Mississippi education and workforce developments

Mississippi charter schools have received substandard performance grades on the latest Mississippi Department of Education report cards. None of the state’s charter schools earned a B or higher, with most receiving a D rating. Only one school, Ambition Preparatory Charter School, was rated C, while Instant Impact Global Prep Charter School received an F. State education leaders expressed disappointment regarding the lack of progress.

Separately, the state workforce development agency, AccelerateMS, is requesting a $2.5 million budget increase for fiscal year 2028. The agency seeks a total operating budget of $7.1 million to expand staff and manage new initiatives, such as the UPSKILL program and the Workforce Pell Grant program. This request aims to address a projected shortage of 19,000 workers in priority fields like manufacturing, construction, and healthcare through 2035.

In political news, U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock has urged voters to support Democratic Senate nominee Scott Colom in Mississippi. Warnock suggested that the state’s high concentration of Black voters makes it a viable opportunity for Democrats to flip a Senate seat, drawing parallels to his own election in Georgia.