This morning, the House tabled the motion to reconsider on the Senate charter bill. House Education Chairman John Moore moved to send SB 2161 to the Senate as it passed the House initially. Rep. Steve Holland urged the House to defeat Moore’s motion so that the bill could be reconsidered and amended to remove C […]
See Your Rep’s Vote on Charter Bill Read More »
The charter school bill that passed the House yesterday remains on the calendar on a motion to reconsider (vote again). Word is that there is a move to amend the bill to allow only students in districts rated D or F to cross district lines to attend charter schools, a move we encourage. Thanks to all those
Worrisome education bills are scheduled for floor votes in both chambers. Please make sure your legislators understand that recent changes to the House and Senate charter school bills reveal a troubling focus on expanding charter schools to C-rated districts. There is a tendency among some legislators to cast C-rated districts as under-performing. To the contrary,
Troublesome Ed Bills on Calendar for Votes Read More »
Two charter school bills are headed for floor votes. Now is the time to call your representative and senator about these bills. The most recent changes to SB 2161 and HB 1044 make both bills problematic. To be voted on by the House: SB 2161, as amended by the House Education Committee, allows students in districts rated C,
Need Calls on Charter Schools Read More »
The current leadership has for years suggested that the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) formula should be changed – they just haven’t been able to tell us what changes need to be made. Altering the school funding formula is serious business. It could have a dramatic effect on the quality of education provided Mississippi children and the equity with which
HB 458 – Significant Changes to MAEP Formula Shouldn’t Be Made in Conference Read More »
Next Tuesday is the deadline for Senate committees to act on House general bills and for House committees to act on Senate general bills (appropriations and revenue bills have a later deadline). Please ask your legislators to vote as follows: Bills to be voted on by the Senate HB 29 – Transfers authority from the
Important Update on Ed Bills Read More »
Senate Appropriations Chairman Buck Clarke has announced that the Senate budget plan includes a $40-million increase to the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) for Fiscal Year 2017 (2016-2017 school year), as well as increases to universities and community colleges. It is very early in the appropriations process, and neither the Senate Appropriations Committee nor the full Senate has had
Senate Budget Includes $40M Increase in MAEP Read More »
Two more voucher bills died today! That’s something to celebrate. HB 1080 and SB 2695, both tax credit scholarship bills, were never taken up in committee. Today was the deadline for each chamber to take floor action on its own revenue and appropriations bills. One voucher bill is still alive (HB 33) and we are watching
Positive Update from the Capitol Read More »
School rankings and ratings can sometimes mask extraordinary work. That’s the take-away from our deep dive into Mississippi’s test data. We looked at math and language proficiency rates on Mississippi’s 2012-2013 state tests (most recent available by subgroup), comparing poor and non-poor students in C-rated school districts to those in districts rated A and B, and found that:
Good News in Mississippi Test Scores Read More »
The full Senate has passed SB 2858, a tax cut bill that would reduce state revenue by hundreds of millions of dollars per year, phased in over 15 years. Estimates of the impact of the tax cut range from $575-million to $896-million. See your senator’s vote on the tax cut bill here. Please thanks the senators who
Senate Passes Massive Tax Cut Read More »
