Mississippi
How three Mississippi school districts are spending $207 million in federal relief funds
Flush with $2.3 billion in federal pandemic aid funds, college districts throughout the state are working to spend them on infrastructure enhancements, know-how, and catching up on studying misplaced within the pandemic.
The Elementary and Secondary College Emergency Aid (ESSER) Fund was created initially by the Coronavirus Help Aid and Financial Safety (CARES) Act after which subsequently replenished in two different items of federal laws, creating three separate pots of cash for the state and districts to spend.
READ MORE: How a lot pandemic aid funds has your college district spent?
Mississippi At this time reviewed the spending plans and spoke to native officers in three college districts which collectively acquired roughly $207 million: the Jackson Public College District, Ocean Springs College District, and Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated College District. Throughout the districts, the foremost spending themes are reopening colleges safely, studying loss restoration, and infrastructure enhancements.
A nationwide evaluation of district spending plans by FutureEd, an training coverage suppose tank at Georgetown College, discovered that districts with larger poverty ranges are receiving considerably extra ESSER {dollars} per pupil, practically 10 instances extra when evaluating the best and lowest poverty districts. FutureEd stated this distinction stems from Congress allocating the funds utilizing the Title I funding formulation, which distributes federal funding to varsities primarily based on the variety of low-income college students enrolled.
FutureEd additionally discovered that the upper the poverty charge in a district, the extra probably directors have been to allocate cash to heating, venting, and air-con (HVAC) updates and buying new tutorial supplies.
For instance, within the Jackson Public College District, each college is budgeted to obtain HVAC renovations, that are additionally usually accompanied by window replacements or roof repairs. Chief of Workers William Merritt defined that these extra repairs are vital to make sure that the brand new HVAC methods can run successfully.
Merritt stated it might have been perfect to be allowed to make use of the federal {dollars} for constructing new amenities, because the district’s growing old infrastructure signifies that repairing one downside usually means discovering one other, however “that’s one thing that we are able to’t essentially do presently,” referencing the federal rules that restrict new development.
Statewide, districts are utilizing, on common, practically half of their cash from the third and largest pot of federal {dollars} on infrastructure. Most of it has gone to HVAC upgrades, buses, out of doors studying areas, rest room upgrades, know-how, and new flooring.
All three of the districts Mississippi At this time spoke to are investing in HVAC upgrades. Leaders stated these upgrades are an excellent preventative measure in opposition to airborne illnesses like COVID-19, and a wanted long-term funding as a result of many buildings have outdated items.
District leaders additionally defined that the inflow of federal {dollars} has created a provide and demand downside for contractors and components. Coupled with the nationwide provide chain points, upgrades have been extra expensive in some circumstances and districts are pressured to get all of their initiatives performed on time.
Nationwide leaders have acknowledged this strain, giving states the flexibility to use for extensions as much as 14 months previous the unique deadlines. For the reason that funding got here in waves, the spending deadlines do as effectively. The deadlines to have the cash obligated for every pot are Sept. 30 of 2022, 2023, and 2024, however a grace interval is inbuilt that provides colleges just a few additional months to disperse closing funds. Per the brand new extension possibility that’s out there, these preliminary deadlines to award contracts will nonetheless be in place, however the grace interval to make funds on these contracts has been prolonged.
The Mississippi Division of Schooling confirmed that they’re making use of for an extension on the primary spherical of federal funding.
The primary pot of cash, which districts started receiving in the summertime of 2020, was focused to reopening colleges. It was used to make a major funding in sanitation, initially assembly the quick want for masks and cleansing provides, later buying disinfectant sprayers with extra funding.
Anna Guntharp, assistant superintendent within the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated College District, stated that preliminary emphasis on private protecting gear got here from Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention steerage, however that they’ve discovered it to be an excellent follow to maintain typically at the same time as public understanding about how COVID spreads has modified.
“There’s at all times a threat of transmitting viruses of any sort in a faculty,” Guntharp stated. “Going ahead, throughout flu season and even widespread chilly season, we wish to hold our youngsters protected. I feel it was nonetheless cash effectively spent even publish COVID-19.”
Reopening efforts additionally included important purchases of know-how. The push to get every pupil a tool noticed important assist from the Legislature and Mississippi Division of Schooling, however districts additionally spent tens of millions on laptops, tablets, video conferencing cameras, enhancing broadband connectivity, licensing digital studying applications, and digital textbooks.
This funding in know-how has long-lasting advantages for the scholars within the Jackson Public College District, based on Merritt, the chief of employees. The district, which regularly struggles with college closures brought on by water strain points, will now be capable to pivot to digital instruction for different circumstances exterior of a spike in illness transmission to keep away from misplaced college days.
Extending tutorial time is a key tactic to addressing the nationwide decline in pupil achievement since 2019, incessantly known as pandemic studying loss.This decline is likely one of the main focuses of the federal funding, withCongress making a requirement for the third and largest pot of cash that not less than 20% should be spent addressing studying loss.
Districts are primarily pursuing two strategies to deal with this decline: interventionists to work immediately with college students on ideas they’re scuffling with of their bigger courses, and after college and summer time college applications to extend classroom hours.
Tonya Bolton, director of federal applications for the Ocean Springs College District, stated the district has been analyzing knowledge for every college to find out individualized areas of want, specializing in ideas from earlier grades that college students could have missed and getting them as much as grade stage. Bolton stated inner knowledge exhibits their efforts have been efficient sufficient that they might proceed to speculate cash in having interventionists even after the federal funding runs out.
Guntharp stated roughly 14% of scholars within the Starkville-Oktibbeha College District are at present working with interventionists, and the district can be in search of methods to afford retaining those they employed after the district runs out of federal funds.
Laura Anderson, affiliate director of the Edunomics Lab, stated elevated per-student spending doesn’t at all times result in higher outcomes, which makes it essential for districts to consistently consider the effectiveness of their studying loss restoration plans – a sentiment training researchers have additionally echoed in latest reviews on district stage studying loss.
“We’ve this infusion (of cash); what are our youngsters getting for it?” Anderson requested. “And if we don’t suppose that we’re getting the outcomes that we needed for our youngsters, how can we pivot? Districts should be advised it’s okay to be nimble and to make these adjustments.”
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Mississippi
Vicksburg’s Raymond Elledge set to enter Mississippi Disc Golf Hall of Fame – The Vicksburg Post
Vicksburg’s Raymond Elledge set to enter Mississippi Disc Golf Hall of Fame
Published 4:30 pm Tuesday, September 3, 2024
1 of 2
Vicksburg resident Raymond Elledge has been elected to the Mississippi Disc Golf Hall of Fame. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)
During two decades of playing disc golf, Raymond Elledge has only won one big tournament.
“I don’t even remember what year it was,” he said.
Nonetheless, Elledge is a legend in the sport in Mississippi. He’s worked tirelessly to maintain courses, been a member of several local and state players associations, and taught people young and old the joys of it. That level of dedication led to Elledge’s recent election to the Mississippi Disc Golf Hall of Fame. He’ll officially be inducted Oct. 12 in Starkville.
“When he first told me last year I was nominated, I told him, ‘Man, you’re making my heart hurt.’ You don’t realize the emotions you can get. Stuff can just tear you up, and it did because I was just so excited,” the 62-year-old Vicksburg resident said. “You go years and years, and you’re out here busting your butt trying to maintain the course and showing everybody what you can.”
Disc golf is played the same as traditional golf, except with plastic discs that resemble frisbees. Players take aim at a steel basket several hundred yards away, with the goal of getting it in there in as few throws as possible.
Elledge first played disc golf in 2002, on a private course built in the backyard of Vicksburg resident Herman Cochran. One of the people playing with Elledge made a hole-in-one, and the excitement over the feat hooked him instantly.
“I seen this little old fella, he was 21 or 22 but he looked like he was 12, and he made an ace. I was hooked. I’ve got to do it,” Elledge said. “I don’t go anywhere on vacation without taking my disc golf bag. I just love the game.”
Elledge added that the simplicity of the sport is something he enjoys. A starter kit of three discs — a driver, mid-range disc and putter, all of which have different densities and flight characteristics — can be purchased for about $25.
The courses are easily found at many parks in Mississippi. There is an 18-hole course at Halls Ferry Park. Players of all ages and shapes can play it as long as they can walk the course. Elledge had quadruple bypass heart surgery eight years ago and playing disc golf helps him stay in shape.
“It’s something anybody can do,” he said. “I’ve trained kids from 5 to 50, and the oldest one I’ve helped train to play this game is 71 years old now. He still comes out and plays. This is a sport that any age can play.“
With his passion for disc golf comes a sense of responsibility. He’s helped clear brush around parts of the Halls Ferry Park course to keep it playable, and done the same while working with associations like the Vicksburg Disc Golf Association and Jackson Union of Disc Golf Enthusiasts.
He’s also eager to teach the game to newcomers.
“I’ve never quit teaching how to play the game,” he said. “They used to have something called the World’s Biggest Disc Golf Weekend and I won it three years in a row. What it is, is whoever takes the most players out to a certain disc golf course gets the T-shirt and a disc.”
His service to the sport led to a nomination for the Mississippi Disc Golf Hall of Fame in 2023, but he didn’t make the final cut. This year he did, and he said it was better than winning any tournament.
“You play a lot of tournaments. You do a whole lot for the sport itself, such as numerous work days working on the course to maintain it. Teaching the kids and when we have tournaments helping move baskets around to new spots,” Elledge said. “Then somebody will nominate you and there’s a lot of votes from the clubs. If you get enough votes from everybody you’re in. You find out how much you’re appreciated by everybody for all that you’ve done.”
About Ernest Bowker
Ernest Bowker is The Vicksburg Post’s sports editor. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post’s sports staff since 1998, making him one of the longest-tenured reporters in the paper’s 140-year history. The New Jersey native is a graduate of LSU. In his career, he has won more than 50 awards from the Mississippi Press Association and Associated Press for his coverage of local sports in Vicksburg.
More by Ernest
Arizona State forces 3 turnovers in win over Wyoming to start 2024
All offseason, coach Kenny Dillingham preached getting turnovers. Forty seconds into the season’s first game, the defense produced its first one.
The Arizona State Sun Devils host the Mississippi State Bulldogs in a Week 2 non-conference college football game on Saturday, Sept. 7 at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.
Which team will win the game?
Check out these picks and predictions for the game, which is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. MST and can be seen on ESPN (stream with this free trial from FUBO).
Arizona State is coming off a 48-7 win against Wyoming. Mississippi State beat Eastern Kentucky in its season opener, 56-7.
ASU football is a 6.5-point favorite over Mississippi State in the game, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
The Sun Devils are -250 on the moneyline. The Bulldogs are +200.
The over/under for the game is set at 56.5 points.
This is the first meeting between the two college football programs.
Dimers.com: Arizona State 30, Mississippi State 24
It writes: “According to our analysis, Arizona State is more likely to beat Mississippi State in CFB action at Mountain America Stadium on Saturday.”
Sports Chat Place: Bet ASU football to cover vs Mississippi State
It writes: “I’m going with Arizona State. This should be a fun matchup though, and you could make a case either way. The Sun Devils posted 499 total yards (241 rushing), 7.0 yards per play, 27 first downs and no turnovers in their blowout win Saturday. Defensively they were great as well with 118 yards allowed (78 passing), eight first downs, three turnovers and a 3-of-13 rate on third downs.”
Arizona State football predictions: Game-by-game picks for Sun Devils in 2024 season
Picks and Parlays: Arizona State 35, Mississippi State 21
Cameron Ross writes: “Both teams come in a week two undefeated as each will look to continue to roll. Arizona State will have the edge however as they are on their home field and have a top tier defense. Look for the Sun Devils to keep it rolling as they pick up a win and cover at home against the SEC opponent.”
Clarion Ledger: Arizona State 27, Mississippi State 26
Sam Sklar writes: “This game kicks off at 9:30 p.m. CT against an Arizona State team that should be improved under second-year coach Kenny Dillingham. The Sun Devils offense averaged just 17.7 points per game in part due to injuries at quarterback and offensive line. Redshirt freshman transfer Sam Leavitt is ASU’s new quarterback.”
ASU football schedule: Dates, times, TV channels for Sun Devils’ 2024 season
ESPN: Sun Devils have a 56.5% chance to defeat Bulldogs in Week 2
The site’s matchup predictor gives Mississippi State a 43.5% chance to beat Arizona State at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Saturday.
STREAM THE GAME: Watch ASU football vs Mississippi State live with FUBO (free trial)
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Up-to-date information on deer season 2024-25 in Mississippi including CWD, season dates, bag limits, antler restrictions and more.
Watch: Black bear family turns a tree and back porch into a jungle gym
It was playtime for a family of black bears in this North Carolina backyard.
Deer season is almost here and will kick off this month with the early, buck-only archery season followed by the traditional archery season in October then the early primitive weapon season and gun season in November. For thousands in Mississippi, it’s the most exciting time of the year.
But, as has been the case in many years, there have been some changes. Here’s what hunters need to know about chronic wasting disease, bag limits, harvest reporting and season dates for the 2024-25 deer season.
Deer hunting season dates
North Central, Delta and Hills deer management units
- Archery: Sept. 13-15, One legal buck. Special permit, mandatory reporting and CWD sampling required. Private land and authorized state and federal lands.
- Archery: Oct. 1-Nov. 22, Either sex on private land, open public land, and Holly Springs National Forest.
- Youth: Nov. 9-22, Either sex on private lands and authorized state and federal lands.
- Youth: Nov. 23-Jan. 31, Either sex on private lands. On open public lands, youth must follow below legal deer criteria.
- Antlerless primitive weapon: Nov. 11-22, Antlerless deer only on private lands.
- Gun with dogs: Nov. 23-Dec. 1, Either sex on private land and Holly Springs National Forest. Legal bucks only on open public land.
- Primitive weapon: Dec. 2-15, Either sex on private land, open public land, and Holly Springs National Forest. Weapons of choice may be used on private land with the appropriate license.
- Gun without dogs: Dec. 16-23, Either sex on private land and Holly Springs National Forest. Legal bucks only on open public land.
- Gun with dogs: Dec. 24-Jan.22, Either sex on private land and Holly Spring National Forest. Legal bucks only on open public land.
- Archery, primitive weapon: Jan. 23-31, Either sex on private land and Holly Springs National Forest. Legal bucks only on open public land. Weapons of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license.
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Southeast Deer Management Unit
- Archery: Sept. 13-15, One legal buck. Special permit, mandatory reporting and CWD sampling required. Private land and authorized state and federal lands.
- Archery: Oct. 15-Nov. 22, Either sex on private or open public land.
- Youth: 15 years and under, Nov. 9-22, Either sex on private land and authorized state and federal land.
- Youth: 15 years and under, Nov. 23-Feb. 15, Either sex on private land. On open public land, youth must follow legal deer criteria.
- Gun with dogs: Nov. 23-Dec. 1, Either sex on private land. Legal bucks only on open public land.
- Primitive weapon: Dec. 2-15, Either sex on private or open public land. Weapons of choice may be used on private land with appropriate license.
- Gun without dogs: Dec. 16-23, Either sex on private land. Legal bucks only on open public land.
- Gun with dogs: Dec. 24-Jan. 22, Either sex on private land. Legal bucks only on open public land.
- Archery, primitive weapon: Jan. 23-31, Either sex on private land. Legal bucks only on open public land. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with the appropriate license.
- Archery, primitive weapon: Feb. 1-15, Legal bucks only on private and open public land. Weapon of choice may be used on private land with the appropriate license.
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Deer bag limits
- Delta DMU: The bag limit for antlered deer is one per day, three per annual season. The antlerless bag limit is five.
- Hills DMU: The bag limit for antlered deer is one per day, three per annual season. The antlerless bag limit is five.
- North Central DMU: The bag limit for antlered deer is one per day, four per annual season. The limit for antlerless deer is 10 on private lands.
- Southeast DMU: The bag limit for antlered deer is one per day, three per annual season. The bag limit for antlerless deer is one per day, three per annual season.
- U.S. Forest Service National Forests: The bag limit for antlered deer is one per day, three per annual season. The bag limit for antlerless deer is one per day, five per annual season except in the Southeast DMU where the antlerless limit is one per day, three per annual season.
Antler requirements
- Delta DMU: 12-inch inside spread or 15-inch main beam
- Hills DMU: 10-inch inside spread or 13-inch main beam
- North Central DMU: No antler restrictions apply to this zone. Hunters may harvest bucks with any hardened antler.
- Southeast DMU: 10-inch inside spread or 13-inch main beam
- Youth hunters: For youth hunters 15 years of age and younger, hunting on private land and authorized state and federal lands, all of the buck bag limit may be any antlered deer.
- Buck of choice: In the Delta, Hills and Southeast DMUs, hunters may harvest one buck that does not meet antler requirements on private land and Holly Springs National Forest.
- Public lands: Antler requirements vary among public lands. Hunters should check regulations for the specific public land they plan to hunt before hunting.
Blaze orange
Hunters have traditionally been required to wear 500 square inches of unbroken blaze orange while deer hunting as a safety measure, but this year they have an alternative. A bill passed in the 2024 Legislative session allows hunters to choose between blaze orange or pink.
CWD testing
Testing deer for CWD, a disease that is considered always fatal for deer, is not mandatory other than during the early archery season, but the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks urges hunters to provide tissue samples of harvested deer for testing.
According to the department, knowing where the disease exists and how prevalent it is helps in managing and slowing the spread of the disease.
Although there has been no known case of it spreading to humans, the CDC warns against consuming infected deer. So hunters should know if their deer is infected as well.
Since the disease was first detected in Mississippi in 2018, there have been 318 cases found in the state as of September 2024.
For convenience, MDWFP has provided freezers at locations across the state where hunters can leave deer heads with six inches of neck attached for testing. The agency has also partnered with a number of taxidermy businesses that will have deer tested at the customer’s request.
CWD management zones
Counties in CWD management zones have changed with some added and a zone added this year. Within these zones, special regulations are in place to slow the spread of the disease such as a supplemental feeding ban and carcass transportation restrictions.
North CWD Management Zone
The North CWD Management Zone includes all portions of the following counties:
- Alcorn County
- Benton County
- Desoto County
- Lafayette County
- Marshall County
- Panola County
- Prentiss County
- Tate County
- Tippah County
- Tishomingo County
- Union County
Portions of Coahoma, Quitman, and Tunica counties are also included and are defined as:
- Areas south of MS 4
- Areas east of Old Highway 61 to the intersection of US 49
- Areas east of US 49 to the intersection of US 278
- Areas north of US 278
- Areas west of MS 3
Issaquena CWD Management Zone
- Claiborne County
- Sharkey County, east of the Mississippi River and south of MS 14
- Warren County
Harrison CWD Management Zone
Portions of Hancock and Harrison counties are included and defined as:
- All portions of Harrison County west of US 49
- All portions of Hancock County east of MS 53, MS 603 and MS 43
- All portions of Hancock County east of Nicholson Avenue
What is banned in a CWD management zone?
- Salt licks
- Mineral licks
- Supplemental feeding
- Transportation of deer carcasses outside the zone
What parts of a deer can be taken out of a CWD zone?
- Cut/wrapped meat
- Deboned meat
- Hides with no head attached
- Bone-in leg quarters
- Finished taxidermy
- Antlers with no tissue attached
- Cleaned skulls or skull plates with no brain tissue
- Hunters may transport deer heads to permitted taxidermists participating in the CWD collection program. A CWD sample number must be obtained from a participating taxidermist prior to transporting a deer head outside of the CWD management zone.
Do you have a story idea? Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com.
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