JACKSON – Options for modernizing education funding will be presented Monday to a joint meeting of the House and Senate Education and Appropriations committees.
Consultants EdBuild, a nonprofit from New Jersey, will outline their suggestions for directing more tax dollars into the classroom of public schools at 2 p.m. Monday in Room 216 of the State Capitol.
Legislators will consider those suggestions as they look to revamp the school funding formula.
The report was initially due by the end of 2016.
Had the report not come in, Governor Bryant said a special session may have been called.
“We do not need to rush this,” said Governor Bryant. “The worst that could happen is to push EdBuild to having a report on our desk on the first day, not having all the information.”
While recommendations have been kept mostly under wraps, State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carey Wright told News Mississippi that one option was being considered.
“I know that they’ve been looking at the Weighted Student Formula idea,” State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carey Wright said. “So I’m anxious to see what they’re recommendations are going to be.”
The Weighted Student Formula (WSF) bases funding off of the number of students enrolled and the unique characteristics of those student. With WSF, a specific dollar amount is allocated to educate each student enrolled. Additional money is given to educate students with identified characteristics that impact their learning and achievement such as those who are considered gifted or talented, the economically challenged, or those who are not proficient in English.
You can read more about WSF here.
News Mississippi will continue to follow EdBuild and any changes that may be recommended for the MAEP formula.
