The 2026 Regular Session of the Mississippi Legislature convenes at noon Tuesday, January 6, 2026. MPE’s annual member survey conducted in October 2025 identified the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi (PERS)/retirement, educator compensation, and school choice/vouchers as the top three policy issues of most importance to our members in the 2026 Legislative Session. These survey results form the foundation of MPE’s 2026 Legislative Priorities outlined below and reflect the collective voice and professional expertise of educators throughout our state.
School Choice: MPE does not support open enrollment/portability between public school districts nor the diversion of state funds to nonpublic schools, home schools or virtual schools via vouchers, tuition tax credits, or education savings accounts (ESAs). If public funds go to such schools, the schools should be held accountable for the use of these funds and students’ academic outcomes.
Compensation: In our October 2025 member survey, MPE members identified teacher compensation as the greatest factor contributing to Mississippi’s teacher shortage. According to the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), Mississippi’s 2023-24 (most recent year available) average salary of $53,704 was lower than the SREB ($61,847) and national ($72,030) averages. MPE supports consistent, competitive compensation for Mississippi public school teachers and assistant teachers, as well as our state’s community college and university instructors.
PERS: State leaders should ensure the financial stability of the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi (PERS) via annual appropriations of dedicated funding, as PERS contributes to the recruitment and retention of quality educators. Legislators should reconsider Tier 5’s reduced guaranteed benefits and increased retirement eligibility requirements before they go into effect March 1, 2026, as these will negatively impact teacher recruitment and retention.
State and School Employees’ Life and Health Insurance Plan: Health insurance via the State and School Employees’ Life and Health Insurance Plan should be more affordable for educators and their families. The teacher pay raise implemented during the 2022-23 school year has been negated by inflation and premium increases, especially for those teachers insuring themselves and their families, as their monthly premiums have increased 24% over the last four years.
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