Turn Around Tools for Underperforming Mississippi Schools

Thanks to a grant from the national Governors Association, Mississippi has a chance to improve the achievement levels of thousands of k thru 12 students. MPB's Patty Davis reports on Making the grade, Turnaround tools for Mississippi schools.

Five schools in Mississippi are currently under state control, due to mismanagement of funds and low student achievement levels. And in November when the state's new achievement model is released, interim state school superintendent John Jordan says 4 of them will still be failing.

Jordan : So we have a long way to go. We have a lot of work to do.

Hundreds of Educators, lawmakers and business leaders were part of a summit on underperforming schools Wednesday in Jackson. Julie Corbett with Mass Insight education and Research Institute, laid out the problem as the event got underway.

Corbett : We are looking at about 40% of your districts that are on the cusp of failing.

With the help of a half million dollars from the National Governor's Association a team of policy makers will develop a model plan to put failing and at risk schools back on track. Michael Waldrop exec dir of the state school board association, says after a school qualifies the fate of the school will lie with it's administration.

Waldrop: Their role will be to set goals and then to take corrective action through revising plans if the end result of those goals are not being met.

The program should be underway by the end of this year, and schools will have two years to meet student progress standards. State Senate Education chair, Videt Carmichael says real progress could take much longer.

Carmichael: You can see some change probably, three to five, real change twenty.. just my guess.

Mississippi is one of four states to receive the NGA grant to create a model template for turning around underperforming schools. Patty Davis MPB News.