Mississippi officially has a new funding formula for K-12 public education.

Republican Governor Tate Reeves’ signature on House Bill 4130, or the Mississippi School Funding Formula, has enshrined a new mechanism to determine how to allocate money to public school districts statewide, doing away with the oft-criticized Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP).

In his first term as House Speaker, Republican Jason White was adamant that the legislature would not be funding MAEP this session and was deadset on implementing a new formula — one that was geared toward the specific needs of students. That effort was met with resistance in the Senate with leaders in the chamber seeking to keep MAEP, which had only been funded three times since its implementation in 1997, intact but with modifications.

After months of infighting between the two chambers and multiple attempts to usurp one another through the legislative process, the House stuck to its guns in persistently pushing its proposal, initially tabbed the INSPIRE Act, and refusing to budge on any plans to keep MAEP afloat.

The Senate ultimately acquiesced to its cross-chamber counterpart on the stipulation that the House change the title of the formula and that a couple of tweaks to the legislation were made, including upping the base cost dedicated to each student.

After the edits were made, the Mississippi Student Funding Formula flew through its originating chamber with Republicans, Democrats, and Independents unanimously agreeing. Following the Senate committee’s decision, the full floor took a vote with only three dissenting votes. Reeves, a proponent of the House’s plan, then followed through with his support by signing the bill into law on Wednesday.

The Mississippi Student Funding Formula provides a minimal base student cost of $6,695 with more money being allocated per pupil based on the number of students coming from low-income households, ones that are English language learners, ones who have special needs, and other factors intended to up the funding for districts with the largest needs. The new funding, unlike MAEP, is also not nearly as complicated to understand, per the House speaker.

“I could bring an iPad up here and I can say, ‘How do you want to tweak this? You want to put more emphasis on low income? You want to put more emphasis on special education? You want to put more emphasis on workforce development? Here are the weights.’ You can tweak them any way you want, plus in the base student costs, and it gives you a number,” White touted. “It’s very easy to understand.”

The new formula will be recalculated every four years with lawmakers believing different mechanisms within will hold them more accountable to fully funding on a regular basis. It will go into effect on July 1.

CLINTON, Miss. (WLBT) – Mississippi College took on West Alabama (34-18) in game one of their very first home NCAA Regional Thursday night.

The Choctaws started scoring early, with senior catcher McCall Lee sending her first at-bat over the wall and giving MC their first lead of the game, 2-0. West Alabama found their way around the bases at the top of the 4th inning to make it 2-1, but the Choctaws responded well over the next three innings.

Mississippi College didn’t allow another run for the rest of the ball game as senior pitcher Camryn Bailey finished the day with eight strikeouts.

The Choctaws scored four more runs by the bottom of the seventh inning, winning the contest 6-1.

After coming up short in the Gulf South Conference Championship game last week, the team was determined to get back to their winning ways in NCAA Regional play.

“After the tournament, we all just decided that we need to take things and play our game with it,” Lee said. “Not play anyone else’s game but do what we do. I think today we really showed that. We stayed calm and did exactly what Mississippi College softball does, and if we continue to do that I think this regional will work out in our favor.”

“We played really good today,” Bailey added. ” We had fun today compared to the last game we played. We all played as a team. We all played as one and today was a good start to the tournament.”

“We just played relaxed,” head coach Brooke O’Hair said about the team’s performance in game one. “We had fun with each other and we kept encouraging each other and just did our jobs.”

Mississippi College will take on Tampa in Round 2 of the Clinton Regional on Friday at 12 p.m.

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PINE BELT, Miss. (WDAM) – On Thursday, the Flame of Hope passed through the Pine Belt as three counties participated in the Area 17 Special Olympic Mississippi torch run.

This is an annual event for athletes that leads up to the games this weekend.

Dozens of law enforcement members passed through Hattiesburg today in the annual Torch Run.

“I don’t run as fast as I used to, but like I said it is just a small part I can play in helping out this great organization,” said Sheriff Charlie Sims, Forrest County Sheriff’s Office.

The run started in Petal this morning and law enforcement ran about 5 kilometers to city hall to pass the torch off to Hattiesburg and then to Lamar County.

This event brings awareness and helps collect money for the Special Olympics leading up to the special games this weekend.

“The torch run is also an event leading up and it kind of branded excitement for them when we leave,” said Area 17 Director Shaunta Fairley.

“It’s a brotherhood when you start talking about our police officers and it’s a good cause as well,” said Petal Mayor Tony Ducker. “Something like this – it’s all about the kids and the Special Olympics.”

The torch run started in north Mississippi this week and is making its way down south to Biloxi.

“I’m going to be carrying the torch all the way to the bank and getting ready for Keesler,” said athlete Adam Kelly.

The torch was lit in Ellisville this afternoon at Ellisville State School, continuing the run with Jones County and Laurel law enforcement.

About 80 people participated in the 0.7 mile run.

Many leaders also shared words of encouragement as the runners took their mark.

“The excitement is in the athletes faces when we show up and get to participate with us and do the run, get to carry the torch and it’s just a great environment when you’re around them guys,” said Chief Deputy and State Director Randy Muffley.

The games take place this weekend at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi.

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