Education
- Ready ... Set ... Scan
Nine months after state officials holstered a plan to require all parents receiving federal child-care assistance to scan their kids in and out of day care every day, Mississippi is moving forward with the controversial plan.
- House Votes to Replace 'No Child' Education Law
House Republicans voted Friday to dismantle the troubled No Child Left Behind law for evaluating America's students and schools, saying states and local school districts rather than Washington should be setting rules for ensuring that kids are getting good educations.
- 3 School Districts to Be Returned to Local Control
Three Mississippi school districts are poised to be returned to local control over the next year.
- State Will Hire 24 Coaches for Reading Push
State education officials will hire 24 reading coaches and coordinators for the coming school year, falling far short of their goal of 75.
- Senators Ready to Restore Lower College Loan Rates
Senators are ready to offer students a better deal on their college loans this fall, but future classes could see higher interest rates.
- JPS Keeps Accreditation ... For Now
The Mississippi Board of Education has granted Jackson Public Schools' request for an extension that will buy the district more time to comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. - Miss. Public Universities Plan Tuition Increases
Tuition at Mississippi's eight public universities will increase by an average of more than 6 percent this fall, an amount universities say is needed to make up for the lingering effects of state aid cuts during the recession.
- Analysis: Leaders Must Name Charter Board Members
With the July 1 effective date for Mississippi's expanded charter school law, the next step is to nominate seven members of the Charter School Authorizing Board.
- Senators: Student Loan Interest Rates to Double
Student loan rates will double Monday—at least for a while—after a compromise to keep student loan interest rates low proved unwinnable before the July 1 deadline, senators said Thursday.
- Miss. Charter School Advocates Form Association
Groups that pushed the passage of Mississippi's new charter school law are forming an association to promote and nurture the schools.
- Black Carbon Linked to Attention Problems in Boys
Exposure to traffic-related air pollution was associated with decreased attention skills in a group of Boston-area boys studied by researchers. - Fitch: 2014 Earliest to Open Prepaid College Plan
Mississippi's prepaid college tuition plan likely won't be reopening for additional enrollments until sometime next year at the earliest, according to State Treasurer Lynn Fitch.
- The Odd Journey of Mills for Schools
Millage rates—property taxes—might sound about as far from "sexy" as any story can be. But the well-being of Jackson Public Schools depends largely on the city allocating enough money to meet the schools' needs. - Report Says Most Miss. Education Schools Mediocre
A group pushing for changes in how the nation trains teachers says Mississippi's teacher training programs are mediocre at best.
- Meridian Schools Working on Discipline Issues
The Meridian School Board is rewriting the school's system discipline policies to end what the Justice Department called discriminatory disciplinary practices in which black students face harsher punishment than whites for similar misbehavior.