Legislative Analysis

HB 2  –  Mississippi Education Freedom Act. 553-page school choice bill that provides vouchers for private school tuition and for homeschoolers without the standards and accountability required of public schools; states specifically that, while private schools would receive the same base cost amount that public schools receive, private voucher schools cannot be required to alter their admissions practices, take state assessments, or participate in the state accountability model. The bill also includes public school choice with capacity reporting obligations for public schools; the Tim Tebow Act, which allows homeschoolers to participate in public school activities without being subject to the same requirements as public school students; an expansion of the literacy initiative; a new math program; unlimited charter school expansion to all school districts and loosening of restrictions on charter schools; NBCT salary supplements for charter school teachers; a reduction in public school funding formula allocations by removing pre-k students from enrollment counts; an assistant teacher pay raise; consolidation of Copiah County and Hazlehurst school districts; and other provisions. See more details here.

• Referred to House Education Committee, 1/7/2026
• Committee substitute bill (446 pages) revises provision expanding charter schools to allow charters in any district within which a D- or F-rated school exists and deletes provision that changes the funding formula to remove pre-k students from enrollment counts; other provisions remain, 1/14/2026
• Committee substitute passed by House Education Committee: 13 yeas, 11 nays, 1/14/2026 
• Passed by House, 61 yeas, 59 nays, 1 absent, 1 present/not voting, 1/15/2026
• Held on a motion to reconsider, 1/15/2026
• Motion to reconsider tabled, 1/20/2026

SB 2001  –  Teacher Pay Raise. Includes a $2,000 across-the-board salary increase beginning in the 2026-2027 school year for certified and assistant teachers (increases pay for assistant teachers from current $17,000 annually to $19,000 annually); also expresses legislative intent to provide a $2,000 salary increase to community college and university faculty; Chairman DeBar noted that he hopes the final bill will deliver a raise closer to $5,000 for K-12 teachers.

• Referred to Senate Education Committee, 1/6/2026
• Passed by Senate Education Committee, 1/6/2026
• Passed by Senate: 52 yeas, 0 nays, 1/7/2026 

SB 2002  –  Public School Choice. Provides for public to public school choice by removing the sending school district’s authority to deny a transfer to another district; receiving district has autonomy to accept or reject student transfer; receiving district can charge reasonable tuition fees to transferring student in lieu of ad valorem taxes (fees can only be charged for students whose families do not reside within a district); MHSAA retains authority to determine transferring students’ eligibility for athletics and activities. 

• Referred to Senate Education Committee, 1/6/2026
• Passed by Senate Education Committee, 1/6/2026
• Passed by Senate: 33 yeas, 19 nays, 1/7/2026 

SB 2003  –  Retirees Return to Classroom. Expands incentives for retirees to return to teaching; allows any retired public employee who obtains a standard teaching license (via alternate route or otherwise) in Mississippi to begin teaching full-time in a public school 45 or more days following retirement, while continuing to receive retirement benefits; increases pay to 65 percent (currently 50 percent) of 125 percent of salary schedule; allows any district in the state to participate (currently limited to critical teacher shortage areas). 

• Referred to Senate Education Committee, 1/6/2026
• Passed by Senate Education Committee, 1/6/2026
• Passed by Senate: 50 yeas, 2 nays, 1/7/2026