Funding Education Takes Two Steps On Nov. 3

Funding Education Takes Two Steps On Nov. 3

Dear Friends,

Coming up on the November 3rd ballot is an important vote on something called Initiative 42.  You are most likely a product of our public schools and proud of your education.  Maybe your children or your grandchildren attend our public schools. That is what 42 is all about – funding our public schools and keeping them strong.

MAEP is the funding mechanism on the law books for our public schools. Lawmakers passed it in 1997. It’s called the Mississippi Adequate Edu-cation Program. Adequate means, average. They passed an average program for funding. Not outstanding or priority, just average.

Since 1997 our schools have only been funded by MAEP twice, both election years. Both years of full funding showed growth in student achievement and test scores.  Since 2009, Water Valley has been underfunded $4.7 million dollars. That’s money for buses, school improvements, additional teachers, assistant teachers, supplies, computers . . . that funding keeps a strong basic education foundation for our children.  Coffeeville has been underfunded $2.2 million. Oxford $11.9 million and Lafayette $9 million. Our School Administration does the best they can to educate our children on a very small budget.

Our Legislators, our Friends of Education, Representative Tommy Reynolds, Representative Kevin Horan and Senator Russell Jolly, all voted to fully fund our schools. But sadly they were out voted.

Due to this continued underfunding over 120,000 Mississippi voters signed petitions to develop Initiative 42, put it on the ballot in November and let the citizens decide. Initiative 42 establishes a child’s constitutional right to public education and requires the state to provide the funding for it.

On Election Day, the ballot requires TWO steps for your vote to count. One vote to agree to alter the Mississippi Constitution and one vote for Initiative 42. 

Initiative 42 simply says that if the legislature chooses not to fund the schools adequately, then the courts will step in to make them follow the funding law.  If they follow the MAEP Law in the first place, and fund the schools, no other action is needed.

On Election Day, it will require two votes to pass 42. One vote to change the Mississippi Constitution and one vote for 42.

For more information on Initiative 42, and to see a sample ballot, visit the website or FB www.42forbetterschools.

Sincerely,

Teri Rounsaville, 

Water Valley