, 
, 
, 
, 
Sowing Seeds for Success
The landscape of Mississippi’s public charter school ecosystem is growing and healthy as evidenced by the student outcomes presented in this 2024 Annual Legislative Report. Analyzed results from the Mississippi Assessment of Academic Progress (MAAP) reveal charter middle school students outperformed their matched peers in both math and English Language Arts and charter elementary schools performed comparable to the districts in which they are located. Both Clarksdale Collegiate and Ambition Prep had increases of over 40 percent in student Kindergarten Readiness between fall and spring in 2023-24 outperforming the state average of 28 percent. Results like these are certainly something to celebrate!
Mississippi has more than doubled its number of charter schools since 2019, approved its first high school, increased its presence throughout the state, and is serving more students and families than ever. Charter school leaders and teachers continue to demonstrate a clear commitment to ensuring the students they are privileged to teach enjoy an educational experience provided to them in a safe, healthy, and compassionate school environment. Schools are outperforming other similar schools in their respective districts, comparative growth is strong across most categories, parent satisfaction is at an all-time high, chronic absenteeism is improving, and there is a positive demand for charter seats. However, just as all ecosystems are fragile and subject to significant impacts from external forces, so too is the landscape of public education. Changes in the environment ranging from public perception to pandemics can disrupt and uproot what has been nurtured through hard work and dedication. A thriving public charter school system will take perseverance, effort and intentionality and it will take the right conditions. The MCSAB, charter school leaders, and advocates share the common goal of improving the lives of children and offering quality options for families and one cannot survive without the other.
Therefore, we should pause, reflect and celebrate the successes our sector experienced in 2024, and continue to sow only those seeds that we are confident will bring about a thriving, dynamic, innovative K-12 public charter school system that provides all students with a high-quality education while serving and respecting the needs and desires of families and communities.