State: Mississippi

Overview

Mississippi
Your Guide to Data and Services for Mississippi

SREB works with Mississippi policymakers, colleges and schools to help them improve education. From this page, find independent, accurate data, reliable best practices and ways to share scarce resources — plus details on how Mississippi uses SREB’s targeted programs and services.

Mississippi Members of the Board

Tate Reeves, Governor of Mississippi, Jackson, ex officio (2024)
Terry Burton, former State Senator, Newton (2020)
Videt Carmichael, former State Senator, Meridian (2022)
Mimmo Parisi, Professor and Director, National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center, Mississippi State University, Starkville (2021)
Pat Ross, Education and Workforce Development Policy Advisor, Office of the Governor, Jackson (2019)

(Appointments to the Board are made by the Governor. Terms expire June 30 of the specified year.)

Mississippi Members of the Legislative Advisory Council

All Mississippi members of the Council recently left office; we will update this listing when the governor makes new appointments to the Council.

Blog post Stephen L. PruittSREB President
4th Grade NAEP Reading, Percentage Scoring At or Above Proficient in Mississippi. MS18% (2005) 32% (2019); SREB 28% 2005, 32% (2019); US 30% 2005, 34% 2019)

Thank Goodness for Mississippi
Star NAEP Showing Follows a Long Commitment

“Thank goodness for Mississippi.”

It used to be that this was something you heard from people who were grateful that Mississippi kept their own states from the dubious honor of last place in education rankings. Those folks may not have noticed that, since 2005, Mississippi has been making steady gains.

And now, after Mississippi offered a rare bright spot on the Nation’s Report Card earlier this month, we have a new reason to be thankful for Mississippi: We can learn from their success.

Real progress takes time.

News SREB News Release

Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee Educators Win National Readiness Awards
Preparing students for college-credit courses

Educators from Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee, and schools in Arkansas and Mississippi, in were honored this week with the Southern Regional Education Board’s Readiness awards. These national awards recognize outstanding teachers and leaders offering SREB’s Readiness Courses, which help underprepared students succeed in high school and postsecondary programs without the need for remediation.

Publication March 20209 pages

Mississippi
College Affordability Profile

To help policymakers assess and improve college affordability in their states, SREB provides tailored reports on the policies, programs and prices that drive affordability. Each member-state profile details net price at different types of institutions, state financial aid based on need or other factors, student borrowing, and percentage of family income needed to pay for college at different income levels.

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Publication June 201840 pages(18E03-MS)

Mississippi: Looking Closer

Looking Closer is the eighth biennial report to SREB states on their progress in meeting SREB’s Challenge to Lead goals for education. Each customized state report documents progress on both measurable outcomes and state policies. Through effective policy implementation, the goals can help states drive improvements in student achievement, high school graduation, college completion and workforce readiness.

FULL REPORT

DATA GRAPHICS SNAPSHOT

News SREB News Release
Marla Davis, Mississippi Department of Education

Mississippi, Arkansas Educators Win National Readiness Awards
Outstanding leadership in improving college readiness for high school students

Four educators were honored this week for their work to help underprepared students succeed in high school and postsecondary studies. Mary Zluticky of Horn Lake High School in Mississippi, Phil Wesson of Sheridan High in Arkansas, and Marla Davis and Jean Massey of the Mississippi Department of Education won SREB awards.

News

Mississippi: Readiness endorsement for teaching certificates
State news about SREB Readiness Courses

In the summer of 2015, the Mississippi Department of Education trained more than 200 teachers — more than 60 in Literacy Ready and 160 in Math Ready. To support these teachers, Mississippi created an SREB Ready endorsement. The state affixes an SREB Literacy Ready or SREB Math Ready endorsement to the certifications of teachers who complete the initial training and the online follow-up training.

Spotlight
Sheri Blankenship

You Can Teach An Old Dog New Tricks

Sheri Blankenship is an instructional coach with Rankin County School District in Brandon, Mississippi. An experienced English teacher, Blankenship knows her way around a classroom. But Literacy Design Collaborative strategies help her focus her lessons, so students get a clear picture of what they must learn to meet college and career standards.