Education

Attorneys Bicker Over Appeal in School Funding Ballot Title

Attorneys are arguing over whether the Mississippi Supreme Court should second-guess a circuit judge's ruling that affects education funding proposals on the ballot this November.

Bryant Vetoes Bill Called Weak on Ditching Common Core

Republican Gov. Phil Bryant on Thursday vetoed a bill that some lawmakers said would move Mississippi away from the Common Core academic standards adopted by this state and many others.

Punishing Children for the Sins of their Legislators

Our children have been set up to fail, based largely on lack of funding, a stalwart position of the Bryant administration.

Critics Blast ‘Third-Grade Gate’ Tests

Two years ago, at the urging of Gov. Phil Bryant, the Legislature passed the Literacy Based Promotion Act, but to the consternation of Democrats and other education advocates, minimal funding to implement the program came with the legislation.

Deadlines Set in Dispute Over School Funding Initiatives

Attorneys have until next week to submit arguments in a legal dispute about school funding initiatives on the November ballot. The Mississippi Supreme Court on Friday set an April 24 deadline for attorneys to file briefs about whether justices should hear an appeal from legislative leaders.

Uncertainty About 3rd Grade Gate Standards Frustrates School Officials

With testing for the so-called 3rd grade reading gate—which requires students to pass a literacy test before moving to the next grade—now under way around the state, some public school leaders say they're frustrated because they haven't been told what a passing grade is for the test.

Mississippi Chooses Minnesota Company for Standardized Tests

Minnesota-based Questar Assessment will provide most of the standardized tests for Mississippi beginning next year.

Jeb Bush on Hand for Special Needs Bill Signing

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush attended Senate Bill 2695's signing at the Capitol. The Mississippi program is based on one created in Florida under Gov. Bush, a Republican preparing to run for president.

Analysis: Democrats Disappointed for the Children

Whether this past session of the Mississippi Legislature was successful depends largely on which party a lawmaker belonged to.

Shorting MAEP Basically a Tax Hike

Dr. Cedrick Gray, the superintendent of Jackson Public Schools, seems to be proving tight-fisted Mississippi lawmakers right when they say it doesn't necessarily take throwing money at schools to improve education.

JPS Progress Report Good, Still Low Marks for MAEP Funding

Despite legislative budget writers shortchanging them, along with every other school district in the state, Jackson Public Schools are showing improvement in several areas.

Analysis: 2015 Session was About Modest Changes, Not Big

Facing pressure from conservatives who distrust the Common Core academic standards that Mississippi and most other states adopted in recent years, state legislators voted to create a 15-member commission to examine what schools should teach.

How One Mom Beat the Legislature on Schools Funding

A Mississippi mother of two took on the state Legislature Thursday in a battle over school funding. She won.

An Open Letter to Our Teachers

I don't doubt for a second that there are bad teachers who just show up to collect a paycheck, but I can't recall ever having a teacher who I didn't believe cared deeply for all their students.

Group Could Recommend New Academic Standards in Mississippi

A bill headed to Gov. Phil Bryant would establish a group to study whether Mississippi should modify or walk away from Common Core academic standards.

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