School Choice Bills Die, Sanctuary Cities Bills Still Alive

JACKSON — UPDATE: All three education bills discussed below: House Bill 145, House Bill 203, House Bill 2611 and House Bill 280 (which would re-organize the Arts Commission), all died in committee after the Jackson Free Press went to press on Jan. 31.

Never mind changing the state's education-funding formula; both the House and Senate education committees have passed several bills that would affect student funding, school-board autonomy and a school's responsibility to fly the state flag.

School districts would have to give away ad valorem dollars to whatever school district their students transfer to if House Bill 145 becomes law. When this story was initially published, the deadline for bills to get out of committee had not passed. House Bill 145 died in committee on Tuesday.

The bill basically implements a "student-based" funding mechanism without touching the Mississippi Adequate Education Program. Under current state law, students are allowed to transfer to any school district with consent from the receiving and the transferring district. This bill would require school districts whose kids are leaving to send ad valorem taxes to the receiving district on behalf of the children that district is accepting. Both Democrats and Republicans on the committee voiced concerns about the measure.

Read more: http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2017/feb/01/school-choice-sanctuary-cities-bills-still-alive/