MAE 2026 Legislative Priorities
Raising the level of education in Mississippi.
VISION STATEMENT
To support educators in uplifting their voices, experiences, and civic power to help guide local and state decision-making for the benefit of our students and public schools.
ENSURE ADEQUATE SUPPORT OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS THROUGH THE
MISSISSIPPI STUDENT FUNDING FORMULA (MSFF)
- Establish and begin implementing a plan to ensure every student and educator has the resources to receive and provide a high-quality education.
- Ensure that public dollars only fund public schools that serve and support all students.
- Support the practice of not allowing school funds to be portable but making sure they stay with the local public school where the tax was paid.
SECURE UNIVERSAL PRE-K AND KINDERGARTEN
- Establish pre-k and kindergarten programs for every early education student in the state.
- Include pre-k and kindergarten students in ADA counts.
SUPPORT EDUCATOR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION THROUGH
INVESTMENTS IN RESIDENCY PROGRAMS, COMPETITIVE SUPORTS, AND CONTRACT SECURITY
- Invest in the educator and other school personnel salary schedule to enable Mississippi educators to be the best paid in the Southeast region by increasing state funding and local supplements.
- Secure a living wage for Education Support Professionals (ESP) and school staff by establishing a minimum $15 per hour starting wage.
- Work to reduce the out-of-pocket costs for healthcare plans and medical access.
- Expand the Winter-Reed Educator Loan Repayment Program to include additional applications and more significant annual awards.
- Establish a unified criterion for educator contract renewal and due process for educators based upon years of service (i.e., five years, ten years, etc.).
- Provide an employment contract for non-certified classroom personnel.
- Stabilize the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) with an adequate and consistent source of funding from the Legislature.
- Maintain PERS wholly as a defined benefit retirement system for retirees, current employees, and future hires.
- Eliminate the hybrid option known as Tier 5.
MODIFY THE MISSISSIPPI ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM FROM TESTING TO LEARNING
- The current reliance on high stakes testing as a significant accountability measure harms the classroom environment and students’ success. Educators are strongly encouraged to teach to the test, and students are impacted by the pressure associated with testing periods. A more comprehensive approach is warranted as we seek to provide students with the public education they need and deserve to be successful in a 21st-century economy.
INVESTMENT IN SCHOOL RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE
- Invest in expanding the availability and renewal of the resources most needed for our students and educators to succeed.
- Expand the allotment of financial resources available to improve school infrastructure to ensure safe and strong schools.
- Expand funding for programs that encourage school-age students to attend school more consistently and demonstrate the importance of increased attendance to parents/guardians. This would also include but is not limited to more funding for school counselors, truancy officers, youth court programs, and GED programs in schools.
- Establish funding for programs that provide breakfast and lunch to all public pre-k through 12 students free of charge during the school day.
ESTABLISH COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
- A community school is at the center of the community. It brings together academics, health, and social services, youth and community development, and community engagement under one roof,
leading to improved learning, stronger families, and healthier communities. - Secure funding to support these innovative learning collaboratives.
- Provide wraparound services in areas of the state most in need of additional support for their students.
SET TRAUMA-INFORMED PRACTICES STANDARDS
- Support school staff in continually receiving trauma-informed practices training.
- Require districts to develop trauma-informed practice plans that prioritize a whole-child approach in
and out of the classroom.
RESPONSIBLE USE OF PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY
- Support local and statewide efforts to promote the responsible use of personal technology in schools. This also includes eliminating the use of personal technology on campus during the school day.
