Video: Education Remains Huge Towards The End of the Legislative Session

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NORTHEAST Miss (WCBI)- From the Literacy Act to consolidation,  legislators are still working out several education bills before sending it to Governor Phil Bryant for approval.

The big talk in the legislature is charter schools.  Monday, the House passed the bill. In a 62-55 vote, the House agreed on charter schools without any debate or questions. The approved bill was a House and Senate agreement.

The bill allows public charter schools to open in D and F rated school districts with approval from a state board. A,B, or C districts can request a charter school, but it will be harder for charters to move into a higher rated district.

The Senate is still discussing the bill.

The other big item: school consolidation.

Sunday, the House signed off on the two consolidation bills out of conference. Members approved both the West Point-Clay County and the Starkville-Oktibbeha reports.

The Oktibbeha County bill sets up a 7 person committee to recommend the best ways to merge administrators of the two districts. The current Starkville school board will remain in place until the merger begins July 1st 2015.

Both Clay and Oktibbeha mergers will have hired superintendents and both will have a waiver from accountability standards for county districts for 3 years.

Another item: The Literacy Act.

The 3rd grade reading gate is a big push from educators to improve student’s reading level by the 3rd grade. The measure passed in the House and is waiting for approval from the Senate.

The act calls for students to read at the appropriate grade level by the time they reach 3rd grade, if not, they’ll have to repeat it. It also allows schools to hire more reading instructors or use assistants to help children who may need helping catching up.

“Reading is so important, that is one of the tools that we have to equip our elementary students with, to help ensure they’re successful going on up through elementary, middle and high school. If a child cannot read, they’re going to be handicapped forever, especially in the educational background,” says Lowndes County Superintendent Lynn Wright.

The House and Senate are likely to bring up the issues again tomorrow.

The Mississippi legislative session ends April 7th.