Education top issue for ’08 session

The Hattiesburg American, 1/6/8

Mississippi lawmakers will be asked to pass one of the most sweeping public education reform measures in more than a quarter century when they open the 2008 legislative session Tuesday.

But a less-than-rosy state economic forecast and some unpaid bills, including an $86 million Medicaid deficit, will prove difficult for any big-ticket items, lawmakers say.

The $140 million-plus Quality Education Act, which contains nine key elements such as full funding of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, pilot pre-kindergarten programs, teacher raises and additional funding for dropout prevention, will be among the top proposals facing the lawmakers.