Our first committee deadline has passed, and the full House and Senate will now begin voting on the bills that made it onto their calendars.
Please ask your legislators to VOTE NO on these bills:
• HB 1453 eliminates the MAEP and replaces it with a law that allows the Legislature to decide how much funding schools need. Like the MAEP, the bill has a base cost with additional needs-based funding for things like poverty and special education. While the amended bill was improved by the addition of an inflation adjustment, it still does not include an objective formula for determining the base student cost, the cost to educate a typical child with no additional needs to proficiency in core subjects. The current MAEP formula sets that cost at $7,465. HB 1453 reduces it to $6,650. Passed House Education Committee; goes to House floor. VOTE NO
• HB 867 imposes an extensive administrative burden on school districts by requiring that they report publicly the capacity in each grade of each school that is available for out-of-district transfer students. The bill allows students to attend schools in districts where they do not live and do not pay property tax, if the receiving district approves. Passed House Education Committee; goes to House floor. VOTE NO
• HB 1192 allows a for-profit virtual school company with abysmal academic results to operate schools in Mississippi. Passed House Education Committee; goes to House floor. VOTE NO
• HB 1449 creates a committee, with a majority of members appointed by voucher supporters, to determine whether Mississippi should adopt a vouchers-for-all scheme. Passed House Education and Appropriations Committees; goes to House Floor. VOTE NO
Capitol Switchboard: 601.359.3770
Speaker White: 601.359.3300
Lt. Gov. Hosemann: 601.359.3200
Ask your legislators to VOTE YES on these bills:
• HB 765 allows the Mississippi Critical Teacher Shortage Act to remain as law by extending the repeal date. Passed House Education Committee; goes to House floor. VOTE YES
• SB 2332 makes minor adjustments to the Mississippi Adequate Education Program to increase funding for low-wealth school districts and reduce the inflation factor. Passed Senate Education Committee; goes to Senate floor. VOTE YES
• SB 2682 allows the Mississippi Critical Teacher Shortage Act to remain as law by extending the repeal date. Passed Senate Education and Appropriations Committees; goes to Senate floor. VOTE YES
• SB 2685 allows retired teachers to work full time in critical shortage areas while receiving PERS benefits. Passed Senate Education Committee; goes to Senate floor. VOTE YES
• SB 2686 requires private voucher schools to meet the statutory requirements of the ESA voucher program in order to receive ESA funds; mandates that students be accepted by a voucher school before being added to the program’s waiting list. Passed Senate Education Committee; goes to Senate floor. VOTE YES
Check our bill tracker for updates to these bills as they move through the process. Both chambers will begin voting on bills at 10 a.m. tomorrow, so please make those calls right away. Ask other public school supporters you know to call, too. Together, we’ve got this!
