Speaker Gunn and Lt. Governor Reeves held a press conference today to announce that they have hired a firm, EdBuild, to “examine” our state’s school funding formula, the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP), saying, “More tax dollars are needed in the classroom…” We agree that the state has done a poor job of providing for our children’s […]
Leadership Announces Plans to Revamp MAEP Read More »
Politicians boast about providing “level funding” to schools, but that term is deceiving. All school districts are going into an ever-deeper budget hole, as flat state appropriations do not cover legislatively mandated cost increases that occur each year, such as the “step” salary increase state law provides teachers for each additional year of service. When each
Ed Funding Bill Creates Budget Hole for Local School Districts Read More »
This afternoon, Governor Bryant chose yet another huge tax break for big business over adequate funding for public schools, mental health, and other vital state services. Despite legislative leaders having just announced that they passed an unbalanced budget – in violation of the state constitution – and despite being unable to pay the state’s bills, requiring deep cuts
Bryant Chooses Corporate Tax Cuts over MS School Children Read More »
As budget and tax-cut bills await Governor Bryant’s signature, a growing, bi-partisan chorus is warning of a looming budget crisis rivaling that seen during the Great Recession – a crisis manufactured by our Legislature through years of corporate tax cuts that the state cannot afford. Leaders who pushed through the tax cuts defend them as a way to “reduce the
Elected Officials Warn of Looming Budget Crisis Read More »
Want to know how much corporate tax cuts are costing your school district? See how much your school district is getting for the coming school year (and how much it has been underfunded since 2008). In recent years, lawmakers have said they were doing the very best they could to make good on the Legislature’s decades-old promise
See Your School District’s Funding for 2016-2017 Read More »
Last week, Governor Bryant announced that he is cutting public school budgets for the current year. Other state agency budgets are being reduced, as well. You can see here how much your school district will lose due to the cuts – all of which will be deducted from your district’s MAEP payments for May and June, the last
Your School District’s Budget Cut Read More »
Legislators appear intent on making changes to the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP), the formula that determines the level of funding the state is required to send to public schools. In recent years, lawmakers have suggested a number of changes, almost all of which would reduce the amount called for by the formula. Following are some
Legislators Float Potential Changes to the MAEP Formula Read More »
This afternoon, a House committee passed a tax cut bill (SB 2858) that would reduce state revenue by $134-million next year through elimination of the 3% income tax bracket. If the state has $134-million to give away, then the state has $134-million to increase school funding. See what $134-million in additional MAEP funding would mean for your school district. Remind
Urgent: School Funding at Risk Read More »
The House of Representatives passed the school funding bill today. HB 1643 provides no increase in the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP), under-funding schools by $172-million, and cuts the overall K-12 budget by about $7.6-million. Nearly every state agency has its funding reduced in this budget, due to revenue shortfalls caused by years of corporate tax cuts. Each appropriation bill
House Passes School Funding Bill Read More »
