Jackson Public School District, Jackson Ms, JPS Board of Trustees Meeting.10/6/26

The Jackson Public School District Board of Trustees meeting on October 6, 2026, included several procurement and financial actions. The administration presented agreements for Amergis Healthcare Staffing for supplemental student-support services; Liberty University for educator placements and partnerships; Mackin Book Company for districtwide digital reading resources; ACT testing; and PowerSchool Naviance for college and career planning. The board also considered awarding American Fidelity Assurance Company the employee cafeteria-plan and benefits-administration contract following a bid process, and an amendment to the districtwide camera project at Bailey APAC that would increase the cumulative contract from $12,700,585 to $12,813,874 to accommodate historic-preservation requirements. Recorded votes approved the American Fidelity contract, the ACT and Naviance agreements, and two Junior League of Jackson school projects: $5,370 for pre-K learning labs and $12,000 for a McCloud Elementary STEAM studio. JPS also reported a $105,000 NEA Foundation grant for its community-schools strategy.

The board approved a $20 million tax and revenue anticipation note (TAN) to cover operating cash needs before local tax receipts arrive. Trustmark’s 5.31% bid was recommended over JP Morgan Chase’s lower 5.227% bid because of unresolved legal issues; closing counsel was authorized at a cost not exceeding $7,500. The district estimated total issuance costs, including interest, at about $20.5 million, with repayment due by April 1, 2027. Trustees discussed advocating for changes to charter-school payment timing, arguing that the current mismatch between payments and revenue receipts contributes to borrowing costs. The monthly financial report showed a preliminary August fund balance of about $4.698 million, roughly $16 million below the same period the prior year, with revenues about $3.5 million below expenses. No changes to law or regulation were adopted at the meeting.