WHY THIS BLOG?
My name is Melvin Calton, Executive Director of Academy of Hair Design. Most of you are aware of the never ending ups and downs of our Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology. Over the past several years, I have made it a mission to attend the regular monthly Board meetings as well as the various other meetings held by the Board of Cosmetology.
In doing this I have discovered that we often have Board members making major decisions about our industry.
To help you become more knowledgeable about your Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology, we have created this blog–to give you the scoop on what is going on in the Board room. Not only will you be informed on the current issues, but you will also be made aware of which Board members are pushing which agendas. This blog covers a variety of topics such as the Board Meetings, Legislative Topics, Rules and Regulation Updates, Pearson VUE Testing, Hearings, and the Annual Council Meeting.
Our hope is that by us working together, we can strengthen our Industry.

Remember Me… The know all, Tell All…I’m Back!!!! The 2023 Legislative Session is full of things that will COMPLETELY, change our Industry… They are wanting to put Cosmetology and Barbering under the State Department of Heath!!! SAY NO TO THIS!!! This will be the beginning of the end of our Professions.
They are wanting to put Cosmetology and Barbering under the State Department of Heath!!! SAY NO TO THIS!!! This will…
Practical Testing Workshop
I hope that most of you are aware that there is a SPECIAL WORKSHOP being held at the Mississippi State…
I’m BACK!!!!!
It's been a little over a YEAR since I last posted but with all the new changes that are fixing…
Testing Evaluator Needed!!!
Pearson Vue is looking to hire a Practical Testing Evaluator for the Tupelo test site. If you are a licensed…
MCSA Workshop June 3rd and 4th 2018
Mississippi Cosmetology School Association's Annual workshop will be held June 3rd and 4th in Biloxi at the Hard Rock Hotel…
MCA Workshop April 15, 2018
The Mississippi Cosmetology Association will be hosting its Spring District Show in Tupelo at the Bancorp South Area April 15,…
State Board Hosted Workshop!!
The Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology is hosting a CEU workshop at the Cosmetology Board office.. It is March 25,…
PRESS RELEASE
I know that it has been a while since my last post and I know that there are a lot…
Monday July 31, 2017 Regular Board Meeting
I must start off by saying WOW!!!!! Everything at the Board office and especially in the Board Room looked clean,…
Agency Updated July 24, 2017
We have 2 New Board Members and a New Executive Director... Mr Donald Vaughn took his seat at the Board…
Pearson Vue Testing Updates
Most are probably aware that on-line registration for Pearson Vue testing did not open on May 15, 2017.. Due to…
NEW LAWS FOR COSMETOLOGY !!!!!!
House Bill 464 was signed into Law March 23, 2017 By Governor Phil Bryant.... House Bill 464 overhauls our Instructor…
Pearson Vue Updates… March 21, 2017
If you are a Licensed Cosmetology Instructor and are interested in becoming a Testing Evaluator for Pearson Vue, you can…
MCSA Workshop June 4th & 5th 2017
The Mississippi Cosmetology School Association will be having it's annual workshop June 4th and 5th 2017 at the Pearl River…
Regular Board Meeting Monday 2-27-2017
The Board held it's regular meeting February 27, 2017.. All Board Members were present Legal Council... Updated the Board with…
Mississippi Cosmetology Council Meeting 2/19/2017
On February 19, 2017 The Mississippi Cosmetology Council held it's first meeting for 2017. This meeting was held at the…
MIBA Northern Convention March 11 & 12 2017
The Mississippi Independent Beauticians Association will be having its Northern Regional Convention March 11 and 12, 2017 in Columbus MS....…
We Have A New Testing Company!!!!!!
It was made OFFICIAL yesterday that The Board of Cosmetology has entered into a 5 year contract with Pearson Vue…
SOTA WORKSHOP April 3, 2017
The Mississippi School Owners and Teachers Association (SOTA) is hosting a 7.5 Methods/CEU class at the Jackson Medical Mall on…
MCA/SUMMIT WORKSHOP NATCHEZ, MS April 2, 2017
The attached link will give you the information on the Upcoming MCA/ Summit Workshop April 2, 2017 in Natchez MS.. …
Monday January 30, 2017 Regular Board Meeting
Board Member Bertha Robinson was not present for this meeting.. All other Members including Board attorney Jeff Jernigan were present.…
TESTING IS ENDING!!!!!
STUDENT TESTING ENDING FYI!!!!! For those who may not be aware the contract that the Mississippi State Board of…
Monday December 12, 2016 Regular Board Meeting
On Monday December 12, 2016 the Board held its final Board meeting for 2016.. All Board members were present. There…
Monday 11-14-2016 Regular Board Meeting
The Board held hearing today from 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. and decided to have their November meeting immediately following...…
October 17, 2016 Board Meeting…
Well It's been a minute since I have posted on the Cosmetology Board and today I going to do a…
The Mississippi Cosmetology Council Meeting 9/18/2016
The Mississippi Cosmetology Council held is semi-annual meeting Sunday, September 18, 2016. The meeting was called to order by First…
Sunday 8-14-2016 Early Board Meeting
The Board moved up its August meeting to Sunday August 14, 2016 due to the Board holding Hearings on Monday August…
Monday 7-25-2016 Regular Board Meeting
All Board Members were present.... BOY oh BOY was the air Thick with TENSION Board attorney Jeff Jernigan presented to…
Monday 6-27-2016 Regular Board Meeting
Yes, I think I missed what probably was a good show.. I was not there. However, Executive Director David Derrick…
Monday May 23, 2016 Regular Board Meeting
The Board moved its regular meeting up a week due to the upcoming Armstrong McCall Hair Show being held on…
Regular Board Meeting Special Date 4-17-2016
The Board held its regular Board meeting a little early this month along with having it on a Sunday too. This meeting…
Monday March 28, 2016 Regular Board Meeting
All Board members were present for today's meeting... Today marks the one year anniversary of this Board, it just doesn't seem…
MCSA Workshop June 5th & 6th 2016
The Mississippi Cosmetology School Association is holding it's annual workshop June 5th and 6th 2016 in Tupelo, MS.... LOOKING FORWARD…
Reba Roy’s Education Plus Seminar May 1 & 2, 2016
Click on the link below for details on Ms. Reba Roy's Annual Workshop which includes 6 Hours of Methods of…
SOTA WORKSHOP FLYER!!! April 10, 2016
I wanted to take a minute to give everyone some updated information on one of our State Associations. "SOTA" Mississippi…
February 22, 2016 Regular Board Meeting
Todays Board meeting was moved up a week due to the PCS workshop being held next Monday February 29, 2016... …
I’m Sorry!!!
Thank you Heidi so much for calling me out about being late on my post.... I do stay extremely busy with…
Monday January 25, 2016 Regular Board Meeting
All Board members were present for this Board meeting... The Board set several dates for hearings to try to reduce…
Monday December 14, 2015 Board Meeting
With Christmas coming up, the Board decided to hold it's December meeting today. Meeting was called to order at 9:00…
Monday 11-30-2015 Regular Board Meeting
All Board members present except Ms. Glenda Honeycutt... Attorney Jeff Jernigan informed the Board that the Sanitation Rules and Regulations had…
Monday 10-19-2015 Board Meeting…
The Board moved its regular scheduled meeting of October 26 to October 19 due to the Premiere Beauty Show in…
10-18-2015 Board Meeting Work shop
On Sunday October 18, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. the Board of Cosmetology held a special workshop for the purpose of completing…
10/9/2015 Emergency Telephone Conference
On October 9, 2015 at 3:15 p.m. The Board of Cosmetology held an Emergency Telephone Conference call for the purpose…
Monday 9-28-2015 Regular Board Meeting
On Monday 9-28-2015 the Board meeting was called to order with all Board members along with Board attorney Jeff Jernigan…
Monday 9-21-2015 Special Call Meeting…
On Monday 9-21-2015 the Board held a Meeting for the purpose of holding Hearings for Inspection Violations.. Hearings are so boring.....…
August 31, 2015 Regular Board Meeting
On Monday August 31, 2015 the Board held it's regular meeting. All Board members and Legal council were present. According…
Monday July 27, 2015 Regular Board Meeting
Monday, July 27, 2015, the Board held its regular scheduled meeting... What started out to be not much of a…
Monday May 18, 2015 Board Meeting
Due to the upcoming Memorial Day holiday the Board moved it's regular meeting to May 18, 2015.. All Board members…
April 20, 2015 Board Meeting….
Since April 27, 2015 is celebrated as Confederate Memorial Day, the Board of Cosmetology held its monthly meeting Monday April 20, 2015... …
4-19-2015 Rules and Regulations Update Meeting
Sunday, April 19, 2015 at 10:00 a.m, The Board of Cosmetology held a meeting for the purpose of updating the…
March 30, 2015 Regular Board Meeting
On Monday March 30, 2015, the Board held it's first meeting will the NEWLY Appointed Board Members .... All…
Board Gets Funding Back!!!!!
What you May or May Not Know has been going on with the Cosmetology Agency... Due to the VERY bad publicity…
Senate Confirmations…..
On Wednesday March 25, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. Senate Confirmations were held for newly appointed Board members along with the…
QUESTION….
The first group of students took their practical examination with PCS on March 9, 2015... It is my understand there…
Emergency Telephone Conference Call
On March 10, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. Cosmetology Board President Leisa McElreath held an Emergency Telephone Conference call to discuss the…
Executive Director Resigned!!!!!!
At the February 23, 2015 regular Board meeting Executive Director Cynthia Johnson submitted her letter of resignation to the Board. Her…
New Cosmetology Board Members
The wait is over!!!!! Pictured below are your newly appointed Cosmetology Board Members... Pictured left to right is: Darlene Smith, Bertha…
AGENCY UNDER FIRE!!!!!!
I'm sure by now everyone has heard about the meeting that the Cosmetology Board Members and Executive Director Cynthia Johnson…
“PCS” 2015 Mississippi Practical Examination Overview!!!!!
How many of you was NOT impressed with this presentation???? Could you believe your EARS when Mat Levy with PCS…
1-26-2015 Regular Board Meeting
With everything that has been going on in our state it makes this January 26th Board meeting looked totally boring!!!!…
IMPORTANT FYI ON PRACTICAL EXAMINATION!!!
Professional Credential Services (PCS), our new testing company has just sent out the information on for the Mississippi Practical Exam Overview..... You…
Wednesday 1-7-2015 Telephone Conference Call
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! TO EVERYONE..... The Cosmetology Board held a telephone conference call Wednesday, January 7, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. for…
Monday 12-15-14 Regular Board Meeting
This meeting started with a few members absent. Board President Leisa McElreath and Board attorney Jeff Jernigan were absent. Board…
Monday 11-24-2014 Regular Board Meeting
During the meeting the Board went in and out of Executive Session, which was due to several telephone conversations the…
Monday 10-27-2014 Regular Board Meeting
This was a very calm meeting... The most interesting topic was brought up by Waylon Garrett. Waylon expressed to the…
Special Call Telephone Conference
Wednesday November 12, 2014 at 3:30 p.m. The Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology held a Telephone Conference for the purpose…
11/3/2014 TESTING UPDATES!!!!!
Here is what I know..... A NEW TESTING COMPANY HAS BEEN CONTRACTED!!!!! The company's name is Professional Credential Services, their…
Monday 9-29-14 Regular Board Meeting
All Board members were present for this meeting. Meeting started with Duplicate License Request.... For some reason Board Attorney Jeff…
Mississippi Cosmetology Council Meeting 9/21/2014
The Mississippi Cosmetology Council of State Board , Schools and Salons held it's annual meeting Sunday September 21,…
9-3-2014 Telephone Conference…..
On Wednesday September 3, 2014 at 12:00 pm the Board of Cosmetology held an emergency telephone conference to discuss personnel…
Monday August 25, 2014
This was supposed to be a regular Board meeting. However, Board President Leisa McElreath, was unable to attend due to…
MUST READ!!!!!!!!
In the recent NIC Bulletin, Cosmetology Board President Leisa McElreath who also serves at NIC Secretary/Treasure has a featured article... …
SCHOOL COORDINATOR QUITS!!!!!!
The word on the street is that School Coordinator, Stephanie Boone-Owens, has walked away from her position with the State…
August 18, 2014 Special Call Meeting
A "Special Call Meeting" was held today for the purpose of: Review of a New School Inspections, Employee Interviews and…
Monday 7/28/2014 Oral Proceedings
On Monday July 28, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. the Board of Cosmetology held the Oral Proceedings for the May 19, 2014…
Monday 7-28-2014 Regular Board Meeting
On July 25, 2014, I submitted to the Board in writing, that I was planning to start videoing and audio record…
Monday 7-21-2014 Special Call Meeting…
Special Call Meeting started at 1:48 p.m. The Board is only allowed to discuss the topics that was posted for…
Monday 7-21-2014 Administrative Hearings
Today was a day to be remembered. Leisa McElreath started her reign as Cosmetology Board President. Come to find out, Leisa has…
Mississippi Cosmetology Association Meeting
The Mississippi Cosmetology Association will be holding it 's annual Continuing Education Seminar this weekend July 12, 13 and 14th…
Monday June 30, 2014 Board Meeting
I was unable to attend this meeting due to me attending a NACCA workshop in Arlington, VA..... However I did…
7-28-2014 Date for Oral Procedings
SAVE THIS DATE 7-28-2014!!!!!! The Date is Monday, July 28, 2014, The Time is 2:00 p.m. and the Location is the…
June 16, 2014 “Special Call Board Meeting”
On June 16, 2014 a "Special Call Board Meeting" started at 12:30 p.m.. The topics for discussion were: Budget, Personnel…
June 16, 2014 Administrative Hearings
Monday June 16, 2014 the Board of Cosmetology held Administrative Hearings from 9:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.. There were 26 individuals…
Mississippi Cosmetology School Association Meeting
The Mississippi Cosmetology School Association held their annual meeting June 8th and June 9th 2014, at the Vicksburg Convention Center. …
Monday June 2, 2014…. Board Meeting
OH BOY WAS THIS A MEETING!!!!!! Representatives from the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility were present to have a meeting with…
Duplicate License!!!
A quick FYI for all of the individuals who wasted time and money traveling to the Cosmetology Board office to tell the Board why you needed…
5-19-2014 Telephone Conference
At 6:15 p.m. Monday May 19, 2014 the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology Board Members held a telephone conference for…
Monday March 31, 2014 Board Meeting
At the Boards regular 3-31-14 scheduled Board Meeting concerns were raised about all the overwhelming amount of student's submitting FAKE EDUCATION!!!!! For those…
Evalutors needed for Tupelo and Senatobia Test Site
Pearson Vue is needing to hire an Evaluator at the Tupelo and at the Senatobia test site. Any licensed Instructor…
Special Telehone Conference Held Today 2/10/14
Today at 11:30 a.m. the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology held a telephone conference. Most everyone is aware that our…
January 27, 2014 Regular Board Meeting…
During the regular 1/27/2014 State Board of Cosmetology Meeting.... Board Attorney Margarette Meeks announced that this would be her last meeting…
Special Call Meeting 1-12-2014
Another Special Call Meeting was held Monday 1-12-2014... This meeting was held for the continuation of the 1-11-2014 Special Call…
Special Call Meeting 1-11-2014
Cosmetology Board held a SPECIAL CALL meeting Sunday 1-11-2014 for the purpose to discuss BOARD LEGISLATION , RULES AND REGULATION…
Board Meeting 11/25/13
The first portion, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., of the meeting was spent on Duplicate License Request..... Practitioners requesting a duplicate…
Requisition For Purposal “R.F.P”
On Monday 11-18-2013 the Cosmetology Board met for hearings. This was an exhausting day and I would not wish it on my…
Needing Test Evaluators….
Pearson Vue is needing some evaluators for the Tupelo testing center. This is your chance to step up to the…
9/30/2013 Board Meeting
At the 9/30/13 regular Cosmetology Board meeting it was a packed house. Due to new rules and regulations concerning duplicate…
Post-Secondary Recongnition For Your School…..
In June 2013 most school owners starting hearing about the U.S. Department of Education now requiring schools who are licensed…
Pearson Vue Contract Extension
The Pearson Vue two year contract with the MSBC was scheduled to expire at the end of September 2013. The…
Annual Council Meeting
On September 22, 2013 the Mississippi Cosmetology Council held it's annual meeting. I am sure like myself most of you might…