Our Successes

Members of The Parents’ Campaign, through their advocacy on behalf of Mississippi children, have been instrumental in winning:

2019 Legislative Session

• $31.4-million increase in the K-12 appropriation
• Passage of a bill providing a $1,500 salary increase to teachers and assistant teachers
• Defeat of nine voucher bills that would have diverted public funds to pay tuition at private schools
• Defeat of six bills that would have made school boards more susceptible to takeover by privatization forces 
• Defeat of five bills that would have provided tax credit and tax deduction scholarships (vouchers) to pay tuition at private schools

2018 Legislative Session

• $12.8-million increase in the K-12 appropriation, including $2.5-million boost for pre-k
• Defeat of two broad voucher bills that would have diverted public funds to pay tuition at private schools
• Defeat of an MAEP rewrite bill that would have reduced the amount of school funding called for in state law
• Defeat of bills that would have made school boards more susceptible to takeover by privatization forces 
• Defeat of three bills that would have provided tax credit and tax deduction scholarships (vouchers) to pay tuition at private schools

2017 Legislative Session

• Defeat of two "dummy" MAEP rewrite bills
• Defeat of two bills and removal of an amendment that would have broadened existing voucher provisions and diverted more public funds to pay tuition at private schools
• Defeat of four bills that would have provided tax credit and tax deduction scholarships (vouchers) to pay tuition at private schools
• Defeat of a bill that would have allowed virtual schools
• Defeat of two bills that would have made school boards more susceptible to takeover by privatization forces 
• Defeat of a bill that would have limited local school boards' authority to increase millage
• Defeat of a bill that would have shortened the school year

2016 Legislative Session

• Passage of a bill that provides for all school superintendents to be appointed, rather than elected, beginning January 2019
• Defeat of broad voucher bills that would have shifted public school dollars to unaccountable private, for-profit, virtual, and home schools
• Defeat of bills that would have made educators and school board members subject to misdemeanor convictions or fines for lobbying legislators regarding education policy
• Defeat of charter school proposals that would have allowed
  • Charters to locate in C districts without local board approval
  • Students in A and B districts to cross district lines to attend charter schools

2015 Legislative Session

• Defeat of corporate tax cuts that would have reduced state revenue and made it even harder to fully fund K-12 education
• Defeat of a bill that would have revised the "at-risk" student definition in the MAEP formula, thereby reducing the overall state funding requirement for students in poverty
• $106-million in increased funding for the Mississippi Adequate Education Program
• Defeat of a bill that would have allowed any student to cross district lines within a county to attend a charter school

2014 Legislative Session

• Defeat of voucher bills that would have diverted taxpayer dollars from public schools to private schools
• Passage of a teacher pay raise bill to provide an across-the-board raise of $2,500 over two years

2013 Legislative Session

• Passage of a charter school bill that focuses charters in low-performing districts and requires a track record of success
• Passage of two bills providing the first ever state funding for early childhood education
  • $3-million for existing in-center coaching model – Mississippi Building Blocks
  • $3-million for a new matching grant program
• Passage of legislation designed to raise the quality of teaching in Mississippi schools
  • Raises standards for teacher licensure
  • Provides scholarships for high achieving students to enter teacher education
  • Initiates a pilot program for teacher merit pay

2012 Legislative Session

• Passage of a bill allowing parents of students in school districts that lose accreditation to request a legal transfer to an accredited district
• Passage of legislation providing for dual enrollment in high school completion courses and in a community college credential certificate or degree program, a move to improve Mississippi's graduation rate and ensure that more students graduate from high school workplace-ready
• Defeat of a bill that would have provided state funding for an online preschool system run by pre-determined vendor with a poor track record of performance

2011 Legislative Session

• Defeat of a Senate strike-all amendment that would have stripped $81-million from the K-12 funding bill
• Ultimately saved schools $50-million in funding – noted in Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, April 6, 2011

• Restoration of $37-million that had been cut from the K-12 budget mid-year, including $34-million for the MAEP and full restoration of funds cut from the National Board Certification Program and the Chickasaw Cession interest payment
• Improvement in the Senate position on MAEP funding for FY2011 by $27-million
• Passage of alternate budget with additional $82-million in K12 funding intended to take effect if federal budget relief was forthcoming
• Protection of the integrity of the school year/instructional days

• Full funding of MAEP for FY2010 (reduced in mid-year budget cuts)
• Second phase of “step” salary increases for teachers with 25 to 35 years of experience
• Passage of the Children First Act of 2009 – accountability/school reform act
• Passage of legislation allowing school districts to use existing funds to offer voluntary early childhood education classes in their districts (no additional funding required)

• Full funding of MAEP for FY2009 (reduced in mid-year budget cuts)
• Funding for dyslexia screening in schools
• Passage of components of the Quality Education Act of 2008
  • Expanded salary increments for teachers with  25 to 35 years of experience (incremental increases ended at 25 years previously)
  • Significant school accountability legislation and technical assistance for struggling schools
  • Legislation supporting teacher mentoring
  • Improved training for school board members

• Full funding of MAEP for FY2008