Six of the eight Lowndes County schools have received money from the Mississippi Department of Education as part of the department’s school recognition program.
MDE awards the schools money based on the schools’ accountability ratings from the 2015-16 school year, Lowndes County School District Assistant Superintendent Robin Ballard told the board of trustees at its monthly meeting Friday. The department awarded a total of $276,299.50, with each of the six schools receiving at least $28,000. The money will be distributed among teachers as salary supplements.
Ballard called the money a “morale boost” to teachers, who can decide how the money is distributed by forming teacher committees at each school. Those committees may distribute the money evenly or form a tiered system based on what subject teachers cover, Ballard said.
“We’ve heard of some schools that are even tying it to student growth,” Ballard said. “… That’s another powerful incentive (for teachers).”
The money does not go to school or district administrators, who get no say in how it’s distributed in the schools, Ballard said.
Caledonia Elementary School received $74,490.50; Caledonia Middle School received $35,299.50; Caledonia High School received $40,640.25. New Hope Middle School received $43,809.75 and New Hope High School received $53,539.50. West Lowndes Elementary received $28,520.
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