Last Wednesday, the Mississippi Program of Research and Evaluation for Public Schools announced that William Carey University in Hattiesburg has been selected as PREPS new headquarters. PREPS former headquarters was Mississippi State University.
Poplarville School District Superintendent and next year’s president of the Mississippi Association of School Superintendents Carl Merritt said he plans to create close communications with PREPS.
According to a release from William Carey University, PREPS was organized in 1976. Its membership includes 72 school districts from across the state. The non-profit is led by a nine-member board of directors made up of superintendents from each of the old congressional districts.
“PREPS is a program that evaluates academics in school districts and how well students are moving academically all across the state,” Merritt said. “A rubric is used to show progression. PREPS also awards districts that show academic improvements. It’s a research and evaluation program.”
Dr. Lee Childress, president of the PREPS board of directors, said in the release that the organization is excited about partnering with William Carey University. They believe it will be a natural fit, he added in the release.
“The William Carey University School of Education is honored and excited to now be the home of the PREPS as we continue to advance the mission of the university in the areas of scholarship and service,” Dean of the School of Education Dr. Ben Burnett said in the release. “We are also happy that it allows us to better serve the districts across the state of Mississippi and work as partners to improve education in our state.”
During his tenure as MASS president, Merritt said he plans to work closely with PREPS to develop programs that will assist school districts in improving academics through instruction, curriculum and professional development.
Many programs will be announced later this summer, he added.
“We at MASS are looking forward to this partnership and developing our vision of new programs,” Merritt said.