This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune.
- HB 1433 aims to give low-income students in underperforming districts a choice in where they receive their education.
HB 1433 passed out of the House Education Committee Tuesday, overcoming the first hurdle required to expand school choice to more Mississippi families.
During Tuesday’s committee meeting, Chairman Rep. Rob Roberson (R) described the bill as an outlet to address education disparities across the state, specifically among low-income students and families in underperforming districts.
The bill would allow students attending a school within a district rated D or F within the past five years to use their per pupil student funding to offset the cost to transfer to another public school within 30 miles of their home. If no public school meets the bill’s criteria, the family could then choose to use the same funds at a private school of their choice.
Roberson emphasized that the funds would only be eligible for use to transfer to a private school if the transferring student does not live within 30 miles of a public school rated B or higher, or is not accepted into to a qualifying public school.
“They first have to go to an A or B district to see if they can be accepted there,” Roberson clarified.
Rep. Roberson said low-income students were the priority in the legislation. Eventually the program could be expanded to other students if funding is available.
Roberson added that the accountability grade applies to districts, not schools, meaning a child attending a school that received an accountability grade of C or higher could still transfer if their district was rated a D or F within the last five years.
Another requirement is that the student must attend a public school for at least a year before applying for a transfer that includes their state per pupil funding. This provision is intended to allay concerns that public monies could go to fund a student already enrolled in a private school.
Only the state portion of the student’s funding will follow them to the transfer school. Any funding collected through local millage would remain with the home district.
“The home school millage stays with the home schools. Nothing moves out of that county, only the money from the state will move with the child to the private school or other school,” Roberson said.
However, as a part of the bill, $5 million would be set aside to help cover any additional costs for a public school accepting a transfer student.
Siblings of students who are accepted into the program will automatically qualify.
Roberson said he added a provision for foster children within the same home to qualify as well. For those children, case managers with the Department of Child Protective Services will be empowered to decide if the student is better served in another nearby public school or private school.
With opposition from various groups swirling, Roberson knows the bill might not become law this session.
“It may not pass the Senate. It may not ever get passed our own calendar. But we need to be talking about this stuff,” Roberson said. “Good, bad or indifferent, we need to be talking about this stuff.”
State Rep. Jeffery Harness (D) asked if the bill would make teacher shortages worse, especially in already poorly funded D and F schools. Roberson said those issue already exist, stating D and F schools currently face funding issues that lead to staff shortages.
“We already have a dual system. Frankly, it comes down to the rich people can take their kid and take them anywhere they want to. The poor kids, whether transportation’s attached or not, end up going to what’s left over,” Roberson described. “If you’re a wealthy person, you have school choice.”
State Rep. Cheikh Taylor (D), also chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party, asked if making this change is constitutional, since it involves diverting tax funds to private schools. Rep. Roberson explained that because the bill directs the resources to individual families, versus specific schools, it does not run afoul of Mississippi’s prohibition of direct funding to private schools.
Mississippi already has two similar education scholarship account programs that allow families to use public resources at the school of their choice, including a program for special needs children and one for students with dyslexia.
Roberson then made an amendment to the bill to change the name of the legislation to the Flexible and Rightful Education Enrollment, or FREE Act.
After the amendment to change the title of the bill passed, a motion was made to move the measure out of committee. The vote total was unclear as members voiced their support or opposition and Roberson declined to take a roll call vote.
The Dividing Line
In recent years, promoting school choice has become a central component of education reform packages pushed by conservative lawmakers across the country. Just last week, Tennessee joined a growing list of southern states, including Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, and Florida, to pass what is known as “universal school choice.” So-called “universal” plans are intended to eventually cover all kids and are more expansive than what is proposed in HB 1433.
During National School Choice Week, President Donald Trump issued an order stating a policy in favor of school choice and directing the Department of Education to create financial incentives for states to adopt the policies.
Governor Tate Reeves came out in favor of the House’s proposal today, making a statement on social media.
“The Mississippi House Education Committee passed HB 1433 today. It allows Mississippi students in the worst performing schools to transfer to higher-performing schools. I want to thank Jason White, Ed Chair Rob Roberson, Representative Jansen Owen, and the other members of the House Ed Committee for passing this bill! This bill is not a huge leap – in fact, it has safeguards to protect the schools that might receive new transfers….while still helping to ensure students aren’t trapped in failing schools,” Reeves wrote. “Say NO to the ‘coalition of the status quo.’ And say YES to HB1433 and doing what’s best for kids!”
Late Tuesday, Speaker Jason White (R) noted seven pieces of legislation that moved out of the House Education Committee, including the FREE Act. White said the committee advanced the bills to “give parents, not the government, real options for their child’s education while also bringing transparency and needed reforms for our current systems.”
”The House’s education priorities in this session directly align with President Trump’s ‘Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families’ Executive Order, which promotes the idea of school choice, allowing families to select educational settings that best fit their children, thereby improving overall student outcomes and success,” White said.
There are objections to allowing any form of school choice within the state, from some Democratic lawmakers and from groups that represent public school teachers and administrators, like The Parents Campaign and the Mississippi Association of Educators.
“We are very disappointed that House Bill 1433 was allowed to get out of the Education Committee despite a strong and loud voice vote against it. As we have said before, we believe this measure was crafted to open the door for public money to go to private schools,” said MAE Executive Director Erica Jones.
Other bills noted by Speaker White include:
- HB 1078 Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Act: ESA Reform
- HB 1431 The Education Efficiency Act: Path to Consolidation
- HB 1432 Charter School Reform
- HB 1434 AGENTS of Excellence (Aeronautics, Geospatial, Engineering, Nursing and Technical Skills): Campus Schools
- HB 1435 The FLEX Act (Families Leading the Enrollment Experience): Portability
- HB 1439 Accountability Dashboard Program
The measures could come to the House floor for consideration as early as this week.
This article first appeared on the Magnolia Tribune and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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