It’s crunch time!
In the next four days, six legislators will decide whether or not to change the law that requires adequate funding for our children’s schools.
HB 458, the average daily membership (ADM) bill, is reportedly being used as a vehicle to make changes to the MAEP, ostensibly to reduce the amount required by the formula. This would allow lawmakers to claim to have “fully funded” the MAEP without actually increasing funding for our schools.
Read here about some of the changes to the MAEP that have been floated by legislators.
Mississippians have made it clear that they want our public schools adequately funded. But legislators are avoiding the public scrutiny that comes with the typical legislative process by crafting changes to the formula in secret conference committee meetings. Legislators need to know that you are watching and that you will remain vigilant through the weekend. The conference report on HB 458 is due Monday.
Tell your lawmakers to vote NO on any changes to the MAEP formula that reduce the amount required to fully fund public schools. And absolutely NO TAX CUTS until they have paid their bills (fully funded our schools).
Find email addresses, social media contacts, and other ways to reach all legislators in your school district.
Share the same message with:
Lt. Governor Reeves Capitol: 601.359.3200
Speaker Gunn Capitol: 601.359.3300
Our state has more children in poverty, and many more educational challenges, than any other state – issues that argue for more funding per student than is spent by states with fewer challenges. Only four states spend less per student than ours, all of them with significantly lower poverty rates. In this video, chemistry teacher Mandy Scarpulla tells about the impact under-funding has on her Franklin County students.
Instead of legislators asking how they can ensure that each of our children has every resource needed to be successful, some at the Capitol are looking for any way possible to give our children even less. Please make those contacts right away, and ask others to call, too. Our kids deserve our very best effort!
