MS Legislature

House Rules Chairman Mark Formby is proposing a change to the way that the Legislature debates appropriations bills.  The proposed change has serious implications for K12 funding. The proposed change would require that any legislator who, during floor debate, offers an amendment to increase an appropriation to an agency (such as education) include in the amendment an equal reduction to […]

For the current school year (2011-2012), the MAEP is underfunded by $237-millionFour consecutive years of budget cuts have resulted in: oThe loss of over 3,000 education personneloIncreased class sizeoReduced elective optionsoReduced advanced placement offeringsoReduced gifted classesoReduced intervention programs for struggling studentso Reduced extracurricular activities Though virtually every state leader claims to hold public education as a

A portion of a school district’s budget is made up of local ad valorem tax dollars (property taxes).  This is often referred to as the local contribution. Years ago, the Mississippi Legislature decided to offset a portion of the local ad valorem tax with state dollars.  The total state appropriation for Fiscal Year 2011 (2010-2011 school year)

House Action on HB1494House Bill 1494, the education funding bill, as it passed the House of Representatives, provided level funding (the same as this year) for Fiscal Year 2012. After the bill passed the House, it went to the Senate Appropriations Committee.  Senate Appropriations Committee Action on HB1494The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a strike-all amendment to the bill which cut

Schools are facing real challenges as they attempt to provide students a high quality education with greatly reduced revenue. Legislators and school officials are seeking ways to provide school districts some flexibility that will save money but protect instruction, and The Parents’ Campaign supports that effort. The Parents’ Campaign supports allowing school districts to furlough teachers

The following has been issued by the office of Governor Haley Barbour.  Thirty-four votes will be required in the Senate to override the governor’s veto of this important bill. DATE:  Feb. 18, 2010   STATEMENT OF GOVERNOR HALEY BARBOUR ON THE PASSAGE OF SENATE BILL 2688   “I regret the Senate, by a narrow majority, has chosen

On Thursday, February 4, 2010, the Mississippi Senate passed overwhelmingly an amendment to Senate Bill 2688 (SB2688) proposed by Senator Briggs Hopson of Vicksburg that required the use of $50-million from the Health Care Expendable Fund to restore $45-million of the cuts that have been made to MAEP, National Board Certification Program supplements, and Chickasaw Cession payments; $5-million in cuts