Mississippi
Mississippi is moving toward educational freedom
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Will Mississippi be the first state to expand educational freedom in 2026? It’s too early to know, but it’s notable that the state House recently passed HB2, the Mississippi Education Freedom Act, a step in that direction. The centerpiece of the massive bill is an education savings account program called Magnolia Student Accounts, or MSA for short.
By creating these Magnolia Student Accounts, Mississippi would join a growing number of states that recognize parents know their kids better than bureaucrats do, and education funding should follow students to the learning environments where they’ll thrive.
This isn’t a radical concept. We don’t mandate where families shop for groceries or what doctor they visit. Education is too important to be the one service where choice doesn’t matter.
The mechanics of MSAs are straightforward. Instead of locking all education dollars into assigned district schools, the state would deposit funds into accounts that families control. Those funds could pay for private school tuition, tutoring, educational technology, curriculum materials, specialized courses and more.
If HB2 is passed, every student would be eligible to apply for an MSA, but the number of available accounts would be limited. In the first year, there would be a maximum of 12,500 accounts for private school tuition, with half of those reserved for students transferring out of public schools. The cap would automatically increase by 2,500 each year for the first four years. After that, it would automatically increase by 2,500 whenever all accounts are claimed the previous year. If applications exceed available funds, students from lower-income households would receive priority and a lottery would be conducted if needed.
For students using the accounts at participating schools, funding would be based on the state’s base student funding for the applicable school year, currently around $6,800. Students at non-participating schools would receive $2,000 with a family maximum of $4,000. Up to 5,000 homeschoolers could receive $1,000 per family. The program also allows families to carry over unused funds for future educational expenses, which discourages wasteful spending.
As currently drafted, the program respects participating schools’ autonomy. Schools aren’t forced to participate, and those that do aren’t subjected to state curriculum mandates. They can still set their own admissions standards, hire teachers who share their mission and maintain the distinctive programs that make them effective. Religious schools can maintain their faith-based instruction. These protections are critical in encouraging diverse educational options rather than cookie-cutter schools that all look alike.
While adopting MSAs would be a significant step toward more educational freedom for Mississippi families, there are areas for improvement in the proposal. The participation caps mean only around 3% of Mississippi students would be able to participate in the beginning, and the cap increases at a very slow pace. Providing lower funding amounts based on what type of education children receive limits families’ flexibility and complicates program administration, as well.
As is often the case, the teachers union, superintendents’ association and other opponents of school choice are campaigning against the Education Freedom Act, claiming that MSAs will harm public schools. Yet public school funding would only be affected if parents choose other options — which, critically, would not happen if the school is meeting their needs. Keeping kids trapped in schools that aren’t working for them helps no one.
Mississippi’s public schools may be a great fit for many students, but they can’t work for every child. Some students need more personalized environments, different instructional approaches or specialized support that their assigned school can’t provide. When we pretend one-size-fits-all in education, the students who suffer are typically those with the fewest alternatives.
The education landscape is changing. Enrollment in Mississippi district schools has fallen. Many families want options that better fit their children’s needs. Magnolia Student Accounts acknowledge this reality and enable education funding to reflect family choices.
No education system is perfect, and choice programs require careful drafting and implementation. But the old way of doing things — a system where kids are limited by their addresses, struggling students can’t escape schools that aren’t meeting their needs, and innovative approaches can’t get funding — is no longer good enough.
Education works best when families have options and schools have the freedom to meet students where they are. Mississippi is moving decisively in that direction.
— Colleen Hroncich is a policy analyst at the Cato Institute’s Center for Educational Freedom.
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The Mississippi State Legislature will return for a special session not on redistricting, as many conservative politicians have called for, but to resolve issues with youth court and records protection.
Gov. Tate Reeves called the Legislature back into Jackson on July 14 for a special session beginning the next day, July 15, at 3 p.m.
“I am hopeful — and even optimistic — that members of both political parties can and will vote for this common-sense legislation that will help children and families all across Mississippi,” Reeves wrote in a post on X.
The issue stems from statutes that used to govern youth court records. The statutes were put in place to protect the personally identifiable information of children in the youth court system, including those who are under the care of Child Protection Services.
The Legislature is responsible for making the laws and renewing them when they are set to be repealed, but the body did not do so before the end of the legislative session in April. The statutes were repealed on June 30, and CPS employees have been left scrambling to engage in court proceedings without illegally sharing private information about vulnerable children.
Leadership in both chambers have been discussing the new laws governing youth court since the end of the session, and Reeves wrote that he was pleased with the bill that they are set to propose at the special session.
“The agreed upon solution (as proposed and agreed by House and Senate leadership) sets up a far better system for both kids who are abused and neglected, as well as those children facing delinquency proceedings,” he wrote. “For the first time, children and families will have access to full-time judges and moves us toward a uniform youth court system statewide.”
Bea Anhuci is the state government reporter for the Clarion Ledger. She has covered Mississippi politics since the start of 2026. Email her at banhuci@usatodayco.com.
Mississippi
Mississippi AI task force hears competing claims on data center costs, community impacts
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) -Mississippi’s artificial intelligence regulation task force opened its first day of hearings Monday, taking testimony from utility representatives, public service commissioners, and community advocates on the costs and consequences of the state’s data center industry growth.
Entergy projects lower bills; critics question the numbers
Entergy told the task force it expects residential customer bills to decrease as data center growth expands the utility’s customer base.
“When you have higher sales volume to spread those costs over, it’s going to produce a lower rate,” said Jeremy Vanderloo, vice president of business operations and strategy for Entergy Mississippi.
The company projected residential bills would be $30 a month less by 2030 than they would have been without data center growth. Entergy pushed back on a recent study commissioned by environmental groups that claims costs are already being passed on to ratepayers.
Commissioners weigh ratepayer protections
Two public service commissioners testified before the task force. Commissioner DeKeither Stamps said the goal of protecting ratepayers goes beyond simply keeping rates low.
“We should be looking for a low rate or a high rate, just the correct rate to maintain the systems,” Stamps said. “And if the citizens don’t want the correct rate, then as a regulator, we still have to put the correct rate on the table.”
Advocates raise questions on accountability
National advocate Jim Walsh questioned what would happen if industry projections prove inaccurate, asking, “Who pays if industry’s projections are wrong?” Walsh said some states and communities have placed moratoriums on data centers while they assess potential impacts.
Shannon Samsa, director of the Safe + Sound Coalition, told the task force she is not opposed to AI and data centers broadly but called for greater transparency.
“It’s about whether the people of Mississippi deserve transparency, accountability, and leaders who will protect the health and well-being of our families and communities before the interests of a private corporation,” Samsa said.
North Mississippi resident cites noise from xAI site
Samsa, who lives in north Mississippi, said residents near the xAI facility in Southaven have experienced near-constant noise for nearly a year.
“There have been numerous occasions where I myself can hear the turbines from inside my home, and I live almost 2 miles away from the site,” she said.
The task force is scheduled to hear Tuesday from local leaders in affected communities as well as companies including Amazon.
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Inside the new Lego retailer, Bricks & Minifigs
Customers can buy or sell Legos and get individual bricks at the new store in Montrose.
Shoppers visiting Renaissance at Colony Park later this month will notice a big change.
Apple is moving to a new and larger store within the Ridgeland shopping center, while LEGO plans to take over Apple’s current location once the move is complete, according to Apple and other industry sources.
Apple has announced that its new store will open July 24 near the development’s Show Fountain. The company is not leaving Ridgeland. Instead, it is moving to a new location a short distance away inside Renaissance at Colony Park.
The company has operated a store at Renaissance for more than a decade. Once Apple moves into its new store, LEGO plans to open in the company’s former space. The addition will bring another well-known international brand to central Mississippi and give LEGO fans a dedicated store in the Jackson metro area.
It is another win for Ridgeland with last week’s announcement that a Dave & Buster’s that will be located at the PradoVista development near Topgolf. A site plan and architectural review for Dave & Buster’s was approved at the Ridgeland Board of Aldermen meeting on Tuesday, July 7.
Renaissance at Colony Park continues to thrive
Over the years, the center has attracted a mix of national retailers, restaurants and specialty stores. Previous developments at Renaissance have included luxury retailers, popular restaurant chains and entertainment options that draw shoppers from across Mississippi and neighboring states.
Apple’s new location will continue offering product sales, technical support and repair services. Customers will also be able to attend the company’s “Today at Apple” classes and workshops, which provide free lessons on photography, video, music and other topics.
Apple has not released details about the size of the new store. The Ridgeland project is one of several store moves announced this summer.
Renaissance keeps storefront
For Renaissance, the deal works in several ways.
Apple stays at the shopping center and receives a newer storefront. At the same time, the center fills Apple’s former location with another high-profile retailer instead of leaving the space vacant.
LEGO stores are often considered destination retailers because customers will drive long distances to visit them. Families, collectors and hobbyists frequently seek out official LEGO stores for exclusive products and special events.
For shoppers, the most immediate change will be Apple’s July 24 opening. Customers who need repairs, technical help or product purchases will be directed to the new store after the move.
LEGO has not yet announced an opening date.
Ross Reily is a writer for the Clarion Ledger, part of the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at rreily@gannett.com or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter @GreenOkra1.
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