Bill
Bill > HB172
MS HB172
MS HB172Elementary professional school counselors; allocate funds under the Mississippi Student Funding Formula for.
summary
Introduced
01/07/2026
01/07/2026
In Committee
01/07/2026
01/07/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
02/03/2026
02/03/2026
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
An Act To Amend Section 37-9-79, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide An Allocation Of Funds Under The Mississippi Student Funding Formula For The Purpose Of Employing Elementary Professional School Counselors; To Require The Funds To Be Allocated To Those School Districts Having The Highest Documented Need For Counselors; To Provide An Additional Allocation Of Funds In Each Subsequent Fiscal Year Until Each Elementary School Has Employed At Least One Professional School Counselor; To Authorize The State Department Of Education To Employ A Supervisor Of Professional School Counselors; To Amend Section 37-151-209, Mississippi Code Of 1972, In Conformity To The Provisions Of This Act; And For Related Purposes.
AI Summary
This bill mandates that starting in the 2026-2027 school year, the Mississippi Student Funding Formula will allocate sufficient funds to school districts to hire at least one elementary professional school counselor per school, with additional funding provided annually until this goal is met. If funding is insufficient for all districts, priority will be given to those with the highest documented need, based on factors like crime rates, free lunch participation, and dropout rates. The bill also authorizes the State Department of Education to hire a supervisor for professional school counselors and makes conforming changes to other sections of Mississippi law related to school funding and counselor responsibilities, ensuring counselors spend at least 80% of their time in direct student services and no more than one-fifth of their day on counselor-related administrative tasks.
Committee Categories
Education
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Died In Committee (on 02/03/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
Loading...
bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB0172.xml |
| BillText | https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/HB/0100-0199/HB0172IN.htm |
Loading...