State lawmakers want to give New York City public schools about $1 billion more a year — even though students in states like Mississippi and Alabama have been notching dramatically better test results, while spending a fraction per pupil.

Proposals from State Sen. John Liu and Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon would restructure the formula by which the state feeds funds to the city Department of Education, boosting its $35.1 billion annual budget by $819 million, according to the city’s Independent Budget Office.

But more money doesn’t necessarily mean better results.

Three southern states, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama, have historically had some of the country’s worst K-12 public schools, but have proven to be rising stars in recent years — despite spending less than half per student than New York, as was highlighted in a recent New York Times op-ed.

Mississippi spends about $12,500 per pupil each year, while New York spends more than twice that, about $32,000, according to Edunomics Lab, a Georgetown University research center. New York City spends more than the statewide average, around $42,200, per student each year.

Louisiana spends about $17,500 annually per pupil, and Alabama spends about $13,200 — both a far cry from what both the Empire State and the Big Apple are shelling out, researchers found.

But New York students have seen their scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress — often called “The Nation’s Report Card” — drop by about 10 points since 2013.

Meanwhile, test scores in parts of Mississippi rose by 10 points over that same time frame, NAEP data shows.

Louisiana saw its 4th-grade reading scores climb by 5 points since 2013.

And while Alabama saw NAEP scores decline during that time, an adjusted analysis of national results from the Urban Institute that factors in demographics like poverty placed the state as the No. 1 scoring school system in the entire country.

New York, by contrast, landed at No. 32, and Massachusetts — typically ranked among the nation’s best public schools — came in at 21.

“It’s not about the amount of money,” said Manhattan Institute education expert Danyela Souza.

“If it was just about the money, our schools would be number one academically,” she told The Post.

Former deputy schools chancellor Eric Nadelstern agreed, saying the city’s public school system — the largest in the country — now has no “accountability.”

The institutions were given their own A through F gradings based on their performances under Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s watch — and some were closed because of poor performance.

But the accountability rating system was scrapped under his successor, Mayor Bill de Blasio, and never reinstated.

“How can you spend billions of dollars on education if you’re not holding educators accountable for the results — the teachers, the principals, the superintendents,” Nadelstern said.

“We don’t have a right to ask for more money until we hold people responsible for children’s education accountable for achievement,” he said. “We don’t do that now and haven’t for some time.”

• The chamber passed alcohol-related bills Tuesday that would allow direct shipping of distilled spirits and Sunday sales. Another measure would remove the prohibition of alcohol from state law.

State Rep. Hank Zuber (R), the Chairman of the House State Affairs Committee, stepped to the well of the House Tuesday and said, “It’s a great day to talk about alcohol policy and bringing Mississippi into the 21st Century.”

Members then considered a number of alcohol-related measures, ranging from direct shipping to Sunday sales. All of the measures passed and could be considered by the Senate in the weeks ahead.

Direct Shipping of Distilled Spirits

Similar to the direct shipping of wine that was passed in the 2025 session, HB 669 allows for the direct shipping of distilled spirits to Mississippi residents’ homes if the state’s Alcohol Beverage Control warehouse does not carry the product.

“If ABC carries it, you cannot direct ship it. It is only for stuff ABC does not carry in their warehouse,” State Rep. Brent Powell (R), the bill’s author, explained.

READ MORE: New direct wine shipping law goes into effect in Mississippi

Powell said the same rules and permitting would apply to the distilled spirit shipping as that of the wine shipping.

He conceded that local package stores “generally don’t like” direct shipping bills but said the legislation “protects them,” noting that the retailers can also have the product shipped directly to their stores.

The bill passed the House by a vote of 75 to 32.

Additional Retailer Permit

The second alcohol-related bill considered by the House Tuesday was HB 670, which would allow a package retailer to have a second permit.

HB 670 states that a person owning a package retailer’s permit may own one additional package retailer’s permit, for a total of two permits, if the additional permit is issued for a premises located in a municipality that has a population of 35,000 or more. The second location is to be 75 miles or more from the retailer’s first permitted location.

“It just gives the opportunity for one more package store, one more permit,” Rep. Powell told the House.

During the debate on the bill, State Rep. Becky Currie (R) asked about allowing liquor stores in the counties, not just in municipalities. Powell responded that he was not opposed to and would consider bringing such a measure forward at a later date.

HB 670 passed by a vote of 70 to 38.

Removing Prohibition of Alcohol

State Rep. Powell also presented HB 671 which seeks to remove the prohibition of alcohol from state law.

“From and after January 1, 2027, the policy of this state is declared to be a renunciation of prohibition in favor of the legal manufacture, sale, distribution, and transportation of alcoholic beverages in this state, except in such counties that vote to institute prohibition after holding an election on the matter,” the legislation outlines.

Powell said the “state is getting out of it,” noting that counties could call for a vote “if they want to stay dry.” The measure would default to every county being “wet,” or allowing alcohol sales in their areas.

The bill passed by a vote of 75 to 33.

Sunday Sales

The House also passed HB 672 on Tuesday, allowing Sunday sales of alcohol at package retailers.

Local governing authorities at the county and municipal level would be required to pass an ordinance allowing the Sunday sales. Hours for Sunday sales would be restricted from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Christmas Day sales would still be prohibited.

State Rep. Shanda Yates (I) told the House that 45 states already allow Sunday sales.

HB 672 passed by a vote of 62-47, to which Speaker Jason White (R) remarked, “I don’t know if anybody will protest another bill leaving here with only 62 votes. We’ll see how that goes.”