Thursday, February 18, 2016

Senate passes bill expanding charter school options

Leftenant Governor Tate Reeves issued the following press release:


SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE EXPANDS SCHOOL CHOICE FOR STUDENTS

JACKSON – Legislation allowing more children to take advantage of school choice passed the Senate Education Committee today, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves said.

Senate Bill #2161 updates the public charter school law by allowing students to cross school district lines to attend a public charter school. The bill, sponsored by Education Chairman Sen. Gray Tollison, R-Oxford, will help rural areas, including the Mississippi Delta, attract educational options for students.

“The opportunities available through public charter schools should be open to all of Mississippi, not only heavily populated cities,” Lt. Gov. Reeves said. “Allowing students to cross district boundaries will build capacity for schools in areas like the Mississippi Delta, where parents need options for their children.”

Currently, Mississippi has two public charter schools in Jackson. Both schools have waiting lists for enrollment due to overwhelming interest from parents and students.

Public charter schools successfully operate in several rural communities, including the Arkansas Delta and in Tennessee.

The bill allows employees of public charter school to participate in the Public Employees’ Retirement System. It also disallows school boards of C-rated districts from limiting educational options for students.

8 comments:

Comrade Re-edumacation said...

Charter schools will be one of the first targets for the MSNICcer non-partisans.

Because, as you all know, greater civic engagement is achievable if only Mississippi had a digital news and information resource that aggressively and objectively covered state and local government affairs and community issues, including education, health, poverty and race, as well as social culture.

Comrades, if we only had a high-quality reporting organization to act as our government watchdog that would support a functioning democracy and help shape the future of our state most of Mississippi's problems would quickly evaporate.

The problem isn't that we can't read. Our problem is that we aren't being fed the right information from an authoritative non-partisan single leftist source.

Anonymous said...

If Tate is for it, that's enough for me to know that I should oppose it. #TerribleLtGov #WakeUpMississippi

Anonymous said...

Can't afford to pay for the schools we have so the best thing we can do is to get more schools?

Heddy-Dale Matthias, MD said...

Hey, Jambalayans! I'm supporting one of these schools, ReImagine Prep, on McDowell Road. It's an amazing place. Another ReImagine is opening at the old Briarwood Church in NE Jackson. I hope Mr. Leland Speed, Sr. is successful in bringing more of these opportunities to children in impoverished homes. Check it out. Go to their webpage. Get involved!

Anonymous said...

It appears to me the instructional methods at the charter schools are different from state public schools. So if those methods are successful enough for a extension why do we not try to mirror those elements in the public schools? I know my 14yr is under block schedule sitting in Language for 1.5 hour everyday is torture. This ADD society we live in does not do well in that scenario and add laptop to mix. Don't get me started on forcing a laptops into 8th students hands and not being prepared to control the content at school. But oh we have to keep looking sharp and bowing down to the Dept of Ed for 5 Star rating to get federal funds!

Anonymous said...

"Can't afford to pay for the schools we have so the best thing we can do is to get more schools?"

Uh, the money comes out of the money that has already been allocated for education. It follows the students, whichever school they/their parents choose.

Anonymous said...

Not true. Right now more money follows the child than what public schools are given by the state. We should allow public schools the same latitude that charters are allowed- that is the only fair comparison. Public schools are mandated to do many expensive things that charters aren't. At the same time they are defending looser regs for charters they are proposing tighter ones for public schools mandating cursive, homework, curriculum and so on. A very unequal playing ground is being established.

Anonymous said...

7:12. That would all be fine except that you and the other "government schools are the only answer" continue to block it.

Charters are given more latitude because if their system doesn't work, they go out of business.

Public schools - if their system doesn't work, they just claim problems and continue to do the same thing, with the same failure.

There is nothing that public schools are mandated to do that are "expensive" that charters don't have to accomplish - you make the claim that they are, spell them out. It doesn't exist.

Charters don't cost the state more - they have to operate on the cost per student that were being spent on the student. There is no such thing as "more money" following the child - that's not what the law allows.

If you want to come on here and spout your made up defense of the government school system, back it up with facts or take your untruths back to the barn.



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In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


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This is definitely a Beaver production.


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Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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