Getting Involved as a Policymaker

Mississippi’s first charter school law is enacted but does not produce any charter schools

The law only allows existing public schools to convert to charter schools on a pilot program basis, with schools interested in converting having to gain approval from their local school board before subsequently being approved by the State Department of Education. During this period, only one school, an elementary school in the Cleveland School District, applies to become a charter school. A magnet school, it applies under the mistaken assumption it would qualify for additional grant opportunities. The law expires in 2009 without producing any charter schools.

Mississippi passes ineffective new charter school law

The next iteration of the state’s charter school law, the Conversion Charter Schools and New Start Schools Act of 2010 proves unworkable. The law only allows conversions of existing schools that had been rated failing for three consecutive years, beginning in 2009-2010. By the time the first schools become eligible to convert to charter status, the state has already repealed the law in favor of a better one.

Mississippi Charter Schools Act establishes the state’s first true charter school law

Governor Phil Bryant signs the bill into law in April of 2013. The law:

• Defines charter schools as public schools that have autonomy over decisions like finance, personnel, scheduling, curriculum and instruction, are governed by an independent governing board, are nonprofits, and don’t charge tuition. 
• Requires the Authorizer Board to receive a majority vote from the local school board to authorize a public charter school in districts with an “A,” B,” or “C” rating.
• Allows for creation of both start-up and conversion charter schools.
• Requires charter schools to agree to performance guidelines within their contract. Guidelines include student academic proficiency and growth, attendance, postsecondary readiness for high schools, and financial performance and sustainability.
• States that public charter schools’ contracts will be revoked if the schools are rated “F” for 3 consecutive years, unless the schools demonstrate “exceptional circumstances” as determined by the Authorizer Board. 
• Exempts at most 25 percent of teachers in a public charter school from being state certified when the initial charter application is approved–all teachers are required to have completed an alternative teacher certification within 3 years.
• Requires the state Department of Education to pay public charter schools an amount for each student equal to the share the department would pay the school district in which the student resides. 

State Legislature makes improvements to the charter law

This made it easier for the Authorizer to conduct a wide search for an Executive Director.

Authorizer approves the state’s first charter school

Authorizer approves the state’s first charter school, Reimagine Prep (Republic Schools) in Jackson.

Charter schools gain more funding and continue to expand

• State Legislature makes changes to charter school law, improving the calculation of local and state funding and imposing a penalty if local school districts withhold local funding from charter schools.
• Midtown Public and Reimagine Prep open.

State Legislature makes improvements to the charter school law

This allowed charter schools to give enrollment preferences to underserved students, in order for the schools to meet their requirement to enroll a portion of underserved students that is at least 80 percent of the underserved population in the traditional district. The Legislature also revises the annual audit deadline for charter schools to better align with the state’s fiscal year, and makes it illegal for traditional districts to retaliate against employees for directly or indirectly supporting a charter school application. The Legislature also removes the expiration date from the original law.

Smilow Prep opens in Jackson

• Smilow Prep opens in Jackson, Republic’s second school in Mississippi.
• The Mississippi State Charter School Authorizer Board receives a federal Charter Schools Program, thanks to major assistance from Mississippi First.

Two new charter schools open

Clarksdale Collegiate (Mississippi’s first rural public charter school) in Clarksdale, and Smilow Collegiate (Republic Schools) in Jackson.

Ambition Prep opens in Jackson

COVID-19 shuts down all Mississippi public schools

• COVID-19 shuts down all Mississippi public schools, including traditional and charter. Most charter schools open virtually in the fall of 2022. Leflore Legacy, which had been approved in 2019, opened virtually in Greenwood for its first year.
• SR1 College Preparatory & STEM Academy receives a charter from the Authorizer Board to open a K-8 charter school in Canton.

Mississippi First awarded a $19.3 million Charter School Programs grant

• Mississippi First awarded a $19.3 million Charter School Programs grant from the US Department of Education to double the number of Mississippi’s high-quality charter schools in five years.
• Revive Prep (Republic Schools) opens in Jackson.