Every fall, approximately 120 11th graders enroll at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS) in Columbus, Mississippi. They come from all over the state to attend the best high school in Mississippi and one of the top 10 high schools in the entire country. Many come from humble beginnings – 50% received free or reduced lunch at their home schools. Many hope to be the first member of their family to graduate college – 27% in 2024. All of them are challenged by a rigorous academic schedule taught by the best educators in the country.
The crucible they experience there helps build these young people into a better version of themselves. Over 13% of last year’s graduating class received a National Merit Finalist designation, an extraordinary level of performance unmatched at similar schools across the country. Counting the numerous prestigious scholarships graduates earn is difficult, but it totals to millions of dollars every year. Harder still to tabulate are the contributions of the MSMS graduates scattered across Mississippi. Thousands have gone on to become the doctors, teachers, engineers, and entrepreneurs we depend on in our communities, fulfilling the vision of the school’s founders.
At the same time, a duality exists between the incredible academic success of MSMS and the tragic funding struggles the school has faced over the past two decades. A chronic lack of resources has challenged recruiting, operations, and in some cases even student health and safety. Leaking roofs, mold, broken plumbing, and chronically malfunctioning HVAC are not just circumstances reserved for struggling school districts across Mississippi – we have them at MSMS too. Similar schools across the country, including schools in Alabama, Louisiana, and Arkansas, operate with a budget twice that of MSMS.
Unlike a local school district, MSMS does not have a local tax base. Every dollar it spends must be appropriated by the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) and the Mississippi Legislature. Each legislator may only have one or two students attending MSMS and only a handful of graduates from their district. This makes it easy for a legislator to focus on their local issues rather than on this vital state institution. Without champions, it has become easier for the Legislature to postpone the significant investment any school facility requires over 35 years. While our labs and computer systems were modern when the school was established in 1987, the buildings and their associated systems were already decades old. None have had major renovations in decades and facility conditions have deteriorated significantly. Without a meaningful investment now, MSMS will not survive.
On February 5th, the MDE requested proposals from Mississippi State University and the Mississippi University for Women (The W) for their plans to house and operate MSMS in the future. This has caused significant controversy. We take no position on a potential move of MSMS from its original home at The W. We appreciate the State Board of Education and MDE’s initiative to address the challenges in MSMS’s facilities and to ensure their sustainability for the future. This effort is crucial for promoting the health and well-being of MSMS students, faculty, and staff and supporting the incredible academic success of MSMS.
It is beyond debate to anyone who has visited the campus that MSMS desperately needs new or substantially renovated facilities. We strongly advocate that the state of Mississippi begins to treat this school as what it is – a vital economic engine for our state that provides an “Opportunity for Excellence” to our brightest young citizens without regard for their economic circumstances. Surely, a school of this caliber, the shining jewel of Mississippi’s educational achievement, deserves a modern, safe campus and an operational budget to reflect its proven success. Surely, we can at least fund MSMS at a level equal to Alabama, Louisiana, or Arkansas.
Chad F. Edmonson, CFA
MSMS Class of 1999
Lee-Way Financial
MSMS Foundation Board Vice-President
Cynthia Henderson, PE, PWS
MSMS Class of 1995
Cypress Environment and Infrastructure
MSMS Foundation Board President
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