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JACKSON – Legislation providing more educational opportunity for students with special needs passed the Senate today, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves said.
Senate Bill 2695 allows scholarships for students with disabilities to attend any school that best fits their needs. The bill is part of Lt. Gov. Reeves’ legislative agenda.
“Today, Mississippi became the third state in the nation to empower the parents of students with special needs, providing them with a broad array of educational choices,” Lt. Gov. Reeves said. “For two years, we fought to give these students an opportunity at an education that best fits their needs. I congratulate the parents and students who worked so hard to pass this important next step in Mississippi’s education reform efforts.”
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Nancy Collins, R-Tupelo, would allow parents to use state funds as a scholarship to attend a school that best addresses their child’s needs. Many Mississippi schools have struggled to meet the academic needs of students with disabilities. Currently, slightly more than 20 percent of special needs students graduate from high school.
“Too many students with disabilities are trapped in schools that are not meeting their needs,” Lt. Gov. Reeves said. “Their parents deserve the chance to customize education to their child when their school is not working for them.”
