Mississippi Legislature Approves $2,000 Teacher Raises and Over $12,000 Judge Pay Increases in 2026 Session

**TL;DR** Mississippi lawmakers approved a $2,000 pay raise for public school teachers starting in the 2026‑2027 school year and gave state judges raises exceeding $12,000 each. The overall state budget increased roughly 3% from the prior year.

## Context The 2026 legislative session passed more than 350 bills, including new tax credits for employers offering health insurance, skills training or child care, and for donations to rural hospitals and educational entities. Lawmakers directed most of the budget funds to K‑12 education (kindergarten through 12th grade) and Medicaid, the state‑federal health program for low‑income residents.

## Key Facts All public school teachers will receive a $2,000 salary increase effective with the 2026‑2027 school year, with extra supplements for special‑education teachers. Each state judge, from circuit judges up to the chief justice of the Supreme Court, will receive a raise of more than $12,000. The total state budget grew about 3% compared with the previous fiscal year.

## What It Means The teacher raise aims to address recruitment and retention challenges in Mississippi’s public schools, while the larger judge increases reflect a separate priority for the judicial branch. With most new spending going to education and Medicaid, the 3% budget growth indicates a modest expansion despite recent income‑tax cuts. Observers note the contrast between the two raise sizes sparked debate during the session.

## What to Watch Next Implementation of the teacher pay raise will begin in fall 2026, and the judicial raises will take effect shortly after the governor signs the bill. Lawmakers will likely monitor how the added costs affect future budget negotiations and whether any legal challenges arise over the judicial compensation increase.