Mississippi Senate Amends, Passes Teacher Pay Raise
JACKSON, Miss. — The Mississippi State Senate has amended House Bill 1395 to include a $6,000 teacher pay raise, a $9,000 pay raise for special education teachers, and a $2,000 pay raise for assistant teachers, community college instructors, and university professors. If enacted into law, the raises would be phased in over three years. Teachers would receive $2,000 annually for three years, for a total increase of $6,000. Special education teachers would receive $3,000 annually for three years, for a total increase of $9,000. “On day two of this legislative session, the very first bill the Senate passed was a standalone teacher pay raise. Now, we are once again advancing a clean teacher pay raise for the educators who are [...]
Mississippi Senate Passes Education Reforms, Advances Historic PERS Funding
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, January 7, 2025 JACKSON, Miss.— The Mississippi State Senate has passed substantial funding for the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) along with multiple bills to strengthen Mississippi’s education system, including a teacher pay raise, reducing restrictions on retired teachers returning to work, and making public-to-public transfers easier for students. “These bills are the direct result of education committee hearings and extensive conversations with the Department of Education, educators across Mississippi, and PERS leadership,” Hosemann said. “The $2,000 teacher pay raise is a starting point, and we are hopeful it can increase as the budgeting process continues.” The bills passed include: Senate Bill 2001 Provides a minimum $2,000 pay raise for all K–12 teachers, assistant teachers, [...]
Lieutenant Governor Hosemann Recognizes Schools With High Attendance Rates
JACKSON, Miss. — Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann today announced that 130 Mississippi schools have been recognized with the Lieutenant Governor’s Attendance Award for maintaining strong student attendance and chronic absenteeism rates 15% or below. The Mississippi Department of Education’s 2024-2025 report shows the statewide chronic absenteeism rate rose from 24.4% to 27.6%, meaning more than one in four students were chronically absent. Despite the statewide increase, these schools stood out for keeping students in class and engaged. “Regular attendance is one of the strongest predictors of academic and life-long success,” Hosemann said. “Chronic absenteeism is rampant in our state. These schools, their teachers, and families are making daily efforts to ensure students are present and learning. Their hard work deserves [...]
Lieutenant Governor Hosemann Names Study Committees on Jackson and Housing
JACKSON, Miss. — Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann today announced the formation of two new Senate Study Committees to address the state’s capital city and housing market. The Senate Study Committee on Jackson will focus on strategies for strengthening and boosting economic activity in the metro area, while the Senate Study Committee on Housing will take a statewide look at addressing the shortage of attainable housing and increasing accessibility for first-time homebuyers. The Senate Study Committee on Jackson will be chaired by Senator Walter Michel, with Senators David Blount and Sollie Norwood serving as vice chairs. Membership includes Senators Hillman Frazier, Dean Kirby, Brian Rhodes and Andy Berry. “For several years, we have discussed the need for a focused effort to [...]
Lieutenant Governor Hosemann Outlines 2026 Legislative Priorities at Neshoba County Fair
Philadelphia, Miss. — Lieutenant Governor Hosemann spoke at the Neshoba County Fair on Wednesday, discussing priorities ahead of preparing for the 2026 legislative session. His remarks focused on building upon recent successes in education, boosting labor force participation, investing in Mississippi families, supporting the military and veterans, and continuing to run state government like a business. “We’re committed to good, conservative government that works by investing in education, growing our workforce, supporting families, and streamlining state government to better serve you and reduce your taxes,” said Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann. Education Proposing another teacher pay raise to address shortages and retain top talent. Increasing incentives for retired teachers to return to teaching. Addressing chronic absenteeism, which now affects nearly 1 [...]
Local Improvements Remaining Funds
June 30, 2025 Below are the lists of local improvements, noting unspent funds from the 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 legislative sessions as of June 30, 2025, provided by the Department of Finance and Administration. 2021 Session - SB 2948 Local ImprovementsDownload 2022 Session - HB 1353 Local ImprovementsDownload 2023 Session - HB 603 Local ImprovementsDownload 2024 Session - SB 2468 and HB 1983 Local ImprovementsDownload