the district. If local schools fill up with transfer students from other communities, how will that district educate students who actually move into the district? The fiscal impact on those districts losing stu - dents to choice must also be considered. Mis - sissippi’s new school funding formula is based on enrollment. If students were to leave a district to attend school in another district they do not live in, it would reduce state funding and resources available to their district of residency. The district would have fewer students but the same fixed costs, which would make it more challenging to provide a quality education for the students remaining in the district. Choice would hamper local districts’ ability to effectively plan and prepare. Districts adopt budgets each spring and most also offer educa - tor contracts in the spring. How would districts plan for an outflow of students OR an influx of students from other districts? How would dis - tricts ensure they have the appropriate number of staff, as well as resources such as technology, equipment, or textbooks? It will be critical for districts to adopt local board policy establishing the capacity limit for the district. Choice will most likely open a floodgate of lawsuits filed against districts for denying students’ requests to transfer into the district. The cost of such lawsuits in both time and fiscal resources will impact district budgets. Choice Creates a Market Focus Choice creates a market focus in which students are considered commodities. Schools would focus on competing for the cream of the crop students rather than providing a well-rounded education for all students. The focus may be - come athletics and/or other popular programs or activities. This could easily create a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) atmosphere among athletes. There are also losers in choice, as a system focused on commodities means we have an “acceptable loss” within the system.
Independent School Association Opposes Choice The Midsouth Association of Independent Schools (formerly known as the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools) opposes school choice. The association shared in its 2023-24 Year in Review report that “While proponents argue for choice, it’s crucial to recognize that private and independent schools already epitomize such freedom. However, the school choice movement isn’t merely about choice; it’s about equity and inclusion, often at the expense of independent schools…The encroachment of regulation and increasing governmental control pose significant threats to the autonomy and quality of independent schools.” MPE Members Oppose Choice MPE members do not support school choice or school vouchers. In our recent member survey conducted this fall, 51% of respon - dents indicated they would not support school choice legislation that would allow students to transfer from one public school district to another district of their choosing regardless of their residency (i.e., open enrollment). 81% of respondents indicated they would not support school choice legislation that would allow fami - lies to send their children to private schools at taxpayer expense via school vouchers. e
PAGE 14 MPE Journal - Winter 2024
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