Bill > HB39

This bill modifies Mississippi's Educational Scholarship Account (ESA) program for students with special needs by removing the current annual enrollment limit of 500 students and eliminating the waitlist requirement. Instead, the bill would make ESAs available to all eligible students, as defined in existing law. The funding for each student's ESA would be set at the student base amount determined under the Mississippi Student Funding Formula for the 2025-2026 school year, with annual adjustments based on changes to the base amount. The bill maintains the provision that students who remain eligible for the ESA program will be automatically approved for participation in subsequent years. Importantly, the bill specifies that no funds for ESAs will be taken from total funding formula funds, and school districts will not be required to provide funding for these accounts. The changes are set to take effect on July 1, 2025, potentially expanding access to educational support for students with special needs by removing previous enrollment restrictions.

Education

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/history/HB/HB0039.xml