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Only one charter school approved to open next year

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Only one charter school approved to open next year

Just one of the ten applicants hoping to open a new charter school in Mississippi received approval Monday.

The Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board voted to approve Instant Impact Global Prep unanimously at their Sep. 26 board meeting. Four other schools were denied charters at the meeting, two with split votes and two unanimously. 

Instant Impact Global Prep will operate in Natchez beginning in the 2023-24 school year. The school will serve grades K-2 in its first year, with the ability to expand to the eighth grade. Their mission statement emphasizes a rigorous STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculum as well as emotional and community engagement. Representatives from Instant Impact Educational Services who will be operating the school could not be reached for comment Monday.

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Of the five schools that made it to the final stage of the application process, Instant Impact Global Prep was the only one recommended for approval by an independent evaluator. Clarksdale Collegiate Prep, Columbus Leadership Academy, and both the Tallahatchie and North Bolivar locations of Resilience Academy of Teaching did not meet 100% of the performance standards. 

Clarksdale Collegiate Prep would have served grades 7-12 as a feeder for who currently attend Clarksdale Collegiate Public, a K-6 charter elementary school. Nearly 20 students, , and teachers attended the board meeting in person Monday, with four speaking to the board directly in favor of the charter getting approved. 

Amanda Johnson is the leader of Clarksdale Collegiate charter school.

Amanda Johnson, executive director of Clarksdale Collegiate Public, spoke to the board about her confidence in her team's ability to open a new school and the challenges the school has overcome. She added that the final from the independent evaluator does not paint a full picture of their school community and its impact on student learning. 

When on Clarksdale Collegiate's application, board members were split, with those opposed citing the need for additional planning and concerns regarding the current school's test data. Jennifer Whitter, a board member who voted against granting the charter, invited the school to apply again in the future but said they were not ready at this time. 

After they were denied, Johnson said she is deeply disappointed by the board's decision, but emphasized that she will be applying again. 

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“I am not giving up on our kids,” Johnson said. “But because we understand how to open and a school, we understand that we need the time to plan, which is why we came here today.”

Clarksdale Collegiate Public will also have their charter up for renewal this school year, which Johnson said she anticipates being a

“It is clearly going to be an uphill battle because of the way the board characterizes our school,” she told Mississippi Today. “We are coming off of a pandemic and this is our first year ever an accountability score. What we are doing is hard. We get that. We have shown and we are demonstrating that we are willing and able to do that work.”  

Despite this, Johnson expressed confidence that they would have their high school operational by the time students reached ninth grade. 

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The board's vote was also split for Columbus Leadership Academy, with some board members saying they deserved a to prove themselves, but they were also denied. The board was unanimous in their denial of the Resilience Academy of Teaching's schools, citing concern that the plans were not appropriately thorough. 

Grant Callen, CEO of school choice advocacy group Empower Mississippi, said students are being failed by an overly-restrictive board.

“Today, the Board had before them multiple applicants, who in our view, more than surpassed the threshold to be approved to start a high quality charter school,” Callen said. “(We) remain hopeful that in the future a majority of the Board will come to understand that creating more options for more students is an urgent imperative and their primary charge. The children of Mississippi are depending on it.”

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Mississippi News

Chill slowly wears off this week – Home – WCBI TV

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www.wcbi.com – Isaac Williams – 2024-03-19 04:03:54

SUMMARY: After a freeze on Tuesday morning, patchy frost is expected into Wednesday morning in Columbus, Mississippi. Milder and rain chances are forecasted to later in the . Tuesday will have sun with highs in the upper 50s to near 60 degrees, while Tuesday night will be clear and chilly with lows in the middle 30s. Wednesday will bring some clouds and a warm-up with highs reaching the 70s. Thursday and Friday may see showers as clouds become more widespread, with the heaviest rains staying closer to the coast. The will see decreasing clouds, sunny weather, and highs near 70 degrees.

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Mississippi News

Powerball numbers drawn for $645 million jackpot

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www.wjtv.com – Addy Bink – 2024-03-18 22:02:01

SUMMARY: The Powerball jackpot has soared to $645 million, while the Mega Millions grand prize is estimated at $875 million. The odds of winning either jackpot are slim, with Mega Millions at 1 in 302.6 million and Powerball at 1 in 292.2 million. If you win, it's recommended to seek professional advice and take your time making decisions. Jackpot winners can choose between an annuitized payout over 29 years or a lump sum, with payouts varying by . The largest lottery prizes in the U.S. range from $842.4 million to $2.04 . Powerball tickets are $2 each and are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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Mississippi News

Meet and greet with Caledonia Chief Marshal

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www.wcbi.com – Winston Reed – 2024-03-18 21:48:47

SUMMARY: Caledonia's new Chief Marshal, Lauren Rhea, recently met with the public for the first time at a meet and greet hosted by the Marshal Department at the town hall. Rhea, a retired Lt. Colonel with three decades of military experience, transitioned into enforcement before assuming his current role in Caledonia about two months ago. He emphasized the difference between working for larger departments and the community-oriented policing approach in a small town like Caledonia. Rhea expressed his dedication to responding to the needs and requests of the community while to the town .

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