Since 2013, Mississippi First has been dedicated to increasing access and quality to public pre-K across the state. This week, the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) announced that Mississippi is one of the top six states for high-quality pre-K. These accolades are well deserved as Mississippi pre-K students continue to outperform their peers…
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Mississippi schools have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Every student now has access to a device, and the state is working to expand broadband access. These circumstances make it the right time for districts to establish a one-to-one technology initiative. Today, Mississippi First released our One-to-One Implementation Guide: Establishing Your District’s One-to-One Technology Initiative. The guide supports…
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This news deserves its own post. The Mississippi State Legislature doubled its investment in state-funded pre-K to $16M. This is an historic step that ensures educational excellence for Mississippi kids. Pre-K has been a founding policy area for us. When we helped pass the original law in 2013, we hoped that within 10 years 25%…
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With the passage of HB 852, Mississippi public school teachers are poised to receive a much-anticipated raise for the 2021-2022 school year. If signed by the Governor, HB 852 will adjust the minimum salary schedule for certified teachers to provide a raise of $1,110 for those in their first three years of teaching (bringing the…
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Last year, the legislature proved its commitment to early education by ensuring per-pupil pre-K funding was enough to promote quality. The legislature raised the pre-K rate from $4,300 to $5,000 per child, a difference of $700 total and $350 in state funds. Because the pandemic interrupted the session, the legislature made this change directly in…
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The 2021 legislative session has now come to a close. There are still certain bills that are awaiting the Governor’s signature. We will continue to update this post accordingly.
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