[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6394672,"mediaKeyId","2102656-9f574be5d300047b9767befc60625486","parentId",2102656,"title","Charter authorizer briefs Appropriations committee on growth, student outcomes and a financial review of a charter management organization","audioSeconds",1510,"startMs",1674000,"endMs",3184000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2102656-9f574be5d300047b9767befc60625486&start=1674&end=3184","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2102656-9f574be5d300047b9767befc60625486/thumbnail_1674000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6394672/Mississippi/Charter-authorizer-briefs-Appropriations-committee-on-growth-student-outcomes-and-a-financial-review-of-a-charter-management-organization","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6394672-63020e5b7d4a4a0a5c59f54bdf2521b5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155540&Signature=dasf3Aw9d35XmlPczkpqePZFzkkJom9dZtGRYigOz2618YpCAv9ovHH174m-20~4OLtzSs27N9~wzftfRYJpCUJq1II32TiCWkl9sOemYgYjVuZcEwxyi15p391OsosRqiwEKPfYpnRYpczVidWYHc7Ee3Tmyfg6LWrbOkiR7eISGoJFuh17WR3k7zLWhHVj1VXl~k2t0Hh8XC8A7AbPH0Mw-tCHovXQyNFddPDBdJ~NQJi6WIVI~YTib65l4I7wcAYV2QZ9XSfTUBdW1MbOCm5dlDZe32ALLaUin~YXmnjawtjVOo1Hc9SD5vDumO7pmGFzVEcLEwyeuShVKXZ8TA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mississippi Legislature","date","2025-01-09T00:00:00Z","article","The Charter School Authorizer told the Appropriations committee the authorizer now oversees 12 approved charter schools (10 operating) and about 4,000 students statewide, and presented academic and financial information including a recent independent review of Republic Schools, a charter management organization (CMO) with financial practices the authorizer said required remediation.

The authorizer’s executive director (unnamed in the transcript) said the board’s mission is to \"increase access to excellent public schools by authorizing only those schools who have the propensity to provide a high quality education to the children that they serve.\" The board reported it has doubled its portfolio since 2019, with six schools in central Jackson and single schools in Canton, Natchez, Greenwood and Clarksdale. Mississippi’s first charter high school expansion (Clarksdale Collegiate moving from K–8 to K–12) will begin serving 9th grade in 2025–26, the presenter said.

On academics, the authorizer reported that charter middle-school students outperformed statistically matched peers in math and English language arts in 2023–24 using propensity-score matching; kindergarten-readiness gains at Ambition Prep (about 43%) and Clarksdale Collegiate (about 42%) exceeded the state average of 28%, the presenter said. The authorizer also reported lottery demand: approximately 1,400 students were not offered admission due to capacity constraints.

On finances and oversight, the authorizer described a multi-year concern with Republic Schools (Republic Schools, Inc. / Republic Schools Nashville). The authorizer said an independent audit and review by Matthews, Katera & Lindsay found financial records that \"lacked transparency,\" identified inter‑school transfers and commingling that made it difficult to track whether state funds were spent solely on Mississippi students, and noted a low days‑cash‑on‑hand figure (reported as nine days). The presenter said the authorizer engaged external CPA experts, negotiated a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and proposed structural changes to the CMO; the auditor’s final report was delivered to the authorizer but the board had not yet finalized all outstanding questions.

Committee members asked whether funds left the state or were spent contrary to Mississippi students’ interests; the authorizer said investigators had indications of questionable transfers (including instances such as health‑insurance payments), but said it may not be possible to trace every transaction and that some questions remain outstanding. The presenter recommended treating CMOs as vendors contracted by a local school governing board, with payments governed by contract terms, rather than allowing more loosely structured transfers between entities.

The authorizer also discussed agency funding: in prior years the authorizer received a Department of Education charter schools program (CSP) federal grant that covered a majority of costs; as federal CSP funding declined the legislature increased general-fund support in FY24. The authorizer reported special funds derived from a statutory 3% assessment of state funding to charter schools, and asked to be funded at level operations with a modest salary progression; the authorizer noted FY25 had no general-fund appropriation and requested restoration.

The authorizer said its annual legislative report (to be released to the committee soon) documents demand for charter seats and the authorizer’s accountability work. No committee vote or formal action was recorded during the presentation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Appropriations - Room 210, 9 January, 2025: 9:30 AM","oneSentenceSummary","The Charter School Authorizer told the Appropriations committee it now oversees 12 approved charter schools, reported stronger performance for charter middle‑school students on matched comparisons and described an independent financial review of Republic Schools that raised transparency concerns.","taxTitle","Appropriations, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Mississippi","taxId",29323,"location","Mississippi","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6394676,"Mississippi Library Commission asks for $392,397 above recommendation to preserve services and matching grants",731,1059000,1790000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2102656-9f574be5d300047b9767befc60625486&start=1059&end=1790","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2102656-9f574be5d300047b9767befc60625486/thumbnail_1059000.jpg","/articles/6394676/Mississippi/Mississippi-Library-Commission-asks-for-392397-above-recommendation-to-preserve-services-and-matching-grants","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6394676-42c12b11501ae8d7d3b54c4629bea393/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155540&Signature=AgDA9EnB7PNmMUtUP3jNRa0iS6GYWFQVETl6seaIJrKfgTtruIy7PShrADdFzpS~2lJOsgLnBraiym6wByqDx-MoiFk3q7jVQs0sfY8M5D9kBDF5A-Rx~vZaN2lnXH0e0QtSjPgtS4pWH1-D1EzJfXnuIVwKuow1VxXgv3uQrjm5EBrhvwQ9-LCEgbywGDeMmOSJNVppIFPX~w~~DtJtm61yDSKOzdkvGfNJsNlvTU1-Ep0UVqOL9VanlcuU9TKJqLXXICCE8UFJN7hKdrW5mVk5TJH-oiJiKsj4oZ3W0AgRqdfhVNEfd4osyz-3GQOivMF0BPDYa3Uux3YMIxWX3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Hulan Bivens, director of the Mississippi Library Commission, told the Appropriations committee the commission requests $392,397 above the LBO recommendation to sustain operations, statewide resources and federal match-eligible programs.

Bivens said the commission’s supplemental need stems from a $723,453 funding difference identified during budget review; after adjustments the net additional request stood at $392,397. The request would preserve Magnolia (the statewide database collection), personnel incentive grants for local public libraries, statewide e-book collections and an insurance program that supports librarians across Mississippi, he said.

\"We are very proud in Mississippi of the fact that we have professional librarians,\" Bivens said, describing the personal incentive grant (PIG) program as a way to help libraries hire or retain degreed librarians who can in turn train other library staff. He also described Magnolia as a resource available to learners of all ages and said the commission’s federal matching relationship with the Institute of Museum and Library Services makes maintaining state budget levels important for continued federal eligibility.

Bivens described services the commission provides statewide: an ebook collection used heavily by regional systems (he singled out First Regional/DeSoto County as a major user), literacy and test-preparation resources such as Britannica and LearningExpress, and programs that support both recreational and educational uses of library resources.

Bivens said when the commission’s budget changes materially, it affects the federal match (a 1-for-1 federal match was described). He asked the committee to retain funding so the commission can continue grants and the insurance program for librarians, stressing the statewide reach of those services.

The commission announced an upcoming \"MLC Day at the Capitol\" and encouraged committee members to contact commission staff or their local librarians for details. No formal committee vote or action was recorded during the presentation.","Director Hulan Bivens told the Appropriations committee the Mississippi Library Commission seeks $392,397 above the Legislative Budget Office recommendation to maintain statewide databases, personnel incentives and insurance programs that support public libraries and federal matching funds.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6394682,"Mississippi Public Broadcasting requests $20 million for towers, education programming and security",535,274000,809000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2102656-9f574be5d300047b9767befc60625486&start=274&end=809","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2102656-9f574be5d300047b9767befc60625486/thumbnail_274000.jpg","/articles/6394682/Mississippi/Mississippi-Public-Broadcasting-requests-20-million-for-towers-education-programming-and-security","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6394682-3e143353f0108751baee6a3a7d1b0091/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155540&Signature=K75N-0Oq1yNBhemTHGphcYUG8GRBfgQuP7r7wDe-5A15w0sHOzSThiq4tL4I1kplnNQgLPDQlLDzgbnzaKeuaXuz3mc7XupU8al7nCxvIL7pkOGctin0pH8Bx41lJRN7u7BF0GUgZ8Y4yKp3aq6rXwF-NduU0LNfAzLdHo0b8Y~1Uh54OzARhdcPDQPFUFjPo-PuAO8yJCtwAMcKHKAN~qPB-EKFEv67aMd29A4EOQ1w1-~sn827Q0~ewoNqw0uYbgnfiaxo3d3fKxY3MO7SiM5ggAAb-8rGeJM9aNpAH-5C4ZSE1XMBp-99~g1KJP7oyqZL3pJomw6qf70pjRX6MQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mississippi Public Broadcasting asked the Appropriations committee for $20 million in state funding, outlining plans to maintain statewide emergency-alert coverage, expand remote classroom programming and complete tower-site infrastructure upgrades.

The request included $4.9 million to the general fund, a $2.1 million education enhancement fund allocation and a combined $6.4 million from the EEF/CEF capital fund, the presenter said. The agency also described $3.1 million it received previously for infrastructure work, nearly all of which has been spent.

MPB’s presenter told the committee the agency was created in 1966 with two explicit missions: emergency alerts and education. \"Why does the legislature need to be funding the MPB?\" the presenter asked, then answered that MPB is the primary partner with FEMA and the governor’s office for emergency alerts. The presenter said MPB issued \"over 2,000 alerts\" last year and that its tower network covers every county in Mississippi.

On education, the presenter said the state superintendent has asked MPB to expand live classroom broadcasts to address teacher shortages. The agency’s goal for the coming school year is to reach about 54,100 students through live instruction and on-demand video, the presenter said, explaining that a teacher would be in a studio interacting with classrooms over video.

The MPB representative outlined capital projects planned if the funds are approved: reroofing tower buildings, replacing HVAC units (the presenter listed a request for 10 HVAC units), adding transmitters (two TV and five radio transmitters), upgrading security and fencing after a string of copper thefts, and other site repairs. The presenter said the agency has already completed fiber installation at tower sites, installed a new master control system and replaced transmitters and HVAC units using prior appropriations; about $175,000 of prior infrastructure funding remained to be spent.

The presenter also described programming and outreach: two documentaries to be distributed on PBS (one on Medgar Evers and another on musician Bobby Rush), a statewide culinary program hosted by \"Senator Lydia Chastenal,\" and an expansion of locally produced radio content. The presenter said MPB is working with state agencies including the Department of Health, Department of Education, Child Protective Services, VISIT Mississippi and the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to provide messaging and marketing services.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about staff vacancies (the presenter said vacant positions had fallen from 13 to six and expected to reach zero by fiscal year-end) and whether the $6.4 million capital request covered tower maintenance (the presenter confirmed it does). The presenter said a longer list of remaining tower-site needs is available for members who want details offline.

The presentation closed with the presenter thanking the committee and offering to answer follow-up questions and provide calculation details about MPB’s claimed $34 million in annual \"value back to Mississippi,\" a figure MPB described as a three-to-one return on state funding based on combined public-service and public-relations value calculations.

MPB’s request will be considered as part of the committee’s budget deliberations; no vote or formal committee action was recorded during this presentation.","Mississippi Public Broadcasting told the Appropriations committee it seeks $20 million in state funding for operations, education services and capital upgrades, citing emergency-alert responsibilities and plans to expand distance learning to cover about 54,100 students.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Charter authorizer briefs Appropriations committee on growth, student outcomes and a financial review of a charter management organization

Mississippi Library Commission asks for $392,397 above recommendation to preserve services and matching grants

Mississippi Public Broadcasting requests $20 million for towers, education programming and security