Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said his focus on school choice centers on allowing students to move between public school districts where capacity allows — not on redirecting public funds to private schools.
He shared his thoughts during an interview at The Grenada Star office late last month while passing through Grenada en route to an event at the University of Mississippi in Oxford.
“School choice means different things to different people,” Hosemann said. “We proposed last year in the Senate — and it passed — allowing children to transfer among public schools where there is capacity. Mississippi has about 430,000 to 450,000 students in public education. I’ve supported portability among public schools for a long time.”
He cited a state poll where 79 school districts responded with around 60 offering some form of student transfers between public schools. Long Beach and New Albany were mentioned as districts accepting students from neighboring areas.
Hosemann also noted a proposal, which appears to have support from Gov. Tate Reeves, that would give private schools the same per-student funding as public schools — between $6,800 and $6,900 annually. Mississippi has roughly 60,000 private school students, including 35,000 in Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) programs such as Kirk Academy in Grenada, and 25,000 attending smaller independent or Christian schools outside MAIS.
However, Hosemann said providing state funds to private schools would cost about $400 million annually, reducing public school budgets by roughly 15 percent from the current $2.8 billion.
“That’s the economic side,” he said. “The other side is states like Iowa require private schools receiving public funds to follow the same curriculum and testing as public schools, but many Mississippi private schools do not want that. Some, like Delta Streets in Greenwood, don’t take any public funds to keep their own curriculum.”
Concerns regarding school choice, vouchers and homeschool participation in sports were also provided to The Star through a joint effort of the Mississippi Association of School Superintendents and conveyed by Ridgeland-based education attorney James A. “Jim” Keith. The superintendents raise several issues and cautionary points.
They warn that directing public funds to private schools or educational savings accounts (ESAs) would create two educational systems with unequal playing fields, as private schools lack standardized metrics for measuring educational outcomes. They argue that public funds should not support private schools without strict fiscal and educational accountability.
Pointing to the experience of other states, the superintendents highlighted that school choice has often resulted in academic decline, with National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores dropping and state budgets weakened. Mississippi, by contrast, has shown significant improvement, with fourth graders ranking first nationally in NAEP score gains since 2013, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s “KIDS COUNT® Data Book” ranking Mississippi 16th in education – its highest ever, up from 48th in 2014.
Hosemann continued that he does not expect the Senate to approve state funding for private schools, especially since some schools wouldn’t accept the money due to restrictions. Logistical challenges like inconsistent testing, differing curriculum and student placement issues also complicate transfers.
“A sixth grader might be placed in fourth grade if reading skills aren’t up to standard,” Hosemann said, noting the state’s ongoing efforts to improve reading skills with dedicated coaching.
The state’s superintendents also note that public schools serve all students, while private schools decide who gets admitted, making it private school choice rather than genuine parental choice.
“Private schools aren’t accountable the way public schools are,” Keith said. “If we’re going to use taxpayer dollars, there must be both fiscal transparency and educational accountability. That’s not the case now.”
The superintendents also question where funding would come from for vouchers benefiting families already sending children to private schools, estimating a cost of $342 million if 50,000 students received vouchers at the base student cost.
“That’s not shifting dollars already in the system,” Keith said. “That’s new money added to the state budget. We have to ask where that funding is going to come from.”
Reviews from states with voucher programs showed many voucher recipients were already attending private schools, with little evidence that underserved students benefited. The superintendents oppose public funding for homeschools due to lack of accountability and reports of abuse.
The lieutenant governor emphasized the Senate would likely focus on expanding public-to-public school transfers.
“I think the Senate will pass that again, allowing students to go wherever they want if there’s capacity at that school,” he said. “I don’t see any move to take state dollars and put them in private schools.”
Concerns were also raised about how portability might affect smaller districts, many of which border Grenada County. Hosemann acknowledged that if many students left for higher-rated schools, it could be significant.
“If Grenada had room, you’d let them in,” he said. “But because Grenada is successful, people build homes here to be in the district.”
The Star expressed concerns from taxpayers regarding funding education for out-of-county students: “The average cost per student is about $13,000, but state funding is around $6,900,” he explained. “Grenada taxpayers could be subsidizing students from other districts.”
Portability, he suggested, is manageable if a limited number of students move for specific reasons but problematic if whole schools’ populations shift. He noted that educators in smaller towns such as Coffeeville, Winona or Carrollton would be focused on maintaining quality education.
Hosemann cited data from Iowa, where less than one percent of students moved between districts, as a realistic example. He expects Mississippi lawmakers to debate these issues when the 2026 legislative session opens in January.
Regarding public-to-public transfers, Keith said that superintendents across the state caution that local taxpayers might subsidize students residing outside their districts, as more than 30 percent of local school budgets derive from local taxes. They warn this could reduce support for future bond issues and lower property values in high-performing districts due to non-resident attendance.
Other concerns from superintendents include the challenge districts face in planning staffing and budgets without timely and predictable enrollment numbers. They point out that school choice can commodify students, leading to increased athletic recruitment and transfers that harm competitive balance. They emphasize that the Mississippi High School Activities Association must retain control over athletic eligibility rules.
The superintendents note Mississippi already permits various forms of choice, including inter- and intradistrict transfers with board approval, charter and magnet schools, vouchers targeted to special needs and military choice programs passed in 2024.
They stress that districts must retain authority to deny transfers based on capacity to prevent overcrowding and worsening teacher shortages.
Together, Hosemann’s insights and the superintendents’ concerns reflect the complexities Mississippi faces in expanding school choice options while preserving equitable, high-quality education and stable local school funding. The legislature is poised to debate these critical issues in the upcoming session starting January 2026.
