What to know: The Mississippi Department
of Education's (MDE) plan stands out for aligning its
teacher recruitment and retention efforts with its ambitious goals for increasing student academic achievement by 2025 and clearly stating its role
in supporting districts to address equity concerns.10 The MDE recognizes that
in order to reach its stated goals — which include a proposed graduation rate
of 90 percent for all students by 2025 — they must also support districts
in recruiting and
retaining teachers of color who are prepared to improve student outcomes.
Title II - A funds can be used for a number
of critical priorities, such as addressing
teacher shortages, providing essential professional development, recruiting and preparing new
teachers,
retaining teachers, achieving more equitable distribution
of effective and experienced
teachers, and addressing the persistent underrepresentation
of teachers of color in the profession.
(e) The board shall establish the information needed
in an application for the approval
of a charter school; provided that the application shall include, but not be limited to, a description
of: (i) the mission, purpose, innovation and specialized focus
of the proposed charter school; (ii) the innovative methods to be used
in the charter school and how they differ from the district or districts from which the charter school is expected to enroll students; (iii) the organization
of the school by ages
of students or grades to be taught, an estimate
of the total enrollment
of the school and the district or districts from which the school will enroll students; (iv) the method for admission to the charter school; (v) the educational program, instructional methodology and services to be offered to students, including research on how the proposed program may improve the academic performance
of the subgroups listed
in the recruitment and retention plan; (vi) the school's capacity to address the particular needs
of limited English - proficient students, if applicable, to learn English and learn content matter, including the employment
of staff that meets the criteria established by the department; (vii) how the school shall involve parents as partners
in the education
of their children; (viii) the school governance and bylaws; (ix) a proposed arrangement or contract with an organization that shall manage or operate the school, including any proposed or agreed upon payments to such organization; (x) the financial plan for the operation
of the school; (xi) the provision
of school facilities and pupil transportation; (xii) the number and qualifications
of teachers and administrators to be employed; (xiii) procedures for evaluation and professional development for
teachers and administrators; (xiv) a statement
of equal educational opportunity which shall state that charter schools shall be open to all students, on a space available basis, and shall not discriminate on the basis
of race,
color, national origin, creed, sex, gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, age, ancestry, athletic performance, special need, proficiency
in the English language or academic achievement; (xv) a student recruitment and retention plan, including deliberate, specific strategies the school will use to ensure the provision
of equal educational opportunity as stated
in clause (xiv) and to attract, enroll and
retain a student population that, when compared to students
in similar grades
in schools from which the charter school is expected to enroll students, contains a comparable academic and demographic profile; and (xvi) plans for disseminating successes and innovations
of the charter school to other non-charter public schools.