This morning, the Mississippi House amended SB 2103 to remove the bill’s original language and replace it with a teacher and assistant teacher pay raise. The bill provides certified teachers a $5,000 across-the-board pay raise, with special education teachers who are teaching special education in a public school receiving an additional $3,000 raise ($8,000 total). Assistant teachers would receive a $3,000 raise. The bill passed on a unanimous vote. Be sure to thank your representative!
It is terrific news that the House has taken action to revive a teacher pay raise, and we are grateful for that!
During floor debate on the bill, several representatives asked House Education Chair Rob Roberson if there was anything in the bill related to school choice, to which he repeatedly answered no. However, the amended teacher pay raise bill DOES bring forward sections of law concerning ESA vouchers, dyslexia therapy vouchers, speech-language vouchers, and district-to-district transfers/portability for possible amendments. Including sections of law related to vouchers and school choice means that, if the bill goes to conference, those issues will once again be on the table.
The amended bill is almost 500 pages long and was just posted online this morning, so we have not yet had an opportunity to thoroughly review the measure in its entirety. We will do so over the next few days and provide you additional information as needed.
Chairman Roberson explained that the bill includes these provisions, which also were included in the original House pay raise bill:
• Brings forward the Mississippi Student Funding Formula section of law, amending it to increase the base student cost to $7,481.68 to cover the cost of the teacher pay raise
• Amends the PERS statute to decrease the years of service required for retirement from 35 to 30 for state employees hired after July 1, 2011, and to allow retirement at the age of 60 with or without the required years of service for all vested employees
• Improves the salary incentive for retired teachers to return to the classroom on a part-time or full-time basis while receiving PERS benefits
• Provides a $5,000 raise for school attendance officers and rebrands related offices to encourage a more positive focus
• Provides funding for a temporary District of Improvement and Teacher Stabilization Supplement Program focused on improving school districts rated D or F
• Caps the salaries of school superintendents at 250% of the total salary (including local supplement) of a licensed teacher with equivalent education, licensure, and years of experience
The bill also brings forward and amends sections of law on which The Parents’ Campaign has no position, some of which are unrelated to education. Additionally, we and the Senate need time to examine the bill thoroughly to understand all of the details of this bill and its full impact on public schools. At this juncture, the most important thing is that this bill remain alive and make it through the process to ensure that our hardworking and deserving teachers receive the $5,000 teacher pay raise called for in SB 2103.
Additionally, HB 1944, which would send millions more state dollars to private schools – some at the expense of foster care organizations – has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee (the committee’s standing meeting that was scheduled for yesterday was canceled). See details of HB 1944, the Children’s Promise Act, here. Senators should vote NO on HB 1944!
Ask your senator to:
-Ensure that SB 2103, which includes pay raises for teachers, assistant teachers, and school attendance officers, remains alive
=VOTE NO on HB 1944 – increases state funding to unaccountable private schools through the Children’s Promise Act
Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann: 601.359.3200
Capitol Switchboard: 601.359.3770
Find contact information for all legislators
False information is circulating about HB 1944 (The Children’s Promise Act):
False claim: HB 1944 doesn’t hurt public schools.
Truth: Of course it does. HB 1944 sends millions of dollars to private schools that are held to none of the same rules that govern public schools, creating an unlevel playing field and an unfair advantage. Any school benefiting from state funding should be held to the very same rules – same admissions standards, same assessments, same accountability, same public audits.
False claim: HB 1944 helps other nonprofits.
Truth: HB 1944 harms the only other nonprofits eligible for Children’s Promise Act funding: foster care organizations. See a quick video explaining how HB 1944 seeks to divert funding away from foster care organizations and send it to private schools.
Your relationships with your legislators are making a difference! Please continue to reach out to them with this message: Not another penny to private schools, and by all means, pass a $5,000 teacher pay raise! I promise to keep you in the loop as we move through the last weeks of the session. Keep those calls going. Ask your family and neighbors to call. Together, we’ve got this!
