Jackson Free Press

This legislative session, Mississippi lawmakers went backwards on equity for school funding. They not only underfunded MAEP, but they took millions from that program and gave it to "successful" schools.

It is interesting to see that of the approximately $16 million that will go to "A" and "B" schools, about half of that money goes to schools in only five counties: DeSoto, Harrison, Jackson, Rankin and Madison. These are areas that are mostly white and middle class, where there is a solid tax base, and the parents are well-educated. Of the 37 districts that got nothing out of this funding stream, most are poor and largely African American. This shift away from the concept of equity funding is appalling.

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