Jim Barksdale's Big Idea for Education
- K-12 Education has been cut by a greater percent than other state agencies, and by a greater percent than the state budget as a whole, in each of the last 4 years
- In each of the last 4 years, the percent of the state budget allocated to K-12 Education has declined. Read more...
- In the last 5 years, public schools have been underfunded by $1-Billion. See chart...
- When the MAEP was fully funded, Mississippi's public schools improved significantly, showing a greater percentage-point gain than the schools in any other state in the nation. Read more...
Vote Today!
posted 11/8/2011
Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Today we will elect the legislators who will decide MAEP funding, PERS legislation, school accountability, and other important public education issues for the next four years. This is our chance to cast our votes for our kids and our schools.Click here to read what candidates have to say about public education and to see how incumbent legislators have voted on education issues in the past. Spread the word, and vote today for candidates who share your education values.Time to Spread the Word!
Tell Everyone Where Candidates Stand on Public Educationposted 10/25/2011
Five minutes of your time could change the future for our kids.The upcoming election could very well change Mississippi's education landscape. Every Mississippian should know where candidates stand on public education, and we make it easy with our Election 2011 Candidate Q&A. Email your friends, share the link on Facebook, tweet on Twitter - tell everyone you know to check out TPC's Election 2011 websiteto learn where candidates stand on school funding, PERS, school improvement and other important issues.How did YOU spread the word? Email us to tell us how many people heard the news from you!Voter Registration Deadline Saturday, October 8posted 10/05/2011If you are not already registered to vote, you must do so by this Saturday if you want to vote in the November election. Circuit Clerks' offices will be open until noon on Saturday to accommodate last-minute registrants. Find your county's voter registrar and more here.Attorney General Writes PERS Commissionposted 9/23/2011Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood has written a letter to the PERS Study Commission reminding its members of the State's contractual obligation to the members of PERS. Click here to read more.State Agency Budget Hearings in Progressposted 9/21/2011This week, the Legislative Budget Committee (LBC) is hearing from state agency heads about their budget needs for the coming year. Following the hearings, the LBC will craft a budget recommendation that will serve as the starting point for budget negotiations once the Legislative Session begins in January. The Mississippi Department of Educationwill have its hearing at 9:45 a.m. on Thursday, September 22, on the first floor of the Woolfolk Building in Jackson (across West Street from the Capitol). Click hereto view the schedule of all state agency hearings. The LBC budget recommendation is due to the Legislature by December 15, 2011.Official School Accountability Labels AnnouncedSchools Continue to Make Progressposted 9/16/2011The Mississippi State Board of Education has announced the official school and school district accountability ratings for 2011. This year, more schools and school districts are rated Star (the highest designation) than were in 2009 or 2010, and fewer are rated Failing. Click here to read about the progress being made and to find the ratings for your school(s) and school district. Read the press release from the Mississippi Department of Education.Blue Ribbon Schools Announcedposted 9/16/2011Three Mississippi schools have been named Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. This honor is given to schools that have either shown overall academic excellence or successfully closed achievement gaps. Mississippi's three Blue Ribbon Schools are:
posted 8/30/2011
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posted 7/29/2011
Deadline Approaching for Primary Election Absentee Votes
Candidates Answer TPC Members' Education Questions
TPC Solicits Questions for Candidates
In anticipation of the upcoming election, The Parents' Campaign is providing voters a means to learn candidates' positions on education issues by asking them to submit education-related questions that they would like to ask legislative candidates. Candidates will be asked to submit their responses to those questions, and the questions and responses will be posted on our website.
Governor Barbour has signed HB1494, the education funding bill, which funds K-12 at about $14-million below the current year level. Of the $14-million cut, $5.5-million is to the MAEP, all of which is taken from high growth districts. Click here to see how your school district fared.
State Testing Begins This Week
posted 4/4/2011 9:00 a.m.
posted 4/3/2011
You can watch the House and Senate floor debate live via webcast at:
http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/ls_webcast.htm
posted 3/31/2011
The House and Senate have voted to extend the Legislative Session and to suspend the deadline for filing conference reports. This move revived appropriations bills, and conference reports on those bills are now being filed, including HB1494, the education funding bill. The K-12 appropriation misses level funding for the Mississippi Adequate Education Program by $5.5-million. The total K-12 budget was cut by $14-million. The Senate has adjourned until Monday, when they will begin taking up conference reports. The House will convene tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.
posted 3/30/2011 10:25 p.m.
House and Senate budget negotiators reached an agreement tonight that brings K-12 education just short of level funding. The MAEP will be funded at $5-million less than the current year budget, and total K-12 funding will be about $14-million below level funding. Conference reports will be filed over the next few days and will be taken up by the full House and Senate early next week.
posted 3/30/2011 9:00 p.m.
House and Senate budget negotiators are at the Capitol attempting to resolve budget differences
posted 3/30/2011 4:15 p.m.
We've heard from lots of TPC members who have called the Lt. Governor's Office, and it appears that his staff is giving out conflicting information. Some callers are hearing that the Lt. Governor supports the Senate position for true level funding for all of K-12, some of his staffers say that he supports level funding for the MAEP formula but dramatic cuts in other parts of school budgets (classroom supplies, buildings and buses, etc. - which would have the same effect as cutting MAEP), and some staffers just say they are close to a deal.
I have confirmed with House negotiators that there
was no budget deal on K-12 as of 4:00 p.m.
honor the Senate vote on level funding for all of K-12.
http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/ls_webcast.htm
TODAY, TUESDAY, MARCH 29
STATE CAPITOL IN JACKSON
HB1494 Dead But Budget Debate Very Much Alive
We've heard that Senator Davis's voicemail is full - a good sign that lots of calls are going through. Some members report being able to get through to a person on his office line. You can also send him a message through the switchboard.
The Capitol switchboard operators tell us they have received over 1,000 phone calls today on the education funding bill, and they are getting those messages to Senators. You folks are terrific! Keep it up, and we'll win this thing for our children!
Please call the Senate conferees and tell them to sign the education funding conference report that has already been signed by the House conferees.
Call Senate conferees at:
Sen. Videt Carmichael 601-359-3244
Sen. Bennie Turner 601-359-3237
Governor Calls Senators to Mansion for Closed Meeting
Senate Conferees Refuse to Sign Conference Report that Provides Level Funding to Schools & Leaves Over $210-million in Reserves
posted 3/26/2011 11:00 p.m.
Legislators missed tonight's deadline to file conference reports on appropriations bills. This means that they will either need to extend the session, or they will have to come back to Jackson in a costly special session to get their work done. Governor Barbour cut short a campaign trip out of state to return to Mississippi to address the budget situation. Despite the fact that the House has met the governor's demand to leave over $200-million in reserves - in fact, their budget leaves significantly more in reserve than $200-million - the governor continues to insist that they make an additional $65-million in cuts to the K-12 budget. Upon returning to Mississippi earlier today, Governor Barbour invited a group of senators to the Governor's Mansion for a closed meeting. Following that meeting, the appropriations chairs of both chambers met, but no progress was made on the budget. Senate conferees continue to refuse to sign the conference report that provides level funding for public schools and leaves over $210-million in reserve.
posted 3/26/2011 2:00 p.m.
The Mississippi Association of School Superintendents has scheduled a press conference and rally at the Capitol for Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. This is an opportunity for education backers to show their support for at least level funding for our schools. Classroom teachers need to be in the classroom at that time, but others are encouraged to attend the rally in Jackson.
posted 3/26/2011
The House and Senate have adjourned until 3:00 p.m. on Sunday. They need to hear from their constituents while they are at home. House conferees have surpassed the amount that Governor Barbour has requested be left in reserve for next year, yet the governor is still insisting that they make an additional $65-million in cuts to school budgets. He is now claiming to support level funding for the MAEP formula but telling conferees to take $65-million from other areas of school budgets, including:
* Cutting out all teacher supply funds
* Cutting $16-million from the Building and Buses appropriation
* Eliminating all ad valorem tax reduction funds (which will cause local tax increases)
* And other unspecified cuts to school budgets
These cuts have virtually the same effect as cutting MAEP - schools must provide teachers supplies, and buses must run. The funds have to come from somewhere, and so teachers will be lost and local taxes will rise. The House conferees have signed a conference report that provides level funding for schools, and they have sent the signed conference report to the Senate conferees. Senate conferees have thus far refused to sign it, refusing to comply with the will of the Senate as expressed by the full Senate vote to provide level funding to schools.
Call Senators at home this weekend and ask them to pressure their conferees to sign the education funding conference report.
Click here to find phone numbers of Senators representing your school district.
posted 3/23/2011
The House and Senate have both voted in favor of level funding for our schools, but a meeting between Governor Barbour and budget negotiators this morning has stalled the process. The governor is insisting that another $77-million be cut from the budget, and he has specifically targeted K-12 education. The disruption caused budget negotiators to miss today's self-imposed deadline to reach a bottom line, and education funding is at risk of being cut.
Call your legislators today and ask that they urge their leadership to uphold the will of the House and Senate.
Click here to see recent news reports about Governor Barbour's push for more education cuts.
Click here to thank the 29 senators who voted against additional budget cuts 2 weeks ago.
posted 3/19/2011
The House and Senate have named conferees for HB1494, the education funding bill. They are:
House Conferees:
Rep. Johnny Stringer 601-359-3340
Rep. Cecil Brown 601-359-3330
Rep. Rufus Straughter 601-359-3396
Senate Conferees:
Sen. Doug Davis 601-359-3250
Sen. Videt Carmichael 601-359-3244
Sen. Bennie Turner 601-359-3237
Revised Revenue Estimate Increases Revenue Available to Appropriate
posted 3/15/2011
posted 3/11/2011
Some senators who are recorded as voting to cut the funding in HB1494, the education funding bill, have pointed to their final passage votes on that bill as evidence of their support for the higher House level of funding. Click here to see a full description of all the Senate votes that were taken on the education funding bill, including the final passage vote.
Full Senate Defeats Appropriation Committee Amendment, Adopts House Level of Ed Funding
posted 3/9/2011 11:00 a.m.
This morning the full Senate defeated the Senate Appropriations Committee's strike-all amendment, restoring the House level of funding. The House version is $81-million above what the Senate Appropriations Committee had recommended. This is a tremendous victory for members of The Parents' Campaign who called, wrote and emailed their senators to ask that they not continue to cut school budgets. Please thank the senators who supported more funding for our schools. See vote. Click hereto read more about the debate.
posted 3/9/2011
The education funding bill is number 1 on the Senate calendar this morning. The Senate convenes at 9:00 a.m. You can watch the debate via webcast at http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/ls_webcast.htm.
posted 3/8/2011 3:30 p.m.
The Senate Appropriations Committee reduced significantly the funding in HB1494, the education funding bill, stripping $65-million from the MAEP in addition to other cuts. Under this plan, the MAEP would be underfunded by $296-million. The plan funds the MAEP $65-million below the House level of funding and $65-million below what the House and Senate agreed to in the Legislative Budget Recommendation. MDE is conducting an analysis of the bill, and those details will be posted here as soon as we have them. The bill will now go to the full Senate for a vote where we are hopeful that the House level of funding will be restored. Click here to see how the $65-million MAEP reduction will affect your school district.
posted 3/8/2011
The Senate Appropriations Committeewill meet at 1:30 p.m. today in Room 216 of the Capitol. House Bill 1494, the education funding bill, could be debated at this meeting. It is expected that a strike-all amendment will be proposed that would strip $65-million from the MAEPappropriation. Click hereto see what that would mean for your school district. Click herefor additional information on the push to reduce the funding in the K-12 funding bill. We will post an update here following the Appropriations Committee meeting.
posted 3/3/2011
The Senate Appropriations Committee will not meet today. The next standing meeting of that committee will be next Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., and the K-12 funding bill (HB1494) could be taken up at that time. Please continue to contact your legislators and ask that they STOP THE CUTS TO EDUCATION. Click here to contact Senators who represent your school district. Click here to learn more about Senate leaders' plan to cut the MAEP funding in HB1494 by $65-million. Click here to learn how much your school district could lose.
posted 3/1/2011 3:30 p.m.
The Senate Appropriations Committee did not take up the K-12 funding bill in its meeting today. Another Senate Appropriations Committee meeting is scheduled for this Thursday at 1:30 p.m. Education supporters are encouraged to call their Senators with a plea to STOP THE CUTS TO EDUCATION. Read more.
posted 3/1/2011
The Senate Appropriations Committee meets today at 1:30 p.m., and it could take up the K-12 funding bill. Senate leaders are pushing to strip $65-million in MAEP funding from the bill, House Bill 1494. Last year, education was cut at a higher percent than the rest of the budget (read more); now some in the Senate are pushing for even deeper cuts. Ask your senator to STOP THE CUTS TO EDUCATION. Click here to contact the senators who represent your school district.
posted 2/16/2011
The House of Representatives has passed the K-12 education bill, HB1494. The funding in HB1494 is approximately $25.5-million above the Legislative Budget Recommendation, largely due to a $16.3-million increase in the cost to provide state retirement. HB1494 as passed by the House provides level funding for the MAEP, teacher supply funds, and the National Board Certification Program. Read more. See vote.
posted 2/15/2011
Today, the House Appropriations Committee took up House Bill 1494, the K-12 funding bill. The bill provides level funding (the same funding schools received for the current year) for K-12 education, including the Mississippi Adequate Education Program(MAEP) and the National Board Certified Teacher program. It fully funds the Chickasaw Cession interest payment. Funding in this bill is $25-million above the Legislative Budget Recommendation, due in part to a $16-million increase in the cost to provide state retirement. The bill has been referred to the full House and could be taken up as early as tomorrow.
posted 2/8/2011
Late last week, Governor Barbour sent a letter to legislative leaders reiterating his position on the state budget and encouraging them to reduce the FY12 MAEP appropriation by $65-million. Read more.
posted 2/1/2011
Today is the deadline for general bills "originating in OWN House" to be reported out of committee. That means that bills generated by House members must make their way through the House committee process and be reported to the floor of the House today. Likewise in the Senate. Any general bills that are not reported out of committee today will die. This deadline does not apply to appropriations (funding) bills, which have deadlines later in the session. Click here to see summaries of and action taken on bills that have made it through the committee process.
posted 1/21/2011
The Board of Trustees of the State Institutions of Higher Learning has approved maintaining as a minimum requirement for college entry the existing College Preparatory Curriculum. In addition, the board adopted an enhanced College Preparatory Curriculum that is recommended, though not required. Read more.
posted 1/21/2011
The Mississippi Department of Education has announced the creation of an Educator Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct. The State Board of Education is expected to vote today to release the document for public comment. A task force of 20 educators, community leaders and elected officials worked to draft the code. Additionally, the task force has proposed legislation that provides for the revocation or suspension of a teacher or administrator license in cases of sexual misconduct and to require that incidences of such misconduct be reported. Read more.
posted 7:00 p.m. 1/11/2011
In his final State of the State address, Governor Barbour gave both chambers of the Mississippi Legislature a summary of the challenges and successes he has experienced as governor. He asked that legislators continue to limit spending with the goal of leaving $200-million in reserve when he leaves office. Governor Barbour acknowledged the importance of a high quality education system to economic development, citing recent improvements in national test scores and encouraging policy changes that would improve dual enrollment, revise charter school legislation, and improve the quality of teachers graduating from colleges of education.
posted 1/11/2011
Education Week has released its annual Quality Counts report card on the nation's public schools. Mississippi gets good news and bad news. Read more.
report card on the nation's public schools. Mississippi gets good news and bad news.
State of the State Address Tonight
posted 1/11/2011
Governor Barbour is scheduled to present his final State of the State Address at 6:00 p.m. this evening when he will address a joint session of the Mississippi Legislature in the House chamber. The address will be carried live by Mississippi Public Broadcasting. You can watch a webcast of the event at http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/ls_webcast.htm.
Medicaid Reports Surplus, Frees up State Funds
posted 1/6/2011
The Division of Medicaid reports that it expects to have a surplus of at least $40- to $50-million at the end of this fiscal year. That extra funding will help in the looming battle to fund education and other state services.
2011 Legislature Convenes
posted 1/4/2011
The 2011 Session of the Mississippi Legislature convened at noon today. We at The Parents' Campaign will follow closely education-related legislation and will report important developments to those who have requested our emails. If you have not signed up to receive our emails and would like to get those updates, click here to sign up.
In this session, we will focus primarily on the education budget and on ensuring that we do not slip backward regarding the quality of education offered in Mississippi schools. Click here to read more about the debate surrounding the K-12 education budget for the coming year.