Mississippi seeks clarity on $2,000 special education supplement

Mississippi education officials said this week they are seeking clarification from lawmakers before distributing a $2,000 supplement promised to special education teachers, even as a $2,000 across-the-board raise approved by the Legislature will appear in teacher contracts.

Senate Bill 2103 describes those eligible for the supplement as “any licensed special education teacher employed by a school district on a full-time basis and specifically providing special education instruction,” the bill states. Mississippi Department of Education officials said they are unsure whether that language covers teachers who work in self-contained classrooms, inclusion teachers who support students in general education classes, or other staff who work with students with disabilities.

State Superintendent Lance Evans told the state Board of Education on June 17 that the “words that were said did not reflect the intent, in my opinion, of who was to receive the salary supplement.” He said his belief was that the money was intended for self-contained teachers.

Lawmakers and their attorneys are preparing clarification letters, Rep. Karl Oliver, R-Winona, said. “We’re still working on the intent of the language,” he said. Sen. Briggs Hopson, R-Vicksburg, said he recalled that the Legislature intended the supplement for “those teachers who are teaching special education courses in special education classes,” and House Education Chairman Rob Roberson, R-Starkville, said he understood it was meant for teachers actually teaching special education classes.

The department’s appropriations bill allocates $14.6 million for the bonuses, officials said. Kymberly Wiggins, the MDE chief operating officer, said the general $2,000 raise will show up in monthly paychecks starting in July, the start of the new fiscal year, while the special education supplement — a one-time payment — is tentatively planned to be disbursed to districts in October and April. Wendy Clemons, MDE chief academic officer, said, “We need emphatic, explicit language.” Officials said they have sent a May 18 letter to the chairmen of the House and Senate education and appropriations panels and are awaiting a response as districts and teachers seek answers.

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