SB 2149: Steps to Accountability

In a follow up to the post from earlier today, here is a bulletin I recieved from Nancy Loome of the Parent's Campaign. Thanks Nancy for your tireless work for the children of Mississippi.


Dear Jeff,

Tomorrow (Tuesday) is an incredibly important day for Mississippi children. Senate Bill 2149 is likely to be taken up on the floor of the House tomorrow. This legislation promises to do more than perhaps any other to improve the quality of education offered Mississippi children.

Senate Bill 2149 was amended by the House Education Committee and no longer addresses school board selection or school district consolidation. The bill now calls for the removal of any superintendent in a district that is underperforming for 2 consecutive years under that superintendent’s leadership, whether the superintendent is elected or appointed.

Many Mississippi kids simply cannot wait any longer for the Legislature to take this important step. Studies show that when children are subjected to poor education for 1 year, it is difficult for them to recover, for 2 years even more so. And when children are subjected to poor education for 3 or more years, studies show that, in most cases, they never recover from those missed years. In other words, when we consistently subject children to a low quality education, we are sentencing them to lives of underachievement, under- or unemployment, and poverty. That is unacceptable.

This bill also promises to help children in high performing districts, because when all districts perform better, many of the problems facing public education will be resolved. Fewer parents will attempt to send their children to schools outside their district of residency. Fewer children will move into high performing districts underprepared. All children will be educated to higher standards, and student achievement overall will rise. Mississippi can, at long last, begin to move forward.

If you have not asked your Representative to support SB 2149, please do so. You can find contact information for your Representative at Find My Legislators.

Please help us win this important battle for Mississippi children. A brighter future for all our kids is well within our grasp!

Many, many thanks,

Nancy