Supporting Mississippi Students
At Mississippi First, we believe that education has the power to change lives, so we have dedicated over ten years to driving our state’s educational progress. Starting in 2013, with our championship of the Early Learning Collaborative Act and the Charter Schools Act, as well as the technical assistance we provided to communities to ensure […]
What’s Next for Mississippi First
Leveraging What Works for Mississippi Students Together By Angela Bass As I reflect on the first 90 days of my leadership at Mississippi First, I am humbled and energized by the opportunity to lead an organization so deeply aligned with my lifelong commitment to educational equity and opportunity. This commitment began when I was a […]
Introducing Angela Bass, Mississippi First’s new Executive Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – June 9, 2025 JACKSON, Miss. – Angela Bass will rejoin Mississippi First as its new Executive Director, effective July 8, the organization announced today. Angela hails from Tunica, MS, and she was the Deputy Director of Policy for Mississippi First from 2014-2019, directing several research initiatives, co-authoring policy and research reports, and providing technical […]
An announcement
Dear friends, colleagues, and supporters, I was 19 when I decided that I would devote my life to what eventually became Mississippi First. It was the summer of 2002, and No Child Left Behind was set to go into effect that fall. I had spent the summer as an intern in the Mississippi Governor’s Office […]
After 16 Years, Mississippi First Founder, Leader Rachel Canter to Transition in 2025
Move comes after years of significant progress statewide in expanding, strengthening educational opportunities; Board search underway for successor Mississippi First founder and Executive Director Rachel Canter announced today that she will transition from the organization in 2025. The move comes after a transformational period for public education in Mississippi, with more and higher-quality educational opportunities […]
Celebrate with us!
We are celebrating #GivingTuesday and the end of the year by raising $10,000 for Mississippi kids. Money raised supports our dedicated staff in achieving high-quality pre-K-12 public education in Mississippi. These dollars directly enable us to produce research, resources, and policy recommendations for children, families, teachers, and schools. In the last decade, Mississippi has improved dramatically. The pandemic has threatened […]
Before 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 caller may […]
Ahead 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 last decade, the […]
Mississippi 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 shared between the state […]
Mississippi First celebrates 10 years!
In January, we celebrated our 10-year anniversary with a breakfast at the State Capitol. Several legislators, education policy partners, and even a few former interns stopped by to congratulate us on our first decade. “For the last 10 years, Mississippi First has championed transformative policy solutions ensuring educational excellence for every Mississippi child. We are proud […]