Yesterday the House tabled the motion to reconsider on HB 1988, the Children’s Promise Act, sending to the Senate the bill that provides a massive increase in private school tax credits. The bill would allow an individual private school to receive up to $720,000 annually at taxpayer expense, regardless of the school’s size or enrollment, with some of the smallest private schools eligible for as much as $11,000 per student in state tax dollars – more than any public school receives per student from the state – with no audits, no oversight, and no accountability.
The same Children’s Promise Act makes fewer tax credits available for organizations that contract with the state to serve children in foster care. The private school tax credits should be reassigned to benefit foster children, who typically have few resources available to them.
Ask your senator to amend HB 1988 to use all Children’s Promise Act tax credits for organizations that contract with the state to serve children in foster care.
Find contact information for senators who represent your school district
Capitol switchboard: 601.359.3770
Lt. Gov. Hosemann: 601.359.3200
Please also reach out to your legislators about the bills listed below, most of which have a committee deadline of next Tuesday.
These bills would harm public school children and teachers:
HB 1192 allows a for-profit virtual school company with abysmal academic results to operate schools in Mississippi. Passed the House; goes to Senate Education and Appropriations Committees. VOTE NO
HB 1453 eliminates the MAEP; includes no objective formula for the base student cost, allowing the Legislature to decide how much funding schools need; is being pushed by voucher supporters. Passed the House; goes to Senate Education and Appropriations Committees. VOTE NO
SB 2332 was amended by the House to remove the original Senate language and replace it with HB 1453, making it a harmful bill; eliminates the MAEP; includes no objective formula for the base student cost, allowing the Legislature to decide how much funding schools need; is being pushed by voucher supporters. Passed the House; goes to Senate for concurrence or non-concurrence. DO NOT CONCUR
These bills would help public school children and teachers:
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. Passed the House; goes to Senate Education Committee. VOTE YES
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. Passed the Senate; passed House Education Committee; goes to House Appropriations Committee. VOTE YES
SB 2685 allows retired teachers to work full time in critical shortage areas while receiving PERS benefits. Passed the Senate; passed House Education Committee; goes to House Appropriations Committee. VOTE YES
This bill has strong potential:
HB 1823 is the P-12 appropriation bill, which provides a substantial increase in funding for school districts, an increase we support. However, the bill directs the funding to the flawed INSPIRE program created in HB 1453, which removes the MAEP from law and provides no objective mechanism for determining school district funding, leaving it to the Legislature to determine the level of funding school districts need. Passed the House; goes to Senate Appropriations Committee. SUPPORT FUNDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS AT THE LEVEL PROVIDED IN HB 1823 USING AN OBJECTIVE FORMULA
Find contact information for all legislators in your school district
Capitol Switchboard: 601.359.3770
Speaker White: 601.359.3300
Lt. Gov. Hosemann: 601.359.3200
Thank you for standing with us in this fight to protect our public schools – the only schools open to ALL Mississippi children! We’ll be sure to keep you in the loop on what’s happening at the Capitol, so please watch for updates. In the meantime, you can check the status of the bills we are following at any time on our bill tracker.
Our children and teachers are counting on us, and together, we’ve got this!
