February 19, 2026 board agenda

Mississippi Board of Education
February 19, 2026
10:00 a.m.
4^th Floor Boardroom
Central High School Building
Mississippi Department of Education (MDE)
359 North West Street
Jackson, Mississippi

Agenda

I.          Call to Order

II.         National Anthem

            Pearl High School Chamber Singers
            Pearl Public School District
            Andy Beasley, Pearl High School Choir Director and MS Music Educators
            Association President
            Dr. Michael Brewer, Pearl High School Principal
            Chris Chism, Pearl Public School District Superintendent

III.        Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and Invocation

IV.        Approval of minutes of January 15, 2026 Board Meeting

V.         Approval of Agenda

VI.        Recognition Ceremony

            National Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) Lifetime Achievement Finalist
            Rex Buckhaults (retired)

            National Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) Teacher of the Year Finalist
            Clint Young
            Pontotoc Ridge Career & Technical Center
            Pontotoc County School District

VII.       Report of State Superintendent of Education

VIII.      Report of Chair

IX.        Report of Student Representatives

X.         Report on State Board of Education Subcommittee (SBE) Meetings

XI.        Discussion and/or Approval of Board Items (All action items require vote)

1. 01. Information: Report of the 2026 graduation rates for the state, district, and school levels [Goal 2 – MBE Strategic Plan] (Paula Vanderford) Back-up material
2. 02. Information: Progress of the Office of Career, Technical, and Workforce Education’s K-12 Workforce Development Plan [Goals 2 and 4 – MBE Strategic Plan] (John Ferrell) Back-up material
3. 03. Action: Approval of the appointment of an Interim Superintendent for the Okolona Separate School District [Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 – MBE Strategic Plan] (John Ferrell) Back-up material
4. 04. Action: Approval of the MDE Contracts [Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 – MBE Strategic Plan] (Kym Wiggins) Back-up material
   1. 04.A. Action: Award contract to Level Data, LLC to provide services to the Mississippi Department of Education for maintenance and support of the Mississippi Educator Career Continuum Archive (MECCA) System [Goal 4 – MBE Strategic Plan (Paula Vanderford) Back-up material
   2. 04.B. Action: Award contract to nSide, Inc. to provide services to the Mississippi Department of Education for the School Safety Platform [Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 – MBE Strategic Plan] (Paula Vanderford) Back-up material
   3. 04.C. Action: Approval of the employment agreement for the Interim Superintendent for the Okolona Separate School District [Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 – MBE Strategic Plan] (John Ferrell) Back-up material

5. 05. Action: Approval of the MDE Grant Awards [Goals 1, 2, and 4 – MBE Strategic Plan] (Kym Wiggins) Back-up material
   1. 05.A. Action: Award Educator-in-Residence (EIR) grants to school districts for literacy coaching supports [Goals 1, 2, and 4 – MBE Strategic Plan] (Wendy Clemons) Back-up material
   2. 05.B. Action: Award Educator-in-Residence (EIR) State Systemic Improvement Plan grant to the participating school district for Director of Districts and Schools of Innovation [Goals 1, 2, and 4 – MBE Strategic Plan] (Wendy Clemons) Back-up material
   3. 05.C. [PULLED] Back-up material

6. 06. Information: Discussion of Draft Mississippi Strategic Plan for Pre-K through Grade 12 Education [Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 – MBE Strategic Plan] (Lance Evans) Back-up material
7. 07. Consent Agenda (All consent items are action items which require vote, unless otherwise noted.) Back-up material
   1. A. Approval of monthly expenditures for the Mississippi School of the Arts (Wendy Clemons) Back-up material
   2. B. Approval of monthly expenditures for the Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (Wendy Clemons) Back-up material
   3. C. Approval to adopt policies required by state statute for the Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and the Blind to be placed on the District Policy Service website established by the Mississippi School Boards Association (Wendy Clemons) Back-up material
   4. D. Approval to revise Miss. Admin. Code Title 7: Part 240: Minimum Bus Specifications by amending certain existing criteria and establishing new criteria for minimum bus specifications for the sale of new buses effective July 1, 2026
      (Has cleared the Administrative Procedures Act process without public comments) (Paula Vanderford) Back-up material
   5. E. Approval to upgrade the accreditation status of one (1) nonpublic school accredited by the MDE (Paula Vanderford) Back-up material
   6. F. Approval of a temporary rule and to begin the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) process: To revise Miss. Admin. Code 7-12: Mississippi Testing Accommodations Manual (Paula Vanderford) Back-up material
   7. G. Approval to revise Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 63.1, State Board Policy Chapter 63, Rule 63.1 – Public Records Policy
      (Has cleared the Administrative Procedures Act process without public comments) (Erin Meyer) Back-up material
   8. H. [PULLED] Back-up material
   9. I. Information: Annual School Board Meeting Attendance Report in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-6-13 (Paula Vanderford) Back-up material
   10. J. Information: Report on action of the Commission on School Accreditation to downgrade the Accreditation status of the Okolona Separate School District from ACCREDITED to PROBATION (Paula Vanderford) Back-up material
   11. K. Approval of resignations for a certified staff and a non-instructional at-will staff for the Mississippi School of the Arts (Wendy Clemons) Back-up material

XII.       Consideration of Executive Session

XIII.       State Board of Education

1. 1.  Report on meetings attended
2. 2.  Approval of attendance at meetings

XIV.      Other Business

XV.      Adjournment

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