Shortly after we posted our comparison of the various school funding proposals on Friday, the House reached out to say they have new numbers they’d like you to see.
The analysis we sent Friday used the per-district numbers that each chamber distributed to its members during floor debate on its proposed plan. Apparently, the numbers the House distributed were based on year-old local contribution data. They now have new data, and we have factored that data into an updated comparison. See the new analysis here. (The Senate is standing by the numbers distributed to its members.)
The difference is marginal. In the first year (2024-2025 school year), MAEP funding exceeds INSPIRE funding in 82 school districts, 37 of which have the highest poverty rate possible in MDE’s reporting (>=95%). Increases in MAEP funding outpace increases in INSPIRE funding each year thereafter, and by year 3 (2026-2027), 117 school districts do better with MAEP than INSPIRE, 54 of them high-poverty.
In year 1, the funding provided in the Senate plan exceeds INSPIRE funding in 66 districts, 30 of them high-poverty, and in 110 districts (50 high-poverty – a significant majority) by year 3.
Despite the large increase in initial funding proposed by the House, more than half of school districts get less funding immediately under INSPIRE, and more fall behind with each passing year. It makes no sense to replace our current school funding law with a worse one.
Tomorrow is the deadline for committees to pass bills that originated in the opposite chamber, so legislators need to hear from you.
These bills would harm public school children and teachers:
HB 1192 allows a for-profit virtual school company with abysmal academic results to operate schools in Mississippi. ASK SENATORS TO VOTE NO
HB 1453 eliminates the MAEP; includes no objective formula for the base student cost, allowing the Legislature to decide how much funding schools need; is being pushed by voucher supporters. ASK SENATORS TO VOTE NO
SB 2332 was amended by the House to remove the original Senate language and replace it with HB 1453, meaning it is now a harmful bill; eliminates the MAEP; includes no objective formula for the base student cost, allowing the Legislature to decide how much funding schools need; is being pushed by voucher supporters. ASK SENATORS NOT TO CONCUR
These bills would help public school children and teachers:
HB 765 allows the Mississippi Critical Teacher Shortage Act to remain as law by extending the repeal date and expands the Winter-Reed Teacher Loan Repayment Program. ASK SENATORS TO VOTE YES
SB 2682 allows the Mississippi Critical Teacher Shortage Act to remain as law by extending the repeal date and expands the Winter-Reed Teacher Loan Repayment Program. ASK REPRESENTATIVES TO VOTE YES
SB 2685 allows retired teachers to work full time in critical shortage areas while receiving PERS benefits. ASK REPRESENTATIVES TO VOTE YES
This bill has strong potential:
HB 1823 is the P-12 appropriation bill, which provides a substantial increase in funding for school districts. We enthusiastically support this increase, but the bill is problematic in that it directs the funding to the flawed INSPIRE program created in HB 1453. That program removes the MAEP from law and provides no objective mechanism for determining school district funding, leaving it to the Legislature to determine the level of funding school districts need. SUPPORT FUNDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS AT THE LEVEL PROVIDED IN HB 1823 USING AN OBJECTIVE FORMULA
Find contact information for legislators who represent your school district
Capitol Switchboard: 601.359.3770
Speaker White: 601.359.3300
Lt. Gov. Hosemann: 601.359.3200
A word of warning: When you hear folks talk about “student-centered” funding that “makes certain the dollars attached to each child are used for that child,” that’s voucher talk. State funding flows to public schools in lump sums, including the House-proposed INSPIRE funding as directed in HB 1453. That bill states specifically that school districts should use the total allocation as they believe best serves the total district population – as it should. When legislators start talking about specific funding following a specific child, they are talking about vouchers for private school tuition, which the House made clear was its priority when it voted 80 to 34 to deny additional state funding for foster care organizations so they could get more state funding to private schools. See how your legislator voted.
You can check our website’s bill tracker for updates on the legislation we are following.
Thank you for ALL you do to ensure strong public schools for every Mississippi child – they are mighty lucky to have you in their corner! Please make those calls right away. Together, we’ve got this.
