Devna Bose

Weeks before the first day of school, teachers across Mississippi say state leaders have made it more difficult for them to access money for classroom supplies.

Mississippi teachers are, on average, the lowest paid in the country.

Sen. David Blount asks questions during a TANF hearing at the State Capitol in Jackson, Miss., Thursday, December 15, 2022. Eric Shelton I Mississippi Today

Fewer students are being held back, according to a Big Local News/Hechinger Report analysis. Research on the impact on students is mixed

More states, including Mississippi, now have grade retention laws.

Mississippi has one of the highest third grade retention rates.

Okolona school district enrollment declined, but spending increased.

More than two dozen states now have laws requiring or allowing schools to retain third grade students who are not reading at grade level.

Mississippi’s early-grade reading gains have drawn national attention. Now more states are adopting elements of its approach, including the controversial practice of holding back some students who aren’t reading proficiently.

Madison County and Canton schools could receive millions of dollars from fees data center owners pay to operate in the area.