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Mississippi Senate Proposes $206M Additional Education Funding, $100M in Pay Raises for Teachers and Higher Ed
Jackson, Miss.—The Mississippi Senate proposed legislation which would provide an additional $206 million to schools across the state and $50 million for pay raises for teachers.
The Senate is also committed to raising community college and university personnel pay by an estimated $50 million.
The legislation directs the Department of Education to study two new funding formulas proposed during the 2024 Legislative Session, a revamp of the current formula proposed by the Senate and a new formula proposed by the House. The Department would be required to provide a recommendation to the Legislature on how to fund schools by October 1, 2024. School districts would be required to spend 90 percent of state funds on teachers, students, and classroom needs rather than administrative personnel.
“We are not married to the current formula. We do, however, believe any appropriation as significant as that which funds our school systems should be vetted and discussed with stakeholders including parents, educators, and the public at-large,” Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann said. “Studying the issue together, in connection with the Department of Education and our new Superintendent, will hopefully result in a new, long-term sustainable formula both chambers can agree on which is good for students and schools.”
House Bill 1823 is the education appropriations bill which includes the additional $206 million toward education. If adopted, the historic appropriation would almost fully fund the current funding formula, which is about $251 million.
House Bill 765, which is expected to be considered on the floor this afternoon, makes the technical changes required for the K-12 raise, which would result in a $1,000 pay raise for every teacher in the state. With the raise, teachers with a bachelor’s degree would start in Mississippi at $42,500.
The community college and university raises, if agreed upon, would be added to Senate Bill 3016 (community colleges) and Senate Bills 3006-3014 (Institutions of Higher Learning), which are pending in the House.
For more information about Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann, visit www.ltgovhosemann.ms.gov.
MageeNews.com is the online news source for Simpson and surrounding counties as well as the State of Mississippi.
I think we should follow the lead of EVERY single state around us and make it about school choice and attach the dollars to the student not the school system. Yes this would allow money to go to private schools and home schooling. All this bill does is pour more money into a system that doesn’t produce quality students.