This post is sponsored and authored by Empower Mississippi.
For many Mississippi families, private school feels financially out of reach. However new research shows that private education may be more affordable than most people think—and that smart policy could make it accessible to thousands more students.
Research conducted by Empower Mississippi reveals that the average tuition for private schools varies from approximately $6,710 for elementary students to around $7,240 for high school students. But even those numbers are somewhat skewed, influenced by a few schools in the Jackson area that have reported tuition exceeding $15,000. When private schools in Hinds, Rankin, and Madison Counties are factored out, average tuition rates fall to $6,240 for high school students.
To get a more realistic picture of private school costs, it’s more instructive to consider median tuition rates. Simply stated, the median is the “middle point” of the data, meaning half of the schools surveyed charge more in tuition and half charge less. Notably, median tuition rates are lower than the statewide average, ranging from $6,180 for elementary students to $6,460 for high school students.
Why is this information important? Well, all of Mississippi’s neighboring states have created programs to help more families afford private school if their assigned public school is not meeting their needs. These programs, often referred to as Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), offer parents access to part or all of the amount the state would otherwise allocate towards that student’s education in a public school. The money is set aside in an account that parents may use for private school tuition, tutoring, educational therapies, transportation, and more. These programs aim to remove the financial barrier of attending private school, thereby ensuring that more students can receive an education tailored to their individual needs.
For the sake of this analysis, let’s assume Mississippi offered families $6,800 through an ESA program, which is about the same amount per student the state, on average, is sending to local school districts for children in public schools this year. It’s also roughly the same amount Arkansas provides through its Education Freedom Account program. A $6,800 ESA would fully cover tuition costs at more than half of the Mississippi private schools for which we obtained tuition data. Even in cases where this funding wouldn’t completely cover tuition, it would make those schools significantly more affordable. Parents could make up the difference, or the schools could create a need-based financial aid fund to support those for whom tuition was still out of reach.
This research indicates that a private school choice program, like ESAs, could transform private education into a realistic and feasible option for many families across Mississippi who currently find it cost prohibitive. With the right policy, private education could move from being a luxury for a few to an opportunity for many.
Mississippi’s children deserve the chance to find the school that fits them best—not just the one assigned by their zip code. The question now is whether our state will give parents the tools to make that choice as all our neighboring states have done.
About the Data
Empower Mississippi gathered tuition information by surveying 93 private schools throughout the state and receiving responses (or obtaining the information from their websites) from 86.
36 comments:
Whatever it costs now, it will need to cost a lot more in the future to keep the dregs of society out. Otherwise, nobody with high standards will send their kids there to be bullied and abused by trash and have their learning experience disrupted.
This article iss meaningless to parents paying tuition at Jackson Academy, Jackson Prep or Saint Andrews
depends on your 40 time!
Looks like St. Andrews leads it
St. Andrews is $17k for pre-k and $24k for high school!? Yikes. That's more than most colleges!
I'm sure if you ask any parent that chooses to send their children to private school if it's worth it, and almost all of them will say 'yes'. I know it was worth it for us, and we live in one of the 'good' public school districts in the metro area. I would do it all over again if I had to without giving it a second thought.
Not this sh!t again. Quit trying to force private schools to take people they don't want.
The neighboring states also have WAY more private schools than we do and the population to support it. Those schools compete for attendance.
Here is the money grab. Now the “conservative” mouthpiece wants to give my tax dollars to private schools. They want an ESA and not a tax credit because they need my tax dollars to fund their private schools. I thought re-distribution like this was . . . Communism? Or just wealthy welfare?
School choice is socialism. School choice is forcing the government into the private affairs of people who pay this amount to keep the government out of their schools, stop spreading these lies.
Exactly, 1:03! But that's the real goal. That's what the CCP is aiming for: destruction of the private schools which have hindered the systematic destruction of the American People. These astroturfers probably don't realize it, but that's whose bidding they're doing. They're acting on the behalf of a Communist government on another continent.
Once the voucher system is in place, it will suddenly not be legal to NOT accept vouchers. And with the vouchers, you can bet that the government will want an increased say in how the private schools are run. Once another Democrat regime is installed in Washington, we'll find out what they have in mind.
In some places, landlords already are unable to refuse subsidized tenants. Expect it to work about like that: at first it's optional, but then it's MANDATORY.
Do the private schools want this? That’s the question I want to know.
I sent my three children to private school, they all made around 30 on their ACT and got full rides to universities. My youngest will graduate this spring semester a year early..! It was worth it to me, I know it isn't for everyone, but I worked my butt off and gave them the best start I could and it is paying off
May be cheaper on average here but the average household makes less than other states also.
My son is in kindergarten at St. Andrew's. I feel immense pain from paying his tuition. $6,800 a year would help out tremendously. It will probably be a struggle to keep my kid in St. Andrew's. Nearly $18k for kindergarten is so much money.
The school is great, but JA and Prep are about 60% of the cost. I have not attended a private school for even one day in my life, so all of this is insanity to me.
Somebody has to pay for it and it would fall on the tax paying citizens of the state. We started out in other states, but almost three decades ago, we chose to homeschool. Not once did I fuss about paying taxes that went to the public school districts that we never took advantage of, nor did I expect a handout/freebie. I went to a private schools growing up and guess who paid for it? My parents with lots of hard work. Why do we have such a mentality now to give , give and give at the taxpayers dime? Oh yes, we also paid off our college student loans back in the day when money was tight. Now we've paid taxes for the college bailout mess and kids now don't even want to pay their loans back. Yes, I am old now and I don't understand the mentality now of everyone wanting something that someone else pays for... and I do like kids, don't get me wrong. I'm all for better education but I paid my share already for my family and I'm still okay with paying my taxes to my public school.... but if Mom or Dad want to send Jr. to private school, maybe they need to hustle a second job (or job, period) for it.
And, if you thought private school would allow your average athlete a better chance to play, think again. You know what they say at JA...if you pay, you don't play
So EmpowerMS wants you to think that one could get this money and go to a private school. Private schools are not interested in school choice. Notice there are no private school-school choice organizations. Also the wait list at these schools are long. MRA has 350 person wait list as an example. Mississippi started school choice decades ago. It’s called Private Schools.
Empower and Speakah White going to make sure MRA and JA have enough money for recruits and a new stadium. Draft Kings is in negotiations to sponsor the new score boards.
Can anyone answer if the private schools actually want this?
“Hi, I am Empower MS! I’m a non-profit that is organized to change the fabric and tradition of your state and try to convince you that it is a good to get government more involved in PRIVATE schools. You should listen to me bc I have YOUR child’s best interest in mind and a snappy name and use ill-defined buzzwords like “justice” “empowerment” and other various and sundry manipulative words.
Grant Callen has an agenda. Dismantling public schools.
Sending my kids to JO was a great decision. They got a great education and were very prepared for college. Didn’t have to worry about school violence from other students or other disruptive students. They could focus on education, citizenship, and enjoyed great extracurricular activities. Teachers were actually competent and the facilities were too-notch. Sorry, but these private schools don’t want students there that have zero interest in getting and education.
Wish Empower Mississippi would stop pushing this false narrative that this would fix things.
How about this: Hold the failing school systems accountable for doing such a sh*tty job. Discipline the distracting and violent students from the public schools.
Too many negatives. Like it or not, a large portion of the success of private schools is attributable to the financial barriers to entry. Financially successful people generally have habits and standards that produce that success. They often pass those traits and standards to their children. Those children typically have better academic achievement and less behavioral issues.
The market will simply adjust to this. People with means will separate themselves using their purchasing power.
In other words, productive people trying to keep their kids away from the trashy, non-productive folk.
Can't have that can we!
Accomplished people dont really like to socialize with poors. Have you ever had to bite yiur tongue and play dumb with uneducated relatives during the holidays? You know how unpleasant that is? That is what it is like for us to have to be around you people. All the problems you create for yourself. Most of it is you all spending more than you earn, trying to pretend to live a lifestyle you dont deserve.
How was this “per pupil cost” of $6,800 determined? Does that include building maintenance, which has to be done with 200 students or 500 students? Does it include the utility payments, which must be paid with 200 or 500 students in the buildings? Does it include the replacement cost for outdated buildings, which must be paid whether 200 or 500 students attend the school? Someone (Grant Callen?) tell me exactly how the per student cost of $6,800 was determined.
We live in Jackson and send our kids to private school. We are seriously considering moving out of state for a variety of reasons. If this passed, we would be significantly more likely to stay.
Those of you who think this will help you pay for St. Andrews or any of the other “prestigious” private schools, you’re delusional. All they’re going to do is raise tuition across the board by the exact amount of the voucher. You still pay the same amount, school profits from free taxpayer dollars and nothing changes other than the private school will then use those extra funds to give more “scholarships” to the public school kids you send your kids to private school to avoid to come play sports and taking your kid’s playing time.
How about we pass a law that says a politician must enroll their school age children in the public school district they reside in?
Offer the money as a state income tax credit. Solves a lot of problems.
6:48 It is my understanding that the Ms. private school association has come out against it. Also, Grant Callen stated on Supertalk that children currently not enrolled in private schools would be given first priority and those presently enrolled would be at the back of the line. He said this this week.
The parents don’t
Tax credit is too sensible. How can the lobbyists and grifters get paid if we enact such a simple solution. Good government doesn’t buy the steaks and drinks at Koestler.
I grew up in MS and live in AR now. School choice works amazingly well here. It would be hard to ever move back to MS knowing that we wouldn't have school choice there. Most of the private schools participate, but guess what - if a private school doesn't want to accept students using ESAs, they can simply decline to participate. And they also don't have to change admissions standards if they do. This isn't hard.
wonder why St. Joe in Madison is not on this list?
It's high time everybody who can read totally ignores or discounts everything written, submitted and preached by this self-serving Non-Profit.
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