Appropriation; Education, Department of.
What changed between versions
Total appropriations for the State Board of Education were reduced from $3.16 billion to $3.06 billion, and special funds were reduced from $2.33 billion to $2.30 billion.
Funding for specific programs such as Amplify Data Coaching ($800,000), Teach for America ($860,000), JumpStart Act ($225,000), and Mastery Prep ($225,000) was removed from the budget.
New funding was allocated for the Mississippi Math Act ($3.48 million) and an Adolescent Literacy Initiative ($9 million), replacing previous allocations.
A new $121,000 appropriation was added to incorporate financial literacy components into the curriculum for grades 6-8.
Funding for the National Board Certification program was reduced from $24.73 million to $24.08 million.
The salary supplement for special education teachers was reduced from $21.9 million to $14.6 million, changing the amount per teacher from unspecified to a fixed $2,000 annual supplement.
New salary supplements of $2,000 were added for licensed occupational therapists ($147,678) and licensed school psychologists ($68,607).
Funding was authorized for 52 new headcount positions, including Education Program Specialists, General Management staff, and School Attendance Officers.
The Student Base Amount for the Mississippi Student Funding Formula was reduced from $7,447.37 to $7,201.77.
The Literacy Initiative funding was increased from $15.09 million to $24.09 million.
Funding for the Mississippi School of the Arts and Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science was reduced, with adjusted payment schedules.
The amount available for the Education Scholarship Account (ESA) Program was increased from $5 million to $5.01 million.
Funding for the Compulsory School Attendance Office was reduced from $8.63 million to $7.38 million.
Funding for Schools for the Blind and Deaf was reduced from $10.88 million to $10.71 million.
Funding for Career and Technical Education instructors at post-secondary institutions was reduced from $785,337 to $651,934.
The reappropriated amount for the Education Enhancement Fund was increased from $37.78 million to $40.46 million.
The deadline for utilizing Vacancy Funding was changed from February 1, 2026, to March 1, 2026.
The State Personnel Board was given new authority to prevent escalation of the total Personal Services budget without written approval from the Department of Finance and Administration.
