Participating Mississippi School Districts

about special education, what it should look like, and how to evaluate their special education teachers.”

To enroll in the program, districts submit an application that addresses the number of special education teacher vacancies in their school district as well as the number of veteran teachers available to serve as mentors to the new teachers in their school district. The current cohort is in their first year of the program and will exit in May of 2026.

The response to the program has been overwhelmingly positive, as Todd shared she feels this program is making a significant impact on special education within the state of Mississippi. Most notably, “It gives new teachers the support they need so that they don’t quit during year one or year two and gives them instructional tools and support from their principals and fellow teachers,” Todd said. She goes on to note that the program doesn’t only help new educators, but also builds confidence in the veteran teachers, and she points out that the participating school districts are even seeing the benefits pour over into their general education teacher population as well.