25 Aug 2025 Urgent

This is a letter we received to protest the outrageous school choice legislation.  Please take the time to send your letter to Speaker Jason White and please let me know you’ve taken action. 

jwhite@house.ms.gov

August 25, 2025

 

Jason White, Speaker

Mississippi House of Representatives

400 High Street

Jackson, MS 39201

VIA HAND DELIVERY

 

Dear Speaker White:

 

I write to express my disapproval of any legislation that would use Mississippi taxpayer dollars to fund private schools.  Among my concerns about any prospective “school choice” bill are the following:

 

▪ Transferring taxpayer dollars from public to private schools will only reverse the educational gains reflected in the “Mississippi Miracle.”  To argue that “school choice” would improve upon these remarkable outcomes seems counterintuitive at best, and disingenuous at worst (see https://www.ncpecoalition.org/vouchers-academic-impact);

▪ Unlike public schools, private schools are allowed to pick and choose which students they want to educate, and they are not subject to state accountability and oversight;

▪ Since implementing school choice, the top ten states for school choice have seen declining national test scores (seehttps://tpcref.org/wp-content/uploads/Graph-MS-Gains-on-NAEP-Choice-States-Decline-REF.pdf);

▪ Rather than taking resources away from public schools, Mississippi should focus on pouring resources into proven methods that will improve educational outcomes for our children; and

▪ Many school choice programs end up using tax dollars to pay private school tuition primarily for children already enrolled in (and paying for!) private school; plainly contradicting any argument that such a program is helping kids in struggling public schools get a better education.

 

I am also concerned that an emphasis on school choice this upcoming legislative session will leave far more pressing issuesunaddressed by our state legislature.  I hope that you will reconsider your emphasis on passing school choice and instead focus your attention on legislation proven to improve outcomes for all Mississippians.  

 

Sincerely,

 

 

CC (via U.S. mail to P.O. Box 1018, Jackson, MS 39215): 

Contact Information House Committee on Education:

​https://msparentscampaign.org/house-selection-committee-on-education-freedom/​

Rep. Rob Roberson

Rep. Jansen Owen

Rep. Tracy Arnold

Rep. Lawrence Blackmon

Rep. Andy Boyd

Rep. Randy Boyd

Rep. Dan Eubanks

Rep. Kevin Felsher

Rep. Stephanie Foster

Rep. Rodney Hall

Rep. Greg Holloway

Rep. Jeffrey Hullum III

Rep. Celeste Hurst

Rep. Trey Lamar

Rep. Kent McCarty

Rep. Jonathan McMillan

Rep. Karl Mickens

Rep. Karl Oliver

Rep. Tracey Rosebud

Stats for report:

White: school choice (BT, RBT, MC,)