Two new charter schools receive approval in Mississippi

• One new facility will use a hybrid model for learning, while the other will employ traditional in-person teaching only.

Two new charter schools have been approved to set up operation within the state of Mississippi. 

Approval was provided during a meeting held on Monday by the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board. 

Grant Callen, founder and CEO of Empower Mississippi, said the addition of two more charter schools is beneficial for the state’s children. He added that Embark, an initiative launched by Empower about three years ago, assisted both schools with the application process through their fellowship program. Embark Director Elyse Marcellino and her staff are now in the process of identifying fellows for next year’s approval process, Callen said.

“The credit goes to school founders, they put forth great applicants,” Callen said. “It’s a big win for kids and I’m really grateful to the Charter Authorizer Board and the executive director for their work to get us to this point, and I’m glad Embark was able to play a role in it.”

A release from the MCSAB states that the two schools will have some variations in how they educate.

Archway Charter School will provide hybrid learning opportunities to students in grades 7 to 12, while the Mississippi Global Academy will provide traditional education experiences to students in grades 4 to 12.

Archway Charter School’s hybrid program will allow students to engage in curriculum through in-person lessons and online classes. The hybrid curriculum also allows for a learning experience that can be adjusted to best suit each student’s learning needs. 

“The approval of the hybrid model school reflects MCSAB’s commitment to fostering innovative educational practices that can better serve the diverse needs of Mississippi’s children,” the Board said in a statement. 

Even though a hybrid model will be employed, the curriculum will include core subject matters along with extracurricular activities and electives. The utilization of technology and flexibility in the lesson plans will help the students prepare for a workforce of the future, organizers believe. Archway Charter School is slated to open its doors in Humphreys County in fall of 2025. 

Mississippi Global Academy, which will cater to students in the North and West Bolivar Consolidated School Districts in the Delta, will provide students with the traditional classroom learning experience and use a model similar to that used by the Blue Ribbon School in Washington, D.C.

“More choice in education is a good thing,” Governor Tate Reeves told Magnolia Tribune on Friday. “I think it’s great that the Board approved these two new charter schools, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact they’ll have on Mississippi students. 

State Representative Rob Roberson (R), House Education Chairman, said he is glad to hear of the approval of the two new charter schools.

“I’m excited for them, but I just want to see them do well,” Roberson told Magnolia Tribune.

Roberson said he plans to dig into ways he can aid charter and public schools in the state accomplish their best, “not just scrape by.”

While recent assessment scores show charter schools in the state are improving, Rep. Roberson said there is still room for improvement. That is especially true as discussions about school choice are anticipated during the upcoming legislative session.

“It’s awfully hard for me to talk about that whenever some of the things we’ve done are not doing exactly what I want them to do,” Roberson said about school choice.

The Charter School Board noted that approval of the two new charter schools meet MCSAB’s aim to provide underserved students with a top-notch education. 

“The application cycle is both rigorous and demanding to ensure that only those founding teams that clearly demonstrate the ability to open and operate a highly successful school are offered a charter. We look forward to working with both schools’ governing boards and school level leaders as they prepare to serve the children of Mississippi,” said Dr. Karmacharya, Executive Director of the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board. 

Charter schools in Mississippi operate as open enrollment educational facilities. Currently, there are 10 charter schools in the state, most of which operate in or near the City of Jackson.

Charter school founders can apply to set up a new facility only within school districts that are rated D or F in the state’s assessment system. Empower’s Callen said that is a barrier in attracting more charter schools since Mississippi currently only has three districts rated D or F.

“We’re hopeful that there will be appetite in the coming session to allow charters to open in C districts, not just D and F,” Callen added.

Parents interested in enrolling their child in a charter school can visit the respective school’s website for more information, MCSAB stated.