U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon Visits Oxford School District
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, along with state and local elected officials all visited the Oxford School District (OSD) today as part of the Returning Education to the States tour, highlighting the district’s innovative work in K-12 public education.
The visit began at the Oxford Early Childhood Center, where Secretary McMahon toured classrooms and met with students, teachers, and administrators. The Oxford School District proudly selected the Early Childhood Center as the showcase site for the visit because of its role in laying the foundation for lifelong learning and closing achievement gaps before they widen.
“Mississippi has made remarkable strides in early literacy through focused state leadership and a return to the fundamentals. It was a joy to start my morning by reading to students in Oxford and witnessing the Mississippi Miracle firsthand,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “The experiences will help inform our ongoing efforts to encourage local involvement in education across the nation.”
Following the tour, Secretary McMahon joined Superintendent Bradley Roberson, state and local government officials, district leaders, teachers, students, and community stakeholders for a roundtable discussion on key topics such as literacy, district innovation, teacher recruitment and retention, high school acceleration, fiscal management, and the value of co-curricular activities. The district had the opportunity to share what makes public education so special in the Oxford School District and throughout the state of Mississippi.
OSD leaders intentionally chose OECC for the visit, reflecting the district’s deep commitment to early childhood education. Oxford dedicates over 90% of its consolidated Title Funds to support early learning. Both the State of Mississippi and the state’s legislators have made significant investments to ensure young learners have the strong foundation students need.
“We chose for Secretary McMahon to visit the Oxford Early Childhood Center because OSD shares the belief that early childhood education is the most powerful mechanism we have to shrink or eliminate achievement gaps in our country,” said Superintendent Bradley Roberson. “It was an honor to have her see firsthand the commitment of our teachers and staff to preparing every child for success.”
Roberson emphasized the role of people at the heart of OSD’s success. “We measure culture and engagement just as intentionally as academics because trust and relationships are the foundation of excellence. We’ve worked to raise salaries and to explore affordable housing and childcare solutions that support our teachers. When we care for our educators, we are ultimately caring for our students,” he said.
During the visit, Secretary McMahon praised Oxford School District’s efforts to redefine student readiness beyond test scores. OSD’s “Redefining Ready: PreK to Professional” initiative measures college, career, and life readiness using multiple metrics, beginning in PreK and continuing through graduation. Roberson concluded, “We are proud to have been recognized nationally for our improvement work, and hosting Secretary McMahon affirms that Oxford is a model for what’s possible when schools, universities, and communities work together to reimagine education for all students.”
The Oxford School District is grateful for the opportunity to showcase what strong public education looks like in Mississippi. The district does not take lightly the responsibility of representing the voices of educators and communities across the state. While some may refer to recent progress as the “Mississippi Miracle,” OSD recognizes that the true driver of success is the intentional, day-to-day work happening in classrooms across Mississippi, leading to significant gains in student outcomes.
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