CL looks at other state’s education woes
Alabama, the state superintendent of education if proposing recommendations include freezing the state’s portion of the employee health plan at the current funding level, increasing the retirement age and requiring school employees to contribute more to their retirement plan.
California cut $6.6 billion in education funding, with 20 percent coming from home-to-school transportation. 20,000 teachers have been laid off.
Georgia made cuts of $241 million from the education budget. Additional cuts totaling $191 million are expected throughout FY2010.
Michigan, whose governor recently dissed Mississippi, is mulling a budget that cuts over $500 million in support for public education
New Mexico is trimming K-12 education by $54 million and higher education by $35.7 million.
In context or out of context, Mississippi’s public education cuts are bad public policy. Mississippi needs to invest more, not less, in education at all levels.
Education must remain the budget priority, but in the current economic climate, more cuts may be necessary in the short term.
Read more at The Clarion-Ledger
10/26/9
Magnolia Tribune
