendar, but it doesn’t do much for parents who need power to educate their kids -- now.

The Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship program allows for students in grades 1-6 who have been diagnosed with dyslexia to attend private school if their current public schools are unable to provide programs to help them. For the 2012-year, the first year of the program, total expenditures were about $65,000 providing for 13 scholarships. Students participating are eligible to receive up to 100 percent of the state per-pupil funding amount). The state permits parents some choices among traditional public schools but it restricts such choice to outside of their district, limiting their options.

SOURCE: The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice

Mississippi has the weakest charter school law in the country. It is a law considered “in name only” and there are no charter schools. It was passed only to increase the state’s odds of winning Race to the Top federal funds, which it did not win.

SOURCE: The Essential Guide to Charter School Law 2013 National Ranking and Scorecard

Mississippi’s Virtual Public School was established in 2006, and serves as the only major online program in the state. School districts may restrict student enrollment in online coursework. In April 2013, a modest improvement to the state’s charter law, allows for charter schools to provide online content.

SOURCE: Digital Learning Now!

Objective evidence of student learning is not the preponderant criterion of teacher evaluations, which are not required annually by the state. Neither tenure decisions nor licensure advancement and renewal are based on teacher effectiveness. Ineffective classroom performance is not a ground for dismissal in the state. Tenure is earned after just one year, and performance is not considered during layoffs.

Mississippi has a state salary schedule that is based on seniority and advanced degrees, but teachers may receive performance pay through a voluntary plan that allows districts to reward teachers at high-performing schools.

SOURCE: National Council on Teacher Quality

Parents can access really user-friendly data on school performance at www.msreportcard.com. Data is broken down at state, district, and school levels. The information is easy to understand, and prompts throughout help make the data more readable. No choice exists in Mississippi, so there is no information on options. There are 152 local school boards, and while some boards are appointed, others are elected in November.