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This week, the Mississippi House of Representatives considered a bill which updates the state’s education funding formula.

House Bill 957 requires that the legislature spend $107 million more than it currently spends on public schools, but it does not raise taxes. It aims to reduce the administrative burden on districts by giving them more freedom to spend state tax dollars as they see fit, and it provides weights that call for more funding for students with special needs and those in poverty.

It also includes a provision requested by superintendents that funds schools based on membership instead of attendance, which is more workable for districts.

After reading and studying the bill and speaking with our local leaders, I was happy to support this bill. These changes are an improvement over the current formula which is restrictive for schools and has only been funded twice over the last two decades. You can read a detailed breakdown of the new funding proposal here. It passed the House and will now head to the Senate for consideration there.

This was the primary bill considered by the House this week, aside from several ceremonial resolutions. You can see all the measures we considered on my weekly vote post here.

Several other bills passed out of committee and will be considered by the House next week. You can view all the bills that are awaiting action by the House on my calendar page here. Each bill includes a short description and is color-coded based on how I’m planning to vote.

Next week will be a busy one as committees meet to consider the thousands of bills that have been introduced. Most all bills are online now, and you can scroll through them here.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions, concerns, or if I can help you in any way.

You can always reach me by email at Joel@JoelBomgar.com or on my cell phone at (601) 207-0813.

It’s an honor to serve and represent you!

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