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...
HB 727/ HB 796: Full practice authority for nurse practitioners
House Bill 727, authored by Rep. Donnie Scoggin and House Bill 796, authored by Rep. Stacey Hobgood-Wilkes, would provide full practice authority to nurse practitioners in Mississippi. Currently, a nurse practitioner is required to...
Governor Reeves declares January 22-28 as “School Choice Week”
Gov. Tate Reeves has proclaimed January 22-28, 2023 as “School Choice Week” in the state of Mississippi. He joins other governors and mayors and county leaders nationwide in issuing proclamations. More than 40,000 events...
SB 2342: Ban the Box for public employees
Senate Bill 2342, sponsored by Sen. John Horhn, would prohibit public employers from using an applicant’s criminal history as an initial barrier to employment. Birthed in 2004 through the work of All of Us...
HB 868: Authorize mobile barbershops
House Bill 868, sponsored by Rep. Tracey Rosebud, would authorize licensed barbers to operate mobile barbershops in the state. Barber regulations in Mississippi, among other things, prevent barbers from operating a mobile barbershop. Mobile...
HB 722: Decriminalize possession of fentanyl testing strips
House Bill 722, sponsored by Rep. Christopher Bell, would decriminalize fentanyl testing strips. Currently, fentanyl testing strips are categorized as paraphernalia under the Uniformed Control Substance Law, making them illegal to possess. However, testing...
From the football field to the battlefield, Lockridge overcomes drug addiction
Growing up in Tupelo, Dietrich “Big Truck” Lockridge had dreams of playing football in the NFL. On the field at Tupelo High School, Dietrich was named an All American and as a senior the...
HB 668: New pathways to teacher licensure
House Bill 668, sponsored by Rep. Charles Busby, would help with Mississippi’s teacher shortages by creating new pathways for qualified professionals who would like to teach in Mississippi’s classrooms. Under the proposed legislation, an...
How bad is crime in Mississippi?
The real answer might surprise you. Crime is an important social issue. Criminal acts can spread fear, destroy our sense of justice, lead to impoverishment, and even end lives. Policymakers have an obligation...
HB 27: Allow students with dyslexia to receive ESA
House Bill 27, sponsored by Rep. Larry Byrd, would allow students with a dyslexia diagnosis to be eligible for the education scholarship account program. The program is designed to help students with special needs...
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