MS Legislature

If we want our legislators to cast votes that are in line with our priorities and values, it is incumbent upon us to let them know what our priorities and values are. If we expect them to vote for adequarte school funding and strong standards, or against privatization efforts, we need to be sure that […]

House Speaker Philip Gunn will hold public meetings around the state to get input from Mississippians about issues they would like to see addressed. You are invited to attend a meeting near you. This is a great opportunity to let Speaker Gunn know about the issues that are important to you. The hour-long meetings will take place the week of

Literacy – SB 2347. This conference report misses the boat entirely. It does not require that children in K-3rd be screened for reading deficiencies; rather it makes the screening optional (line 55: “may”). Therefore, many children with reading deficiencies will never be identified before they reach third grade. Reading coaches, the most effective means of improving reading

Today, the House reconsidered the motion to invite conference on HB 890 and passed it on a 61-56 vote. The bill will now go to conference. House Education Chairman John Moore assured members of that chamber that the conference report would not include charter school language. HB 890, as it passed the Senate, includes: ·         Charter school language that: o   Allows charters in C,

(The following is for informational purposes only. The Parents’ Campaign has no position on these bills.) These bills are alive as of this posting:HB 590 – Sales tax revenue collected from certain business activities within a revitalization zone is distributed to the municipality if the municipality received a loan under this act.Loss to the General

Full Funding of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) HB 513, signed by the governor, provides full funding of the MAEP.This is the first time in MAEP’s history that it has been fully funded in consecutive years.   Restoration of Diverted Funds Teacher Supply Fund The legislature did not fully restore this funding.HB 513, signed by

Both the House and Senate now have bills that include a “New Start School” amendment that could have a far-reaching impact on good schools in any district across the state. The “New Start” provision stipulates that a school rated F has one year to move to at least a D rating, then the school must move

Both the House and Senate now have bills that include a “New Start School” amendment that could have a far-reaching impact on good schools in any district across the state. The “New Start” provision stipulates that a school rated F has one year to move to at least a D rating, then the school must move

In a late afternoon meeting, the Senate Education Chairman proposed amendments to HB 890 that included language from a number of bills, a surprise move that left committee members scrambling to decipher the tremendous omnibus bill. The amendment includes the following: Charter Schools ·         Contains the for-profit loophole, allowing for-profits to manage charter schools ·         Gives A & B districts

The good news is that funding for the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) will increase by $19.38-million for the 2012-2013 school year (Fiscal Year 2013). The bad news is that school districts will have to cover a $23-million increase in the employer’s share of the annual cost of the state retirement system. Therefore, schools will have about