Press Release

Share Tweet Share (JACKSON, MS, February 3, 2023) Parents for Public Schools® was recently awarded a sponsorship from Amerigroup, a trusted health insurance provider that offers Medicare and Medicaid coverage. The $25,000 sponsorship will allow PPS to partner with public schools throughout Mississippi to improve health outcomes for students.  Due to this funding, PPS will develop a workshop focusing on the connection between healthy students and academic outcomes. Of this sponsorship, PPS National Executive Director, Joann Mickens, stated, “We are truly appreciative of the support we continue to receive from Amerigroup, a valued partner that has sponsored our work in...

Share Tweet Share (JACKSON, MS, January 25, 2022) Parents for Public Schools® (PPS) has officially announced Kylene Dibble as its new Director of Chapter Services. Having served as the Executive Director of Parents for Public Schools of Pitt County for more than 7 years, Kylene’s knowledge of public schools and connection to PPS will serve her greatly as a member of the National Office Staff. As the Director of Chapter Services, Kylene will be responsible for providing support and assistance to PPS chapters. She will also assist in managing the process of chapter creation and development. Additionally, she will work...

Share Tweet Share (JACKSON, MS October 13, 2022) On Thursday, Hinds County Chancery Court Judge Crystal Wise Martin ruled that a recent law which would allocate $10 million of federal pandemic relief money to infrastructure grants for private schools is unconstitutional. This ruling by Judge Martin is a major victory for Parents for Public Schools, a national organization based in Mississippi with chapters in several states. Parents for Public Schools (PPS), represented by The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)-Mississippi, Democracy Forward, and the Mississippi Center for Justice, filed a complaint in June petitioning the court to prevent the State from...

Share Tweet Share (JACKSON, MS, June 15, 2022) Today, Parents for Public Schools, Inc. (PPS), represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Mississippi, Mississippi Center for Justice, and Democracy Forward, filed a lawsuit to stop Mississippi state officials from using public money to fund private schools in violation of the Mississippi Constitution. The suit, filed in the Chancery Court of Hinds County, Mississippi, argues that the Mississippi Legislature violated Section 208 of the State Constitution by appropriating $10 million to private schools. The State Constitution requires that taxpayer money must be spent only on public “free schools.” Specifically,...

Share Tweet Share (JACKSON, MS, April 4, 2022) The National Office of Parents for Public Schools (PPS) is pleased to announce the newest member of its national staff, Ms. Martha Montufar. Martha joined the national staff in March 2022 and will serve as its Director of Programs and Training. As PPS continues its growth and expansion, Martha comes to the organization as a certified professional translator and helps to further expand our efforts of ensuring equity for public school families and students. As a result of her being both bilingual and biliterate in English and Spanish, PPS will be able...

Share Tweet Share (JACKSON, MS, Mar. 10, 2022) Parents for Public Schools San Francisco (PPS-SF) recently announced the acquisition of their newest team member, Executive Director Vanessa Marrero, and the National Office is pleased to also welcome her to the PPS network.  Marrero brings to PPS-SF knowledge, wisdom, and a commitment to ensure educational equity is always at the forefront of discourse and advocacy efforts. Her extensive career background includes over a decade of experience working within K-12 school districts, community colleges across California, and other organizations supporting education and student outcomes.  Additionally, Vanessa has received numerous awards, including a...

Share Tweet Share (JACKSON, MS, Feb. 23, 2022) Parents for Public Schools® (PPS), a national non-profit organization that works to increase parent engagement in public schools, will commemorate its 30th anniversary on Saturday, March 5th at 7:00 pm with a gala that will highlight its founding member, Dick Molpus, as well as showcase the accomplishments and ongoing work of the organization. The theme for this year’s anniversary celebration is “The Journey Continues with the Next Generation of Parent Voices.” The 30th anniversary festivities will begin with a pre-gala sponsorship event which will serve as an engaging experience for gala sponsors...

Share Tweet Share (JACKSON, MS, Jan. 12, 2022) Parents for Public Schools® (PPS) is pleased to announce that it is a 2021 recipient of a Women’s Foundation of Mississippi grant. The $5,000 grant will be used to fund PPS’s Parent Engagement Program-Graduation Ready (PEP-Graduation Ready). PEP-Graduation Ready is one of three curricula offered by PPS. The others being PEP-Parent Leadership and PEP-Early Childhood Development. The goal of the Parent Engagement Program (PEP) is to provide parents information and guidance to help them become more effective advocates for their children’s education. PEP-Graduation Ready is a dual generation program for middle school students...