The Parents' Campaign

In 2022-2023, The Parents' Campaign (tpc) focused on engaging The public in The legislative process, with The goal of moving forward policies that improve Mississippi's public schools.communication & outreach: to further its goal of improving The state's public education system, tpc worked cooperatively with various parent groups, school districts, education organizations, and business and civic groups statewide.tpc continued to grow its membership and social media presence adding approximately 2,400 new advocates to The volunteer base, with a slightly lower number rolling off for a variety of reasons, most often because their children matriculated out of The p-12 system. Throughout The year, tpc provided regular email and social media updates to inform members of legislation and policy issues affecting public education in mississippi.from among its membership, tpc recognized an outstanding member during each quarter of The fiscal year.public engagement & information: tpc continued to expand and add resources to its website (msparentscampaign.org). The site allows tpc members and The public to access all features at no cost. Visitors to The site can perform a range of tasks, including identifying legislators who represent each school district and viewing information specific to The district, such as funding statistics and accountability ratings. Tpc's online resources include a searchable archive of comprehensive voting records for current and former legislators and graphics showing detailed contact information for legislators in every school district. Legislators' current votes on important bills are shared regularly via social media and member emails during each legislative session.tpc engaged members and The public through meetings with parents and educators, regular insider updates for key volunteers, and by communications via network emails and social media campaigns promoting The importance of funding public schools adequately, paying teachers a professional salary, preserving state revenue, and investing in pre-k and other supports and services to benefit Mississippi children.there is no cost for membership or for any service provided by tpc.legislative action: during The 2023 legislative session, tpc tracked policy decisions and lawmakers' actions by attending (either virtually or in person) weekly meetings of key legislative committees and monitoring house and senate floor debates and votes. Lawmakers' votes were reported by tpc via The tools described in previous sections of this report.members of The Parents' Campaign influenced legislative action by calling, texting, and emailing their representatives and senators, posting on social media, organizing meetings, and recruiting other concerned citizens to join their efforts. Tpc staff met regularly with legislative leaders to express public school priorities and coordinated legislative advocacy initiatives with other education advocacy organizations.tpc's successes in The 2023 legislative session included: - $117 million increase in public school funding - codification of pre-k per student funding: $2,500 for full-day and $1,250 for half-day programs - defeat of numerous harmful bills, including legislation to eliminate state income tax, weaken school immunization requirements, and impose significant bureaucratic burdens on classroom teachers.