Mississippi Senate blocks House proposal to revise school funding formula

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi legislators are unlikely to create a new funding formula for public schools this year, after senators blocked a House proposal Tuesday.

Senate Education Committee Chairman Dennis DeBar said leaders of the two chambers should discuss school funding after the current legislative session ends in May and before the next one begins in January.

“We need to come up with a formula, whatever that may be, that provides predictability, objectiveness and stability for districts as well as the state when it comes to funding our schools,” said DeBar, a Republican from Leakesville.

The current funding formula, called the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, is designed to give districts enough money to meet midlevel academic standards. It has been fully funded only two years since becoming law in 1997, and that has created political problems as education advocates say legislators are shortchanging public schools.

MAEP is based on several factors, including costs of instruction, administration, operation and maintenance of schools, and other support services. Senators tried to tried to revise the formula last year, but that effort fell short.

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