State Superintendent of Education Dr. Lance Evans and MDE staff shared a fact sheet on district consolidation in our state with committee members. Dr. Evans also shared the differences between consolidating multiple districts and intra-district consolidations in which a district decides to consolidate multiple schools within the district. Deputy Superintendent Mike Kent explained that consolidating multiple schools into one building can result in significant financial savings. Dr. Evans offered several considerations for any consolidation legislation, including clear, objective criteria; a realistic timeline (Dr. Evans suggested the legislature develop a 10-year plan so as to allow ample time for study and vetting); governance and leadership of the district(s); and the need for consistency in legislation as well as defining MDE’s oversight authority. There was some discussion of the possibility of an assessment of school facilities throughout the state as a part of any consolidation plans. There was also a great deal of questions and discussion regarding the importance of effective school boards and board members. 

The committee met with Kell Smith, Executive Director of the Mississippi Community College Board, and Dr. Al Rankins, Commissioner of Higher Education, yesterday afternoon. Both shared data regarding student enrollment, graduates, and tuition, as well as other indicators. Mr. Smith emphasized community colleges’ workforce development contributions and CTE offerings. When asked if universities could implement and offer CTE programs, Dr. Rankins was hesitant to endorse this idea and shared that our universities and community colleges currently collaborate a great deal on economic development and workforce development in their local areas. 

The committee did not take any official action at this meeting but discussed its plans to visit several schools in June, including the Mississippi School for the Deaf and Blind, Magnolia Speech School, and the Mississippi School for Math and Science. It also plans to visit the Mississippi School of the Arts, USM’s DuBard School for Language Disorders, and USM’s Children’s Center for Communication and Development in the coming months.

• HB 1935 is the Mississippi Department of Education’s FY 2027 appropriation bill. It provides funding for the teacher, assistant teacher, and school attendance officer pay raises, as well as the annual salary supplements for special education teachers, occupational therapists, and school psychologists. Governor Reeves signed HB 1935 on Wednesday, April 8. In accordance with state law, school districts must give notices of nonrenewal by April 18.
• HB 4073 makes several changes to PERS Tier 5 and regulations governing retired teachers returning to the classroom while drawing retirement benefits. Please see our legislative update of last Thursday, April 2, for more information on these changes. Governor Reeves approved HB 4073 on April 8.

The following education bills were sent to Governor Reeves on April 7 and are due back from him by April 13:

• SB 2103 reflects the $2,000 teacher pay raise in the minimum teacher salary schedule and enacts the other pay raises and annual salary supplements. It also addresses chronic absenteeism.
• SB 2294 enacts the Moving Mathematics in Mississippi (M3) pilot program, the Adolescent Literacy Initiative, and the J.P. Wilemon, Jr., Financial Literacy Act. It also requires students to take a computer science course and be taught civics before they graduate.
• SB 3053, the IHL general support FY 2027 appropriation bill, provides a $2,000 salary increase for all professors and adjunct professors at our state’s eight universities.
• SB 3063, the community college general support FY 2027 appropriation bill, provides a $2,000 salary increase for all professors and adjunct professors at each community and junior college. 

MPE will provide a legislative wrap up next Friday, April 17, with the final status of all those bills we tracked throughout the session. 

Here is a summary of this week’s developments:

Teacher and Assistant Teacher Pay Raise: As we shared in our March 30 update, legislators in both chambers adopted the conference report for HB 1935, the Mississippi Department of Education’s FY 2027 appropriation bill, which includes funding for the following:

• $2,000 teacher pay raise
• $2,000 assistant teacher pay raise
• $2,000 annual salary supplement for special education teachers

The Motion to Reconsider that was entered in the House on Monday was tabled Tuesday, so HB 1935 is headed to Governor Reeves for his consideration.

Legislators in both chambers approved the conference report for SB 2103 yesterday and it is also headed to the governor’s desk. It incorporates the $2,000 teacher pay raise into the minimum salary schedule for the 26-27 school year and thereafter. MPE has received numerous inquiries regarding the supplement for special education instructors. According to legislative leaders and MDE staff, speech language pathologists, behavior specialists and/or gifted teachers will not receive the annual salary supplement for special education teachers. Among other provisions, SB 2103 also addresses the six-week pay gap between mid-December and the end of January as it eliminates current law’s requirement that educators be paid on the last working day of December.

We have also received several inquiries regarding raises for community college and university staff.  SB 3063, the community college general support appropriation bill, provides a $2,000 salary increase for all professors and adjunct professors at each community and junior college.  SB 3053, the IHL general support appropriation bill, provides a $2,000 salary increase for all professors and adjunct professors at our state’s eight universities.

Retired Teachers Returning to the Classroom: As passed by both chambers, SB 2103 repeals the section of state law that currently governs retired teachers returning to work while drawing retirement benefits. While current law will be eliminated, HB 4073 made several changes to PERS including allowing any retired state employee, not just teachers, to return to work in 30 days rather than the current 90 days and to earn up to 80% of a position’s salary. HB 4073 also changes the Tier 5 service requirement from 35 years to 30 years and uses an employee’s highest four years of salary, instead of the highest eight years as was enacted when Tier 5 was passed last year. HB 4073 prohibits any retiree from returning to work as an elected official, a K-12 superintendent, or an administrator at a community/junior college or university. Both chambers adopted HB 4073’s conference report Monday and it is headed to Governor Reeves.

Although several bills were considered throughout the session that would have provided a monetary infusion into PERS, none of those bills ultimately passed. 

Curriculum: Both the House and the Senate approved the conference report for SB 2294 yesterday, so it is headed to the governor for his consideration. SB 2294 contains several new initiatives and graduation requirements:

• The Mississippi Math Act creates the Moving Mathematics in Mississippi (M3) Program that will provide K-12 mathematics coaching and support in those districts MDE invites to participate in this pilot program. MDE will adopt a K-5 screener that participating districts will administer three times annually beginning with the 2026-27 school year. M3 will establish an Algebra-readiness indicator using the Grade 5 Statewide Mathematics Assessment cut score. M3 does not include a “gate” assessment.
• The Adolescent Literacy Initiative expands the state’s Literacy Based Promotion Act into grades 4-8, but it does not contain a “gate” assessment. Coaches will model evidence-based reading practices. MDE will develop a list of HQIM core literacy curriculum and provide an approved list of screeners. Students in grades 4-8 who are identified with reading deficiencies will receive appropriate interventions.
• The J.P. Wilemon, Jr., Financial Literacy Act requires the State Board of Education to incorporate financial literacy into grades 6-8 curriculum beginning in the 2027-28 school year. Beginning with the graduating class of 2032, each student must take and pass a ½ Carnegie Unit course in personal finance or a full Carnegie Unit course where at least half of the course standards address financial literacy.
• Beginning with the entering ninth grade class of 2029-30, a high school student must earn one unit in a high school computer science course or one unit in an industry-aligned CTE course that includes the foundations of computer science. Such courses must include instruction in the fundamental concepts of emerging computer science technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI).
• Beginning in the 2027-28 school year, every public and charter school shall teach civics courses starting in the 8^th grade and before the completion of 12^th grade. MDE is to prescribe the courses of study, including the basic course requirements and the academic standards for these courses. MDE is to rename its U.S. Government courses as “United States Government and Civics” to account for this additional civics component.

Special thanks to those of you who were engaged with your legislators and the legislative leadership during this legislative session. Your voices and concerns were heard and made a difference, especially on the school choice/voucher issue. Legislators are elected to represent their constituents, and it is your right to share your thoughts on various policy issues with your representative and senator. Thank you for speaking up for Mississippi’s students, educators, and schools!

• $2,000 teacher pay raise
• $2,000 assistant teacher pay raise
• $2,000 annual salary supplement for special education teachers

Section 49 of the conference report provides funding for CTE teachers to receive the $2,000 raise. The conference report also provides a $2,000 salary supplement for licensed occupational therapists and licensed school psychologists working in public school districts. The measure also provides a $5,000 pay raise for school attendance officers (SAOs) and funds 106 SAO positions which will provide one SAO for every 4,000 compulsory-school-aged children. 

The conference report includes a FY 27 Base Student Cost of $7,201.77. Most programs are level funded (i.e., same funding as current FY 2026), including classroom supplies, National Board Certification, and early learning collaboratives. The conference report also provides:

• $121,000 to implement financial literacy in grades 6-8
• $9,000,000 to implement the Adolescent Literacy Initiative
• $3,480,000 to implement the Mississippi Math Act

HB 1935’s conference report provides the funding for the pay raises and these new initiatives bulleted above. The conference reports for the general bills (SB 2103 and SB 2294) that incorporate the raise into the minimum salary schedule and enact these new programs are not yet filed. They must be filed by today and then considered by Wednesday. The legislative session is scheduled to end Sunday, but legislators hope to wrap up their work sooner and possibly leave as early as Thursday.

While any raise is a step in the right direction, this $2,000 raise is extremely disappointing, especially considering previous proposals were $5,000 and $6,000. Legislative leaders reported a smaller raise was adopted due to other budget needs, most noticeably Medicaid due to cuts in federal funding. Mississippi has received national attention in recent years for the incredible gains our educators and students have made, and we know these gains were the result of endless hours of hard work by our educators and students. This raise will not adequately address the teacher shortage nor recruit students into our educator prep programs, especially when they can cross state lines and make significantly more money.

MPE will provide an update on other education bills in our weekly email which will go out Thursday morning this week. As always, feel free to share your thoughts on the pay raise and other issues with your senator and representative. Thank you for what you do each day for your students, schools and communities.

Teacher and Assistant Teacher Pay Raise: SB 2103 contains the House’s strike all amendment that provides a $5,000 teacher pay raise, a $3,000 assistant teacher pay raise, and a $3,000 annual supplement for special education instructors, all of which are effective with the 2026-27 school year.

• House conferees – Rob Roberson of Starkville, Kent McCarty of Hattiesburg, Jansen Owen of Poplarville
• Senate conferees –Dennis DeBar of Leakesville, Briggs Hopson of Vicksburg, Nicole Boyd of Oxford

HB 1395, which contained the Senate’s strike all amendment that provided a $6,000 teacher pay raise phased in over three years, as well as a $2,000 pay raise for assistant teachers and a $3,000 annual salary supplement for special education instructors phased in over three years, went to conference earlier this week. Conferees signed a conference report late yesterday afternoon that only addresses certain provisions regarding the sale or lease of unused school property and charter schools’ right of first refusal. Thus, SB 2103 is the only teacher and assistant teacher pay raise bill alive as of last night. While the deadline for SB 2103’s conference report to be filed is not until Monday, we should know the amount of the raise once HB 1935’s conference report (see below) is filed which could be as soon as late today.

FY 2027 Funding: HB 1935 is MDE’s FY 2027 appropriation bill. The House version includes a Base Student Cost (BSC) of $7,447.37 while the Senate version includes a BSC of $6,961.45. Most programs are level funded (i.e., same funding as current FY 2026).

• House conferees – Karl Oliver of Winona, Angela Cockerham of Magnolia, Rob Roberson of Starkville
• Senate conferees – Briggs Hopson of Vicksburg, Dennis DeBar of Leakesville, Kevin Blackwell of Southaven

Retired Teachers Return to the Classroom: The House’s strike all amendment for SB 2103 allows a retired teacher to teach in any district, not just a critical shortage geographic or subject area as in current law. It also deletes the 5-year limit on returning to a classroom as a retired teacher. The retired teacher’s salary shall not be less than their salary at retirement.

• House conferees – Rob Roberson of Starkville, Kent McCarty of Hattiesburg, Jansen Owen of Poplarville
• Senate conferees –Dennis DeBar of Leakesville, Briggs Hopson of Vicksburg, Nicole Boyd of Oxford

PERS Funding: The Senate’s strike all amendment for HB 4073 provides a $500 million infusion into PERS this July and then $50 million a year for the next 10 years for a total of $1 billion. It also provides $5 million a year for the next 10 years to establish a COLA fund for Tier 5 employees.

• House conferees – Trey Lamar of Senatobia, Jody Steverson of Ripley, Hank Zuber of Ocean Springs
• Senate conferees – TBD

Click here for contact information for legislators by school district. It is critical that these conferees hear from educators and concerned citizens regarding a pay raise and these other issues. Conference reports on appropriation and revenue bills must be filed by Saturday night and those conference reports must be adopted by Monday. Conference reports on general bills must be filed by Monday night and must be considered for the first time by next Wednesday.

Teacher Pay Raise: There has been no action on HB 1395 or SB 2103 since the House and Senate adopted their strike all amendments that provide pay raises.

• The latest version of HB 1395 contains the Senate’s strike all amendment that provides a $6,000 teacher pay raise phased in over three years, as well as a $2,000 pay raise for assistant teachers and a $3,000 annual salary supplement for special education instructors phased in over three years. The Senate returned the bill to the House last Friday, March 13. The House may concur with the Senate amendment or invite conference on the bill.
• The latest version of SB 2103 contains the House’s strike all amendment that provides a $5,000 teacher pay raise, a $3,000 assistant teacher pay raise, and a $3,000 annual supplement for special education instructors, all of which are effective with the 2026-27 school year. The House returned the bill to the Senate on March 6. The Senate may concur with the House amendment or invite conference on the bill.

Your voice matters and makes a difference! It is critical that legislators hear from educators and concerned citizens regarding a pay raise. Mississippi’s average teacher salary of $53,704 is $8,143 lower than the regional average and $18,326 lower than the national average. Please contact your senator and representative, as well as Lt. Governor Hosemann (601-359-3200) and Speaker White (601-359-3300), to stress the importance of a pay raise bill going to conference so a final pay raise can be negotiated. Numerous contacts from constituents – whether via email, text, phone call, or face-to-face conversations - will underscore the necessity of a significant pay raise to legislators. 

Retired Teachers Returning to the Classroom: Language amending current provisions in state law for retired teachers to return to the classroom while drawing their retirement benefits is alive in the following two bills:

• The latest version of HB 4073 contains the Senate’s strike all amendment that includes several provisions related to PERS, including return-to-work language that allows any retired state employee, not just teachers, to return to work in 30 days rather than the current 90-day waiting period and to earn up to 80% of a position’s salary. The Senate passed this strike all amendment Tuesday and then amended it again Wednesday to add a reverse repealer to ensure the bill goes to conference.
• The latest version of SB 2103 contains the House’s strike all amendment that allows a retired teacher to teach in any district, not just a critical shortage geographic or subject area as in current law. It also deletes the 5-year cap on returning to a classroom as a retired teacher. The retired teacher’s salary shall not be less than their salary at retirement.  The House returned the bill to the Senate on March 6. The Senate may concur with the House amendment or invite conference on the bill.

Tax Credits for Donations to Private Schools: The Senate Finance Committee passed a strike all amendment for HB 1944 Monday that removed the increases in tax credits the state may award via the Children’s Promise Act for donations to private schools. The amendment also created an additional $6 million in tax credits for special purpose schools that serve special needs students. The full Senate passed the strike all amendment Tuesday and sent the bill back to the House. The bill contains a reverse repealer, so it is headed to conference. 

Next Thursday, March 26, is the deadline for each chamber to concur or not concur in amendments made by the other chamber to general bills, including those highlighted above. Conference reports on appropriation bills must be filed by next Saturday night, March 28.

• HB 1395 contains the strike all amendment passed by the Senate this past Wednesday that provides a $6,000 teacher pay raise phased in over three years, as well as a $2,000 pay raise for assistant teachers and an annual salary supplement for special education instructors. It is awaiting return to the House where that chamber may concur with the Senate amendment or invite conference on the bill.
• HB 1944 increases tax credits the state may award via the Children’s Promise Act for donations to private schools. It has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee and is awaiting consideration by that committee.
• SB 2103 contains the strike all amendment passed by the House last Friday that provides a $5,000 teacher pay raise, a $3,000 assistant teacher pay raise, and a $3,000 annual supplement for special education instructors, all of which are effective with the 2026-27 school year. SB 2103 has been returned to the Senate and that chamber may now concur with the House amendment or invite conference on the bill.

It is extremely critical that legislators pass a pay raise this session, not only due to the need for a pay raise, but because Governor Reeves stated during a press conference Tuesday, March 10, that he hasn’t ruled out a special session on school choice or teacher pay and that these are two issues that should be tied together. A teacher pay raise should not be held hostage to any other issue, especially school choice. Please continue to encourage your representative and senator, as well as Lt. Governor Hosemann (601-359-3200) and Speaker White (601-359-3300), to pass a significant pay raise during this regular session of the legislature. 

Wednesday evening, March 11, was the floor deadline for each chamber to act on general bills that originated in the other chamber. The Senate and House will now consider amendments to general bills made by the other chamber. They may either concur with an amendment made by the other chamber or invite conference on the bill. If a bill goes to conference, a conference committee comprised of three senators and three representatives will try to negotiate a compromise between the two chambers.    

• Provides a $6,000 teacher pay raise implemented over the next three years via a $2,000 increase each year beginning with the 2026-27 school year to the teacher salary scale set forth in state law.
• Provides an additional annual salary supplement for special education instructors as follows: $1,000 for the 2026-27 school year; $2,000 for the 2027-28 school year; and $3,000 for the 2028-29 school year and all subsequent school years.
• Provides a $2,000 salary increase for assistant teachers that raises their state minimum salary from $17,000 to $19,000 effective with the 2026-27 school year.
• Expresses the legislature’s intent that full-time community college and university professors receive a $2,000 pay raise.

With regards to the assistant teacher pay raise, the Senate strike all provides that no school district may reduce the local supplement or pay an assistant teacher less than the state minimum salary in a year in which the state minimum salary is increased. If a district does so, its formula funds will be reduced by twice the amount of any such reduction.

HB 1395 as passed the Senate this afternoon is basically a stand-alone teacher pay raise bill, although this afternoon’s strike all amendment also limits the right of first refusal a district must grant to charter schools for the purchase or lease of unused school property to 12 months, as that was the original topic of the bill. The strike all does not contain any sections of state law other than those related to these pay raises and the purchase of unused school property.

Please join MPE in thanking Senate members for their action this afternoon. HB 1395 now heads back to the House where that chamber may agree with the Senate’s amendment, invite conference to negotiate a compromise, or let the bill die on the calendar. It is extremely promising that legislators have revived a teacher pay raise via two bills – HB 1395 and SB 2103. MPE encourages House and Senate leaders and members to work together to negotiate the most beneficial pay raise for our state’s teachers and assistant teachers. As always, you may contact your representative and senator with your thoughts on the importance of their passing a significant pay raise this session.

• A $5,000 teacher pay raise via an increase to the teacher salary scale set forth in state law
• A $3,000 annual salary supplement for special education instructors
• A $3,000 salary increase for assistant teachers which raises their minimum salary from $17,000 to $20,000

We are still reading the 474-page bill, but as presented on the House floor this morning the strike all amendment also:

• Addresses several tweaks to Tier 5 of PERS including returning PERS Tier 5 retirement eligibility back to 30 years, rather than 35 years as in current law
• Returns retirement eligibility for law enforcement and other first responders to 25 years
• Provides a $5,000 pay raise for school attendance officers
• Caps superintendent salaries at 250% of the salary of a licensed teacher with equivalent education, licensure, and years of experience
• Provides a $6,000 annual supplement for occupational therapists and school psychologists who have earned national certification and are serving in a local district in their area of certification
• Provides financial resources to address teacher shortages in D and F districts.

When asked on the House floor if the 474-page bill included any school choice, portability, or voucher provisions, House Education Chairman Rob Roberson assured House members that the amendment does not contain any of these measures. Our brief review of the bill this morning has found several sections of current state law related to existing dyslexia and special needs (ESA) vouchers that are brought forward, but are not amended in the strike all amendment.

SB 2103 now heads back to the Senate where that chamber can agree with the House’s amendment or invite conference to negotiate a compromise. MPE encourages you to contact your senator with your thoughts on the bill. Please also join MPE in thanking House members for their action this morning.

Special thanks to all of you who contacted your representative and/or senator, as well as the legislative leadership, and encouraged them to put politics aside in order work on a pay raise. We still have work to do but today’s action is a step in the right direction!

We have also received several inquiries as to what mechanisms could be utilized to pass a pay raise bill this session. Options include the following:

• Both chambers could agree to a suspension resolution that would allow one of the pay raise bills to be reconsidered. House Education Chairman Rob Roberson has suggested this as one possibility following Tuesday night’s deadline.
• Senate Education Chairman Dennis Debar has stated he is going to include a pay raise in HB 1935, MDE’s FY 27 appropriation bill. Without an accompanying general bill that revises the teacher salary schedule, this would be a one-time raise for FY 27 rather than a permanent change to the teacher salary schedule. Legislation would have to be passed during next year’s legislative session to permanently incorporate any such raise into the salary schedule.
• The governor could call a special session and include a pay raise in the call for the special session. There is a real concern that he would also include school choice in the call for a special session so any pay raise could be held hostage to school choice. 

Please continue to contact your representative and senator to urge them to put politics aside and pass a pay raise for teachers and assistant teachers. You may contact the legislative leadership at the following:

• Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann – 601-359-3200
• Speaker of the House Jason White – 601-359-3300
• Leave a message for any legislator with the capitol switchboard – 601-359-3770

As reflected on this week's bill tracking spreadsheet, most of the education bills we have been tracking died Tuesday night. HB 1944, which increases tax credits the state may award via the Children’s Promise Act for donations to private schools, remains alive and has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee. Such tax credits are a form of vouchers and reduce the amount of state revenues available to fund critical state services, including education. You may contact your senator with your thoughts on the bill. You may leave a message for Senator Josh Harkins, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, at 601-359-2395. It is MPE’s hope that Senate Finance will not pass a bill that diverts state resources to unaccountable private schools, especially in light of the death of the teacher pay raise bills!

Next Wednesday, March 11, is the floor deadline for each chamber to act on general bills that originated in the other chamber and survived Tuesday night’s committee deadline. General bills will then head back to their chamber of origin for that chamber to either agree with any amendments made to the bill by the other chamber or to invite conference on the bill.

Next Wednesday, March 11, is the floor deadline for each chamber to act on general bills that originated in the other chamber and survived Tuesday night’s committee deadline. General bills will then head back to their chamber of origin for that chamber to either agree with any amendments made to the bill by the other chamber or to invite conference on the bill.

• HB 1126 provided a $5,000 teacher pay raise and an additional $3,000 annual salary increase for licensed SPED teachers who are employed in a special education instructional capacity.
• SB 2001 provided a $2,000 pay raise for teachers and increased the minimum annual salary for assistant teachers from $17,000 to $19,000, SB 2002 also expressed the legislature’s intent that community college and university professors receive a $2,000 pay raise.

Even though both bills have died, it is possible that other mechanisms could be utilized to pass a pay raise bill this session. Please contact your representative and senator to urge them to put politics aside and pass a pay raise for teachers and assistant teachers. You may contact the legislative leadership at the following:

• Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann – 601-359-3200
• Speaker of the House Jason White – 601-359-3300
• Leave a message for any legislator with the capitol switchboard – 601-359-3770

The following education bills are among those that officially died with tonight’s deadline:

• HB 2 provided vouchers for private school tuition and to homeschoolers.
• HB 1035 required a computer science course for graduation.
• HB 1207 provided an additional five hold harmless days for those districts impacted by Winter Storm Fern.
• HB 1234, the School Accountability Dashboard Act, required districts to report a litany of performance and financial accountability measures via their websites.
• SB 2022 amended current law to allow a student to transfer to another public school district with approval only from the receiving school district, rather than both the releasing and receiving districts as required by current law.
• SB 2072 required EEF cards to be issued by July 15 rather than August 1.
• SB 2099 required districts to adopt policies prohibiting or restricting students’ cell phones in class.
• SB 2293 increased the Mississippi Student Funding Formula’s weight and multiplier for Gifted Education and included grades 7 and 8 in the CTE weight.

All of the PERS bills we have been tracking also died, including those that provided a direct monetary infusion into PERS and those that tweaked Tier 5 provisions. MPE's bill tracking spreadsheet this Friday, March 6, will reflect the latest status of all those bills we have been monitoring.

During a meeting of the House Universities and Colleges Committee Wednesday morning, Chairman Donnie Scoggin shared that he was not going to bring up SB 2523 which requires the Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) to develop performance-based budgeting standards for our state’s universities. Chairman Scoggin cited IHL’s work with a national organization to develop a new funding formula and said he wants to wait to review that proposal before passing any legislation. The committee also discussed the possible consolidation of some of our state’s universities, as well as community colleges, in the future.

Senate Education met Wednesday afternoon and passed the following two education bills and recommended that the following five nominations be confirmed by the full Senate:

• HB 1212 provides funding allocations via the Mississippi Student Funding Formula to the state’s four university-based programs. Senate Appropriations passed the bill yesterday morning so it now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
• HB 1395 limits the right of first refusal a school district must give to charter schools for the purchase or lease of unused school property to 90 days. The bill now heads to the full Senate.
• SN 3 Candace Hunt of Tupelo appointed to the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board
• SN 4 Carol Gary of Brookhaven appointed to the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board
• SN 5 Marcy Scoggins of Ridgeland reappointed to the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board
• SN 24 Matt Mayo of Flowood reappointed to the State Board of Education
• SN 83 Cory Custer of Jackson appointed to the Mississippi Public Broadcasting Board

Senate Education did not consider HB 1126, the House’s $5,000 teacher pay raise bill. If the committee does not meet again before next Tuesday’s committee deadline, the bill will die at the deadline. As we shared in our 2/20/26 update, House Education is not planning to meet again before Tuesday’s deadline, so numerous Senate bills referred to the committee will also die on the calendar at the deadline, including the Senate’s teacher and assistant teacher pay raise (SB 2001), public-to-public student transfers (SB 2002), and Mississippi Student Funding Formula Gifted Education (SB 2293) bills. While this is concerning, please be advised that an issue is not dead until the legislature adjourns sine die at the end of the session. Legislative leaders in both chambers have expressed their support for a pay raise, and MPE is confident one will be passed, but a pay raise will most likely not be finalized until the final days of the session when the Fiscal Year 2027 budget is adopted.

Click here for this week’s bill tracking spreadsheet which reflects action as of noon yesterday on those bills we are monitoring. Upcoming deadlines include:

• March 3 – Deadline for committees to report/pass general bills that originated in the other chamber.
• March 11 – Deadline for original floor action on general bills that originated in the other chamber

It is important that educators and concerned citizens continue to share their thoughts on school choice, a teacher and assistant teacher pay raise, and other critical education issues with their representative and senator. While it appears that all school choice bills will die with next Tuesday’s committee deadline, there is talk that Governor Reeves may call a special session on the issue. While educators’ voices made a significant impact on House Bill 2 dying earlier in the session, our work is not finished and we must continue to share our concerns. 

House Education met Wednesday afternoon and passed two bills:

• SB 2103: House Education amended the bill to provide that MDE develop a model code of ethics for school counselors that local districts may adopt.
• SB 2294: House Education passed a strike all amendment for the bill that includes the House’s reading, math and financial literacy initiatives.

After passing these bills, Chairman Rob Roberson announced that Wednesday’s meeting would be the only meeting the committee would be having prior to the March 3 committee deadline to report/pass general bills that originated in the other chamber. If House Education does not meet again before the March 3 deadline, all other Senate bills that have been referred to the committee will die on the calendar at the deadline, including the Senate’s teacher pay raise, public-to-public student transfers, compulsory school attendance, and increased gifted funding bills.

Click here for MPE's latest bill tracking spreadsheet which reflects action as of 3:00 p.m. Thursday, February 19, on those bills we are monitoring, including the following:

• HB 1126, the House’s $5,000 teacher pay raise bill, has been double referred to the Senate Education and Appropriations committees. I expect both committees to meet next week.
• HB 1944 has been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee. It increases tax credits the state may award via the Children’s Promise Act for donations to private schools in 2026 ($16 million), 2027 ($18 million), and 2028 ($20 million). These tax credits are a form of vouchers and reduce the amount of state revenues available to fund critical state services, including education.
• SB 2523 requires IHL to develop performance-based budgeting standards for our state’s universities. It has been double referred to the House Universities and Colleges and Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency committees.

For your reference, here is an explanation of several terms that appear on the bill tracking spreadsheet:

• Double-referred bill: A double-referred bill must be passed by two committees in order to survive and advance to the full House or Senate for consideration. Bills that involve state funding are usually double referred to the committee of their subject as well as to the Appropriations Committee. The Lt. Governor and Speaker of the House may double refer a general bill in an attempt to kill the bill by requiring it to survive multiple committee votes.
• Reverse repealer: A reverse repealer adds language to the bill that repeals the proposed law the day before it is set to take effect. It is a procedural mechanism that is used to keep a bill alive, as it results in additional consideration and negotiations by a conference committee.

The teacher and/or assistant teacher pay raise bills will now be considered by committees in the other chamber:

• HB 1126 provides a $5,000 across-the-board teacher pay raise and an additional $3,000 annual salary increase for licensed SPED teachers who are employed in a special education instructional capacity. While it does not provide a pay raise for assistant teachers, House Education Chairman Rob Roberson has stated on multiple occasions that the House intends to pass an assistant teacher pay raise this session. The House passed HB 1126 on February 4, and it has been sent to the Senate where it is awaiting referral to committee(s).
• SB 2001 provides a $2,000 across-the-board pay raise for teachers and increases the minimum annual salary for assistant teachers from $17,000 to $19,000, It also expresses the legislature’s intent that community college and university professors receive a $2,000 pay raise. Senate Education Chairman Dennis DeBar has stated $2,000 is the base amount of the pay raise and he hopes the final raise will be closer to the $5,000 proposed by MPE and other education advocates. The Senate passed SB 2001 on January 7, and it has been double referred to the House Education and Appropriations committees.

• SB 2001, the Senate’s pay raise bill, provides a $2,000 across-the-board pay raise for teachers and increases the minimum annual salary for assistant teachers from $17,000 to $19,000, It also expresses the legislature’s intent that community college and university professors receive a $2,000 pay raise. Senate Education Chairman Dennis DeBar has stated $2,000 is the base amount of the pay raise and he is hopeful the final raise will be closer to $5,000. The Senate passed SB 2001 on January 7 and sent it to the House on January 8 where it is awaiting referral to committee.
• SB 2002 is the public-to-public school transfer bill that amends current law to allow a student to transfer to another public school district with approval from the receiving school district, rather than both the releasing and receiving districts as required by current law. The Senate passed SB 2002 on January 7 and sent it to the House on January 8 where it is awaiting referral to committee.
• SB 2003 revises current provisions of state law governing retired teachers returning to the classroom. Among other revisions, SB 2003 reduces the required separation period from 90 days to 45 days; removes the requirement that a returning teacher may only teach in a critical shortage geographic or subject area; and allows a district to pay up to 65%, rather than current law’s 50%, of the teacher’s compensation as salary. The Senate passed SB 2003 on January 7 and sent it to the House on January 8 where it is awaiting referral to committee.
• HB 1126, the House’s pay raise bill, provides a $5,000 across-the-board teacher pay raise and an additional $3,000 annual salary increase for licensed SPED teachers who are employed in a special education instructional capacity. While it does not provide a pay raise for assistant teachers, House Education Chairman Rob Roberson has stated repeatedly this week that the House intends to provide a pay raise for assistants this session. HB 1126 also caps superintendent salaries at 250% of the salary of a licensed teacher with equivalent education, licensure, and years of experience. The bill also returns PERS Tier 5 retirement eligibility back to 30 years, rather than 35 years as in current law. To address the six-week pay gap between mid-December and the end of January, HB 1126 was amended on the House floor Wednesday afternoon to eliminate current law that requires educators to be paid on the last working day of December. The House passed HB 1126 Wednesday afternoon on a unanimous 122-0 vote, and it should be sent to the Senate in the coming days.   

Looking forward to next week, legislators will spend most of their time on the floor of their respective chambers considering bills before next Thursday’s floor deadline for general bills to be passed by their chamber of origin.  

House Committees Pass Pay Raise Bill: The House Education Committee met at 3:00 this afternoon and passed HB 1126, a teacher pay raise bill that provides a $5,000 across-the-board teacher pay raise and an additional $3,000 annual salary increase for licensed SPED teachers who are employed in a special education instructional capacity in a public school district. While HB 1126 does not provide a pay raise for assistant teachers, House Education Chairman Rob Roberson said the House intends to provide a pay raise for assistants this session.

Rather than being a stand-alone pay raise bill, HB 1126 includes numerous other issues, including PERS eligibility retirement provisions, the sections of state law governing the Mississippi Student Funding Formula, school attendance officers, superintendents’ salaries (NOTE: State law does not currently address superintendent salaries as they are left to the discretion of each local school board), and funding for teacher recruitment incentives in D and F districts. The bill was double referred to House Appropriations because it requires funding. House Appropriations passed HB 1126 after House Education adjourned, so the bill now heads to the full House where it could be considered as early as tomorrow.

Senate Education Kills HB 2: The Senate Education Committee met late this afternoon and HB 2, the House’s dangerous school choice bill, was the only bill on the agenda. Senate Education killed HB 2 on a unanimous voice vote.  Please join MPE in thanking Senate Education Chairman Dennis DeBar and members of the Senate Education Committee for listening to constituents’ concerns and killing HB 2. 

MPE will share our first bill tracking spreadsheet this Friday, February 6, and it will reflect all of the bills that we are tracking that survived tonight’s deadline.  Members of the House and Senate will now spend most of their time on the floor of their respective chamber considering those bills which survived tonight’s deadline, as next Thursday, February 12, is the deadline for these general bills to be passed by their respective chamber.