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HB340 • 2026

Special education funds; require separate line item appropriation to the State Board of Education for.

AN ACT TO REQUIRE FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION TO BE APPROPRIATED TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AS A SEPARATE LINE ITEM IN THE K-12 EDUCATION GENERAL SUPPORT APPROPRIATIONS BILL; TO PRESCRIBE A FORMULA FOR DETERMINING ALLOCATIONS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDS TO THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS; TO REQUIRE DISTRICTS TO PLACE SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDS RECEIVED IN A SEPARATE ACCOUNT TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE PROPER DISTRICT PERSONNEL RESPONSIBLE FOR DIRECTING OR COORDINATING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Budget Education
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Massengill
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so there are no further details on how it would be implemented or its exact impact.

Special Education Funds Appropriation Act

This bill requires that special education funding for K-12 schools be given as a separate line item to the State Board of Education and then distributed to local school districts based on specific rules.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the State Board of Education to receive special education funds as a separate line item in the budget starting fiscal year 2027.
  • Sets up a formula for allocating these funds to each school district based on the number and type of special education teachers they employ.
  • Specifies that districts must keep special education funding in a separate account managed by designated personnel responsible for special education services.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The State Board of Education
  • Local school districts

Terms To Know

Line item appropriation
A specific amount of money set aside in the budget for a particular purpose.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass in its session.
  • It is unclear how this change would affect existing special education funding practices before fiscal year 2027.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-08 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/08 (H) Referred To Education;Appropriations A

Official Summary Text

Special education funds; require separate line item appropriation to the State Board of Education for.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 340 *HR31/R119* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR31/R119
PAGE 1 (DJ\JAB)

To: Education;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Massengill

HOUSE BILL NO. 340

AN ACT TO REQUIRE FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION TO BE 1
APPROPRIATED TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AS A SEPARATE LINE 2
ITEM IN THE K-12 EDUCATION GENERAL SUPPORT APPROPRIATIONS BILL; TO 3
PRESCRIBE A FORMULA FOR DETERMINING ALLOCATIONS OF SPECIAL 4
EDUCATION FUNDS TO THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS; TO REQUIRE 5
DISTRICTS TO PLACE SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDS RECEIVED IN A SEPARATE 6
ACCOUNT TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE PROPER DISTRICT PERSONNEL 7
RESPONSIBLE FOR DIRECTING OR COORDINATING SPECIAL EDUCATION 8
SERVICES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 9
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 10
SECTION 1. Beginning with the appropriation for fiscal year 11
2027, funding for the special education program required under 12
Chapter 23, Title 37, Mississippi Code of 1972, shall be 13
appropriated to the State Board of Education as a separate line 14
item in the K-12 education general support appropriations bill. 15
The State Board of Education shall allocate the special education 16
funding to each school district as follows: 17
(a) For each teacher employed by a school district in a 18
program for exceptional children, as defined in Section 27-23-3, 19
which is approved by the State Department of Education, an amount 20
equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the adequate education 21
H. B. No. 340 *HR31/R119* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR31/R119
PAGE 2 (DJ\JAB)
ST: Special education funds; require separate
line item appropriation to the State Board of
Education for.
program salary schedule prescribed in Section 37-19-7, based on 22
the type of license and number of years' teaching experience held 23
by each approved special education teacher, plus an amount equal 24
to one hundred percent (100%) of the applicable employer's rate 25
for social security and contributions to the state retirement 26
system. 27
(b) Funds appropriated for the special education 28
program shall be allocated to each school district as prescribed 29
under paragraph (a) and the estimated number of new teacher units 30
requested by the district and approved by the State Department of 31
Education for instruction and related support services provided to 32
exceptional children based on each eligible child's Individualized 33
Education Plan (IEP). Once received by the district, the funds 34
shall be deposited into an account separate from the general state 35
aid funds received by the district under the adequate education 36
program. The fund shall be administered by the district special 37
education director or coordinator, or if there is no such position 38
within the district, then by the superintendent of schools, or his 39
or her appointed designee, and shall be used for purposes 40
specified under this section and other applicable provisions of 41
law providing for the instruction, services, equipment, necessary 42
accommodations and support of exceptional children as required 43
under IDEA and Chapter 23, Title 37, Mississippi Code of 1972. 44
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 45
and after July 1, 2026. 46