Baby bust’s effect on public schools
Mississippi public school enrollment is set to steadily shrink. In 2007, Mississippi had 46,455 births, about 127 per day. In...
Change laws. Change lives.
Karrece spent her years as a young girl at the feet of her grandmothers watching them apply makeup. She followed...
Life changing reforms are winning the day
This week the Empower team was in Atlanta for State Policy Network’s Annual Meeting. SPN works alongside a national network of independent...
Empower reacts to charter board approving only one new charter
Today, the Mississippi Charter Authorizer Board approved one new charter application and denied four others, including denying a strong application...
Why has charter school progress been slow?
As we approach the 10-year anniversary of Mississippi approving charter schools, we remain excited for the kids who have been...
Lawsuit filed to stop student loan cancellation
A month after President Joe Biden announced plans to cancel a substantial portion of student loan debt, a lawsuit has...
Mississippi part of growing flat tax trend
Earlier this year, Mississippi lawmakers adopted legislation that will institute a 4 percent flat tax in the state. The Mississippi...
What charter school rankings really show
New school rankings show Leflore Legacy Academy Charter School in Greenwood, in only its second year of operation, was rated...
Mississippi’s regulations lead to fewer jobs, more poverty
New data shows that federal regulations have led to more people living in poverty, greater income inequality, fewer businesses, less...
Crime spike not due to prison reforms
Suggestions that the recent spike in homicides is due to recent statewide criminal justice reforms are not supported by evidence....
Are our schools doing better or worse?
We’ve seen conflicting reports on progress in Mississippi’s schools. This week, scores for all states on the National Assessment of...
Let Education Freedom Ring
This July 4th, our country celebrates 247 years of freedom. The ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity that were enshrined in our nation’s founding documents have served as a beacon of hope and inspiration...
Polling Shows Republican Voters Support Criminal Justice Improvements
Mississippi’s incarceration rate leads the world, and a majority of Mississippi Republicans support reducing the state’s prison population, according to recent polling of likely Republican primary election voters. Earlier this year, award-winning polling firm...
National Education Scores Fall; Mississippi Improves in 4th-Grade Reading
Newly released benchmarks show that American educational achievement is falling. According to long-term trend scores from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) released last Wednesday, math and reading scores for American 13-year-olds plunged...
Education Freedom Movement Continues National Momentum
Efforts to give parents more control over their children’s education continue to gain momentum across the country. Education freedom is a concept that recognizes that all children are unique, with varying strengths and learning...
No, Conservative Criminal Justice Reforms Have Not Led to Violent Crime Increases
Contrary to some recent assertions, conservative criminal justice reforms have not led to increases in violent crime. We agree with fellow conservatives that criminals should be held accountable for their actions. “Swift and sure”...
Three Pillars: One Opportunity
I routinely get asked how we at Empower Mississippi selected our three pillars of focus: education, work, and justice. The truth is pretty simple: the Empower board of directors understands that these three challenges...
A Tale of Two Governors
Empowering Parents: State of Urgency or State of Emergency? Is it the best of times, or the worst of times? Depending on your state of residence, current efforts to empower parents with more education...
Empower-backed Tax Reform Hailed as Model for the Nation
A tax reform championed by Empower Mississippi and signed into law in March will help address the state’s economic needs, writes Michael Lucci. Other states should take note. In a recent National Review article,...
Overincarceration is (also) a Problem
Mississippi has a crime problem. Conservatives in the state are concerned about it, and rightly so. Last week 7 people were shot in an Ocean Springs restaurant, and 6 others were shot in Bay...
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