Education

House Votes to Scrap MAEP, Rewrite Ed Formula By 12-Vote Margin

After four hours of debate and 17 rejected Democratic amendments, the Mississippi House of Representatives voted mainly along partisan lines to scrap the Mississippi Adequate Education Program in favor of a new funding formula House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, wrote and then revealed less than a week ago.

City Hall and Schools Reopen as Pipe Repairs Continue

The City of Jackson and Jackson Public Schools reopened today after being closed this week in the face of the wintry weather in Jackson and beyond.

'Vampire Bill': House Expected to Vote Quickly on New Ed Formula, MAEP Rewrite

As snow swirled outside on Tuesday, Jan. 16, the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee passed House Bill 957, which aims to rewrite the State's education-funding formula, the Mississippi Adequate Education Program.

House Passes Road Bill, Discusses Ed Formula

EdBuild's contract with the Legislature is long over, but three staff members came back to the Mississippi Capitol last week to run numbers in their education-funding recommendations for representatives.

The Push to Expand Vouchers in 2018

EdChoice defines the vague phrase "school choice" as " allow(ing) public education funds to follow students to the schools or services that best fit their needs—whether that's to a public school, private school, charter school, home school or any other learning environment parents choose for their kids," its website shows.

Some Criticize Fast Track for Education Funding Revision

Some Democrats say the public needs more time to study a proposal to rewrite Mississippi's education funding formula.

Lawmakers Could Shift Existing Money into New School Formula

The $53 million needed to pay for the first year of a proposed new Mississippi public school funding formula could come from other money currently going to education.

Jackson Schools to Re-Open on Tuesday with Make-up Days Ahead

Frozen pipes mean more than low water pressure for local public schools: the district is closed until Tuesday, Jan. 16.

Governor Pushes Vouchers, Praises Trump in 'State of the State'

The governor made sure to mention President Donald Trump's visit to Jackson in his "State of the State" address on Tuesday, Jan. 9.

New Formula Seeks $107M More for State Aid to K-12 Schools

Leaders in the Mississippi House are seeking a new education funding formula that would require $107 million more than the state is spending this year to aid K-12 schools.

Tate Reeves: Huge Tax Cuts Will Stay, Expand School Vouchers

Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves will not budge on the state's massive tax cuts, and he wants more school vouchers enabling families to use public funds to send their children to private schools.

UPDATED: Frozen Pipes Cause Delays, Closures at Jackson Universities

Millsaps College posted to its website yesterday, Jan. 4, that it is delaying the start of on-campus activities for the spring semester, including all athletic practices, by one week due to several days of below-freezing temperatures in Jackson.

Honey, We Shrunk the General Fund: Medicaid, Education, Gang Debates Loom in 2018

The Joint Legislative Budget Committee, made up of lawmakers, adopted a budget that cuts the State's general fund by $66.1 million or 1.3 percent. The legislators' plan includes small increases for the Department of Public Safety to fund 60 state troopers who will graduate from in 2018.

EDITORIAL: Equity, Transparency in Ed Formula Re-Write

From kindergarten to colleges and universities, education expenses make up more than half of the state's proposed budget.

Businesses in Mississippi Need Educated Workforce

Mississippi's businesses are ready to expand but most cannot because they cannot find educated employees to help make it happen, a new survey of 1,800 business owners in the state shows.

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