Mississippi House Bill HB1126

Mississippi 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/19/26
• Refer: 1/19/26
• Engrossed: 2/4/26
• Refer: 2/17/26
• Failed: 3/3/26

Caption

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-19-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE A $5,000 INCREASE TO THE TEACHER SALARY SCALE; TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL $3,000 ANNUAL SALARY SUPPLEMENT TO LICENSED SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS EMPLOYED BY A SCHOOL DISTRICT ON A FULL-TIME BASIS TO PROVIDE SPECIAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTION; TO PROVIDE AN $6,000.00 ANNUAL SALARY SUPPLEMENT TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST AND LICENSED SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST EMPLOYED BY A LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHO HAVE RECEIVED NATIONAL CERTIFICATION FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE CERTIFYING ENTITY, AND SERVING IN THE CAPACITY FOR WHICH THE CERTIFICATION HAS BEEN ISSUED; TO ESTABLISH A CAP ON THE MAXIMUM SALARY A SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT MAY EARN WHICH IS DIRECTLY CORRELATED TO HIS OR HER YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, CREDENTIALS AND CLASSIFICATION OF LICENSURE ENDORSEMENT IN RELATION TO 250% OF THE SALARY OF TEACHER WITH EQUIVALENT QUALIFICATIONS, INCLUDING THE DISTRICT LOCAL SUPPLEMENT PAY; TO AMEND SECTION 37-21-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE A $5,000 SALARY INCREASE FOR ASSISTANT TEACHERS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 25-11-103, 25-11-109, 25-11-111, 25-11-112, 25-11-114, 25-11-115, 25-11-117, 25-11-123 AND 25-11-147, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDERS WHO BECOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM ON OR AFTER MARCH 1, 2026, SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE A RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE AFTER 25 YEARS OF SERVICE REGARDLESS OF AGE; TO AMEND SECTION 25-11-126, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE CRITERIA AND SCALE OF COMPENSATION FOR ELIGIBLE RETIRED TEACHERS WHO RETURN TO THE TEACHING PROFESSION AS A CONTRIBUTIONS BUT NONBENEFIT ACCRUING MEMBER OF PERS; TO AMEND SECTION 37-151-203, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF THE BASE STUDENT COST; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 37-151-201, 37-151-203, 37-151-205, 37-151-207, 37-151-211, 37-151-213, 37-57-104, 37-57-105, 37-57-107, 37-61-33, 7-7-211, 19-9-157, 19-9-171, 27-39-317, 37-3-83, 37-15-38, 37-16-3, 37-17-6, 37-22-5, 37-28-55, 37-61-3, 37-61-5, 37-61-7, 37-61-35, 37-61-37, 37-151-81, 37-151-85, 37-151-95, 37-151-97, 41-79-5, 43-17-5, 27-104-351, 37-159-7, 37-23-31, 37-23-33, 37-23-35, 37-151-209, 37-151-215, 37-57-1, 27-65-75, 1-3-26, 25-4-29, 27-25-706, 27-33-3, 29-3-47, 29-3-49, 29-3-113, 29-3-137, 31-7-9, 31-7-10, 37-1-3, 37-3-11, 37-7-208, 37-7-301, 37-7-302, 37-7-303, 37-7-307, 37-7-319, 37-7-333, 37-7-419, 37-9-17, 37-9-23, 37-9-25, 37-9-33, 37-9-35, 37-9-37, 37-9-77, 37-11-11, 37-13-63, 37-13-64, 37-13-69, 37-23-1, 37-23-15, 37-23-69, 37-23-109, 37-23-179, 37-27-55, 37-27-57, 37-28-5, 37-28-53, 37-29-1, 37-29-272, 37-29-303, 37-31-13, 37-31-75, 37-35-3, 37-37-3, 37-41-7, 37-45-49, 37-47-9, 37-47-25, 37-47-33, 37-61-19, 37-61-29, 37-68-7, 37-131-7, 37-131-9, 37-131-11, 37-151-9, 37-151-87, 37-151-89, 37-151-91, 37-151-93, 37-151-99, 37-151-101, 37-151-103, 37-151-105, 37-151-107, 37-173-9, 37-173-13, 37-175-13, 37-179-3, 37-181-7 AND 65-26-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-13-80, 37-13-81, 37-13-83, 37-13-85, 37-13-87, 37-13-89, 37-13-91 AND 37-13-107, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE NAMES OF THE OFFICES OF DROPOUT PREVENTION AND COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE TO REFLECT NEW DESIGNATIONS AS THE OFFICE OF STUDENT SUCCESS AND GRADUATION AND THE OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL PARTICIPATION, RESPECTIVELY; TO ASSIGN THE NEW TITLE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVED IN THE ROLE OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICERS, TO NOW BEING REFERRED TO AS STUDENT SUCCESS AND GRADUATION COACHES, AND THEIR DISTRICT SUPERVISORS' TITLE BEING CHANGED TO STUDENT SUCCESS AND GRADUATION REGIONAL COORDINATORS; TO REVISE THE MINIMUM SALARY SCHEDULE FOR STUDENT SUCCESS AND GRADUATION COACHES BASED ON EDUCATION AND YEARS OF EXPERIENCE; TO REVISE EMPLOYMENT QUALIFICATIONS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS AND GRADUATION COACHES; TO REVISE THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES OF STUDENT SUCCESS AND GRADUATION COACHES; TO AMEND SECTION 37-13-92, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DELETE THE REQUIREMENT THAT A SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT GIVE CONSENT TO A STUDENT BEING PLACED IN AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL PROGRAM WHEN REFERRED TO THE PROGRAM BY A DISPOSITIVE ORDER OF A CHANCELLOR OR YOUTH COURT JUDGE; TO ESTABLISH THE DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT AND TEACHER STABILIZATION SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM WITHIN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION; TO PROVIDE PERFORMANCE-BASED AND NEED-BASED SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING TO CERTAIN UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOL DISTRICTS; TO PRESCRIBE DETAILED PROGRAM STRUCTURE, ADMINISTRATION, OVERSIGHT AND ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS; TO ESTABLISH CLEAR ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS, MEASURABLE BENCHMARKS AND PROPORTIONAL DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS; TO RESTRICT AND GOVERN THE USE OF FUNDS; TO REQUIRE TRANSPARENCY, REPORTING AND AUDIT CONTROLS; TO PROVIDE FOR A SUNSET AND LEGISLATIVE REVIEW; TO AMEND SECTION 37-9-39, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE TIME IN DECEMBER WHEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHALL PROCESS PAYROLL FOR ALL EMPLOYEES FROM THE LAST WORKING DAY TO A TIME CONSISTENT WITH OTHER MONTHLY INSTALLMENTS AS A MEANS OF PREVENTING THE 45-DAY GAP BETWEEN TEACHER PAY PERIODS FROM THE DECEMBER PAY DATE TO JANUARY PAY DATE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Summary

HB 1126 is a broad education and public retirement package centered on increasing compensation for school employees and revising several Mississippi retirement and school-funding provisions. The bill raises the minimum teacher salary schedule by $5,000, adds a $5,000 increase for assistant teachers, provides a $3,000 annual supplement for full-time licensed special education teachers, and creates a $6,000 supplement for certain nationally certified occupational therapists and licensed school psychologists. It also revises pay and qualification rules for retired teachers who return to work, changes the names and duties of dropout-prevention and attendance-related offices and staff, and revises the timing of December payroll processing to reduce the gap between pay periods.

Impact

The bill amends multiple sections of the Mississippi Code affecting teacher compensation, assistant teacher pay, school funding formulas, PERS retirement rules, and school district administration. It increases the base student cost, revises the total funding formula and local tax effort provisions, creates a District Improvement and Teacher Stabilization Supplement Program for certain underperforming districts, and changes how school districts may compensate returning retired teachers. It also creates a new defined contribution component for employees who join PERS on or after March 1, 2026, except first responders, and grants first responders earlier retirement eligibility after 25 years of service regardless of age. In addition, it updates attendance-office titles and duties, modifies alternative school placement procedures, and makes related changes to charter school funding, school safety, and reporting requirements.

Sentiment

The available voting history shows strong support in the House, where the bill passed 121-0 as amended on February 4, 2026. No committee transcript excerpts were provided, but the unanimous vote suggests broad agreement with the bill’s core goals of increasing educator pay and addressing school staffing and retirement issues. The overall tone of the bill is pro-education and pro-workforce retention, with a focus on compensation, recruitment, and stabilization of school personnel and districts.

Contention

The main policy tensions in the bill appear to be fiscal and structural rather than ideological. The largest cost drivers are the across-the-board teacher and assistant teacher raises, the new salary supplements, the higher base student cost, and the expanded retirement benefits for first responders and certain returning retirees. The bill also imposes a new cap on superintendent compensation tied to teacher pay, which could be controversial for local districts and administrators. Another notable point is the creation of a new defined contribution tier for future PERS members after March 1, 2026, which changes retirement benefits for new employees and may draw concern from public employee groups, while the revised rules for retired teachers returning to work affect staffing flexibility and pension liability management for school districts.