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Louisiana teachers worry about state constitution changes. Ohio experts support a $15 minimum wage for 1 million people. An Illinois mother seeks passage of a medical aid-in-dying bill. And Mississippi advocates push for restored voting rights for people with felony convictions.

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Biden says the U.S. won't arm Israel for a Rafah attack, drawing harsh criticism from Republicans. A judge denies former President Trump's request to modify a gag order. And new data outlines priorities for rural voters in ten battleground states.

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Some small towns in North Dakota worry they'll go to pot if marijuana is legalized, school vouchers are becoming a litmus test for Republicans, and Bennington, Vermont implements an innovative substance abuse recovery program.

Rural MS schools face steep hurdles compared with nation

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Monday, March 11, 2024   

Nearly half the public schools in Mississippi are in rural areas and their needs figure prominently in a national report on rural education.

The report by the National Rural Education Association ranks Mississippi at the top among the states in terms of how critically more funding is needed, not only for students in rural districts but for schools to attract and retain teachers.

Allen Pratt, executive director of the association, said it is collaborating with other groups in the state to spur improvements.

"Mississippi State does a lot of outreach and they're using this report to help solve some problems," Pratt explained. "We know there's barriers there. We know there's issues, and I think this report opens the door as a starting point to 'let's discuss what we can do to be better.'"

The report revealed Mississippi teachers make about $13,000 a year less than the average for rural teachers in other states. It also cited widespread lack of basic home internet access, and almost 7% of rural, school-aged children having no health insurance, as factors of concern.

Pratt pointed out Mississippi ranks near the bottom for state spending per student, at almost $5,300 per child, when the national average is about $7,100. And while the report shows there is room for improvement, he emphasized there are some highlights for Mississippi.

"Fifty percent of your rural schools that are deemed by the federal government, they have gifted and talented programs," Pratt stressed. "That's a good place to start; we needed to increase that number. I think that Mississippi has really done a good job, this past two years or three years since COVID, of trying to give access to schools and communities with broadband."

He added Mississippi's targeted approach to teaching literacy and reading in the state also appears to be showing progress.


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