Mississippi First is a 501(c)3 non-profit whose mission is to champion transformative policy solutions ensuring educational excellence for every Mississippi child. In September 2022, Mississippi First was awarded a 2022 Charter Schools Program (CSP) grant to help double the number of approved, high-quality charter schools in Mississippi. As part of this grant, Mississippi First is…
Read More →Who We Are
We are a dedicated team of experts who work tirelessly to promote the mission of Mississippi First.
What We Support
We are a leading voice for state-funded pre-K, high-quality public charter schools, strong and sensible standards and accountability policies, high-quality curriculum, and great teachers and leaders.
Our Work
As experts in our field, we share our knowledge and insights with policymakers and the public through publications, presentations, and briefings.
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We encourage you to follow us on social media and join our e-mail list to remain updated.
Celebrating Transformative Pre-K
In 2013, the Legislature enacted the Early Learning Collaborative Act, which established Mississippi’s first state-funded pre-K program. Through this program, local community partnerships known as early learning collaboratives (ELCs) offer a high-quality, low- or no-cost pre-K option to families.
Celebrate 10 Years of ELCs with UsSelecting a New State Leader
Mississippi First has published four characteristics we believe are required of the next state superintendent.
Get the Brief2021 State of Pre-K
In continuation of the State of Pre-K series, Mississippi First released the 2021 State of Pre-K briefs, which focuses on child outcomes, teacher qualifications, and access to pre-K in Mississippi during the 2017-2018 school year.
Access the BriefsVoices of the Shortage
In our previous report, Nothing in the Pipes, we explained how the rising cost of college attendance and the declining value of teaching salaries may be squeezing aspiring new teachers out of the pipeline. Building on that analysis, we surveyed 6,496 Mississippi teachers to establish the state’s most comprehensive resource for understanding the critical teacher shortage in Mississippi from teachers’ perspectives.
Get the ReportOur Latest Updates
Pass Christian Early Learning Collaborative
Pass Christian Early Learning Collaborative The Pass Christian Early Learning Collaborative has three sites: Pass Christian Elementary School, DeLisle Elementary School, and Doyle Moffett Head Start. It has served 100 four-year-olds since its founding in 2022. Number of Classrooms in ELC 5 Students Served in 2022-2023 100 Number of Sites in ELC 3 “The opportunity…
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George Early Learning Collaborative The George Early Learning Collaborative has six sites: Agricola Elementary School, Benndale Elementary School, LC Hatcher Elementary School, Central Elementary School, Rocky Creek Elementary School, and Singing River Head Start. It has served 436 four-year-olds since its founding in 2019. Number of Classrooms in ELC 8 Students Served in 2022-2023 159…
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