SR1 CPSA adds fourth grade for 2026-27

SR1 College Preparatory & STEM Academy will expand to fourth grade in the 2026-27 school year, extending the Canton charter school’s year-by-year growth. The move follows strong reading results and comes as enrollment stays open through July 30.

Why it matters: - SR1 College Preparatory & STEM Academy is adding another grade level to keep more Central Mississippi students in a tuition-free STEM and college-prep track. - The expansion extends the school’s reach as families look for charter options tied to measurable academic results. - The school is Mississippi’s only STEM-focused college preparatory charter school.

What happened: - SR1 CPSA will add fourth grade for the 2026-27 school year. - The school has grown by one grade each year since opening. - Vice President Dorlisa Hutton said the school plans to add fifth grade beginning in the 2027-28 school year. - Enrollment remains open through July 30. - Families can apply, schedule a tour or learn more at sr1cpsa.org or by emailing enrollment@sr1cpsa.org.

The details: - SR1 CPSA is a tuition-free public charter school in Canton, Mississippi. - The school currently serves students in kindergarten through third grade. - The curriculum integrates science, technology, engineering and mathematics starting in kindergarten. - Small class sizes, individualized instruction and hands-on learning are part of the model. - The school says those features are designed to build literacy, leadership and critical thinking skills. - In the latest school year, 88% of third-grade scholars met Mississippi English Language Arts reading standards on their first attempt. - That result topped every charter school in Mississippi and exceeded the state’s 2025 average by nearly 13 percentage points. - Sixty-nine percent of kindergartners finished the year reading at or above benchmark.

Between the lines: - The steady one-grade-per-year expansion signals a cautious growth strategy rather than rapid scaling. - Strong reading results are being used as evidence that the model can support expansion without losing academic focus. - The school is pairing academic data with a longer-term promise of college and career readiness.

What's next: - SR1 CPSA will open fourth grade in the 2026-27 school year. - The school’s next planned step is fifth grade in 2027-28, if the current expansion path continues. - Families interested in the current enrollment window must act before July 30.

The bottom line: - SR1 CPSA is growing one grade at a time, and strong reading outcomes are driving the case for expansion.