K-12 Funding Bill Passes House and Senate 
Posted 3/31/2014

The K-12 funding bill conference report has passed the House and Senate. It underfunds the Mississippi Adequate Education Program by $255-million. The bill provides:

  • $10-million increase in MAEP - MAEP will be underfunded by $255-million
  • $60-million for a teacher pay raise
  • Full funding of the Chickasaw Cession Interest Payment
  • Full funding of the National Board Certification program
  • $15-million for the literacy initiative
  • $6-million for early childhood education
    • $3-million - pre-k matching grant program
    • $3-million - Mississippi Building Blocks (pre-k) 
  • $1.5-million for a merit pay pilot program in four districts (Clarksdale, Gulfport, Lamar County, Rankin County)
  • $6-million for Teach for America
  • $1.8-million for the State Longitudinal Data System
  • $3.5-million for the Mississippi Community Oriented Policing Services in Schools program
  • $2.2-million for a digital learning pilot program in two districts (Booneville and Hattiesburg)