You are not alone in your school search.
The Mississippi School Finder is an online tool that empowers families with the information necessary to make school choices. Not only does it provide relevant, up-to-date information about schools and communities to help you compare options, but it allows you to customize your school search and gain a better understanding of different school types.
You may not know, for example, that charter schools are an option in Mississippi or that there is a homeschool co-op and magnet school near where you live. You might want to know more about academic performance than an A-F school accountability rating or you might be interested in how your neighborhood compares to others.
The Mississippi School Finder cannot only answer the questions you have, but it can introduce you to information and opportunities you may not have known existed.
Information That Fits Your Needs
You can search for schools by type, distance from your home, grades served, and (soon) school emphasis so that you can customize and explore a map of options for your kids. Furthermore, you can find out what school types exists in the state, from tax-funded, tuition-free options like traditional public schools, charter schools, magnet schools, and special state schools to independent options like private schools, homeschooling, and virtual programs.
In addition, you can find out about state scholarship programs, such as the Education Scholarship Account and the dyslexia and speech-language scholarships, that can help you pay for the options that work best for your child with special needs.
As you click on particular schools, you can find information on school and district performance, school and county demographics, and information about funding or tuition.
You can also view and participate in a new school rating and review system to help other families make decisions. The website asks you to rate your satisfaction with school leadership, teachers, academics, extracurricular activities, and how the school handles learning differences.
Information That Matters
When data is available, school profiles contain
- Proficiency rates on state tests in English, math, science, and U.S. History
- Average ACT scores and sub-scores in English, math, reading, and science
- School discipline statistics
- Student-teacher ratios
- Tuition rates and discounts
In the “Demographics” section for each school, you can find U.S. Census data for the school’s county, including population growth and median income.
For high schools, graduate outcomes include graduation rates, post-secondary enrollment rates, and the labor force participation rate for the area.
Information To Assess Your Options
Although you have probably heard about different school types, you may not understand the differences between them. The Mississippi School Finder describes each school type and provides information about how to transfer, apply, or opt in to certain options and how to contact schools to find out more.
If you cannot find the school options you want or need, you can select “Expand Options” and fill out a form describing your vision for your community to help Empower connect you to new school founders in your area.
Ultimately, the goal of the Mississippi School Finder is simple: give families looking for education options information worth knowing. By enabling families to customize the school search, focus on information that matters, and assess all of their options, the Mississippi School Finder is helping ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed