Word on the street is that HB1433, a bill for school voucher and school choice has been proposed… and You can read the entire bill here: HB1433IN . Thoughts?

Why is this important?

A quick Google search stated that right at 90% of students attend public schools in Mississippi. Many of these students come from low-income, rural, or underserved communities. HB1433 would take funds away from public schools, leaving them with fewer resources to meet the needs of their students. Also, HB1433 will allow students in a “D” or “F” school within the past five years to enroll in a higher-performing school, district, or accredited nonpublic school. If this is not a school choice and voucher bill, what is it? Taxpayer monies, base student costs, will travel to private schools. Also, HB1433 does not require private schools or nonpublic educational programs to adhere to the same accountability standards as public schools, such as standardized testing, financial transparency, or other admissions policies. This lack of oversight opens the door to misuse of funds and a widening achievement gap. And, here, I thought we were trying to close the achievement gap…

When people and organizations face struggles, desperation can lead to decisions that have lasting, unintended consequences. The increasing legislative push toward school vouchers and choice programs is a glaring example of the desperation Mississippi’s legislature is trying to bring to public education. These programs are being “thrown out there” as solutions to solve education challenges. But they often make matters worse for the very problems they claim to solve.

Desperation arises when public schools face chronic underfunding, crumbling infrastructure, and teacher shortages. Instead of addressing these root issues, voucher and choice systems redirect resources, leaving public schools with fewer funds to serve the majority of students. Mississippi public schools cannot afford this erosion of its public education system.

Voucher programs create a dependence on private institutions and higher-performing school districts. While public schools serve ALL in their zone freely, many private schools have admission requirements. Also, what happens to those from low-income families who cannot afford additional costs beyond the voucher amount. This selective enrollment leaves public schools with the most challenging and costly-to-serve students, further stretching their already limited resources.

Vouchers weaken the social contract that binds communities together. Public schools are more than educational institutions; they are cornerstones of neighborhoods, fostering unity and shared responsibility. When resources are siphoned, little by little, off to private schools, the public system loses funding and the collective investment of parents, teachers, and leaders.

Mississippi’s public schools need more than lip service and legislative organizational support; they do not need a patchwork solution that leaves them even more vulnerable. True leadership requires addressing the systemic challenges head-on: equitable funding, better teacher pay, and meaningful reforms. We, school leaders and the MS legislature, need to strengthen public schools to ensure a brighter future for every child, not just a select few. HB1433 will cause more harm than good.

As you step into your role today, remember that you are not just an educator and leader but a shaper of the future. Your actions and decisions profoundly impact the lives of those you guide. Go, be the great educator and leader that our future needs.

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2025 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on… X @thebookchamber or follow the blog directly.