Public schools could see devastating losses of federal funds, threatening to close programs that have been critical to Mississippi’s recent progress in student achievement and to cause school districts to default on financial obligations. The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) has notified the Mississippi Department of […]
Billions in Federal Education Dollars for Mississippi Schools at Risk Read More »
The House and Senate have adjourned sine die, ending the 2025 Legislative Session without passing a state budget. Public schools and other state agencies could shut down if no budget agreement is reached before July 1, when the new state budget year begins. To pass a budget, legislators will have to be called into a
House & Senate End Session With No State Budget Read More »
All of the state agency budget bills that were in conference have died, including the PreK – 12 appropriation bill. House conferees declined to sign conference reports over the weekend, causing legislators to miss the deadline for filing those reports. The bills could be revived were the Legislature to extend the legislative session and suspend deadlines,
Education Budget Bill Dies on Deadline Day Read More »
We’re almost there! Saturday is the deadline for conference reports on appropriations and revenue bills to be filed, including the school funding bill and those that now include Children’s Promise Act tax-credit voucher language (HB 1894, SB 3126, SB 3165, SB 3167). We are watching those closely. In the meantime, please continue to ask your legislators to
The next 10 days will be among the most critical of this legislative session, and we will need to be on high alert as close to 200 bills come out of conference. We will be watching for the PreK-12 funding bill, with expectations that the Mississippi Student Funding Formula will again be fully funded. We
We Need To Be On High Alert Read More »
Two major occurrences last week could have significant impacts on public education. Time will tell. On Thursday afternoon, President Trump issued an executive order calling for the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education. Only Congress can abolish a state agency it created, but much of the USDE staff already has been put on leave, and numerous education-related
What Does This Mean For Public Schools? Read More »
A proposed amendment to the MSFF, the new school funding law, would reduce funding to public schools by millions of dollars. When the law was drafted, it changed the student count on which school funding is based from average daily attendance to net enrollment, and the definition for net enrollment included all students enrolled in
Proposed Amendment Would Cost Public Schools Millions Read More »
HB 1, which passed the House Ways and Means Committee late yesterday, would slash over $1-billion in revenue from our state budget. It also would reduce the amount of lottery money going to the Education Enhancement Fund, which has been used to pay for pre-k and teacher supplies. Meanwhile, state revenue is shrinking on its
House Proposes Massive Tax Cut Read More »
Mississippi’s public school districts will be fully funded for the 2024-2025 school year – the first time in 16 years that public schools will receive what state law requires! See your district’s funding. Notably, the new Mississippi Student Funding Formula (MSFF) calls for funding each district based on net enrollment rather than average daily attendance, something
Your School District’s (Full) Funding for 2024-2025 Read More »
In a 7-2 decision, the Mississippi Supreme Court avoided ruling on the constitutionality of public funds going to private schools. A majority of justices opined that Parents for Public Schools (PPS) failed to show that public schools suffered any harm due to the Legislature’s 2022 appropriation of $10-million in federal pandemic funds for private school infrastructure
Voucher Lawsuit News, Education Bills Become Law Read More »
