Mississippi Rural Education Association - MSREA

Join us on Friday, June 5 as we hear from and celebrate our 2026 Grants in Place awardees! 🎉 Their incredible Place-Based Education projects created learning opportunities for their rural students and communities across the country. We hope you will join us!

Register for the virtual event at the link and share with a friend who may be interested.

🔗 https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/lKB_U4ppRzybF6oq_Yzhqw #/registration

Looking for professional development? The Mississippi Education Policy Fellowship is a powerful professional learning opportunity for educators, researchers, faculty, non-profit and community organizers, & those interested in education policy & advocacy.

This year’s program will focus on education in rural contexts and consists of a of in person and virtual meetings from September 2026 through March 2027. With the MS EPFP, you will:

- Learn more about education policy and practice in rural, state, and national contexts
- Strengthen your advocacy and leadership for education in and beyond Mississippi
- Grow your local, state, and national network
- Become a stronger leader for education

Learn more at https://reri.ssrc.msstate.edu/home/mississippi-education-policy-fellowship/ or email [email protected]

Mississippi Education Policy Fellowship – Rural Education Join the 2026-2027 Cohort! Apply Now Priority application deadline: July 1, 2026 Program Overview Program Schedule Frequently Asked Questions Program Coordinators Current Fellows Contact Us OVERVIEWFor 25 years, the MS-EPF has been bringing individuals together to advance equitable policies for Miss...

As comes to a close, we want to thank all those who support our rural students! Learn how you can support our mission at https://msrea.msstate.edu/ You can learn more in the Why Rural Matters report at https://nrea.net/wrm-2025/

It was a great day to celebrate Rural School Excellence! Melanie- Davis Hardy, this year’s Rural Teacher of this year is pictured with SBE Chair, Matt Miller, MSREA Co-Chair, Dr. Patti Permenter, and State Superintendent, Dr. Lance Evans.

We’re excited to launch the campaign, encouraging individuals and families across Mississippi to read for 20 minutes a day this summer!

Mississippi libraries are invited to join us as launch partners by sharing short videos on May 31 using the hashtag to help inspire a summer filled with reading, learning, and imagination.

This campaign was created by the Hancock County Library System in partnership with Excel By 5, Inc., as part of their LAUNCH Leadership Academy capstone project. It is now a statewide literacy awareness effort.



Alt text: Image for Read for 20 campaign includes a photo of stacked books with Read, Dream, and Grow on the book spines, a headline that says Read for 20: A Summer Reading Challenge for Mississippi, the launch date of May 31, and the hashtag ReadFor20MS. In the top right corner is an image of an opened book in a circle with the words 20 Minutes A Day, and the Launch to EXCELence logo.

📢 Calling all rural education leaders and changemakers!

Looking to connect, grow, and gain fresh strategies? Don’t miss the 2026 National Forum to Advance Rural Education—October 19–21 in San Antonio, TX.

Join the National Rural Education Association, in partnership with the Texas Rural Education Association, for 3 days of inspiration, innovation, and impact!

Register now👉 https://cvent.me/nLE24v
🗓️ Register by July 19 to SAVE!

It is graduation season.

Somewhere this month, a student is walking across a stage because an educator believed in them before they believed in themselves. A counselor who made time. A coach who noticed. A teacher who stayed late. A nurse, a paraprofessional, a bus driver, a librarian, a custodian—every adult in the building who made school feel like a place worth showing up to.

Every diploma is a team accomplishment. Thank you to the educators who helped students to earn them.

Receive up to $1350 as a Participant in Our NSF-Funded Math Teacher Professional Learning Course!

WestEd is seeking middle grade math teachers and those teaching Algebra 1 or Mathematics 1 to participate in a National Science Foundation-funded study of an online professional learning course.

Participants can earn up to $1350 for course participation and completion of study activities. The course, “Video in the Middle: Positioning in Mathematics,” supports mathematics teachers in learning strategies to position all students as confident, capable contributors in mathematics. Teachers engage in collaborative discussions on community walls and forums, as well as video analysis activities that deepen their understanding of classroom interactions.

The course is offered online asynchronously, allowing participants to work on sessions at their own convenience. Please see additional information and a link to the consent form at https://videointhemiddle.org

There are spots for about 20 more teachers to participate, but space is limited. Please complete the consent form as soon as possible to be considered.

Feel free to email us at [email protected].

Video in the Middle WestEd is seeking middle school math teachers and those teaching Algebra 1 or Mathematics 1 for a National Science Foundation-funded online course.

Congrats to our MS Rural Teacher of the Year!