Mississippi First

10/08/2026

10/08/2026

Last week, our Executive Director joined thousands of educators and leaders in Las Vegas for the 35th Anniversary of TFA, and it felt a lot like coming home.

Mississippi First was founded by Teach For America alumni, and today half of our team are TFA alumni, including our Executive Director, Angela Bass, who was Tfa Greater Delta. Angela spoke at the conference on building coalitions that endure, sharing what we've learned in Mississippi about working together with partners to make lasting change.
The classroom is where many of us first saw what Mississippi students are capable of and what stands in their way. That experience still shapes how we approach policy every day.

Thank you to Teach For America for an excellent weekend of reconnecting with old friends, making new connections, and remembering why we started.

10/07/2026

Mississippi principals, today is your last chance to be heard. ⏰

Mississippi First and the University of Mississippi Principal Corps are surveying principals across the state about your experiences on the job and what support you need. Your answers will help shape how we advocate for school leaders, so make your voice count!

The survey is anonymous and closes tonight. Take it here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3DKLFQT or scan the QR code below.

Not a principal? Forward this to one you know or tag someone in the comments.

09/21/2026

We're excited to share that our Executive Director, Angela Bass, will speak at the Teach For America Summit in Las Vegas on October 3!

Angela will join a panel called Building Coalitions That Endure, drawing on her work bringing partners together to improve education for Mississippi children. She is a devoted Teach For America alum and part of the 2008 Greater Delta corps, so this one is personal for her.

It's great to see Mississippi's work represented on this stage, and Mississippi First couldn't be prouder.

09/10/2026

Mississippi's youngest children deserve informed investment. 👶📈

The 3rd edition of Investing in our Future is here — compiling five years of funding and performance data (FY2021–FY2025) across seven state agencies to help policymakers, educators, funders, and community stakeholders make informed decisions for young kids.

Join us for a free webinar to dig into the data:
🗓️ September 29 | 12:30–1:15 PM CT

We'll cover why data matters, key report highlights, and how this data plays out in practice — with insights from Todd Klunk (W.K. Kellogg Foundation), Gina Rico Mendez (MSU Social Science Research Center), and Micayla Tatum (Mississippi First).

📥 Download the report and register for the webinar — links below!

05/08/2026

Today is Child Care Provider Appreciation Day! We’re celebrating the incredible — and too often unsung — work of early educators across Mississippi.

In FY 2024, 33,910 children ages 0–5 were served through the state’s Child Care Payment Program. That number does not include children over age five served by child care programs or children whose families pay privately.

Every day, early educators help build the foundation for lifelong learning while also making it possible for Mississippi families to work and thrive. Their impact reaches far beyond the classroom.

To all of Mississippi’s child care providers and early educators: thank you for your commitment to our state’s next generation!

05/07/2026

On this Teacher Appreciation Week, we want to celebrate and acknowledge all that our state’s educators take on, often without the recognition, support, or compensation they deserve.

Thank you to the amazing teachers across Mississippi for all that you do. You are the very best of us!

04/28/2026

Don't forget to join today's webinar. Register for NSBA's Policy Hour at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yd0mi9odSIaPspBIuS0YOA #/registration

𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱! 🍎We are excited to share that 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹 𝗠. 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 (𝗢𝗛-𝟭𝟭) will be joining our next NSBA Policy Hour to discuss the urgent need to expand, strengthen, and retain our educator workforce.

Are our schools facing a teacher shortage? The answer isn't simple, and the solution requires action at every level. From burnout and compensation challenges to the need for better preparation pathways, the hurdles facing our educators are complex. How can federal, state, and local leaders work together to recruit and retain the teachers our students need?

📅 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻: 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟴, 𝗮𝘁 𝟮 𝗣𝗠 𝗘𝗧.

Your perspective as a stakeholder in education is vital. Join us and Congresswoman Brown as we unpack these challenges and discuss actionable strategies for the future of our workforce.

Sign up here to save your spot: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yd0mi9odSIaPspBIuS0YOA #/registration