PRESS RELEASE: Lt. Gov., Senate Propose $210M Teacher Pay Plan
Jackson, Miss. - Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann and Senate Education Chairman Dennis DeBar are proposing a $210 million investment in teachers over the next two years, raising a teacher’s base pay on average by $4,700. “Chairman DeBar traveled all over the state in the fall for teacher listening sessions, held a committee hearing, and met with teachers in other small-group settings. This plan was devised using the input our teachers on the ground and in our classrooms provided,” Hosemann said. Under the proposal, a Class A teacher with a baccalaureate degree would start at $40,000. Teachers would $500 receive step increases at most every year, including in the first three years of teaching. Step increases are not currently provided until [...]
Hosemann Names 7-Member Subcommittee for Federal Funds
Jackson, Miss. (Press Register) - Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann and Senate Appropriations Chairman Briggs Hopson named a seven-member Appropriations Subcommittee today to make recommendations on expending the $1.8 billion in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds allocated to the Mississippi Legislature. Senator John Polk will Chair the Subcommittee. Other members include Senators Albert Butler, Dennis DeBar, Hillman Frazier, Walter Michel, Rita Parks, and Bart Williams. The Subcommittee is expected to hold a hearing before the 2022 Legislative Session. “The upcoming Session may be the most challenging of our four-year term, with redistricting, the expenditure of the ARPA funds, and a variety of other important items on the agenda,” Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann said. “We need to be as organized as [...]
Legislature, C Spire Work to Increase Computer Science in K-12 Schools
Jackson, Miss. (WCBI) - The C Spire Foundation made a $1 million commitment Thursday to assist school districts across Mississippi with implementing computer science programs in the classroom. One of the primary objectives of the C Spire Foundation is to support community efforts to improve educational opportunities in Mississippi, especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. “In all our efforts, our goal is to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve and help students achieve their dreams of success through STEM-related educational initiatives,” said Foundation Executive Director Beth C. Pickering. The commitment comes as the Mississippi State Legislature reconvened this week and is expected to consider legislation in the 2021 session to give elementary, [...]
Lt. Gov. Responds to Death of Former Secretary Colin Powell
Jackson, Miss. (Star-Herald) - Colin Powell, America’s first Black national security adviser, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and secretary of state, died on Monday at age 84. Powell, who had undergone treatment for multiple myeloma, died from complications of COVID-19, his family said in a statement. Powell served more than 40 years as an Army general, diplomat and national security adviser. Mississippi leaders reacted to the news of Powell’s death on Monday: Saddened to hear of the passing of Gen. Colin Powell. He was a lifelong servant to our nation, and will be missed by many. Praying for healing for his family and loved ones. — U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (@SenHydeSmith) October 18, 2021 The best example of a [...]
State Economist Cites Growth as Legislative Leaders Begin Budget Work
Jackson, Miss. (Mississippi Today) - The Mississippi economy, based on its gross domestic product, is projected to grow during the current fiscal year at its fastest pace since 1994, State Economist Corey Miller told legislative leaders Friday. “Mississippi’s economy, like the national economy, continues to recover from the relatively brief but steep recession experienced in 2020,” Miller said, referring to the coronavirus-related recession that occurred last spring. Miller said the infusion of federal funds, including direct payments to most adults and tax credits for children, and “the pent up demand” for retail items are helping to spur that growth. Miller’s comments came during a meeting of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. Members of the committee are working to develop a [...]
PRESS RELEASE: Former Newspaper Publisher, Public Schools Advocate Named to State Board of Education by Lt. Gov.
Brookhaven, Miss.—A former newspaper publisher, businessman, and public schools advocate will soon join the ranks of the Mississippi State Board of Education. William (“Bill”) O. Jacobs of Brookhaven, appointee of Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann, will serve a three-year term ending in July 2024, pending confirmation by the Mississippi Senate. Jacobs replaces former Board Chairman Jason Dean, who stepped down in February 2021. The Mississippi State Board of Education includes nine members from across the State, with two appointed at-large by the Lieutenant Governor. The Board oversees the State Department of Education, working with the State Superintendent of Education to establish statewide education policy ranging from curriculum to accountability. Mississippi currently has about 450,000 public school students. “Bill Jacobs has spent [...]