C-rated districts could qualify for a charter school under House bill

• Currently, charter schools can only be established in Mississippi within districts that are rated D or F.

Legislation to expand charter schools into C-rated districts passed the Mississippi House on Wednesday morning. 

House Education Committee Chair Rob Roberson (R) described HB 1432 as a way to address the problems seen with charter schools. He expects the bill to undergo several changes before it is brought back to the body later in the session. 

In its current form, the bill aims to allow charters schools to be established in districts rated a C, which is about 34 districts statewide. Currently, charter schools can only be established in Mississippi within districts that are rated D or F.

This change would apply until the State Board of Education adjusts its scores under an updated state accountability model. Roberson estimates it will take about two years for that process to be completed.

Speaker of the House Jason White (R) clarified that once a charter school is established within a C district, it can remain in operation even if the public school district increases or decreases in assessment scoring.

“This is not about being against public schools. This about being for parents and kids, especially those trapped in failing districts,” White said. 

Charter schools have come under fire recently as a number received failing grades under the accountability model. However, Roberson points out that charter schools in the state are showing improvement, six or seven of which have improved by an average of about 20 percent. That means those schools are now doing better than the public school counterparts within their own area, Roberson described.

“Keep in mind, these were districts that were failing to start with,” Roberson added. 

Charter schools have largely been established in primarily low-income areas across Mississippi, providing those families with options to expand the educational opportunities of their child. 

“We need to figure out ways to make that happen,” Roberson added. 

State Rep. Zakiya Summers (D) pointed out that about a dozen schools within the Jackson Public School District had to close due to a reduction in population. She is concerned that expanding charter schools in the state would further hinder any progress made in those local traditional school districts. 

Rep. Roberson explained that he is aware charter school expansion is not popular with everyone, especially a number of superintendents across the state, but finding solutions for each community is the goal of the bill. 

“We need to have a real conversation about what works and what doesn’t work,” Roberson said. 

The bill passed by a vote of 60 to 48 and will now head to the Senate for consideration.