Choosing a school? Youāve got options.
If you live in Mississippi, you have access to more K-12 school choice options than you might realize. Navigating these options and finding the best fit for your child can make a world of difference for your family. This guide will breakdown the types of schools available to you, as well as provide additional education resources and school choice news.
Mississippi families can choose fromĀ traditional public schools,Ā public charter schools,Ā public magnet schools, private schools,Ā online learning, andĀ homeschooling. Weāll also coverĀ microschooling and mix-and-match learning!
One factor that families consider when choosing a school is transportation. In Mississippi, transportation is available for students who attend their assigned public school, transfer between public school districts who have an agreement to cover transportation, or have transportation services in their Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Transportation to other types of schools may be available – check out this transportation guide for more information.
Looking for special education options? You can learn what special education services are available in Mississippi at theĀ Ultimate Guide to Special Education.
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Explore Types of Schools
Mississippi Traditional Public Schools
Traditional public schools are operated by schoolĀ districts, free to attend, open to all students, and funded by federal, state, and local government. In Mississippi,Ā 85.1% of all K-12 studentsĀ attend a traditional public school.Ā Did you know that Mississippi spends an average ofĀ $12,093 per public school student each year?
In Mississippi, the state allows each district to set its ownĀ open enrollment policies; the state only requires districts to offer open enrollment if parents live 30 miles away from their childās assigned school. āOpen enrollmentā refers to whether parents can send their children to any public school, regardless of where it is located. Mississippi parents should check with their local school district if they wish to participate in open enrollment.
If you do have access to open enrollment, this can expand the list of public schools you can choose from, helping you find the best match for your family. When anĀ agreement between school districts is made allowing a student to participate in open enrollment, it must include transportation provisions. Keep in mind that, in some cases in Mississippi, receiving districts Ā charge tuition.
Would you like to see a real-world example of the transfer process? Check outĀ Jackson Public Schoolsā guidelines for applying for an in-district or district-to-district transfer.
A new bill has been passed in Mississippi, allowing the children of active members of the United States Armed Forces to choose the school district and campus they want to attend.
Find out more about public schools in your state at theĀ Mississippi Department of Education.Ā You can also learn more about Mississippi open enrollment at āPublic Schools Without Boundaries: A 50-State Ranking.ā
Mississippi Charter Schools
Depending on where you live in Mississippi, you might have access to a public charter school. Like traditional public schools, charter schools are public, free, and typically have no requirements for entry. What distinguishes charter schools is that they enjoy extra freedom to innovate withĀ curriculumĀ and learning methods and are accountable to authorizing bodies for results.
2023 marked the 10th anniversary of the Mississippi Charter Schools ActOpens PDF in new tab. Currently, Mississippi has twelveĀ authorized charter schoolsĀ serving aboutĀ 3,000Ā (0.7% of all K-12) students.
Each school has a charter which explains the schoolās purpose and what specific community need it serves, whether that be providing a language immersion program or offering a rigorous, literacy-based curriculum. For example, the stateāsĀ newest charter school,Ā Instant Impact Global Prep, focuses on STEM learning and community engagement.
Currently, Mississippiās charter schools serve children in grades K-8. However, the stateās first charter high school,Ā Clarksdale Collegiate Prep, has been approved to openĀ in fall 2025.
If there are more families seeking admittance to a charter school than there are seats, a lottery system (like drawing random names out of a hat!) is usually used to determine admittance.
Mississippi Magnet Schools
You can also choose magnet schools! In Mississippi,Ā 0.7% of all K-12 studentsĀ attend a public magnet school. Magnet schools are free public schools that allow kids to narrow in on a specific learning track, such as engineering or the performing arts. At a magnet school, all the subjects are taught through the lenses of that specific track. Mississippi has several magnet schools scattered throughout the state, and these might be a good option if your kid learns best by focusing in on a subject he or she is passionate about.Ā Some of the districts with magnet schools or programs include theĀ Cleveland School District, theĀ Natchez-Adams School District,Ā theĀ Laurel School District,Ā andĀ Jackson Public Schools.Ā Columbus Municipal School DistrictĀ even has magnet choices that allow kids to focus on aerospace, international studies, and healthy living.
Mississippi Private Schools
Private schools offer a unique learning environment that may be smaller in size, pass on a specific religious tradition, or provide a different curriculum than is available in your district school. One of the largest private schools in the state isĀ Magnolia Heights SchoolĀ in Senatobia, which offers a Christian environment and enrolls more than 700 students. Private schools can be defined as nonpublic schools that charge tuition.
There are more thanĀ 250Ā private schools across the state of Mississippi. The average tuition for private schools in the state isĀ $11,684Ā for elementary schools andĀ $11,684Ā for high schools.
Education Funding Opportunities:
In Mississippi, there are several state-run scholarship programs helping families with special needs gain access to private schools. TheĀ Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy ScholarshipĀ is designed specifically to help children with dyslexia access private schools with dyslexic therapy programs. Meanwhile, theĀ Nate Rogers Scholarship program provides vouchers to certain private schools to students with speech-language therapy needs. In addition, the Equal Opportunity for Students with Special NeedsĀ program allows students with an IEP to receive some of their public education funding in a savings account, which can be used for approved education expenses, like private school tuition.
Learn more at theĀ MidSouth Association of Independent SchoolsĀ andĀ Private School Review: Mississippi.
Mississippi Online Learning
Whether your child wants to accelerate his or her learning or needs a quieter environment in which to focus, donāt overlook virtual school as an option.Ā Mississippi does not offer a free, full-time online school. However, in some cases, students may be able to enroll in part-time classes through their school district andĀ Mississippi Online Course ApprovalĀ (MOCA). For example, students can take some MOCA-approved online classes throughĀ Booneville School District Online.
As another example of a district online program available to students,Ā Gulfport Virtual AcademyĀ provides a K-10 virtual learning option. Students living outside of but near the Gulfport School District may be able to transfer in, but students will need to occasionally attend school in person forĀ state assessments and labs.
Also, paid full-time online school options, such asĀ George Washington University Online High School,Ā The Keystone School,Ā Excel High School,Ā andĀ K12 Private Academy,Ā are available to students in every state, including Mississippi. Additionally, bothĀ Mississippi State UniversityĀ andĀ University of MississippiĀ allow highschoolers to take online courses for a fee.
To read more about online learning in Mississippi, check out theĀ Digital Learning Collaborativeās state profile.
Mississippi Homeschooling
Mississippi parents can also choose homeschooling; this is a great option if you are looking for a hands-on, highly-customizable approach to your childās education. Homeschooling is the process of parents educating students at home. Parents can homeschool in all 50 states. In Mississippi,Ā 4.5% of all K-12 studentsĀ are homeschooled.
Homeschooling Requirements:
Notice of your intent to homeschool is required by September 15 or immediately upon your decision to homeschool if starting mid-year. The state does not require homeschooling families toĀ teach specific subjects and does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.Ā In general, children who are homeschooled may face roadblocks if they want to participate in public school sports or activities in Mississippi. However, you can always look for other sports leagues and co-ops!
In the case that you decide to return to public school, contact your local school to find out what their placement guidelines are as they each have their own process.
To learn more, check out a great roundup of resources aboutĀ homeschooling specific to Mississippi.
Mississippi Microschools and Mix-and-Match Learning
Today, many Mississippi families are mixing and matching school options to come up with new ways to personalize education.Ā MicroschoolsĀ are one of these ways. A microschool refers to students gathering together in a small group ā with adult supervision ā to learn, explore, and socialize. Microschools can take a variety of shapes and legal forms, from homeschoolers coming together at an enrichment center to a private school committed to small classrooms. What microschools share in common is a commitment to small-group learning and close-knit relationships, along with an emphasis on children as individual learners.
Examples of microschools and related resources in your state:
- Micahās Mission SchoolĀ offers a hybrid learning and resource environment for at-risk students. Students can participate in online independent learning, pre-work training, project-based learning, dyslexia therapy, and more.
- Ivy Greene AcademyĀ is an Acton Academy-affiliated microschool focusing on each student taking a āheroās journey.ā
- Kingdom Leadership AcademyĀ is a Christian microschool and homeschool hybrid learning center in Gulfport offering one-on-one instruction in small groups.
- Harper Learning AcademyĀ is a non-profit program in Byram serving students with learning differences.
- Embark,Ā an initiative of Empower Mississippi, is a new schools accelerator that works with school founders to help them launch new innovative options, like microschools.
Remember, microschooling is more a mentality than a specific legal distinction in most cases. Often, a family participates in a microschool while legally homeschooling, or being enrolled in a private or online school.
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