Mississippi NAACP goes after charter school law

NAACP opposes Miss. charter school legislation

Members of the Mississippi NAACP met with lawmakers Tuesday, asking some to reject a bill that would expand the state's current charter school law.

Derrick Johnson, president of the state National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said lawmakers should focus instead on full funding for public education. He said shortchanging public schools in a tough budget year would "create and maintain a permanent situation of second-class citizens."

This year's budget talks will moved into their final phases in the coming weeks. But the Senate was poised to consider a charter school bill that would open the door for such schools to open throughout the state.

The state's current charter school law, which went into effect in 2010, only allows charter schools to open in struggling school districts.

Charter schools typically operate with a combination of public and private dollars. Supporters have said the schools are free to use innovative teaching methods that could improve academic performance, such as longer school days or more focused fields of study.

Read more: WE