• Unfair Tax Burden: School choice could ultimately shift costs to local taxpayers. No one knows where this funding is truly coming from — leaving taxpayers on the hook without transparency. School choice would give vouchers for current and new students in private schools. In other states that passed school choice, private schools simply raised their tuition and nothing was solved.

• Budget Instability: Schools plan budgets months in advance. If transfers occur suddenly, schools can’t cut teacher salaries or cancel bus routes overnight. This chaos makes it nearly impossible to manage classrooms, staffing, and safety.

• Overcrowding: Already, 19 of the 27 schools in Rankin County are at or above 85% capacity. While officials promise capacity rules will protect local schools, we cannot trust those “at capacity” guarantees to shield Pisgah from the impacts of school choice.

• Weaker Communities: Strong schools are the heart of Pisgah. Allowing outside transfers dilutes our community pride and threatens the excellence that comes from local families investing in local schools. Open school borders also lower home values, weakening the financial stability of families who have invested in Pisgah.

• Impact on Teachers: Transfers can cause job instability, overcrowded classes, and fewer programs. That means fewer electives, sports, and extracurriculars — the very things that make our schools attractive. Combining a teacher pay raise with this bill is sneaky at best, tying much-needed support for teachers to a harmful policy that damages schools.

• Impact on Students: Budget cuts and overcrowding threaten safety measures, counseling, and mental health services. Athletics could turn into recruiting battles, while students with special needs may be left behind.