Bill > HB1679

This bill brings forward and updates sections of the Mississippi Code of 1972 related to the Mississippi Student Funding Formula, which is the system used to determine annual operating funding for public schools. Key provisions include defining terms like "base amount" (the estimated cost of educating a student without special needs), "net enrollment" (the average student count over specific months), and various student categories that receive additional funding weights, such as "low income students" (those eligible for free meals based on federal programs or specific circumstances) and "English Language Learners" (ELLs). The bill establishes the student base amount for fiscal year 2025 at $6,695.34 and outlines a process for inflationary adjustments and periodic recalculations of this base amount based on instructional, administrative, and operational costs. It details how "preliminary weighted enrollment" is calculated by applying specific weights to different student populations (e.g., low-income, ELL, special education, gifted, career and technical education) and how "final weighted enrollment" is determined, including adjustments for "sparsely populated districts" (those with fewer than eight students per square mile). The bill also clarifies how "net enrollment" is calculated for both school districts and charter schools, and it reiterates the requirement for local tax contributions, specifying that the local contribution cannot exceed 27% of the total funding formula cost. Finally, it includes provisions for a minimum state share for school districts and charter schools for fiscal years 2025 through 2027, ensuring they receive at least the same amount of state funds as in fiscal year 2024, and sets an effective date of July 1, 2026.

Education

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/HB/HB1679.xml