Local lawmakers are mulling severaleducation-related proposals that could open new options for parentsin the state.

    District 92 Rep. Becky Currie, R-Brookhaven, has been assigned tothe education committee and spoke last week about proposals thatmay move forward under Republican leadership in the House.

    “We’re going to see some changes in how the education systemworks,” Currie said.

    Currie said such changes are badly needed in the state.

    “Not so much in Brookhaven or Lincoln County, but around us we havesome failing school systems,” Currie said. “One thing I see on thehorizon is school choice.”

    Currie said a school choice system would allow parents greateroptions in choosing to send their children to districts other thanwhat they are zoned for.

    Mississippi law does allow a parent to transfer a child from onedistrict to another provided the school boards of both districtsapprove the transfer. How new proposals would alter or expand thisremains to be seen since no legislation has been introduced on thesubject yet.

    Currie also said the House will have a charter school bill toconsider.

    Charter schools are publicly funded but are given a charter tooperate by the state and operate outside the authority of any localschool board. They thus have greater autonomy and flexibilityregarding hiring and curriculum decisions.

    Current state laws only allow a charter school to be opened undervery limited circumstances.

    House Minority Leader and District 53 Rep. Bobby Moak, D-BogueChitto, said he supports the intended goal of charter schoolsupporters.

    “I’m for good schools, just like everyone else,” Moak said. “I’malso for the taxpayers that pay for those schools.”

    However, Moak expressed some reservations about charterschools.

    “I don’t want the charter school concept to end up with somereally, really good schools and some really, really poor schools,”Moak said.

    Moak said he has similar concerns with the idea of increased schoolchoice: students competing for limited spots at good schools withother students left behind at poorly performing schools.

    Funding issues also need to be solved in connection with increasedschool choice options, Moak said. A situation could arise where thetaxpayers of one community are paying for a school thatnon-taxpayers outside the community could benefit from.

    “People say ‘let the money follow the child,’ but there are a lotof things to deal with,” Moak said.

    More specific comments could not be provided without seeing anyspecific legislation that is put forth, Moak said.

    “We’re going to have to look very carefully at what gets introducedand look at what its results will be,” Moak said.

    Moak expressed frustration that the House legislative process ismoving slowly.

    “We’re in the fourth week of the session and we have no billsassigned to committees,” Moak said.

    Regardless of what legislation is introduced to change Mississippischools, Currie agreed that despite disagreements, legislators areworking toward the same goals.

    “At the end of the day we want our kids educated and getting outwith a job,” she said.