- What grade levels will Archway serve? Archway will serve grades 7 through 12; however, in its first year, Archway plans to only enroll grades 7 through 10, then add a grade each year for the next two years.
- Will Archway charge tuition? No, charter schools are public schools that have been approved by the Mississippi Charter Authorizer School Board, and therefore they are free to attend for all eligbile students.
- Who is eligible to attend Archway? Students residing in any Mississippi school district that was rated C, D, or F in the 2022-2023 accountability cycle. Additionally, any district rated C, D, or F in the current accountability cycle is also eligible. Click here for a list of all eligible districts.
- Is Archway a fully online school? No, Archway is a hybrid school that embeds fully online learning days in its calendar. Students learn online the majority of the days and are required to attend classes in person for on-campus days in Belzoni, MS. Archway’s full 2025-2026 calendar is available here.
- Will Archway’s online classes be live or self-paced? Both. Students will attend live online, engaging synchronous classes each morning led by their teachers. In live classes students will be taught grade-level content aligned with Mississippi benchmarks. In the afternoons, students will work on self-paced targeted assignments designed to either 1) close learning gaps for students who are behind, or 2) challenge students who are ahead.
- What if a family is interested, but their internet access is not sufficient? In the application process, Archway will collect information from each family regarding internet accessibility and affordability. When needs are identified, Archway has several options to assist parents. Humphreys County residents may attend classes on campus and take advantage of the school’s internet and supervision. Until additional learning “pods” are created in other parts of the state, students residing outside of Humphreys County may be eligible for financial support to assist them with affording quality internet. Where broadband and/or fiber internet is not available, Archway will assist parents with pursuing cellular hotspots.
- How does Archway receive funding? In the launch phase, Mississippi charter schools are dependent on philanthropy and grants. Once the school opens, per pupil funds are diverted from each enrolled student’s home district to cover the Archway’s operating expenses. Existing school districts would only lose the funds for each student who is no longer enrolled in their district. Since Archway expects to enroll students from across the MS Delta (and perhaps beyond), it is expected that its funding will be spread across multiple districts.
- Why is Archway located in Belzoni, MS? While students residing C, D, and F-rated districts may attend charter schools, charter in Mississippi can only be located in districts rated D and F. In Archway’s application year there were only 6 eligible districts. Since Humphreys County is centrally located in MS Delta, it was seen as an ideal spot for the hybrid model.
- Is Archway Charter School a good fit for every family? Archway expects to begin parent information meetings in November 2025, and in these sessions school officials will aim to be very clear about the school’s model. Archway believes its hybrid model will be an attractive option to many families, but it understands that providing clarity about its mission and structure will be essential in allowing parents to decide whether its model is good fit for their children. Archway in no way seeks to usurp the existing traditional public schools; in fact, it affirms their existence is essential and believes its model will provide an innovative choice for parents seeking a non-traditional model.
- Why is Archway’s hybrid model predominantly online? Archway has done extensive research regarding the teacher shortage that has plagued the Mississippi Delta for years, and by shifting most of its instructional days to online it opens up the potential for Archway to attract teachers from all across the region–perhaps even all across the state. Despite not having officially opened its hiring phase, Archway has already received dozens of inquiries from prospective teachers from across the state who are very intrigued by the prospects of teaching online with the potential to make a difference in the underserved area Delta region. In fact, Archway’s name was designed to reflect its potential to provide a bridge of resources–namely quality teachers–to address this shortage.
- How do I learn more about Archway? Informational meetings are listed on the website and are designed to educate prospective parents and teachers about the model and how to move forward with enrollment and applications.
YOUR BRIDGE INTO THE FUTURE