JPS Facing $9M Budget HoleThe Jackson Public Schools Board of Trustees met yesterday to address a possible $9 million budget shortfall for the upcoming school year. With lower tax collections, rising debt-service obligations and reduced state funding, the district may need to request a …
MDE Submits Proposal to Makeover State SchoolsOn June 1, the Mississippi Department of Education sent a 500-page Race To The Top proposal to radically transform the state's educational system to Washington, D.C. Mississippi's entry in the federal grant program proposes performance pay for teachers, a state …
Without Federal Funds, JPS Needs $2.5M from CityUncertainty about $187 million in federal aid is forcing Jackson Public Schools into awkward contortions as the district prepares its budget for the upcoming school year. The district will likely request an additional $2.5 million from the Jackson City Council …
77 Tons of SharkIn any other situation, the sight of children wandering around the insides of a giant shark could be horrifying; but it's common fare at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science's "Megalodon: Largest Shark that Ever Lived" exhibit.
Mi Isha LoweMi Isha Lowe still remembers her high school's summer reading program. She explains that while all the books she was required to read were good, her favorite was "Gifted Hands," the story of Dr. Ben Carson's journey from growing up …
Jonathan Larkin: The Exit InterviewThe Jackson Public Schools Board that Jonathan Larkin served on for almost eight years is a far cry from the board's current, collegial incarnation. Larkin, 55, served from 2002 until this spring, when Monica Gilmore-Love replaced him.
Make Consolidation Study TransparentSince a flare-up of attention last winter, the issue of school district consolidation has received only limited public attention. This is unfortunate, as a governor-appointed panel is set to issue a report next month that will lay out a path …
Advocates Criticize Consolidation ProcessNext month, a panel appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour will deliver a report on the possibility of consolidating some of Mississippi's 152 school districts. Barbour tasked the Commission on Education Structure with investigating the feasibility of consolidation, not its efficacy. …
Panel Withholding Data, Education Advocates SayA governor-appointed panel on school district mergers is withholding the data it used to identify 18 Mississippi school districts for potential consolidation, frustrating a group of education advocates.
McLemore To Continue JSU GrowthFormer Jackson city council president and 40-year professor at Jackson State University Leslie McLemore said today that he would continue plans to redesign JSU until the state College Board picks a permanent president.
Olde Tyme CommissaryTucked away in Highland Village's myriad shops is Olde Tyme Commissary, a fixture there since 1972. The store features children's toys and costumes, fine-tailored baby clothes, and educational toys and games, but shoppers can find its true character in the …
Commission Readies School Consolidation ReportA governor-appointed panel is set to issue its final recommendations on school district consolidation in the next month. The Commission on Education Structure met at the state Capitol today to discuss a preliminary report on consolidating some of Mississippi's 152 …
Mason: ‘I'm Basically an Introvert'Outgoing Jackson State University President Ronald Mason Jr. said at a Tuesday press luncheon that he did not expect his university to deviate from progress and growth in his absence.
Commence ThisIt's that time of year again, where we cheer and cry our hearts out to you, fellow grads! We here at the JFP, give much congrats to you for toughing it out and surviving homework.
Mason Leaving JSU for Southern Univ.After a decade leading Mississippi's largest historically black institution, Jackson State University President Ronald Mason Jr. announced today that he has accepted the position as the next president of the Southern University and A&M College System in Louisiana.