Though the bills that would have brought up changing the formula that is used for funding public education died in the legislative session, changing that formula is still not off the table.
A special session is likely, and House Education Committee Chairman John Moore said it could very well be within the regular 90-day legislative period.
“We’re three days ahead already,” said Moore. “We could finish and the Governor call us back but it would still be within the 90-day session.”
Moore said that the recommendations that came from EdBuild to change the Mississippi Adequate Education Program formula were just suggestions, and that the media assumed all those changes would have been made.
“It would have been very ugly,” said Moore. “While some school districts would have benefitted, others would have suffered.”
Moore said that EdBuild is still on standby, and that work is still being done behind the scenes.
“The state level is working like a well-oiled machine,” said Moore. “With the Governor, the Speaker, the Lt. Governor, the House, the Senate, and the state Department of Education.”
While Moore said EdBuild is in the background and work towards changing the MAEP formula is still ongoing, one senator was unsure of the method or motive of the lawmakers.
“If they’re not covering something up,” said Senator Hob Bryan. “Why are they doing everything in secret?”
Senator Bryan was one of the initial authors of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program in 1997.
News Mississippi will continue to investigate potential action toward changing the MAEP formula.
