Jackson Free Press

[Verbatim from Nancy Loome] There has been a good deal of political posturing surrounding the Mississippi Department of Education's announcement of the updated MAEP figures. Rest assured that the negative comments you hear are, indeed, political posturing. The final projected MAEP costs were approved this morning (Friday, December 15, 2006) by the State Board of Education. Those figures came in at approximately $33-million below the Department of Education's initial estimate (about a 1% difference in the education budget).

A number of politicians were quoted in the morning news denouncing the MAEP formula and accusing House Legislative Budget Committee members of using "wrong numbers" and negotiating in bad faith during budget talks earlier in the week. Let me set the record straight...

The initial MAEP figures submitted by the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) were, and always are, an estimate. Everyone involved in the budget process was fully aware of this fact before budget negotiations began. The cost always changes a bit when the final numbers are run. This is why...

Although the data required to run the MAEP formula isn't available until mid-December , the Department of Education is required to submit an estimated budget request to the Legislative Budget Committee in August. Clearly, the initial numbers are just an estimate and are almost certain to change.

To further complicate matters, the initial MAEP estimate for this year was skewed due to $200-million in federal funds received by schools affected by Hurricane Katrina. The formula prohibits federal funds from being used to determine MAEP costs. When final adjustments were made to account for this unique occurrence, the result was a $33-million difference in the amount needed to fully fund the MAEP. Again, that is only a 1% difference in the education budget.

This is good news. We can provide an adequate education for our children with fewer dollars than we initially thought necessary.

The bottom line is this: the formula works, and it does a good job of predicting what it will cost to provide our children an adequate education. The fact that the Department of Education lowers its budget request when the numbers come in below the initial estimate should put to rest any allegations of "throwing money at education." The goal is to provide Mississippi children an adequate education using the most efficient means possible.

It is disappointing that some politicians are misrepresenting this expected adjustment in MAEP cost as a failure of the formula. Please let them know that you don't buy it. Ask your legislators to vote in favor of fully funding the MAEP. You can find contact information for your legislators, their voting records and other helpful information on our website at http://www.msparentscampaign.org.

Many thanks for all you are doing to ensure an adequate education for all Mississippi children!

Nancy

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Nancy Loome
Executive Director
The Parents' Campaign
800 N. President Street Suite B
Jackson, MS 39202-2560
Ph: (601) 961-4551 Fax: (601) 961-4552
Wesite: msparentscampaign.org