NACSA congratulates the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board (MCSAB or Board) on the completion of another rigorous application process, resulting in two additional quality school options for students and families in North Central Jackson.

Today the Board announced the approval of a charter school application for two new charter schools set to open in 2016: Joel E. Smilow Collegiate plans to serve up to 942 students in grades K through 8, while the second school, Joel E. Smilow Prep, plans to serve up to 459 students in grades 5 through 8. The schools will be operated by RePublic Schools, Inc., a charter management organization based out of Nashville, Tennessee.

As we highlighted earlier this week, the Board has established a rigorous and comprehensive application process for charter school applicants based on national standards. To date, MCSAB has approved four charter schools: Midtown Public Charter School and Reimagine Prep both recently opened in Jackson this fall.

NACSA is proud to have supported the Board in its efforts to create an application process that sets the bar high and puts emphasis on students and families in Mississippi’s communities. With a strong foundation in place, we look forward to witnessing the growth of many more excellent schools for kids in Mississippi.

To learn more about our work supporting quality application decisions, contact me at [email protected]