About Clarksdale Collegiate

On September 11, 2017, Clarksdale Collegiate Public Charter School was approved by the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board (MCSAB) to open in the fall of 2018 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. MCSAB was formed under the Charter Schools Act of 2013 to solicit, approve, and monitor new and conversion charter schools in Mississippi. Clarksdale Collegiate’s Founding Team successfully completed the rigorous 9-month application process with the support of BES. Clarksdale Collegiate’s founder, Amanda Johnson, was a 2016 Fellow with BES, a national, highly-selective nonprofit organization committed to improving the academic achievement of underserved students.

Our Growth Plans

Clarksdale Collegiate opened in the fall of 2018 with 150 students in kindergarten, first, and second grades. We added one grade level each year after to ultimately serve students in kindergarten through 12th grade for the 2028-29 school year. Students in Clarksdale, Coahoma County, and adjacent counties within the Mississippi Delta are eligible to attend.

Our Beliefs & Approach

Clarksdale Collegiate is unapologetically college preparatory and we work relentlessly to achieve our urgent and ambitious mission. The following core beliefs, informed by research and proven practice in high-performing charter schools nationally, will position us to achieve our goals and will drive our educational plan. All students excel within structured, ambitious, and jubilant environments. All students grow and achieve with hard work and effective teachers. Comprehensive, targeted, and practice-based training ensures an effective teacher in every classroom. College preparatory curriculum, rigorous assessments, and data-driven instruction propel student achievement. Transformative literacy - reading, writing, and speaking on or above grade level - is the foundation for all academic success. Values-based character education supports students’ personal growth, academic achievement, and life success. More time on task, prioritized on the core subjects and individualized daily interventions, accelerates student achievement. Successful schools invest families in the mission, and provide clear strategies to support the success of their children. Successful schools close the achievement and opportunity gaps by strategically exposing students to their community and world.