REALITY CHECK
	Myth: Public Schools are “hoarding” large sums of money in Rainy Day Funds.   Reality: Public schools do not generally use Rainy Day Funds.  In accordance with the State Auditor’s recommendation, schools maintain Cash Flow Reserves, funds that are set aside to cover known or expected revenue shortfalls.   See what the State Auditor has to say about Rainy Day Funds and Cash Flow Reserves. For more myths and realities, click on Resources above.   Click FAST FACTS for facts about Mississippi and public education.

	Note: We have been experiencing severe problems with our Internet service provider.  We know that many of you have not received the emails we have sent out over the past few days. We believe we are missing emails from you, as well. We apologize profusely for this interruption in service. If you have sent us an email in the past week and have not received a response within 24 hours, please re-send the email or call our office at 601-961-4551.  As long as we are without Internet service in our office, I will not be able to communicate with you via email, however I will continue to post the latest news on our website. State Budget Update:     Wednesday, July 01, 2009 10:00 a.m. Governor Signs Ed Funding Bill It’s official! Governor Barbour signed the education funding bill into law last night. Schools will receive full funding of the MAEP and Add-on programs as well as the National Board Certified Teacher supplement, Educable Child, and the second phase of the pay raise for teachers with more than 25 years of experience.  The bill also provides $3-million to continue the High School Redesign program in districts that are already participating.  It does not provide the $10-million required to expand the program to additional districts. Many thanks are due the devoted members of The Parents’ Campaign who fought so hard to protect the integrity of our public education system.  Congratulations on a great victory! See House Vote        See Senate Vote Monday, June 29, 2009 11:30 a.m. House and Senate Pass Education Funding Bill Fully Fund MAEP The House and Senate have passed an education funding bill that fully funds the MAEP formula - base student cost and add-on programs - as well as the National Board Certified Teacher supplement, Educable Child, and the second phase of the pay raise for teachers with more than 25 years of experience.  The bill also provides $3-million to continue the High School Redesign program in districts that are already participating.  It does not provide the $10-million required to expand the program to additional districts. This bill represents a great victory for Mississippi school children and teachers – and for the many members of The Parents’ Campaign who fought so hard for a fair and timely budget. The bill will now be sent to Governor Barbour for his signature. We are hopeful that he will sign it into law quickly so that school districts can move into the new fiscal year on Wednesday with a budget. Monday, June 29, 2009  5:45 p.m. Senate Passes Ed Funding Bill With Amendment The Senate passed the education funding bill with an amendment that allows the Mississippi Department of Education to make emergency loans to schools districts in financial distress.  Otherwise, the bill is identical to the House version, fully funding MAEP, Add-ons, National Board Certified Teacher supplements, Educable Child, and the second phase of the pay raise for teachers with more than 25 years of experience.  The amended bill will now go back to the House of Representatives where they are expected to concur.  That should happen later this evening.  Continue to check our website for updates. Monday, June 29, 2009 12:05 p.m. House Passes Education Funding Bill Fully Funds MAEP Once the governor expanded the special session call to include General Fund agency bills, the House of Representatives wasted no time in passing the K-12 funding bill on a vote of 115 to 5.  Please join me in thanking the House members for this overwhelming show of support for our public schools.  We will post the official vote as soon as it is available. The bill fully funds the MAEP formula - base student cost and add-on programs - as well as the National Board Certified Teacher supplement, Educable Child, and the second phase of the pay raise for teachers with more than 25 years of experience.  The bill also provides $3-million to continue the High School Redesign program in districts that are already participating.  It does not provide the $10-million required to expand the program to additional districts. I expect the Senate to take up the House education funding bill later today, and I will report that development to you as soon as it occurs.   Monday, June 29, 2009  10:00 a.m. Governor Expands Call The governor has just expanded the call of the special session to include all General Fund agency appropriation bills except Medicaid.  The education funding bill will likely be taken up today.  We will continue to post updates here.  Read the expanded call.   Sunday, June 28, 2009  11:40 p.m. House and Senate Adjourn for the Evening The House and Senate have adjourned for the evening. Both chambers will return at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow. We will continue to post updates here throughout the special session.    Sunday, June 28, 2009  7:00 p.m. Legislature Convenes Special Session The House and Senate convened a special session of the Legislature at 2:00 p.m. and began working through the bills included on the initial agenda.  On the initial agenda, the governor included only appropriations bills that pertain to special funds agencies (agencies that generate their funds through fees and special taxes) and a few revenue and other bills.  General Fund bills, including the education funding bill, have not yet been included in the call.  Governor Barbour has said he will include General Fund bills on the agenda when the initial agenda has been completed.  The House had worked through all the special funds and revenue bills as of 6:30 p.m. this evening.  The Senate is continuing to work through those bills as of this update.  Continue to check this website for updates. Saturday, June 27, 2009  5:00 p.m. We Have a Special Session at Last! Governor Barbour announced today that he is calling legislators back to Jackson tomorrow to vote on budget bills.  Legislators are being asked to be at the Capitol at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday to convene the special session.  The budget that House and Senate negotiators have crafted fully funds the Mississippi Adequate Education Program formula, including add-on programs, as well as the National Board Certified Teacher supplement.  The education budget bill is expected to pass the full House and Senate without amendments. We will be following the Legislature's progress throughout the session and will report updates on our website and through emails to our members. Click here to see the governor's call.   Friday, June 26, 2009 10:00 p.m. Still No Deal Negotiators still have not been successful in finding a deal Governor Barbour will accept.  We are quickly approaching a time when legislators will not be able to question or debate legislation and still pass a budget before the end of the fiscal year.  This means that the legislators we elected to represent us will become a rubber stamp rather than a responsible, deliberative body - the very basis of our democracy.  Please tell Governor Barbour and Lieutenant Governor Phil Bryant that we need a special session now! Contact Governor Haley Barbour at 601-359-3150. Contact Lieutenant Governor Phil Bryant at 601-359-3200.       Friday, June 26, 2009 11:00 a.m. Awaiting Word – Stay Tuned Negotiators are trying to craft a deal that Governor Barbour will accept in order to resolve the budget crisis and avoid a shutdown of state services. Word is that an announcement of a successful deal could be made shortly. Please continue to check this website. We will post information as we get it.   Thursday, June 25, 2009 Governor’s Press Conference Does Not Include Special Session Call The education community was very disappointed to hear Governor Barbour say in his press conference this morning that he is not yet ready to call a special session.  Last evening, all indications were that the governor would, in fact, announce the special session today.  Apparently, events to which The Parents’ Campaign is not privy derailed the agreement the Senate and House had reached with Governor Barbour.     The reason the governor gave for his delay in calling the session was that Medicaid is facing a budget shortfall for the current fiscal year, an issue that had not been addressed to the governor’s satisfaction.  Governor Barbour did acknowledge that state agencies would “incur major problems” if we do not have a budget by July 1st.   Please continue to press Governor Barbour to call a special session now.  School districts are facing unprecedented challenges as they move closer and closer to the start of school with no budget and, in many cases, with no teachers under contract.   Reach Governor Barbour at 601-359-3150.     Wednesday, June 24, 2009 Press Conference Tomorrow Negotiators Working with Governor Negotiators are reportedly working with Governor Barbour in an attempt to craft a deal that will yield an immediate special session.  Governor Barbour announced this afternoon that he will hold a press conference at 9:45 a.m. tomorrow.  I will attend and will report the details.   You can watch a live webcast of the event on the governor's website at http://www.dfa.state.ms.us/unicast.htm or http://www.governorbarbour.com.   NOTE: We have been advised by our members that it is taking the governor's office a long time to answer the phone (lots of phone calls, we suppose!).  As one faithful member put it, "Our folks should hang on, not hang up!"  Keep those calls coming! posted Tuesday 1:15 p.m.   Tuesday, June 23, 2009  11:30 a.m. Governor Says No to Special Session State Budget Being Held Hostage to Non-budget Issue In a statement issued late yesterday, Governor Barbour said that he will not call a special session because he disagrees with a portion of the Senate and House agreement.  The part of the agreement with which he disagrees is not related to the Fiscal Year 2010 budget, rather it is an issue related to his ability to cut the Medicaid reimbursement rate paid to doctors and hospitals in future months.  This issue could be dealt with separately from the budget, but Governor Barbour is using the budget – and the jobs of teachers and other state employees as well as the viability of all state services – as leverage.     Governor Barbour should call the Legislature into special session immediately.  Failure to do so will mean that we will enter the new fiscal year with no budget, and schools and other state agencies will not be able to operate effectively.  The Senate and House have agreed on a state budget, and the governor has not objected to that budget.  Please continue to call Governor Barbour and insist that he call a Special Session now. Reach Governor Barbour at 601-359-3150. Sunday, June 21, 2009  9:30 p.m. A Budget Agreement At Last! Tonight House and Senate negotiators hammered out the final details of an agreement on the state budget, and it has been reviewed and declared sound by the Legislative Budget Office. The final step in this process is for Governor Barbour to call legislators into Special Session to pass the budget bills.  This must happen immediately if we are to avoid further loss of teachers and a shut-down of state government. Please call Governor Barbour today and ask that he call legislators into special session immediately.  Ask your friends and family to call, too. You can reach the Governor at 601-359-3150 or 601-359-3175. Sunday, June 21, 2009  7:00 a.m. House and Senate Close to Agreement House and Senate negotiators continued their work over the weekend and are said to have agreed on the broad budget numbers.  Senator Hob Bryan has played a major role in successfully negotiating an agreement on a hospital assessment to fund Medicaid, a major hang-up throughout this process.  However, Governor Barbour held a press conference on Friday afternoon to announce that he will now require a three-way agreement – between the House, the Senate, and himself – before he will call a special session.  It is not clear if the governor will agree to the House/Senate compromise and call them into session.  House and Senate lead negotiators are to meet again today to hammer out the budget details.  Thursday, June 18, 2009  6:30 p.m. Still No Agreement Mississippi's leaders again failed to come to an agreement on the state budget.  They will meet again tomorrow.  Thursday, June 18, 2009  11:30 a.m. Still No Budget Though school districts have begun losing teachers and other state agencies are preparing to shut down services, House and Senate negotiators still have not agreed on a budget.  As of the close of business Monday, 34 school districts had issued no contracts due to the budget impasse.  This leaves 7,000 certified personnel - teachers, principals, etc. - without contracts.  Many districts that have issued contracts have issued them only to existing teachers, leaving unfilled vacancies created through retirement and other attrition, and leaving schools short-staffed.  The prospects for filling those slots with highly qualified teachers dim with each day that the budget impasse drags on as candidates accept jobs elsewhere. State Superintendent Dr. Hank Bounds stated Monday that we now have districts that are losing teachers, principals and counselors due to the budget delay.  With families to support, personnel without contracts are leaving their districts for better job security. There is no excuse for this budget delay.  Our states' leaders have had available to them for 2 months all the numbers and facts associated with this process.  The suggestion that "new information" is holding up the process is irresponsible.  All of this information has been available, and negotiators should have made sure they were knowledgeable about it.  They should agree on a budget immediately and avoid further erosion of our schools' viability.  CONTACT: Governor Haley Barbour - 601-359-3150 or 601-359-3175 Lt. Governor Phil Bryant - 601-359-3200 House Speaker Billy McCoy - 601-359-3300 Lead Budget Negotiators: Senator Alan Nunnelee - 601-359-3250 Capitol or 662-680-8671 Home Representative Johnny Stringer - 601-359-3340 Capitol or 601-739-3663 Home With only 12 days left in the fiscal year, we need a budget now!  Wednesday, June 17, 2009  9:30 a.m. Budget Negotiations Remain Slow House and Senate negotiators met yesterday but made little progress.  We are dangerously close to the end of the fiscal year.  A number of school districts have begun losing teachers and administrators who have families to support and need to know that they will have jobs.  This has become a desperate situation.  Representative Cecil Brown warned fellow negotiators yesterday of the dire consequences of failing to reach an agreement immediately.  Please continue to contact state leaders and insist that they end this delay and reach agreement immediately.  The situation for schools becomes more desperate with each passing day. CONTACT: Governor Haley Barbour - 601-359-3150 or 601-359-3175 Lt. Governor Phil Bryant - 601-359-3200 House Speaker Billy McCoy - 601-359-3300 Lead Budget Negotiators: Senator Alan Nunnelee - 601-359-3250 Capitol or 662-680-8671 Home Representative Johnny Stringer - 601-359-3340 Capitol or 601-739-3663 Home With only 13 days left in the fiscal year, we need a budget now!   Monday, June 15, 2009  6:30 p.m. Budget Negotiations Progressing Slowly House and Senate negotiators are continuing to talk, but they seemed to make little progress today.  Discussions today centered on revenue – the amount of money that is available to appropriate.  Schools remain in a very difficult situation with no state budget, and some are losing teachers and principals due to the uncertainty.  Please continue to press legislators to expedite the process and agree on a budget so that schools can prepare for the school year that is fast approaching.  Only 15 days remain in the current fiscal year.   Governor Haley Barbour - 601-359-3150 or 601-359-3175 Lt. Governor Phil Bryant - 601-359-3200 House Speaker Billy McCoy - 601-359-3300 Budget Negotiators: Senator Alan Nunnelee - 601-359-3250 Capitol or 662-680-8671 Home Senator Doug Davis - 601-359-2220 Capitol or 662-449-5617 Home Senator Bennie Turner - 601-359-3210 Capitol or 662-494-5061 Home Representative Johnny Stringer - 601-359-3340 Capitol or 601-739-3663 Home Representative Cecil Brown - 601-359-3330 Capitol or 601-362-8383 Home Representative Robert Johnson - 601-359-3770 Capitol or 601-445-5690 Home With only 15 days left in the fiscal year, we need a budget now!     Friday, June 12, 2009  6:30 p.m. Negotiators Agree on Education Portion of Budget House and Senate negotiators agreed on the education portion of the budget today.  It appears that schools will get full funding of the MAEP and Add-ons for Fiscal Year 2010 but that the cuts made to 2009 budgets will not be restored.  We have thought in weeks past that the education budget was resolved, only to see it fall apart.  Other parts of the budget remain sticking points and are holding up finalization of the conference report.  Talks will resume at 1:00 p.m. Monday. The Parents' Campaign is getting calls from panicky teachers wondering if they should seek other employment and from superintendents who need to know if they can hire teachers, repair and replace leaky roofs, and move forward on the construction of computer labs and other projects slated to be completed before school starts in August.  We need a budget now! Please continue to contact state leaders and budget negotiators. Urge them to agree on a final budget and move into special session next week so that schools can prepare for the coming year.  With only 18 days left in this fiscal year, we need a budget now!   Governor Haley Barbour   601-359-3150 or 601-359-3175 Lt. Governor Phil Bryant   601-359-3200 House Speaker Billy McCoy  601-359-3300 Budget Conference Committee Members Senate: Senator Alan Nunnelee   601-359-3250 Capitol   662-680-8671 Home Senator Doug Davis   601-359-2220 Capitol    662-449-5617 Home Senator Bennie Turner   601-359-3210 Capitol   662-494-5061 Home  House of Representatives: Representative Johnny Stringer    601-359-3340 Capitol   601-739-3663 Home Representative Cecil Brown   601-359-3330 Capitol   601-362-8383 Home Representative Robert Johnson   601-359-3770 Capitol   601-362-8383 Home Thursday, June 11, 2009  7:30 p.m. Unexpected Revenue May Help Break Budget Logjam Attorney General Jim Hood announced today that Mississippi will receive $40-million in October from a settlement with Microsoft, assuming there are no legal challenges.  House and Senate leaders say the extra revenue could help break the budget logjam that has prevented schools from hiring teachers and planning for the coming school year.  The new fiscal year begins in just 19 days, and state lawmakers have yet to approve a budget.  The settlement resulted from a federal lawsuit filed against Microsoft 10 years ago that alleged the company violated antitrust laws by packaging their products in a way that did not allow competition.  In addition to the $40-million the state will receive, millions more in vouchers will be available to schools, businesses and individuals who purchased Microsoft products between January 1, 1996 and today. Wednesday, June 10, 2009  12:30 p.m. Please call Governor Barbour.  Ask that he: call the House and Senate into special session immediately place all appropriations bills as the only items on the initial agenda of the special session hold the state budget hostage to no other issues You can reach Governor Barbour at: 601-359-3150 (Office) 601-359-3175 (Governor's Mansion) Wednesday, June 10, 2009  9:30 a.m. Still No Budget Only 20 Days Until New Budget Year We still have no budget as we near the end of the current budget year.  The new fiscal year begins in just 20 days, and school districts are desperate to know what their state funding will be.  Teachers remain in limbo without firm contracts. Both the House and Senate Education Chairmen have told us that they are pushing for full funding of all elements of the MAEP formula - the base student cost and the add-ons. The Parents' Campaign believes that K-12 has been treated fairly by both the House and Senate budget proposals, and we urge an immediate compromise to yield a full state budget.  Governor Barbour should call them into special session immediately so the budget crisis can be resolved. Governor Barbour has proposed a budget that would result in a $94-million cut to K-12 funding due to under funding the MAEP by $45-million and a shift in the way he would use federal stimulus funds.  Read more. Contact these About Budget Negotiations:  Governor Haley Barbour 601-359-3150 or 601-359-3175 Lt. Governor Phil Bryant  601-359-3200 House Speaker Billy McCoy  601-359-3300 Budget Conference Committee Members Senate: Senator Alan Nunnelee   601-359-3250 Senator Doug Davis   601-359-2220 Senator Bennie Turner   601-359-3210   House of Representatives: Representative Johnny Stringer    601-359-3340 Representative Cecil Brown   601-359-3330 Representative Robert Johnson   601-359-3770   Wednesday, June 3, 2009  12:01 a.m. House and Senate Sine Die The legislature has adjourned the regular session with no budget.  The governor will now, at some point, call them into special session to address the budget.  The new fiscal year begins July 1st.  That school districts are without budgets and teachers without contracts this close to the start of school is inexcusable.  Continue to watch this website for updates. Wednesday, June 3, 2009  10:50 p.m. House Attempt to Extend Session Fails Again The House leadership made another attempt to pass a resolution to extend the regular session.  It failed on much the same vote.  Sine die at midnight is almost certain. Wednesday, June 3, 2009  10:30 p.m. No Progress After All The Senate Rules Committee killed the motion to urge the House to pass an extension resolution.  The House conferees announced to the full House that, at one point, they thought they had an agreement with the Senate, but the deal fell through. Hopes for an extension of the session are dimming.  It appears that the two chambers are waiting one another out for sine die. Wednesday, June 3, 2009  8:40 p.m. PROGRESS! Real progress seems to be around the corner. The Senate just passed a motion to send to their Rules Committee a resolution urging the House to pass a resolution to extend the session.  Stay tuned for further updates... Wednesday, June 3, 2009  6:00 p.m. House Defeats Resolution to Extend Session, May Try Again Session Will End At Midnight If No Extension The House made another attempt to pass a resolution to extend the session, but it was defeated.  See vote. They may make another attempt before sine die (end of regular session) which will occur at midnight tonight unless they are able to pass an extension resolution. The galleries of both chambers were packed with constituents who urged their legislators to extend the session and were disappointed by the vote. Negotiators are continuing to work on the budget and are reported to be making some progress. Nancy Loome will be at the Capitol until the Legislature adjourns this evening.  You can reach her at 601-672-0953.  The Parents’ Campaign will update our members via email upon adjournment this evening.  Tuesday, June 2, 2009  5:00 p.m. Legislators Return Wednesday, Face Deadline With No Budget Legislators will return to the Capitol tomorrow at 1:00 p.m., and no agreement has been reached on the state budget.  We could be headed toward a special session unless constituents apply enough pressure to stop it.  A special session is likely to last for weeks, and our schools and teachers are in limbo until we have a budget.  Click here for additional information.  We need to ensure that legislators do not adjourn the regular session without a budget, and we should hold every single legislator accountable for that outcome. The real hang-up is whether to tax hospitals $60-million so legislators can save it to appropriate in next year's legislative session.  School district funding for the school year that begins in just a couple of months is being held hostage to this issue.  In essence, the education of our children is being used as leverage.  That is simply unconscionable. Legislators should pass the fiscal year 2010 budget NOW in the current regular session and then deal with generating additional revenue for the following fiscal year.  The hospital taxation issue can be dealt with in a special session or next year's regular session without holding up school funding. Some members of the House of Representatives voted last week not to extend the regular session.  Failure to extend the regular session would require a special session.  The House will likely have an opportunity to vote on this issue again tomorrow.    Click here to see contact information for legislators who voted no. The message is simple:  Do not adjourn the regular session without a budget.  Pass a state budget now that appropriates this year's revenue and protects the integrity of our education system, then deal with generating revenue to hold over for subsequent years in a special session or in next year's legislative session. I’ll be at the Capitol tomorrow keeping an eye on the proceedings.  Anyone who wishes to join me will find me on the first floor of the State Capitol at 12:45 p.m. Monday, June 1, 2009  7:00 p.m. State Budget Negotiations Break Down Again   Negotiations on the state budget have broken down once again.  House and Senate conferees did not meet today, and further talks had not been scheduled as of 5:00 p.m. today.  Some legislators appear to prefer to move into special session to begin the budgeting process over again.  The push for a special session seems to be politically motivated, as there is no logical reason to adjourn the regular session without a budget.  There is nothing that can be accomplished in a special session that cannot be accomplished in a regular session, and a special session will be lengthier and significantly more costly than a regular session.  A special session could extend through July and into August, and struggling school districts will be unable to offer teacher contracts.  School districts are being put in a terribly precarious position because of the Legislature's inability to decide on a budget.  To pretend that an expensive special session is somehow more cost-effective for Mississippi is unreasonable.  Contact your legislators, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Speaker of the House and tell them not to adjourn the regular session without a budget.   Lt. Governor Phil Bryant  601-359-3200 House Speaker Billy McCoy  601-359-3300 Find contact information for your legislators. Saturday, May 30, 2009  6:00 p.m. Senate and House Negotiators Go Home for Weekend House and Senate negotiators left the Capitol this afternoon, unable to come to an agreement on the state budget.  They will resume negotiations on Monday.  They appear to be hung up on the total amount of revenue available for appropriation.  Negotiators have been unable to agree on whether to assess hospitals to help pay for Medicaid - and the amount and terms of the tax, if any is assessed.  Additionally, the Senate proposal includes holding over $60-million in Fiscal Year 2010 funding for Fiscal Year 2011 in anticipation of revenue shortfalls in that year.  The House prefers to use the $60-million to avoid further cuts to state agencies in the fiscal year that begins July 1.  Both proposals use $95-million of the Rainy Day Fund, leaving a balance of about $265-million in that reserve. Friday, May 29, 2009  4:30 p.m. Senate and House Positions Now Fully Fund Entire MAEP Both the House and Senate positions on the FY10 budget now fully fund the entire MAEP formula, add-ons included, as well as the National Board Certified Teacher supplements.  Read more. See the new Senate numbers. We are extremely grateful to the conferees, education chairmen, and leadership of the House and Senate for placing such a high priority on the proper education of our children.  The challenge that remains is getting the full budget to the floor for a vote so that school districts can offer teacher contracts and begin planning for the coming year.   The House and Senate have gone home for a few days and will resume the regular legislative session at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday of next week.  In the meantime, budget negotiators will continue their work on the remaining budget differences.  If no budget is passed, and the House and Senate do not act by Wednesday to extend the regular session, they could adjourn with no budget.  This would force a special session, which would lengthen significantly the negotiations and be bad for Mississippi for a number of reasons.  Click here to read why a special session should be avoided. Please ask your legislators, the budget conferees, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Speaker of the House to ensure that a budget is adopted next week during the regular legislative session.  You can reach them at the numbers listed below. Lt. Governor Phil Bryant  601-359-3200 House Speaker Billy McCoy  601-359-3300   Budget Conference Committee Members Senate: Senator Alan Nunnelee   601-359-3250 Senator Doug Davis   601-359-2220 Senator Bennie Turner   601-359-3210 House of Representatives: Representative Johnny Stringer    601-359-3340 Representative Cecil Brown   601-359-3330 Representative Robert Johnson   601-359-3770 House Attempts to Avoid Special Session Budget negotiators are running out of time according to the Legislative Calendar.  To avoid an even worse situation that we currently have, The House of Representatives attempted to pass a resolution that would extend the regular session for another week and avert the possibility of a special session.  Going into special session will delay unnecessarily the budgeting process for as much as several weeks and would cost taxpayers more money.  Click here for more information.  The resolution, which required a 2/3 vote to pass, failed by 3 votes.  House members will have another opportunity to vote on this resolution. Please contact the House members who voted no on this resolution and ask that they vote to extend the regular session.  Adjourning the regular session with no budget is an irresponsible abdication of their constitutionally imposed duties. Click here to see the votes.  Click here to find contact information for your legislators.  Watch this website for updates. The Parents' Campaign is encouraging House and Senate leaders to act quickly to produce a state budget that protects the integrity of our public education system and the futures of Mississippi children.  Contact House and Senate leaders at the numbers below and encourage their prompt action. Lt. Governor Phil Bryant  601-359-3200 House Speaker Billy McCoy  601-359-3300 Senate Appropriations Chairman Alan Nunnelee  601-359-3250 House Appropriations Chairman Johnny Stringer  601-359-3340 Compare the education budgets proposed by the House, Senate and Governor.  The House and Senate Reconvened on May 26th Little Progress Has Been Made on a State Budget The House and Senate reconvened on Tuesday despite having made almost no progress on the state budget.  Talks are continuing.  The budgets for K-12 funding proposed by the House and Senate differ by about $24-million.  Click here for details.     School Funding Compare House and Senate Budgets by Local District The House and Senate are continuing their negotiations on the state budget with talks seemingly at an impasse. The current House position fully funds the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP), including add-on programs such as gifted education, vocational education, and special education.  The current Senate position fully funds the MAEP base student cost but reduces funding for add-on programs by about $11.3-million.  Click here for additional information and to see what local districts would receive according to each proposed budget.  House & Senate Recess Until May 26 The House and Senate have recessed until May 26, hoping that conference committees will do their work in the interim and present conference reports immediately upon their return.  School districts had hoped to have final budget figures next week and to begin offering teaching contracts.  At present, the House and Senate education budgets appear to be about $20-million apart.  House and Senate Propose Budgets The House and Senate have submitted their versions of a state budget for the coming fiscal year.  Governor Barbour submitted his recommendation earlier.  It appears that the House version funds k-12 education at a higher level than the Senate or the Governor.  We are reviewing the details so we can provide a clearer picture of each proposed budget.  The lower Senate figures seem to be in the k-12 "add-ons" -- critical education programs such as gifted education, vocational education, and special education that lie outside the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) formula proper and, therefore, are not protected by the federal stimulus regulations.  House and Senate conferees must agree on compromise legislation before submitting a conference report to their full chambers for a vote.  MDE Hosts Autism Institute The Mississippi Department of Education will host the Mississippi Autism Institute in Jackson on July 14–16.  The workshop will focus on teaching communication skills to children with ASD and other developmental disorders.  Click here for additional information.  Legislature Passes Tobacco Tax Increase The House and Senate have passed a 50-cent increase in the tobacco tax.  The Senate vote was 40 yeas and 4 nays, and the House vote was 102 yeas and 18 nays.  Some are projecting that the increased tax will generate approximately $106-million in additional revenue for the fiscal year that begins July 1.  Legislators are considering a hospital tax that could generate additional revenue as well.  The resolution of these potential sources of revenue will help to clarify the state’s revenue picture for the coming year and allow legislators to finalize budget bills. Legislature Returns May 6 to Finalize Budget Bills The Mississippi Legislature will return to Jackson on Wednesday, May 6th to finalize k-12 funding and other budget bills.  We at The Parents' Campaign will keep our members apprised of progress being made on this front through email updates.  Keep watching your email inbox!  MDE Creates Swine Flu Information Website The Mississippi Department of Education has created a website to help parents, students, teachers and school administrators respond appropriately to the threat of Swine Flu.  This helpful site includes a wealth of information, including helpful tips for parents, the latest updates on the Swine Flu outbreak, and lesson plans and corresponding activities for teachers.  The most important tips for parents are: Don’t panic Encourage your children to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly Take this opportunity to talk with your children about good hygiene measures Explain to your children the importance of good cough hygiene (cover your cough!) Keep sick children home from school DO NOT keep children home from school if they are not sick – some of the most important academic material will be covered in the coming weeks Click here to access MDE’s Swine Flu Information Website Click here to view MDE’s Swine Flu Press Conference State Testing Mississippi students have begun taking Subject Area Tests (SATP) in Biology I, U.S. History, Algebra I, and English II. Teachers and students have worked hard to ensure that students are well prepared for these assessments which students must pass in order to graduate. Students in grades 3 - 8 will take the Mississippi Curriculum Test, Second Edition (MCT2) on May 12, 13, and 14.  Click here to learn what parents, students and teachers can do to ensure that students do their best on these assessments.  Conference Committee Agrees on Cigarette Tax Increase The Conference Committee for HB 364 has agreed to increase the tax on cigarettes by 50 cents, resulting in a total tax of 68 cents per pack.  This increase is estimated to generate $30-million in additional revenue for the current fiscal year (FY09) and $112-million in additional revenue for FY10.  The agreement, which must survive a vote of the full House and Senate, sets the stage for additional budget negotiations.  Indications are that legislators will return to the Capitol on Wednesday, May 6th to vote on the HB 364 conference report and finalize Mississippi budget bills.  State leaders continue to express their support for full funding of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP), an indication of their commitment to a high quality public education system. Tracking Federal Stimulus Funds Governor Barbour held a Stimulus Summit on Thursday, April 16th, at which representatives from state agencies gave the public an update on federal stimulus funds.  Click here for links to websites that provide information on competitive grants and other funds available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as well as federal stimulus funds that have been received and expended thus far.  TPC Member’s Work Noted Susan Moen -- Coach Mo to her students -- is inspiring the students at Luther Branson Elementary School in rural Madison County to get fit, and it's rubbing off on their families.  Click here to read the remarkable story of this former marathoner and Ph.D. college professor who begged for a chance to teach Mississippi kids living in poverty.  Governor Signs Children First Act of 2009, Announces $150,000 School Improvement Grant   Governor Barbour held a signing ceremony at the Capitol to celebrate his signing into law The Children First Act of 2009.  State Superintendent Dr. Hank Bounds proclaimed it a great day for Mississippi children, and we at The Parents’ Campaign couldn’t agree more!  Governor Barbour also announced that Mississippi has been awarded a $150,000 grant by the National Governors Association to develop methods for improving chronically underperforming schools.  Read more.   House and Senate Adjourn for 30 Days The Mississippi House and Senate adjourned at noon on Wednesday, April 01, 2009, pursuant to House Concurrent Resolution 96 (HCR 96).  HCR 96 calls for the House and Senate to return on or before May 4, 2009, at the joint discretion of the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor.  The legislature has adjourned pending additional information about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (federal stimulus funds) which will provide them the information needed to craft a budget that optimizes state and federal funds.  We expect the Mississippi Adequate Education Program to be fully funded for the coming year and for cuts to current-year school district budgets to be restored. See additional information.  House and Senate Adopt Conference Report On Children First Act of 2009 The House and Senate have adopted the final conference report on the Children First Act of 2009 and have sent it to the governor for his signature.  The final version does include the “no pass, no play” language added by the House, but the charter school provisions added by the Senate have been removed.  This is a significant step toward ensuring that all Mississippi children have access to excellent schools, and we are grateful to our members and to the leadership of the House and Senate for their support of this important legislation.  As of this posting, the official vote report has not been provided by the House or Senate.  We will post it as soon as it is available. Posted 4:04 p.m. 3/30/09  Mississippi Department of Education to Hold Drop-Out Prevention Conference On Thursday, April 16, 2009, MDE will hold a Dropout Prevention Best Practices Conference.  The Mississippi Department of Education invites the public to join community leaders, educators and dropout prevention team members from across the state to learn more about what is really working to prevent dropouts and improve graduation rates.  This free event, made possible by funding from State Farm, includes an opening group session with keynote speakers beginning at 8:30 am, followed by specialized morning and afternoon breakout sessions for participants. This conference will include a luncheon sponsored by the Mississippi Economic Council, featuring FOX News Business Commentator Stuart Varney. Click here to learn more.  Legislature Extends 2009 Session The House and Senate have extended the 2009 Regular Session of the Mississippi Legislature to give them ample time to adjust appropriations bills to reflect the $400-million downward revision in the revenue estimate.  Key to the appropriations process is the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), or the federal stimulus package, and the Legislature is awaiting final word on the exact amount of those funds and how they will be directed.   The House and Senate plan to wrap up work on remaining general bills by March 31, 2009, and then recess for 30 days or until sufficient information on the ARRA is available to allow a state budget to be developed.  Click here for additional information.   Legislature Learns It Has $400-million Less to Appropriate The Revenue Estimating Committee reported on March 20, 2009, a revision in the revenue estimates for both the current year (FY09) and the 2010 fiscal year (FY10).  The Legislature is in the midst of appropriating funds for FY10.  The committee reported that it has revised downward the FY09 revenue projection by $220-million and has revised downward the FY10 projection by approximately $400-million.  The cuts to current-year budgets that Governor Barbour made in January were in anticipation of the downward adjustment in the FY09 projection.  The revision to the FY10 forecast will, obviously, require that the Legislature take another look at each FY10 appropriations bill to make up for the $400-million difference.  Learn more.   Senate Passes Ed Funding Bill Still Working on Early Childhood Funding  The Senate passed its version of HB 1677, the education funding bill, providing for full funding of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) using state and federal funds.  The bill technically underfunds the MAEP formula by $52-million in state-sourced funds, assuming that the remainder will come through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA or federal stimulus funds).  The Senate version does not provide the $3-million the House provided for the Early Learning Collaborative Grant Program, but this funding could be included in the final version of the bill.  HB 1677 is likely to go to conference where a committee of 3 members from each chamber will negotiate the final legislation - and could reinstate the early childhood funding.  Please ask your senator to support Senate Appropriations Chairman Alan Nunnelee  and Senate Education Chairman Videt Carmichael in their effort to reinstate the $3-million in funding for the Early Learning Collaborative Grant Program.  Click here to see the vote.  Senate Appropriations Committee Passes Full MAEP Funding, Strips Early Childhood Funding The Senate Appropriations Committee passed the Senate version of HB 1677, the k-12 funding bill for the next school year, making provisions to fully fund the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) for the coming school year.  Though the bill appropriates state funds at a level below what is required to fully fund the MAEP, the bill passed the committee with the understanding that the remainder of the funding will be made up by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the federal stimulus package.  The bill will now go to the full Senate for a vote.  Unfortunately, the Senate version of HB 1677 does not include the $3-million that the House appropriated to fund the Early Learning Collaborative Grant Program.  Please call your senator and ask that the $3-million for the Early Learning Collaborative Grant Program be reinstated.  Early Childhood Education Bill Approved By Governor Senate Bill 2314 has been approved by the governor and signed into law.  This bill allows school districts to use any available funds for early childhood education programs.  Early Childhood Education Bill Passes House and Senate On a vote of 104 yeas to 18 nays, the House of Representatives passed SB 2314, the bill that allows local school districts to use any available funds to provide voluntary early childhood education classes.  The bill will now go to Governor Barbour for his signature.  Click here to see the votes. PEER Gives Update on Federal Stimulus Package (ARRA) On February 26, 2009, Mississippi's Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review Committee (PEER) presented to Mississippi legislators an update on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the federal stimulus package.  See the PEER explanation of federal funds available through ARRA.  New School Rating System Working Its Way Through Approval Process The Mississippi Department of Education has developed a new system by which public schools will be rated that it is working its way through an approval process.  The proposed system will allow parents and communities a better means of comparing their schools to those in other cities, states and the country than did the old model because the achievement level required to obtain the “satisfactory” rating in Mississippi will reflect what is considered “satisfactory” at the national level.  The new system uses words rather than numbers to identify the 7 levels into which schools will fall: Star School, High Performing, Satisfactory, Low Performing, At Risk of Failing, Academic Watch, and Failing. Learn more.  Former Governor William Winter and Mr. Jack Reed, Sr. Issue Statement on MAEP Former Governor William Winter and prominent businessman Jack Reed, Sr. have issued a statement noting the importance of maintaining full funding of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program and urging legislators’ support.  Governor Winter and Mr. Reed are longtime, ardent supporters of public education and have long worked to ensure high quality schools for all Mississippi children.  See statement. House Passes Education Funding Bill, Includes Early Childhood Ed. On a vote of 115 yeas to 3 nays, the Mississippi House of Representatives passed House Bill 1677, an appropriations bill that fully funds the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) and add-ons.  The bill also provides funding that assumes an increase in the number of teacher supplements funded for National Board Certified Teachers and $3-million to fund the Collaborative Grant Program, funding local collaborations among public schools, Head Start and private child care centers to ensure access to high quality early childhood classes for children in local communities.  The bill will now go to the Senate for a vote. See funding details.  See vote.  President Obama Signs Stimulus Bill  President Obama has signed into law the $787-billion federal stimulus bill.  It appears that the bill will provide targeted education funding for Mississippi sufficient to restore the cuts made to current-year budgets.  Read analysis of stimulus bill by Mississippi Economic Policy Center.  House Kills Early Childhood Bill on Procedural Move Members of the Mississippi House of Representatives used a procedural move on a deadline day to kill House Bill 616, a measure that would have allowed school districts to use existing funds to offer voluntary early childhood education classes in their districts.  The bill did not require any additional funding.  Rather, it allowed districts the flexibility they need to meet the needs of their youngest children so that they come to school better prepared to succeed.  Currently law restricts severely the funds that may be used to offer these classes.  The Senate passed unanimously an identical bill, Senate Bill 2314, and the House will now have an opportunity to act on it.  See more.  See vote.  Senate Passes Children First Act of 2009 The Mississippi Senate has passed overwhelmingly The Children First Act of 2009 (SB 2628), the accountability legislation that sets into motion a plan to improve underperforming schools and give every Mississippi child access to a high quality public education.  The House has passed its version as well; the versions contain minor differences. See vote. MS Center for Education Innovation Announces Early Educators Program A generous grant from AT&T has helped the Mississippi Center for Education Innovation to launch the Early Educators program.  Through this innovative program, older students will use iPods and podcasts to provide younger students mentoring and help with their schoolwork.  The program will hopefully inspire young mentors to enter the teaching profession.  See more.  National Board Certified Teachers Will Continue to Receive Full Supplement National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT) have expressed concern that their hard-earned salary supplements will be reduced due to cuts made to school budgets in January.  The Mississippi Department of Education has confirmed that NBCT supplements will be honored as called for in the teachers’ contracts.  Additionally, there is no plan to reduce the number of NBCTs teaching in school districts.  See more.  House Passes Children First Act of 2009 The Mississippi House of Representatives has passed HB 1142, The Children First Act of 2009.  This is a significant piece of accountability legislation that promises to hasten the improvement of underperforming schools so that every Mississippi child is given access to a good education. See more.   See vote.  Report Links Mississippi's Low Income to Under-Education In our quest to ensure that every Mississippi child has an opportunity for a bright future, our focus has been drawn repeatedly to the critical need for a better system of early childhood education.  A report issued last week by the Southern Education Foundation (SEF) highlights the link between poverty and under-education – particularly under-education in the early years.  See more. Budget Cuts Go Into Effect The 3.49% cuts to MAEP funds took effect this week as school districts’ monthly MAEP payments were reduced to reflect the cuts. Learn how budget cuts are affecting local school districts.    Legislature Takes Up Important Accountability Legislation The House and Senate have advanced through committee some of the most important education legislation Mississippi has seen in quite some time.  The Children First Act of 2009 does exactly what the name implies – it puts children first and makes great strides toward improving low performing schools. See more about The Children First Act of 2009   HB 1383 Passes the House At the urging of faithful members of The Parents' Campaign, the House of Representatives tabled the motion to reconsider House Bill 1383 (HB 1383) on a unanimous voice vote.  The bill will now move to the Senate where we are hoping for prompt action.  We will keep our members updated as we hear of action on HB 1383.    Motion to Reconsider HB 1383 To be Taken Up on Monday The House of Representatives adjourned for the weekend without taking up the motion to reconsider HB 1383.  The word at the Capitol is that it will be taken up on Monday.  Please ask your representative to vote to table the motion to reconsider.  We will keep our network members posted via email as details develop. Sign up to receive emails from The Parents' Campaign.   HB 1383 Passes House But Held on Motion to Reconsider House Bill 1383, a $68-million supplemental appropriation that would restore the bulk of the recent cuts made to the MAEP, passed the House but was held over on a motion to reconsider.  Please ask your representative to support tabling the motion to reconsider HB 1383 so that the bill can move forward and go on to the Senate.  Click here to find contact information for your legislators.  Click here to see your representative's vote on HB 1383.    Urgent Call to Action On Thursday, January 22, 2009,  the Mississippi House of Representatives will likely vote on House Bill 1383, a $68-million supplemental appropriation that will make up the majority of cuts to school districts.  Please call your representative today and ask him or her to support HB1383.  Click here to see how much your district has lost in the current round of cuts.  Click here to find contact information for your legislator.   Mississippi Students to Participate in National Assessment of Educational Progress Many Mississippi students will join their peers in other states in participating in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) between January 26 and March 6, 2009.  NAEP, often referred to as the Nation's Report Card, allows us to compare the achievement level of Mississippi students to those of children in other states. Click here to learn more.    Governor Cuts MAEP Governor Barbour has announced additional cuts to the state budget.  It appears that the full education budget was cut about $87.8-million; $76.6-million of that is from the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) - a 3.49% cut to that program.  The Mississippi Department of Education is working to determine the effect these cuts will have on individual school districts.  We will communicate these effects to our members, along with our plan of action, as soon as it is available. Governor Announces Plans to Cut School Budgets In his State of the State address, Governor Barbour announced his intention to cut current school budgets.  He did not announce what the amount of cuts will be.  As soon as we know what the level of cuts will be, we will determine what the impact will be on local school districts and what course of action we will take to protect Mississippi's education system.  The Bolivar Commercial  is Right on Target The Bolivar Commercial has shared with readers a candid editorial describing the "Cost of Ignorance."  It states that, "The dropouts from the Class of 2007, alone, will cost our state almost $3.9-billion in lost wages and taxes over their lifetime."  Click here to read the editorial.  2009 Regular Legislative Session Convened on January 6 The Regular Session of the Mississippi Legislature convened on Tuesday, January 6, 2009, at 12:00 p.m.  Click here to view the timetable for processing legislation.  Click here to go to the website of the Mississippi State Legislature.  Business Leaders Support Mississippi Building Blocks Proposal On December 15th, the Mississippi Economic Council, Leadership Mississippi and Momentum Mississippi held a forum to educate business leaders about the "Mississippi Building Blocks" proposal, a privately-funded early childhood education plan offering resources and incentives to daycare providers to improve the quality of care and instruction provided at their centers.  The Barksdale Foundation, the Phil Hardin Foundation and Chevron pledged $4.6-million in support of the plan.  Nancy Loome, Executive Director of The Parents' Campaign, spoke to a crowd of over 700 people from around the state about the proposal.  Click here to view Nancy's PowerPoint outlining details of Mississippi Building Blocks.  Click here to visit the Mississippi Building Blocks website.  Task Force Releases "The Children First Act of 2009" In the 2008 Legislative Session, the Legislature passed a law requiring that a task force be created to study underperforming schools in Mississippi.  Since June, the task force has been meeting to study and evaluate school performance issues and school leadership and has traveled around the state visiting low-performing and high-performing schools.  "The Children First Act of 2009" has been released as the task force's recommendations to the legislature.  Click here to learn more.    MEC to Hold Forum The Mississippi Economic Council, Leadership Mississippi, and Momentum Mississippi will hold a forum designed to discuss the current and future state of early childhood education in Mississippi on Monday, December 15, 2008.  The forum, called the Mississippi Building Blocks, will be held at the Jackson Marriott beginning at 9:30 a.m. and is free of charge.  You can register and learn more about this effort by visiting www.msbuildingblocks.ms.  The registration deadline is December 11th.   Joint Legislative Budget Committee Releases Budget Recommendations The Joint Legislative Budget Committee has released its budget recommendation for the coming fiscal year, and they have recommended that the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) be fully funded.  This represents a strong show of support for public education by the members of this committee, particularly in light of these difficult economic times.  They and other legislators have heard the voice of The Parents' Campaign, and they have responded.  Click here to see the Joint Legislative Budget Committee's recommended state budget.  Subject Area Testing In December, high school students in some Mississippi school districts participated in the Subject Area Test Program (SATP), tests that determine their level of mastery in Biology I, English II, Algebra I, and U.S. History.  These are very important tests, as students taking these courses must pass the SATP test in order to graduate.  The tests will also be administered in the spring.  Click here to learn more about the SATP. Task Force on Underperforming Schools Makes Recommendations The Task Force on Underperforming Schools has unveiled its recommendations for improving struggling schools and school districts.  The group unveiled at a press conference The Children First Act of 2009 which includes a number of recommendations for holding school leaders accountable and otherwise improving schools.   See The Children First Act of 2009. See press release announcing task force recommendations.   See video of press conference.    Governor Barbour Releases FY2010 Budget Recommendations Governor Barbour has released his budget recommendations for FY2010, and they include full funding of the MAEP.  Click here to read the governor's press release.  We Did It Again! Governor Barbour announced on Wednesday that MAEP will be spared in his current round of budget cuts. We at The Parents' Campaign applaud the governor's move to protect public schools and thus protect the wellbeing of our children and the future vitality of our state.  Many members of The Parents' Campaign, when they learned of impending budget cuts, stopped what they were doing, picked up the phone, and made a call to the governor to ask that he protect the quality of our public education system.  Their calls made a difference, and our children and our state will be the better for it! Click here to see Governor Barbour's press release.   Governor Barbour May Cut MAEP Funding The Governor is asking that public schools prepare to return $50-million to the state this year. State revenue is coming in below projected amounts, and Governor Barbour has asked that state agencies - including schools - prepare to cut their budgets by 2% in the current year and by 4% next year.  A 2% reduction in current year school funding totals $50-million - far more than the $2.5-million increase in MAEP funding schools received this year.  Under the governor’s plan, individual school districts will lose hundreds of thousands of dollars, some millions.  Fully funding MAEP, then requiring that schools send $50-million back to the state, is not really fully funding MAEP.  Mississippi has a clear choice: we can go back down the old, worn path of inferior education, poor-paying jobs and record unemployment, or we can forge a new future for our state.  We must maintain our commitment to properly educating our children. School Board Elections November 4th Local school board elections will be held on the November 4th ballot.  To find out if your zone has a school board candidate on the ballot in the upcoming election and learn more about Mississippi school boards click here.   TPC Reaches Membership Goal TPC membership has risen over the 50,000 mark thanks to our many dedicated volunteers who worked tirelessly to involve their communities in our efforts.  We appreciate each of our members and look forward to our future work together to improve public schools for all Mississippi kids!  Click here to read our news release.  Appearances Can Be Misleading Many parents assume incorrectly that a school’s quality can be judged by the appearance of its students.  See an article on “The Bowhead Factor” – the myth that schools with kids from more affluent families consistently offer better quality than schools with more diverse populations. MCT2 & Subject Area Test Scores Released by MDE   The Mississippi Department of Education has released individual school districts' scores on the MCT2 and SATP tests that were administered last spring.  You can find your district's scores by grade level by clicking here and choosing your school district.  As our children and teachers do the challenging work of improving achievement, parents and communities must do our part to support them.  Learn how you can help by clicking here. MCT2 & Subject Area Test Scores Coming Soon In the next few weeks, school districts will be sharing with us our children's test scores from the MCT2, Algebra I, and English II tests that were administered last spring.  As we process this information, there are some important points to remember... more  TPC Membership Continues to Soar Thanks to the enthusiastic work of our local volunteers, The Parents' Campaign membership has risen to over 48,000!  Our goal of 50,000 is well within our reach, and a little of your time could push us over the top.  If you would like to volunteer, email Serenity Albright at salbright@msparentscampaign.org, and she will provide you everything you need to make this a quick and effective process.  See more updates here.