DAILY JOURNAL editorial calls for more education funding as revenue grows

OUR OPINION: Education fund requires larger share of revenue

The weak link in the revenue growth’s benefits is public education, whose Mississippi Adequate Education Program formula remains badly underfunded.

That shortfall stands in stark contrast to revenue growth.

House Appropriations Chairman Herb Frierson said the Legislature has been working toward full MAEP funding, a priority seldom achieved.

It is long past time to make full funding the rule, not the exception.

The Parents Campaign reports, “The Legislature appropriated $257 million less (in 2014) for our children’s schools than is required by state law. That means that our public schools are operating on budgets that are $257 million short of what is required to run a ‘C’ level school. Considering that our children have been short-changed by more than $250 million in each legislative session under the current administration, a $7.4 million move to close the gap is not a serious effort.”

Change the education priority, and at the same time improve our state’s future.

Daily Journal
7/15/14