Today, we are excited to release our policy vision, “The Future of Schools: Supporting Families, Teachers, and Students.” This publication details three ways that Mississippi First believes we can change with the times in order to better serve all of our students. Families: Align and Extend the School Day and School Year Juggling school and…
Read MoreA New Report Detailing the Educator Pipeline Crisis in Mississippi
Jackson, MS—Today, Mississippi First released their newest report titled Nothing in the Pipes: Educator Crisis in Mississippi. In recent years, a new problem in a decades-old challenge has emerged: the number of new Mississippi teachers has sharply declined, exacerbating the teacher shortage and threatening the success of public education in Mississippi. This new report discusses…
Read MoreBefore You Ask to Pick Our Brains: Helpful Tips
At Mississippi First, we often get calls or requests from students doing research, interested members of the public, and other advocates seeking to learn more about pre-K-12 public education in Mississippi by interviewing us in person or on the phone about what we do, what we believe, or what we think about an idea the…
Read MoreState Board of Education Approves Temporary Measures for Educator Preparation Programs, Licensure
PLEASE NOTE: This is an informational blog post about actions taken by the State Board of Education. It does not describe a special program run by Mississippi First. We do not have any authority over licensure nor are we running an educator preparation program or a Praxis program. In light of the COVID-19 outbreak in…
Read MoreAhead of the Heard
Recently, Rachel was interviewed by Jennifer Schiess from Bellwether Education Partners. The interview was published on the Bellwether Education Partners’ blog Ahead of the Heard. During the interview, Rachel talked about the recent increase in NAEP scores and what they mean for Mississippi. She also discussed what Mississippi First has been focused on over the…
Read MoreMississippi First Officially Launches Raise the Rate
Jackson, MS—Today, Mississippi First officially launched the Raise the Rate campaign at the Capitol. During the 2020 legislative session, Mississippi First will be working with partners, collaboratives, and legislators to raise the pre-K funding rate from $4,300 to $5,000 per child for early learning collaborative students. Because the cost of the state-funded pre-K program is…
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