Mississippi Senate Bill SB2764

Mississippi 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/20/25
• Refer: 1/20/25
• Failed: 2/4/25

Caption

Mississippi Student Funding Formula; include grades 7-8 in career and technical education multiplier for grades 9-12.

Summary

Senate Bill 2764 amends Mississippi’s school funding formula to expand the career and technical education (CTE) funding multiplier to include students in grades 7 and 8, in addition to the existing grades 9 through 12. Under the bill, school districts and charter schools would receive weighted funding for seventh- and eighth-grade students enrolled in CTE courses, with students counted only once even if enrolled in multiple CTE courses. The bill keeps the rest of the weighted enrollment formula intact, including existing weights for low-income students, English language learners, special education tiers, gifted education, and sparsity adjustments. The measure is a targeted change to Section 37-151-205 of the Mississippi Code and would take effect July 1, 2025. Its practical effect is to increase the number of students eligible to generate CTE-related funding, which could raise state aid for districts that offer middle school career and technical programs. It does not alter the structure of the funding formula beyond broadening the grade levels covered by the CTE weight.

Impact

SB2764 would amend Mississippi’s student funding formula by changing the CTE weight in the Mississippi Adequate Education Program-style weighted enrollment calculation to cover grades 7 and 8 as well as grades 9 through 12. This would affect how the State Department of Education calculates weighted enrollment for school districts and charter schools, potentially increasing funding for districts with middle school CTE participation. The bill does not change the weights for other student categories or the special education, gifted, low-income, English learner, or sparsity provisions.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes, the measure appears to be a straightforward, technical education-funding proposal with no documented opposition in the available materials. The caption suggests a policy goal of supporting earlier access to career and technical education, which is generally framed as workforce-development oriented and likely to be viewed favorably by education and economic development advocates. No contrary sentiment is reflected in the provided record.

Contention

The main policy question raised by the bill is whether middle school students should be included in the CTE funding multiplier, which could shift additional state resources toward districts that offer such programs. Potential points of concern would include the fiscal impact on the state funding formula, whether expanding the multiplier to younger students is the best use of limited education dollars, and whether all districts would be able to offer qualifying CTE courses. However, no specific objections, amendments, or recorded disputes are included in the provided legislative history.