Mississippi Seeks A Brighter Future Through School Choice

Mississippi students have some of the weakest test scores in the nation but, as of today, the way is paved for better results and a brighter future. This morning, Mississippi’s House of Representatives passed a charter school bill (65-55), clearing one major hurdle. Now, differences between the House and Senate bills need to be resolved.

“I’m proud that we could deliver this for Mississippi’s children but we still have a long ways to go,” Rep. Charle Busby (R-Pascagoula) said.

As Mississippi has some of the highest rates of poverty in the country, lawmakers also understand that expanded school choice will mean greater economic mobility for future generations. “I’m excited about being able to give parents a  choice in our chronically failing school districts, to give these children a vehicle for social and economic mobility that they don’t currently have.” Rep. Busby said.

This was echoed by Governor Phil Bryant in yesterday’s State of the State address, in which he tied education reform directly to future economic growth in Mississippi, saying “This session there is one definitive way we can make sure that our workforce will remain competitive: we must improve our public education system.”

Governor Bryant has pledged to sign education reform legislation into law in 2013. “The path to Mississippi’s economic success,” he said  “must pass through the school house door.” With education reform moving through legislation, things are already looking brighter for children there.