Public education in Mississippi

in  Mississippi

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K-12 education in Mississippi

Education facts
State superintendent:
Carey M. Wright
Number of students:
493,650
Number of teachers:
32,613
Teacher/pupil ratio:
1:15
Number of school districts:
151
Number of schools:
1,063
Graduation rate:
75.5%
Per-pupil spending:
$8,130
See also
Mississippi Department of Education • List of school districts in Mississippi • Mississippi • School boards portal

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Public education in the United States
Public education in Mississippi
Glossary of education terms
Note: The statistics on this page are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given are the most recent as of June 2015, with school years noted in the text or footnotes.

## Contents

* 1 Common Core
* 2 General information
* 2.1 Schools by type
* 3 Demographics
* 3.1 Enrollments by region type
* 4 Academic performance
* 4.1 NAEP scores
* 4.2 Graduation, ACT and SAT scores
* 4.3 Dropout rate
* 5 Educational choice options
* 5.1 Developments
* 5.1.1 Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)
* 6 Education funding and expenditures
* 6.1 Revenue breakdowns
* 6.2 Expenditure breakdowns
* 6.3 Personnel salaries
* 7 Organizations
* 7.1 State agencies
* 7.2 Unions
* 8 Taxpayer-funded lobbying
* 9 Transparency
* 10 Studies and reports
* 10.1 Quality Counts 2014
* 10.2 State Budget Solutions education study
* 11 School districts
* 11.1 District types
* 11.2 School board composition
* 11.2.1 Term limits
* 11.3 Elections
* 11.3.1 Path to the ballot
* 11.3.2 Campaign finance
* 12 Recent legislation
* 13 Education ballot measures
* 14 In the news
* 15 See also
* 16 External links
* 17 Footnotes

The Mississippi public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2013 Mississippi had 493,650 students enrolled in a total of 1,063 schools in 162 school districts. There were 32,613 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 15 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. There was roughly one administrator for every 253 students, compared to the national average of one administrator for every 295 students. On average Mississippi spent $8,130 per pupil in 2013, which ranked it 47th highest in the nation. The state's graduation rate was 75.5 percent in 2013.[1][2][3]

HIGHLIGHTS

* In the 2012-2013 school year, Mississippi had some of the lowest NAEP scores in the country. The state's best scores were on the fourth grade NAEP math test, on which 26 percent of students scored at proficient or higher.

### Common Core[edit]

Common Core, or the Common Core State Standards Initiative, is an American education initiative that outlines quantifiable benchmarks in English and mathematics at each grade level from kindergarten through high school. The Mississippi State Board of Education adopted the standards on June 28, 2010. Full implementation was scheduled to be achieved in the 2013-2014 academic year.[4]

In February of 2015, the Mississippi State Senate passed a bill to create the Mississippi Commission on College and Career Readiness. The commission would have been tasked with recommending new educational standards for the state, which could have effectively removed the Common Core standards. While the bill was also passed by the Mississippi House of Representatives, it was vetoed by Governor Phil Bryant (R). Bryant vetoed the bill because he vowed to fully repeal the Common Core in Mississippi, and this bill would not have repealed the law directly.[5][6][7]

## General information[edit]

See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states

The following chart shows how Mississippi compared to three neighboring states with respect to the number of students, schools, teachers per pupil and administrators per pupil for the 2012-2013 school year. The chart also displays that information at the national level. At $8,130, Mississippi had the lowest spending per pupil among its neighboring states.

Further comparisons between these states with respect to performance and financial information are given in other sections of this page.

Regional comparison, 2012-2013

State | Schools | Districts | Students | Teachers | Teacher to pupil ratio | Admin. to pupil ratio | Per pupil spending*
Mississippi |  1,063  |  162  |  493,650  |  32,613  |  1:15.1  |  1:252.8  |  $8,130
Alabama |  1,637  |  173  |  744,637  |  51,877  |  1:14.4  |  1:289.9  |  $8,755
Arkansas |  1,102  |  288  |  486,157  |  34,131  |  1:14.2  |  1:294.5  |  $9,394
Louisiana |  1,407  |  131  |  710,903  |  46,493  |  1:15.3  |  1:247.4  |  $10,490
United States | 98,454 | 18,093 | 49,771,118 | 3,109,101 | 1:16 | 1:294.1 | $10,700
*Per pupil spending data reflects information reported for fiscal year 2013.
Sources: National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 2 - Number of operating public schools and districts, state enrollment, teacher, and pupil teacher ratio, by state: School year 2012–13"
United States Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013 (Table 20)"

Note: In comparing dollar amounts across the states, it is important to note that the cost of living can from state to state and within a state. The amounts given on this page have not been adjusted to reflect these differences. For more information on "regional price disparities" and the Consumer Price Index, see the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis.

### Schools by type[edit]

Education policy on Ballotpedia

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Education policy in the U.S.

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Public education in the U.S.

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Higher education by state

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School choice in the U.S.

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Education statistics

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State information
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School board elections portal
Glossary of education terms
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Number of schools by school type in the United States

Of the 98,454 schools in the United States, 89,031 were classified as regular schools. After regular schools, magnet schools and charter schools were the most prevalent non-traditional schools in the country, at 6,079 and 5,986, respectively.

The table below breaks down each of the different types of schools in Mississippi and nearby states. Also listed are the numbers of schools in each state that are classified as "Title I" schools. These are public schools that have been specially targeted to correct achievement gaps in public schools.[8]

In Mississippi, there were 908 regular schools as of 2013. Vocational schools were the second most prevalent type of school in the state, with 90 schools classified as such.

Number of schools by type, 2012-2013

State  |  Total schools  |  Regular  |  Special education  |  Vocational  |  Alternative  |  Charter  |  Magnet  |  Title I
Mississippi |  1,063  |  908 |  4  |  90 |  61  |  0  |  17  |  721
Alabama |  1,637  |  1,402  |  44  |  72  |  119  |  †  |  32  |  906
Arkansas |  1,102  |  1,061  |  4  |  26  |  11  |  45  |  38  |  938
Louisiana |  1,407  |  1,218  |  28  |  9  |  152  |  104  |  77  |  1,181
United States |  98,454 | 89,031 | 2,034 | 1,403 | 5,986 | 6,079 | 3,151 | 68,140
† Not applicable. Some states/jurisdictions do not have charter school authorization and some states/jurisdictions do not designate magnet schools.
‡ Reporting standards were not met due to data that were missing for more than 20 percent of schools in the state or jurisdiction.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey," SY 2012–13 Provisional Version 1a

## Demographics[edit]

See also: Demographic information for all students in all 50 states

The following table displays the ethnic distribution of students in Mississippi as reported in the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data for 2012-2013.[9]

During the 2012-2013 school year, just over half of all students in K-12 public schools nationwide were white. About a quarter of the students in the country were Hispanic, with black students making up about 16 percent of the student population.

In Mississippi, a plurality of students were black. Black students totaled 244,189, which was about 49.5 percent of the student population in the state. There were 225,715 white students in the state, accounting for about 45.7 percent of the student population.

Public education enrollment by race/ethnicity, 2012-2013

State  |  Pop. category  |  Am. Indian
/Alaska Nat.  |  Asian  |  Black  |  Hawaiian
/Pac. Islander  |  Hispanic  |  White  |  Two or more races
Mississippi |  Number  |  994  |  4,818  |  244,189 |  161  |  13,389  |  225,715  |  4,384
Percentage  |  0.2%  |  0.98%  |  49.47% |  0.03%  |  2.71%  |  45.72%  |  0.89%
Alabama |  Number  |  6,136  |  9,920  |  252,397  |  471  |  37,685  |  429,179  |  8,849
Percentage  |  0.82%  |  1.33%  |  33.9%  |  0.06%  |  5.06%  |  57.64%  |  1.19%
Arkansas |  Number  |  3,316  |  7,185  |  102,231  |  2,661  |  51,352  |  310,458  |  8,954
Percentage  |  0.68%  |  1.48%  |  21.03%  |  0.55%  |  10.56%  |  63.86%  |  1.84%
Louisiana |  Number  |  5,365  |  10,463  |  319,734  |  526  |  30,899  |  334,175  |  9,741
Percentage  |  0.75%  |  1.47%  |  44.98%  |  0.07%  |  4.35%  |  47.01%  |  1.37%
United States |  Number  | 533,098 | 2,363,484 | 7,798,560 | 179,935 | 12,064,310 | 25,366,857 | 1,390,514
Percentage**  | 1.07% | 4.76% | 15.69% | 0.36% | 24.28% | 51.04% | 2.80%
**Note: This is the percentage of all students in the United States that are reported to be of this ethnicity.
Source: United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data (CCD), State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey, 2012-2013"

### Enrollments by region type[edit]

See also: Student distribution by region type in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 30 percent of all public school students in the country attended city schools during the 2012-2013 school year. About 40 percent attended suburban schools. Approximately 11.5 percent of all students attended schools in towns, while about 18.7 percent attended rural schools.[10]

A plurality of students in Mississippi attended rural schools during the 2012-2013 school year. Approximately 24.9 percent of the state's students attended city or suburban schools, compared to the approximately 75 percent who attended rural or town schools.

Student distribution by region type, 2012-2013 (as percents)

State  |  City schools  |  Suburban schools  |  Town schools  |  Rural schools
Mississippi |  10.8%  |  14.1%  |  28.9%  |  46.1%
Alabama |  23.7%  |  23%  |  14.5%  |  38.8%
Arkansas |  27.7%  |  13.9%  |  24.3%  |  34.1%
Louisiana |  24.8%  |  30.7%  |  15.8%  |  28.8%
U.S. averages |  30% | 39.8% | 11.5% | 18.7%
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey, SY 2012–13 Provisional Version 1a"

## Academic performance[edit]

Education terms

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For more information on education policy terms, see this article.

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School board elections portal
Glossary of education terms
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

### NAEP scores[edit]

See also: NAEP scores by state

The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The table below presents the percentage of fourth and eighth grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Compared to three neighboring states (Alabama, Arkansas, and Louisiana), Mississippi's scores were the lowest nearly across the board.[11]

Percent of students scoring at or above proficient, 2012-2013

| Math - Grade 4 | Math - Grade 8 | Reading - Grade 4 | Reading - Grade 8
Mississippi | 26% | 21% | 21% | 20%
Alabama | 38% | 20% | 31% | 25%
Arkansas | 39% | 28% | 32% | 30%
Louisiana | 26% | 21% | 23% | 24%
United States |  41% | 34% | 34% | 34%
Source: United States Department of Education, ED Data Express, "State Tables"

### Graduation, ACT and SAT scores[edit]

See also: Graduation rates by groups in state and ACT and SAT scores in the United States

The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for Mississippi and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.[11][12][13]

In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.[14]

Mississippi schools reported a graduation rate of 75.5 percent during the 2012-2013 school year, second lowest among its neighboring states.

In Mississippi, more students took the ACT than the SAT in 2013, earning an average ACT score of 18.9.

Comparison table for graduation rates and test scores, 2012-2013

State  |  Graduation rate, 2013  |  Average ACT composite, 2013  |  Average SAT composite, 2013
Percent  |  Quintile ranking**  |  Score  |  Participation rate  |  Score  |  Participation rate
Mississippi |  75.5% |  Fifth  |  18.9 |  95%  |  1,673  |  3%
Alabama |  80%  |  Fourth  |  20.4  |  78%  |  1,608  |  7%
Arkansas |  84.9%  |  Second  |  20.2  |  90%  |  1,697  |  4%
Louisiana |  73.5%  |  Fifth  |  19.5  |  100%  |  1,655  |  5%
United States |  81.4% | 20.9 | 54% | 1498 | 50%
**Graduation rates for states in the first quintile ranked in the top 20 percent nationally. Similarly, graduation rates for states in the fifth quintile ranked in the bottom 20 percent nationally.
Sources: United States Department of Education, "ED Data Express"
ACT.org, "2013 ACT National and State Scores"
The Commonwealth Foundation, "SAT scores by state, 2013"

### Dropout rate[edit]

See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states

The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for Mississippi was lower than the national average at 3.2 percent in the 2010-2011 school year, and 3.2 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.[15]

## Educational choice options[edit]

See also: School choice in Mississippi

As of June 2015, school choice options in Mississippi included charter schools, school vouchers, an inter-district open enrollment policy and online learning programs. In addition, about 9.26 percent of school-age children in the state attended private schools in the 2011-2012 academic year, and an estimated 2.67 percent were homeschooled in 2012-2013.

### Developments[edit]

#### Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)[edit]

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

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Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Media coverage and commentary
U.S. Supreme Court 2019-2020 term

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Blaine Amendment (U.S. Constitution)
Blaine amendments in state constitutions

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School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.[16]

In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.[17]

The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution--where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion--and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.

Mississippi is one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.

## Education funding and expenditures[edit]

See also: Mississippi state budget and finances

Breakdown of expenditures by function in fiscal year 2013
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers

According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.[18][19]

Mississippi spent approximately 16.4 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. School system revenue came primarily from state funds. Mississippi spent the second lowest percentage of its total budget on public education when compared to its neighboring states.

Comparison of financial figures for school systems, fiscal year 2013

State | Percentage of budget | Per pupil spending | Revenue sources
Percent federal funds |  Percent state funds |  Percent local funds
Mississippi |  16.4% |  $8,130  |  16%  |  49.9% |  34.1%
Alabama |  20.4%  |  $8,755  |  11.3%  |  54.5%  |  34.2%
Arkansas |  15.6%  |  $9,394  |  11.3%  |  76.2%  |  12.5%
Louisiana |  19.3%  |  $10,490  |  15.2%  |  41.7%  |  43.1%
United States |  19.8% | $10,700 | 9.1% | 45.6% | 45.3%
Sources: NASBO, "State Expenditure Report" (Table 8).
U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports" (Table 5 and Table 8).

### Revenue breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system revenues in the U.S. to compare all states.

According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.[19]

In Mississippi, the primary source of school system revenue during fiscal year 2013 was state funding, at $2.2 billion. Mississippi reported the lowest total public education revenue when compared to its neighboring states.

Revenues by source, fiscal year 2013 (amounts in thousands)

State | Federal revenue | State revenue | Local revenue | Total revenue
Mississippi |  $707,522  |  $2,213,501 |  $1,511,995  |  $4,433,018
Alabama |  $811,739  |  $3,898,347  |  $2,443,158  |  $7,153,244
Arkansas |  $572,096  |  $3,847,045  |  $631,643  |  $5,050,784
Louisiana |  $1,229,248  |  $3,370,399  |  $3,484,625  |  $8,084,272
United States |  $54,367,305 | $272,916,892 | $270,645,402 | $597,929,599
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports" (Table 1)

### Expenditure breakdowns[edit]

See also: Public school system expenditures in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.[20]

Public education expenditures in Mississippi totaled approximately $4.3 billion in fiscal year 2012. Mississippi reported the lowest total public education expenditures when compared to its neighboring states.

Expenditures by type, fiscal year 2012 (amounts in thousands)

State | General expenditures | Capital outlay | Other | Total expenditures
Mississippi |  $3,972,787  |  $402,465  |  $97,791  |  $4,341,018
Alabama |  $6,386,517  |  $582,174  |  $260,609  |  $7,229,299
Arkansas |  $4,606,995  |  $625,078  |  $161,257  |  $5,393,330
Louisiana |  $7,544,782  |  $744,610  |  $168,301  |  $8,457,692
United States | $527,096,473 | $48,773,386 | $25,897,123 | $601,766,981
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, "Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2011–12 (Fiscal Year 2012)" (Table 5)

### Personnel salaries[edit]

See also: Public school teacher salaries in the United States

Note: Salaries given are averages for the state. Salaries may vary between a state's urban, suburban, and rural districts and should be adjusted for cost of living. For example, a MacIver Institute study of average teacher salaries in 60 metropolitan areas found that salaries in New York City were the third-highest in absolute figures but 59th-highest when adjusted for the cost of living.[21]

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in Mississippi, the average salary decreased by 3.5 percent.[22]

Estimated average salaries for teachers (in constant dollars**)

| 1999-2000 | 2009-2010 | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | Percent difference
Mississippi | $43,535  | $48,722  | $42,339  | $41,994  |  -3.5%
Alabama | $50,139  | $50,779  | $48,802  | $47,949  | -4.4%
Arkansas | $45,625  | $49,850  | $47,085  | $46,632  | 2.2%
Louisiana | $45,246  | $52,201  | $51,014  | $51,381  | 13.6%
United States | $57,133 | $58,925 | $56,340 | $56,383 | -1.3%
**"Constant dollars based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, adjusted to a school-year basis. The CPI does not account for differences in inflation rates from state to state."

## Organizations[edit]

### State agencies[edit]

See also: Mississippi State Board of Education

The mission statement of the Mississippi State Board of Education reads:[23]

“  | To provide leadership through the development of policy and accountability systems so that all students are prepared to compete in the global community.[24] |  ”

|
|

The Mississippi Department of Education is responsible for "implementing state and federal education laws, disbursing state and federal funds, holding schools and districts accountable for performance and licensing all educators."[25]

The Department of Education is led by the Superintendent of Education. The Superintendent of Education is appointed by the State Board of Education. Carey Wright was appointed to the position in 2013.[25][26]

The State Board of Education is composed of nine members. The Governor appoints the following members:[27]

* One member from the state's Northern Supreme Court District
* One member from the state's Central Supreme Court District
* One member from the state's Southern Supreme Court District
* One member who is a school administrator
* One member is a public school teacher

The Lieutenant Governor appoints two at-large members and the Speaker of the House appoints two at-large members.[27]

### Unions[edit]

In 2012 the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas: resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. Mississippi ranked 46th overall for union power and influence, or "weakest," which was in the fifth of five tiers.[28]

The main union related to the Mississippi school system is the Mississippi Association of Educators (MAE).[29] According to reports, MAE had a total revenue of $1,639,194 during the 2003 tax period. Another statewide union is AFT Mississippi. A local school union in Mississippi is AFT Biloxi, which had in 2003 total revenues of $343,958.[30]

## Taxpayer-funded lobbying[edit]

See also: Mississippi government sector lobbying

The main education government sector lobbying organization is the Mississippi School Boards Association.

## Transparency[edit]

The Mississippi Accountability and Transparency Act (2008) mandated the creation of a spending transparency website, which can be accessed here.[31] The state has also launched the Management and Reporting System. This site provides information pertaining to the state budget, state property, revenues, vendors, and state employees.

## Studies and reports[edit]

### Quality Counts 2014[edit]

See also: Education Week survey

Education Week, a publication that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 uses six different categories:

1. Chance for success
2. K-12 achievement
3. Standards, assessments and accountability
4. The teaching profession
5. School finance
6. Transitions and alignment

Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and the District of Columbia. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average. The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.

Mississippi received a score of 68.9, or a D+ average in the "chance for success" category. This was below the national average. The state's highest score was in "standards, assessments and accountability" at 92.8, or an A average. The lowest score was in school finance" at 57.1, or an F average. Mississippi had the lowest score in the "K-12 achievement" category in the country. The chart below displays the scores of Mississippi and its surrounding states.[32]

Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.

Public education report cards, 2014

State | Chance for success | K-12 achievement | Standards, assessments and accountability | The teaching profession | School finance | Transitions and alignment
Mississippi | 68.9 (D+) | 57.1 (F) | 92.8 (A) | 66.5 (D) | 64.9 (D) | 75.0 (C)
Alabama | 72.0 (C-) | 62.2 (D-) | 92.2 (A-) | 74.8 (C) | 71.1 (C-) | 85.7 (B)
Arkansas | 71.8 (C-) | 66.7 (D+) | 94.4 (A) | 88.0 (B+) | 74.1 (C) | 96.4 (A)
Louisiana | 69.9 (C-) | 59.8 (D-) | 97.2 (A) | 79.6 (B-) | 74.9 (C) | 92.9 (A)
United States | 77.3 (C+) | 70.2 (C-) | 85.3 (B) | 72.5 (C) | 75.5 (C) | 81.1 (B-)
Source: Education Week, "Quality Counts 2014"

A full discussion of how these numbers were generated can be found here.

### State Budget Solutions education study[edit]

See also: State spending on education v. academic performance (2012)

State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.

## School districts[edit]

See also: School board elections portal

### District types[edit]

Mississippi contains five types of school districts:[33]

* Municipal separate districts include the area of a municipality and possibly added territory beyond that municipality. Municipal separate districts have not been authorized since 1987, but those districts that existed before that time may still operate unless abolished by the county board of education or the district's own board of education, if petitioned to do so by residents.
* Special municipal separate districts are municipal separate districts in which the added territory contains at least a quarter of the district's students.
* County districts include all of the territory in a county, except for any territory possessed by a municipal separate district.
* Consolidated districts include portions of a county that are not possessed by either a county school district or a municipal separate district.
* Consolidated line districts are similar to consolidated districts but possess territory in multiple counties.

### School board composition[edit]

Mississippi school board members are generally elected by residents of the school district, although some school board members for municipal separate school districts are appointed and confirmed by the local mayor, city council or board of aldermen. Mississippi school board elections typically follow the district method. In district elections, only voters residing in a specific geographic area within the school district may vote on certain candidates, who must also reside in that specific geographic area.

Most school boards consist of five members, although there are a few exceptions with six or seven members. School board members serve five-year terms, except for county school districts and two special municipal school districts whose board members serve six-year terms.[34]

#### Term limits[edit]

Mississippi does not impose statewide term limits on school board members. State Senator Sollie Norwood (D) introduced SB 2635 on January 20, 2014, which would have created term limits for all municipal separate school districts, but the bill died in committee on February 4, 2014.[35]

### Elections[edit]

See also: Mississippi school board elections, 2021

No Mississippi school districts within Ballotpedia's coverage scope are holding school board elections in 2021.

#### Path to the ballot[edit]

To qualify for the ballot as a school board candidate in Mississippi, a person must be:

* A resident of and registered voter in the school district
* The holder of either a high school diploma or its equivalent

A person must not be:

* An employee of the school district
* Married to an employee of the school district

The process of running for office as a school board candidate begins with filing a "qualifying statement of intent" with the county election commission. The number of petition signatures required and the filing deadlines vary according to the type of school district:[36]

* Candidates in municipal separate districts must include a minimum of 25 petition signatures and it must be filed at least 60 days prior to the election.
* Candidates in special municipal separate districts in Louisville, Natchez-Adams, Grenada and Tishomingo must include a minimum of 150 petition signatures and it must be filed between 90 and 30 days prior to the election.
* Candidates in the Vicksburg-Warren special municipal separate district must include a minimum of 150 petition signatures and it must be filed between 90 and 60 days prior to the election.
* Candidates in county districts must include a minimum of 50 petition signatures and it must be filed between 90 and 60 days prior to the election. If there are fewer than 100 qualified electors in a district, candidate petitions must only be signed by a minimum of 20 percent of residents.
* Candidates in consolidated and consolidated line districts must include a minimum of 50 petition signatures and it must be filed between 90 and 60 days prior to the election. If there are fewer than 100 qualified electors in a district, candidate petitions must only be signed by a minimum of 20 percent of residents.

School board election dates also vary according to the type of school district:[34]

* Municipal separate districts hold elections on the first Saturday of March.
* Two special municipal separate districts hold elections on the first Saturday of March, but two other districts hold their elections during the November general election. In the fifth special municipal separate district, board members are appointed on or before March 1 each year.
* County districts hold elections during the November general election.
* Consolidated and consolidated line districts hold elections during the November general election.

#### Campaign finance[edit]

Mississippi requires all school board candidates to file a statement of economic interest with the Mississippi Ethics Commission within 15 days after qualifying as a candidate. All candidates must file periodic, pre-election and annual campaign finance reports with the municipal clerk. If a candidate receives a contribution of more than $200 between 10 days and 48 hours preceding the election, that candidate must file a "48 hour report" with the municipal clerk.[37][38]

## Recent legislation[edit]

The following is a list of recent education bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Mississippi state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

## Education ballot measures[edit]

See also: Education on the ballot and List of Mississippi ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following statewide ballot measures relating to education.

1. Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, Amendment 1 (2003)
2. Mississippi Educational Trust Fund, Amendment 1 (1986)
3. Mississippi Free Public Schools, Amendment 2 (1987)
4. Mississippi La Bauve Fund, Amendment 4 (1987)
5. Mississippi Public School Support Amendments, Initiative 42 and Alternative 42 (2015)
6. Mississippi Segregation, Amendment 4 (1978)
7. Mississippi State Board of Education, Amendment 1 (1982)

## In the news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Mississippi education policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Public education in Mississippi - Google News

## See also[edit]

* Historical public education information in Mississippi
* Mississippi state budget and finances
* Mississippi Department of Education
* List of school districts in Mississippi
* School choice in Mississippi
* Charter schools in Mississippi
* Mississippi
* Education Policy in the U.S.

## External links[edit]

* Mississippi Department of Education
* Mississippi State Superintendent of Education
* Mississippi State Board of Education

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data (CCD); Table 2.—Number of operating public schools and districts, state enrollment, teacher and pupil/teacher ratio by state: School year 2012-13," accessed May 29, 2015
2. ↑ National Association of State Budget Officers, "State expenditure report, Fiscal years 2012-2014," accessed July 14, 2015
3. ↑ United States Department of Education, "ED Data Express," accessed May 29, 2015
4. ↑ Common Core State Standards Initiative, "Core Standards in your State,” accessed June 12, 2014
5. ↑ Clarion-Ledger, "Full repeal of Common Core fails in Senate," February 11, 2015
6. ↑ Mississippi Business Journal, "KILL BILL: Common Core death knell heads to Gov. Bryant’s desk," March 31, 2015
7. ↑ The Clarion-Ledger, "Bryant vetoes Common Core bill; Reeves criticizes move," April 23, 2015
8. ↑ U.S. Department of Education, "Title I - Improving the academic achievement of the disadvantaged," accessed May 29, 2015
9. ↑ United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data (CCD), State Nonfiscal Public Elementary/Secondary Education Survey, 2011-2012," accessed May 7, 2014
10. ↑ U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey, SY 2012–13 Provisional Version 1a," accessed March 2, 2016
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 United States Department of Education, ED Data Express, "State Tables," accessed May 13, 2014
12. ↑ ACT, "2012 ACT National and State Scores," accessed May 13, 2014
13. ↑ Commonwealth Foundation, "SAT Scores by State 2013," October 10, 2013
14. ↑ StudyPoints, "What's a good SAT score or ACT score?" accessed June 7, 2015
15. ↑ United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data (CCD), State Dropout and Graduation Rate Data File, School Year 2010-11, Provision Version 1a and School Year 2011-12, Preliminary Version 1a," accessed May 13, 2014
16. ↑ Supreme Court of the United States, Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue: "Petition for a writ of certiorari," accessed July 3, 2019
17. ↑ Supreme Court of the United States, Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, decided June 30, 2020
18. ↑ NASBO, "State Expenditure Report," accessed July 2, 2015
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 U.S. Census Bureau, "Public Education Finances: 2013, Economic Reimbursable Surveys Division Reports," accessed July 2, 2015
20. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2011–12 (Fiscal Year 2012)," accessed July 2, 2015
21. ↑ Maciver Institute, "REPORT: How much are teachers really paid?" accessed October 29, 2014
22. ↑ United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Table 211.60. Estimated average annual salary of teachers in public elementary and secondary schools, by state: Selected years, 1969-70 through 2012-13," accessed May 13, 2014
23. ↑ Mississippi Department of Education, "State Board of Education: Vision, Mission, Goals," accessed May 21, 2014
24. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Mississippi Department of Education, "About MDE," accessed May 21, 2014
26. ↑ Mississippi Department of Education, "State Superintendent of Education," accessed May 21, 2014
27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Mississippi Department of Education, "Mississippi Board of Education," accessed May 21, 2014
28. ↑ Thomas E Fordham Institute, " How Strong Are U.S. Teacher Unions? A State-By-State Comparison," October 29, 2012
29. ↑ Mississippi Association of Educators, "Main Page," accessed May 5, 2010
30. ↑ Center for Union Facts, "Mississippi teachers unions," accessed May 5, 2010
31. ↑ National Taxpayers Union, "Nation's Largest Taxpayer Group Applauds Mississippi for Passing Spending Transparency Legislation," April 17, 2008
32. ↑ Education Week "Quality Counts 2014," accessed February 19, 2015
33. ↑ United States Census Bureau, "Mississippi," accessed July 9, 2014
34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Mississippi School Boards Association, "So You Want To Be A School Board Member: A Guide for Candidates," accessed July 9, 2014
35. ↑ Mississippi Legislature, "Senate Bill 2635," accessed July 9, 2014
36. ↑ Secretary of State, "2013 Candidate Qualifying Guide," accessed July 10, 2014
37. ↑ Secretary of State, "2014 Mississippi Elections Candidate Qualifying Guide," accessed July 10, 2014
38. ↑ Secretary of State, "2014 Campaign Finance Guide," accessed July 10, 2014

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