The 2025 Legislative Session is in full swing and committees are beginning to meet. As predicted, a number of voucher/”choice” bills have been introduced and are generating some buzz at the Capitol. Word is that the “choice” bill most likely to get traction is HB 1433 – a voucher AND public school choice bill. Please ask your representative to oppose this bill, which would harm far more students than it would help.
The answer to boosting outcomes for students in underperforming schools is to improve the schools for all students, not to encourage a few to leave. HB 1433 does not assure transportation to and from the new school district, so the overwhelming majority of students will be unable to participate – and will be left in schools further diminished by shrinking resources. Even worse, “choice” bills let legislators off the hook, allowing them to believe (erroneously) that they have addressed a problem and reducing significantly the likelihood that they would provide proven remedies that would benefit all children in low-performing schools:
- State funding for public school facilities in communities with a weak ad valorem tax base
- Dedicated literacy and math coaches (not shared with another school)
- Significant salary supplements for teaching in a low-performing school (minimum of $10,000 salary supplement)
- High-quality after-school programs (tutoring, homework support, etc.)
Please ask representatives to VOTE NO on HB 1433 and any “school choice” bill.
Capitol Switchboard: 601.359.3770
Find additional contact information for legislators
Speaker White: 601.359.3300
In good news, HB 1135, assigned to the House Insurance Committee, would require the State to cover 50% of the insurance premium cost for dependents of public school and state employees participating in the state health insurance plan. Encourage representatives to support this bill as a means of mitigating our teacher shortage.
We have a long way to go in this session, and many good bills have been introduced. Let’s get rid of the bad ones now, on the front end, so that, moving forward, we can focus our energies on the things that will take our children and our state to the next level. Together, we’ve got this!
