Educational Justice

All children deserve the opportunity to learn and grow into citizens that can make a positive impact on the world. In order for this to happen, children need quality schools, administrators, and teachers. 

There are many factors that go into what an equitable public school experience should look like. One factor is school funding. Mississippi currently ranks 45th in per-pupil spending. In addition, Mississippi teachers receive the lowest pay of any state. While a common refrain is “teachers don’t go into teaching for the pay,” it is a factor in teachers leaving the profession.

Mississippi also has the second highest poverty rate of any state in the country, with 23.2% of those in poverty being under 18 years old. Education is an essential factor in escaping the cycle of poverty, in both children and adults. Research has found that schools with students who perform lower than average tend to hire the least-qualified teachers due to these new teachers preferring to work in the areas that they grew up in. This perpetuates a cycle of children not receiving the best education possible, who become teachers that are not performing to their full potential. These children are later more limited in the work that they can find, and the earnings they can achieve to increase the quality of life possible for themselves and their families.

The role that the Mississippi Teacher Corps plays in educational justice is recruiting, selecting, and supporting participants who will provide quality instruction in places where there is a critical shortage of teachers. The program provides participants with support and training that leads to success in the classroom. MTC also provides financial support in the form of a full scholarship for a Master of Arts in Teaching, funds for classroom supplies, and stipends for supporting clubs and activities at the schools we serve. The entire MTC benefit package helps provide a financial supplement to participant’s teacher salary while the funds for supplies and clubs enhance the student experience. These benefits also help MTC attract future teachers from inside and outside of Mississippi who might otherwise seek other opportunities.

MTC aims to make it possible for teachers to teach where they are needed the most, improving the lives of students, educators, and those in their communities. This enhanced local education may also help combat the “Brain Drain” observed in Mississippi – “the departure of educated or professional people from one country, economic sector, or field for another usually for better pay or living conditions.” By improving the quality of and access to advanced education in Mississippi, more skilled professionals may be incentivised to remain in the state and create more economic opportunities for all of its residents. We believe that what is good for students is good for Mississippi.