By Dr. John H. Dixon, Executive Director, Mississippi Charter Schools Association

In late October, Mississippi’s charter community had an important moment before the Senate Education Committee. Dr. Lisa Karmacharya, Executive Director of the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board, delivered a thoughtful update on how charter schools are serving families and how the state can continue strengthening the sector.

Her message was clear: every Mississippi family deserves access to excellent public schools, not just those living in D and F rated districts.

Today, state law limits new charter schools to districts rated D or F on the state’s accountability system. That limitation may have made sense over a decade ago, when the state’s charter sector was just getting started. Families want more types of learning environments—career and technical pathways, early college models, advanced STEM programs, arts-focused schools, and small personalized-learning schools. Demand for innovation shouldn’t be limited to school accountability grades.

Families shouldn’t have to wait to access opportunity. Expanding high-quality public charter options doesn’t just give families more choices—it also helps districts retain students and families who might otherwise leave in search of better opportunities. Strong charter options can be a tool to strengthen communities and support local districts, rather than replace them.

Charter schools are public schools. They’re open to all students and held to rigorous academic, financial, and organizational standards. But too often, where a child lives still determines whether they even have access to these options.

Expanding eligibility for new charter schools–with clear parameters and strong accountability–would allow innovative public charter school models to open in communities that want them. Imagine a charter school in a B-rated district that offers advanced STEM pathways, or a partnership school focused on the arts or entrepreneurship. These models strengthen communities, prepare students for college and career, and strengthen the state’s future workforce.

Innovation is not competition, it’s collaboration.

While only the Authorizer Board can authorize charter schools, districts can apply to open their own charter schools. Some may want to create new options for families who otherwise look outside the district for specialized programs. And across the country, we see districts and charters partnering on everything from shared CTE programs to joint teacher training. Mississippi can benefit from these types of partnerships too. Mississippi also has the opportunity to attract regional and national high-quality charter operators who are eager to partner with local leaders to launch schools that respond to the unique needs of our communities across the state.

Raising the bar, not lowering it.

At MCSA, we believe accountability and access go hand in hand. Mississippi’s charter schools are among the most accountable public schools in the state. Expanding where charter schools can open should never mean lowering standards – it means giving more families access to excellent public schools that are held to the highest expectations.

Mississippi’s students are talented, capable, and ready for the future. Let’s ensure our education system keeps pace with its potential. By allowing innovative public charter schools to serve families in every community, we can make Mississippi a place where opportunity truly reaches all.