The Mississippi Legislature passed a new formula for funding K-12 education and sent the bill to the governor's desk, replacing a funding model that has been in place since the 1990s.
On Saturday, the Senate passed House Bill 4130, known as the Mississippi Student Funding Formula, with only three members voting against it. If signed or passed by the governor's desk, the system would replace the Mississippi Affordable Education Program, which has been in place since 1997 as the state's primary K-12 education funding feature. . Under the new formula, he will receive an increase of $217 million from MAEP funds. Last year's total amount amounted to $ 2,957,721,539.
But that funding is still about $50 million short of what MAEP would receive if it were fully funded, according to parent campaign figures.
It would also replace the proposed INSPIRE Act. This bill is a funding model that House members and leadership pushed vigorously earlier this Congress, but failed to pass in the Senate. MSFF is missing him $60 million from his INSPIRE Act model.
MSFF implements an objective funding formula based on student enrollment, average teacher salary, and other operating and administrative costs. The formula calculates the base student cost, or the cost of funding each student's education, to be $6,995, which is $40 more than the previous funding model proposed by the House earlier this year.
The new formula also includes additional funding for districts that promote career tech programs, students with special needs, and even English language learners.
MSFF must also be recalculated every four years and adjusted annually with an inflation adjuster.
Senate Education Committee Chairman Dennis Dever (R-Leakesville), who introduced the bill, said he has been working with House leadership for several weeks on the bill. He said the bill isn't perfect, but it's better than letting lawmakers stall on needed reforms to K-12 education funding.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Grant McLaughlin covers state government for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at gmcLaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.