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...
Perjury
There are some moments that truly make you question your sanity, like this past week when Randi Weingarten, President of American Federation for Teachers, the nation’s largest teacher union, testified before Congress that she...
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week recognized
Criminal justice in Mississippi cannot be discussed without recognizing the most important group – victims of the crimes. As we recognize National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we must pause and remember that falling victim...
Patrick Miller named Vice President of Development
Empower Mississippi CEO Grant Callen announced today that Patrick Miller has been named Vice President of Development for the organization. In this role, Miller will lead Empower’s development team, overseeing all fundraising and stewardship...
‘Continuity of Representation’ Adopted by the Mississippi Supreme Court
Last year, Empower Mississippi filed a motion with the Mississippi Supreme Court to change the procedure for appointing public defenders. The goal of the motion was to ensure that criminal defendants had continuity of representation...
Mississippi Climbs Economic Outlook Rankings in New Report
In 2022, the Mississippi legislature passed the largest tax cut in state history, and national organizations are taking notice. In a newly released report from Rich States, Poor States, Mississippi ascended the state rankings...
Wil Ervin named Senior Vice President of Empower Mississippi
Empower Mississippi CEO Grant Callen announced today that Wil Ervin has been named Senior Vice President of the organization. In this role, Ervin will lead Empower’s Advocacy team, which includes public policy, government affairs,...
Senate bows to public education establishment
A few weeks ago, Governor Tate Reeves appointed Carra Powell to the State Board of Education. Powell is a single mom with two children who graduated—and one more graduating soon—from DeSoto County Public Schools....
Education choice leads Ezekiel Andrew McCall to Broadway
Growing up in the small Mississippi Delta town of Itta Bena, Ezekiel Andrew McCall sang. He always sang. Ezekiel can be seen in The Lion King on Broadway. (Photos by Curtis Brown) His father,...
Senate Education Committee kills nomination of Carra Powell
Statement from Grant Callen, Founder & CEO of Empower Mississippi, on the decision by the Senate Education Committee to kill the nomination of Carra Powell for the State Board of Education: “Make no mistake,...
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