Thank you to all the public school supporters who reached out to your legislators about the education bills they were considering – your voice matters! One of the worst bills died, and others were changed extensively due to your input. Thanks also are due the legislators who heard and responded to their constituents’ concerns!
We’re halfway through the legislative process – and several big issues remain on our radar – so stay tuned! We will likely need your help again.
In addition to the general bills we’ve been following, the House took up next year’s P-12 school funding bill, HB 1823, passing it out of the Appropriations Committee late yesterday and on the floor this morning. Chairman Roberson explained that the bill provides a total increase of $229-million, funding that is badly needed and slightly less than is required to fully fund the MAEP. We are grateful to the House for proposing a substantial increase in funding for our teachers and students, who have shown repeatedly that they provide a terrific return on the state’s investment! That bill now will go to the Senate for consideration.
Here’s what happened with the general bills we’ve followed…
HB 1449, which created a committee to determine whether Mississippi should adopt a vouchers-for-all scheme, died without being taken up for a vote. Your calls to legislators helped stop this dangerous bill – great work!
These bills passed the House and now will go to the Senate:
HB 765 allows the Mississippi Critical Teacher Shortage Act to remain as law by extending the repeal date and expands the Winter-Reed Teacher Loan Repayment Program.
HB 867 was amended to remove the provision that imposed an extensive administrative burden on school districts. The bill allows students to attend schools in districts where they do not live, if the receiving district approves.
HB 1453 eliminates the MAEP and replaces it with a law that allows the Legislature to decide how much funding schools need.
HB 1192 allows a for-profit virtual school company with abysmal academic results to operate schools in Mississippi.
These bills passed the Senate and will go next to the House:
SB 2332 makes minor adjustments to the Mississippi Adequate Education Program.
SB 2682 allows the Mississippi Critical Teacher Shortage Act to remain as law by extending the repeal date and expands the Winter-Reed Teacher Loan Repayment Program.
SB 2685 allows retired teachers to work full time in critical shortage areas while receiving PERS benefits.
Next week, House and Senate committees will begin considering bills that passed the opposite chamber in the first round of consideration. We promise to keep you in the loop and to let you know when we need your help. You can check the status of the bills we’re following at any time on our website’s bill tracker. Together, we’ve got this!
