Did You Know?

0.07%

The amount of funding needed to clear the waitlist as a percentage of the state’s current K-12 education spending.

In September of 2024, the waitlist was slashed, nearly in half (from 305 to 157 students) because of a new requirement that parents must submit to the Department of Education ptoof of enrollment to the school they wish to attend. The families were kicked off the waitlist could not afford to pay for enrollment to the school of their choice without the help of the ESA they were waiting for!

Why It Matters

Mississippi’s children with special needs can’t wait any longer. Every year, they lose valuable time and fall further behind.

ESAs provide financial relief: Caring for a child with special needs is costly with medical expenses, therapies, equipment, and other costs. The ESA allows parents to use a portion of their state tax dollars to enroll their child in a school that best meets their needs, and for most families every little bit helps.

Hundreds of families are waiting for educational access: Over 300 children with special needs were on the ESA waitlist before it was slashed nearly in half in September of 2024 because of a new eligibility requirement. There is a need that is not being met and parents are desperate to take advantage of the program.

Time is running out: Some families have been waiting for years for an ESA and may never get the opportunity to attend the school of their choice because they are stuck on the waitlist.

Lawmakers can help: The legislature can fix the program in the 2025 special legislative session and give these kids the education they deserve.

Families Waiting and Hoping

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