JPS BOARD OF TRUSTEES , 10/6/26. Jackson Public School District. JACKSON, MS

The Jackson Public School District Board of Trustees meeting was held October 6, 2026, in Jackson, Mississippi. The board approved multiple procurement and program agreements, including a contract with American Fidelity Insurance Company for Section 125 cafeteria-plan and employee-benefits administration; ACT Education Corporation for in-school district ACT testing; PowerSchool Naviance for college- and career-readiness planning and transcript services; MidSouth Elevator for three years of districtwide elevator maintenance and repairs (October 7, 2026–June 30, 2029); and the Hilton Jackson as the venue for the 2026 homeless education conference. The board also approved Junior League of Jackson agreements, including $5,370 for targeted pre-K support, and a project to establish an elementary STEAM studio. A separate $105,000 NEA Foundation grant will support the community-school strategy, with the Community Foundation for Mississippi serving as fiscal agent. These items were approved by voice votes; the transcript does not provide all agreement values or vendor-selection details.

The board approved issuance of a $20 million tax and revenue anticipation note to cover operating cash flow before property-tax receipts arrive. Huntington was identified as the next-lowest responsive bidder at 5.31%; JP Morgan Chase’s lower 5.27% proposal was not accepted because of unresolved legal concerns. The district also recommended closing counsel Chris Espaw, PLLC, at a cost not to exceed $7,500, with repayment due by April 1, 2027. Members discussed a facilities change order that would bring a project total to $12.8 million to preserve the building’s historic appearance, and exterior security cameras at Bailey; the transcript does not clearly capture the related vote. Financial and legislative discussions included the district’s cash-flow pressures from paying charter schools before receiving corresponding revenue, and board priorities of adequate public-school funding, local control, and addressing absenteeism and staffing shortages.