The Children First Act of 2009

The Children First Act of 2009 grew out of the recommendations made by the Joint Legislative Task Force on Underperforming Schools. Members of the task force spent the summer and fall of 2008 touring low performing and high performing schools in Mississippi and hearing from experts about what other states are doing to improve failing schools.

This legislation allows the Mississippi Department of Education greater authority to intervene quickly when schools are struggling. Once the Department intervenes, a thorough evaluation of every aspect of the district will be undertaken and an improvement plan developed. The district will have 2 years to implement successfully the directives in the plan and to show some improvement in student achievement. Districts that fail to meet that standard will be taken over by the state, their superintendents removed and their school boards abolished.

Summary of the House version of The Children First Act of 2009

Summary of the Senate version of The Children First Act of 2009

Governor Signs The Children First Act of 2009

See the Children First Act Brochure

See The Children First Act Video