State Board of Education does deal with Public Broadcaster
The Mississippi Board of Education approved a one-year memorandum of agreement with Mississippi Public Broadcasting to continue the state's virtual-teaching program.
The action came during the board's Aug. 21, 2026, meeting under Action Item 3. A staffer with MDE's Office of Academic Education, identified in meeting records as Ms. Clemens though her full name is not confirmed, told the board, "Office of academic education is requesting state board approval on a memorandum of agreement between the MDE and the and Mississippi public broadcasting for one year in the amount not to exceed $900,000." The board approved the request.
The agreement funds the second year of the state's "Mississippi REACH" virtual-teaching program. It is structured as an agency-to-agency arrangement rather than a competitively bid contract, with MDE staff indicating MPB adds no markup and bills only for service costs. Because the money is committed through a formal inter-agency agreement funded by appropriation rather than routine procurement, it is the kind of spending that typically draws public record-keeping and periodic review to confirm it remains the most cost-effective option available to the state.