From the Desk of Kelly Riley, MPE Executive Director

I have received numerous inquiries from our members regarding the implementation and impact of HB 1193’s, commonly referred to as the “DEI Bill” and passed during the 2025 Mississippi Legislative Session, impact on instruction and school activities such as Black History Month or multi-cultural events. Our corporate attorney reached out to me in early April following the bill’s passage and suggested MPE provide a summary of HB 1193 to our members to help them understand the bill’s application to public educators and institutions throughout our state. You will find his summary and the latest developments as of July 25 related to legal challenges to the bill on pages 12-13.  

House Speaker Jason White announced the creation of three new study committees in late June to study a number of issues before the 2026 Legislative Session.  The Speaker’s Education Freedom Committee is charged with studying and assessing the House’s commitment to “transforming the educational landscape” in our state via school choice.  House Education Chairman Rob Roberson of Starkville is chairing this committee. The committee has not announced its meeting schedule as of July 31, but the following are some of the most critical considerations related to the school choice conversation:
How will taxpayers in a school district feel about their local tax dollars being used to educate students who live outside of the district and whose parents don’t pay taxes in the district? What impact will school choice have on future bond issues in a district?
What impact will school choice have on students in districts that lose students to choice? Those districts will have fewer students but the same fixed costs which will make it more challenging to provide a quality education to the remaining students. Choice in other states has led to increased achievement gaps between the haves and the have nots. 
How do districts plan? Contracts go out in the spring. If a district loses kids, it can’t RIF teachers under contract when August rolls around. What if a district sees an influx of kids? Where does a district find teachers in August or computers and other resources in a timely manner while complying with state purchasing regulations?
How do we handle athletics?  High school athletics in choice states have seen recruiting practices that incentivize schools to entice star athletes from other schools, increased transfers, and a loss of competitive balance.
Public schools serve all students. Private schools, not parents, decide if a student is accepted. Should public resources in the form of school vouchers be used to support schools that do not accept and serve all students?

I am excited to share that Steve Spangler, “America’s Science Teacher” and author, will be the keynote speaker at MPE’s 2026 Best Practices Symposium on March 28 at the Sheraton Flowood. He promises to bring incomparable charisma and energy to our day. You do not want to miss this incredible day of professional learning. Registration for MPE members will open in January.  

As the new school year gets underway, please take a moment to review your MPE member profile to make sure we have your current address, email, cell phone, and school/district on file. Visit “Member Login” at www.mpe.org to review and/or update your profile. You do not want to miss an opportunity to apply for one of our scholarships or grants because you are not receiving my weekly emails or need legal assistance only to find your membership has lapsed because your invoice was sent to a previous home or email address. 

Best wishes for the 2025-2026 school year!