AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-173-13 AND 37-175-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE ANNUAL AMOUNT OF MISSISSIPPI DYSLEXIA THERAPY SCHOLARSHIPS AND MISSISSIPPI SPEECH-LANGUAGE THERAPY SCHOLARSHIPS TO EQUAL THE AMOUNT AWARDED TO STUDENTS UNDER THE EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP ACCOUNT (ESA) PROGRAM; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 37-181-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH ESTABLISHES THE AMOUNT OF ESA ACCOUNTS, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
Summary
House Bill 1704 would tie the maximum annual scholarship amounts for Mississippi’s dyslexia therapy scholarships and speech-language therapy scholarships to the amount awarded under the state’s Educational Scholarship Account (ESA) program. In practical terms, the bill replaces the current references to the state’s student funding formula with a direct link to the ESA amount, so that these special-purpose scholarship programs rise or fall in step with ESA funding for the same school year.
The bill also brings forward the ESA statute for possible amendment, but it does not itself change the ESA program’s enrollment cap, funding level, or eligibility rules. The ESA section included in the bill continues to state that new enrollment is limited to 500 additional students per year, that the base ESA amount is $6,500 subject to annual adjustment, and that ESA funds may not come from the total funding formula or require school district funding. The act would take effect July 1, 2026.
Impact
HB1704 would amend Sections 37-173-13 and 37-175-13 of the Mississippi Code to change how scholarship amounts are calculated for students with dyslexia and students with speech-language impairment attending nonpublic schools. Instead of being pegged to the student base amount or state share under the general education funding formula, the scholarships would equal the ESA award amount for the same year. This would align the special-purpose scholarship programs with the ESA program and could change annual scholarship payments if ESA funding changes. The bill also preserves existing reporting and payment procedures for nonpublic schools and keeps the rule that transportation costs remain the parent or guardian’s responsibility.
Sentiment
The bill appears generally supportive of school choice and special education scholarship programs, with its stated purpose focused on equalizing scholarship amounts across related programs. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, there is no documented opposition or debate in the available materials. The caption and text suggest a technical funding alignment measure rather than a broad policy overhaul.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is fiscal and policy alignment: by tying dyslexia and speech-language scholarship amounts to the ESA amount, the bill could increase or decrease those scholarship payments depending on future ESA funding decisions. Stakeholders favoring predictable funding may support the change, while those concerned about cost growth or about further linking special education scholarship programs to the ESA structure may question it. Another possible issue is that the bill brings forward the ESA statute without changing it, which may invite future amendments to the ESA program itself.