Thank you, thank you, thank you! For thousands of calls, texts, emails, and meetings. For early mornings and late nights. For social media posts and mobilizing family and friends. For standing in the gap for public school children and teachers. You made a difference. And our children, teachers, and public schools will be the beneficiaries. […]
2024 Legislative Session a Win for Public Schools Read More »
We are almost to the finish line, and most of the measures for which you have advocated have passed the House and Senate, including the conference report for the education appropriation bill (see below). However, we need your continued vigilance on HB 1988 – the Children’s Promise Act, which provides millions of dollars in subsidies
School Funding, Education Bills Pass; Voucher Threat Remains Read More »
Today, the Senate passed HB 4130, creating the Mississippi Student Funding Formula to replace the MAEP as Mississippi’s school funding law. The bill now will go to the governor for his signature. The Senate released a projection showing how each district fares under the new plan. See it here. Senate Education Chair Dennis DeBar explained that the bill
Senate Passes School Funding Law, Calls Needed on State Subsidies for Private Schools Read More »
Thank you for your calls on school funding! The House and Senate have come to an agreement on the school funding law that we believe is a good compromise. It includes an objective formula that has components similar to the MAEP as well as increased needs-based funding similar to that proposed by the House. This afternoon,
School Funding Compromise Passes the House Read More »
The Senate has passed a resolution suspending deadlines to allow the introduction of a bill to create a new school funding law. SCR 548 calls for a funding law that includes key elements outlined in a letter that education associations sent to legislative leaders in February: an objective formula for determining the base student cost
Senate Suspends Rules to Introduce New School Funding Bill Read More »
With lots of bills in final negotiations, this is a critical time in the legislative session. Your legislators need to know that you are paying attention. Leave messages for senators and representatives at the Capitol switchboard: 601.359.3770. We’ll keep you posted on any major developments. Bills we are following: • HB 765, as it passed the Senate,
Bills in Conference Negotiations Read More »
Most of the bills we are following have been sent to conference, which means three members from each chamber will decide the final language of the legislation. Legislative leaders have indicated that their goal is to wrap up their work in the coming week and adjourn the 2024 session early. Thank you for all of the
Update from the Capitol Read More »
This afternoon, the Senate Finance Committee amended and passed HB 1988, the Children’s Promise Act, which provides tax credits benefiting private schools. While the committee has removed for now the tremendous increase in these tax credits, if the bill goes to conference it very well could come back with millions more in state tax dollars
Senate Finance Committee Advances Bill Benefiting Private Schools Read More »
This morning, the full Senate passed its version of the public school appropriation bill, which provides a $206-million increase in MAEP funding and a $1,000 across-the-board teacher pay raise. The total increase over current year funding is $256-million, almost identical to the increase proposed by the House. It is wonderful that both chambers want to
Full Senate Passes $1,000 Teacher Pay Raise, Increase in MAEP Funding Read More »
Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee amended the education appropriations bill to provide a $256-million increase to public schools over current-year MAEP funding, essentially the same increase that the House proposed, though $50-million of the funding in the Senate plan would go toward a $1,000 across-the-board pay raise for teachers. The pay raise would help teachers
Senate Includes Teacher Pay Raise in Substantial School Funding Increase Read More »
