In 2012, Mississippi was one of only ten states without a pre-K program. Leaving Last in Line gave Mississippi the start in becoming to being first in something significant—pre-K. The collaborative delivery model presented in the issue brief was the inspiration behind Mississippi’s pre-K law, the Early Learning Collaborative Act of 2013. Major Takeaways Pre-Kindergarten is…
About Early Learning Collaboratives 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. ELCs include school districts, local Head Starts, child care centers, and/or private…
Editor’s Note: During the summer of 2022, Mississippi First hosted two communications interns. Each intern wrote a reflection about their experience. *** By Meredith Kent I Mississippi First Summer Intern 2022 Growing up in Jackson, Mississippi, I saw first-hand how the structure of a curriculum can help or harm the educational foundation that someone must have…
Public charter schools empower communities to design high-quality, public educational experiences to meet their students’ needs. Charter schools are free, public, and open to all children in relevant grades. In the 2022-2023 school year, Mississippi will have eight public charter schools operating in Jackson, Clarksdale, and Leflore County. Because Mississippi is a new charter school…
By Rachel Canter I Executive Director Mississippi First has published a public memo to the State Board of Education to support the selection of a new state superintendent. This choice will not only be the most important decision the State Board makes this year; it will also be the most important decision they will make…
