- The speaker said legislation will be aimed at helping parents have a say in their child’s education.
The Mississippi House of Representatives will begin hammering out an education bill to be considered next session, with meetings starting later this month.
House Speaker Jason White (R) stated on Thursday that all voices will be heard.
During a speech at a Mississippi Chapter of the Americans for Prosperity forum, White said rumors and bad information are swirling around the conversation about educational freedom legislation.
“The House doesn’t have a bill yet; it’s a long way from completion,” he said, noting that when school choice or education freedom bills emerge from committees, they will be enacted over a 3- to 5-year period.
White appointed a Select Committee on Educational Freedom earlier this summer. State and national experts will discuss ideas and best practices for possible inclusion in the upcoming education bills.
White said some topics to be explored include the impact of school choice on local schools and high school athletic programs.
“Everyone will have a seat at the table, even those who oppose reform,” the speaker told a group of about 70 attendees.
Legislators are reporting that parents want school choice reform, despite being pleased with the performance of their school district. In recent speeches, the speaker stressed legislation will not punish underperforming districts, but will help parents have a say in their child’s education.
The reforms will be designed to “provide access to quality schools for all students, despite their zip code,” White said, adding that parents and students in surrounding states have some choice in their education.
During a recent visit with the federal Secretary of Education in Washington, it was relayed to lawmakers that President Donald Trump’s top priority for Mississippi is education reform. White admitted some within the state Republican Party are hesitant about reform, but the speaker said the issue is addressed in the national party’s platform.
Hinting at what could be in the bill, White said at the forefront of education reform bills will be the “kids that don’t have options,” noting special needs students.
Surveys show more than 70 percent of parents in Mississippi, despite race, income or geographic location, support school choice.
During a panel discussion, Nathan Sanders, EdChoice policy and advocacy director, said a misnomer about educational freedom isn’t about schools failing academically. The number one reason is bullying, followed by social anxiety.
Lily Landry with Yes. Every. Kid. said data from states with school choice helps policymakers gain a better understanding of how well schools are performing and if there are any issues that need to be addressed.
Many in the audience were from rural areas, where school choice options are limited even if lawmakers act. Starla Brown, AFP-Mississippi state director, believes this can be overcome with former teachers starting private educational institutions, be it schools or educational pods, in the Magnolia State. Brown said this has worked elsewhere. While for the first few years the startup may struggle with enrollment, afterwards, there could well be a waiting list.
Speaker White told the audience that often missing from the discussion about education reform is the taxpayer. White said more than a third of the state’s $7 billion budget went towards education.
“Reform,” he said, “will dismantle systemic barriers to learning, and give students a fair chance to succeed.”
Daniel Tyson
