Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Actions topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves temporary early‑learning 'hold harmless' rule, $12.5 million in 21st Century grants and IT contract
Summary
The Mississippi State Board approved a temporary rule to hold early learning grants harmless during a transition to a new preK/k assessment, authorized $12.5 million for 21st Century Learning Centers grants, and approved a Microsoft support contract for MDE IT services.
The Mississippi State Board of Education voted to advance a temporary rule that will "hold harmless" certain early learning grant programs placed on probation during the 2025–26 academic year while the state implements a new pre‑K and kindergarten assessment.
Office of Early Childhood staff told the board the temporary administrative rule—requested for this year only—would allow programs to receive monitoring and class observations and receive results, but would prevent automatic grant sanctions tied to placement on probation because of the new assessment. A presenter said the Office of Early Childhood would revise program quality assessment components and provide support and improvement planning. The board moved, seconded and approved the item to begin the Administrative Procedures Act process.
On related actions, the board approved a contract with Dale Marketing to provide Microsoft Premier and Unified Support Services for the Office of Technology and School Support (OTSS). Dr. Gavin presented the IT contract; the board moved and approved the contract with no roll call tally in the transcript.
The board also approved funding for the 21st Century Learning Centers program (identified in the agenda as under "ESSFA") with $12,500,000 available to supply supplemental grant funds to districts and existing cohorts. Presenters said all districts that applied in existing cohorts received funds. The board approved the grant package following discussion and member questions.
Board members subsequently approved the consent agenda (items A through N) and later voted to enter executive session for discrete personnel, litigation and student matters. After executive session, members reported they had established a subcommittee to explore future growth of the Mississippi School for Math and Science.
Each of the board’s formal actions above was moved and seconded on the record and recorded as approved during the December meeting; the transcript does not provide full numeric roll‑call tallies for each vote.
