House bill 957 would eliminate the current school funding formula (MAEP) and create a new funding system that would, when fully implemented, provide public schools $292-million less than what the current formula is estimated to require. See how much your school district would lose here.
Additionally, the student-based emphasis in HB 957 would facilitate privatization of public schools, making it easier to convert public school funds into vouchers for private, for-profit, and cyber schools. The “student-based funds” would simply follow the student out of the public school and into the voucher school.
HB 957 has passed the House of Representatives and is now awaiting action in the Senate. (See the House vote here.)
Ask your senator to vote NO on HB 957!
Find contact information for legislators. Capitol Switchboard: 601.359.3770
Share the same message with Lt. Governor Reeves – Capitol: 601.359.3200
HB 957 would both starve public schools and facilitate vouchers in one fell swoop.
• It is estimated that HB 957 would shortchange school districts statewide by approximately $292-million in its first full year of implementation, 2025. See how much your school district stands to lose.
• Claims by state leaders that districts would see funding gains with HB 957 are based on a false comparison. They are comparing 2025 full funding of HB 957 to 2018 underfunding of current law.
• The funding in HB 957 is even less than what schools would receive if the Legislature continued underfunding school districts at the same rate that it has for the last six years.
• The “student-based formula” in HB 957 would make it easier to convert public school funding into vouchers for private school tuition. The per-student amount would simply follow the student out of public schools and into a private, for-profit, or cyber school – which have no obligation to provide a quality public education or to answer to taxpayers for how they spend our tax dollars.
If you value the efforts of The Parents’ Campaign and would like for our work to continue, click here to support us with a donation.
