Mississippi education systems are expected to thrive, even with tight budgets.
Drastic cuts have been made across the state regarding education budgets and still legislators still believe the state’s standing can be improved.
As the gap in education continues to grow larger by each fiscal year, Mississippi is free-falling backwards in education reform. Year after year, the budget is slashed by millions. Legislators say they want to pull Mississippi out of the hole it has dug itself into, but never give it the tools to do just that. The Mississippi Department of Education has tagged themselves with the motto, “ Ensuring a bright future for every child”. More and more Mississippians are starting to see this in not the case.
In early 2017, Gov. Phil Bryant released the controversial revision to the state’s education budget. The fiscal budget for 2017 totaled out at six billion dollars, over $326, 000 less than last year. While the cuts effected several branches of coverage in the state, Education took the brunt end of the cuts. All public institutions will be affected by the cuts including: K-12 education and higher education institutions such as: junior colleges and universities.
With this, learning facilities must cope with the loss and decide the best method for proceeding. Higher Education Commissioner, Glen Boyce sat down for an interview with the Associated Press and stated that in-state universities would have to “figure out” what to do once less state money is coming in to assist them in costs.
Others have looked into attempting at challenging the budget. Some are saying what Go. Bryant has done is unconstitutional. The Southern Poverty Law Center is a growing force for education standards in Mississippi. Two state representatives have filed the claim stating that “someone needs to stand up for our children”. “The lawsuit asks the Hinds County Chancery Court to strike down the statute under which Bryant enacted the cuts, to fund schools at the level budgeted by the Legislature and to pay back the money that was unconstitutionally cut from MAEP.” The representatives are also seeking an injunction that would temporarily stall any budget changes and costs.
The SPLC is attempting to push new legislation through at this time and is unable to comment until a decision has been reached.
Schools without proper funding could be forced to close their doors and send children on to a school that is most likely already strapped for funding as it is without adding extra cost burdens of more students. The Mississippi Department of Education refuses to acknowledge the challenges on budgets cuts for more than students, but also teachers, resources, etc.
With budgets being consistently slashed, teachers are unable or unwilling to stay in the profession, some even leaving the state. Mississippi, as of September 24, 2017, ranked last in overall academic performance, with a score of 64.2. This is a “D” rating coming in at the 50th spot on the list.
With the budget set, Gov. Bryant and the Department of Education have placed shackles on the education system, its’ students, teachers and future of the State of Mississippi.