The Mississippi Legislature has adopted the PreK-12 funding bill for the 2025-2026 school year. HB 42 provides:
- A $16-million increase in funding for the Mississippi Student Funding Formula (MSFF), including funding to cover increases in educators’ health insurance premiums and PERS
- Level funding for Early Learning Collaboratives and State Invested Pre-k (SIP) programs
- Full funding for National Board Certification, a $1-million increase
- Full funding for the Chickasaw Cession program, a $4-million increase
- Level funding for teacher supplies/instructional materials
- Level funding for reading and math coaches
- $3.5-million for the Mississippi Teacher Residency Program to help mitigate the teacher shortage
- $2.1-million for a distance learning program for critical shortage areas
Also included in HB 42 is a $2-million increase in ESA voucher funding for children with special needs, funding intended to clear the waiting list, despite the ESA program never having used all of the funding it was appropriated in any year since its inception.
In response to questions about the PreK-12 funding bill, the Mississippi Department of Education provided this explanation:
House Bill 42 allocates $2,974,855,801 in FY26 funding for school districts and charter schools, fully funding the Mississippi Student Funding Formula (MSFF). This total includes funding for:
- Pre-K through 12th grade instruction
- Health insurance
- PERS (Public Employees’ Retirement System) contribution increases
The student enrollment count used to calculate FY26 funding was 432,131, a decrease of 4,505 students compared to the FY25 enrollment total of 436,636. Enrollment data is entered and certified by districts through the Mississippi Student Information System (MSIS) and is based on counts from Month 2 (October) and Month 3 (November).
Overall, MSFF funding increased by $16 million from FY25 to FY26.
I want to recognize and thank especially Senate Education Chairman Dennis DeBar, who was exceedingly patient and diligent in running down numbers and providing answers to my numerous questions about the education appropriation bill. Please also be sure to thank your own legislators for working alongside us to secure adequate and fair funding for our public schools. Find contact information for legislators here.
And many, many thanks to you! Mississippi children are so very lucky to have you in their corner. Your voices mean more funding, better resources, and brighter futures for the hundreds of thousands of children in our public schools, many of whom would have no voice at the Capitol were it not for you!
Our work is not complete. Tremendous threats on the federal level are lingering, and we will continue to need your help to stop the federal government from forcing vouchers on our state. I’ll be in touch soon with ways that you can help us stop this new and dangerous voucher push by Congress. Together, we’ve got this!
Nancy Loome, Executive Director
