news
Sen. Hob Bryan, D-Amory
“All of us understand public education will be underfunded... but we don’t have to underfund public education to the extent being discussed,” said Bryan, who spoke Monday at the Mississippi State University Stennis Institute of Government/capitol press corps luncheon.
Bryan said strong majorities – including Democrats and some Republicans – in both chambers have voted in favor of more funding for public education than advocated by Republican Gov. Haley Barbour and the Senate leadership.
He said a major challenge when the Legislature returns on April 20 to try to enact a budget for the upcoming fiscal year will be to maintain the additional $30 million for public education that passed the Senate earlier this session over the objections of that chamber’s leadership.
“Even then, it will leave public schools underfunded – well over $100 million,” said Bryan, who chairs the Senate Public Health Committee. But he said the additional money will make “a major difference for school districts trying to limp through this next school year.”
Barbour, citing a dramatic downturn in tax collections, has cut nearly $500 million from state agencies, including $312 million from kindergarten through higher education. Bryan said the 9.5 percent cut was an over-reaction from Barbour because the state has cash reserves totaling about $750 million.
Bryan, like House Public Health Chair Steve Holland, D-Plantersille, also was critical of Barbour for cutting $14 million from the reimbursement rates to health care providers who treat Medicaid patients to cover a deficit.
“We are beating up on the very people we rely on to provide good, reliable care to Medicaid recipients," Bryan said. Barbour’s Division of Medicaid has announced plans to cut the reimbursement rates to health care providers, such as doctors and dentists, for the final three months of the fiscal year to deal with the shortfall.
The House has proposed to make up for the deficit out of reserve funds, but Senate Appropriations Chair Alan Nunnelee, R-Tupelo, said he does not intend to take up the legislation.
Barbour and Nunnelee have been reluctant to take as much money from reserve funds to deal with the current budget crisis as has been advocated by Bryan and other legislators. Barbour said the reserve money is needed to deal with future budget woes.
A cut of $14 million will mean a loss of about $75 million in matching federal funds.
Contact Bobby Harrison at (601) 353-3119 or bobby.harrison@djournal.com.
I wish politics could be eradicated throughout this entire country, but as long as greed and power are the goal of people, I agree that will never happen. I fear it's only going to get worse. I just wish my now 14 month old could grow up in a school system (or world for that matter) that I grew up in. Granted it wasn't perfect, but it was definitely better than it is now.
And while I wish it were possible, it's not possible to take the politics out of the public school system.
Unfortunately that's not possible in any system that received public funding.
Teachers are only as good as the kids (AND PARENTS) they have to work with. If a teacher has done everything in her/his power to try and teach a child and that child still refuses to listen, then the effort is futile. There are times when the child is very willing but the PARENT(s) (most of the time it's just ONE parent) is what's holding up true progress.
For instance, I've heard the story of a child frantically trying to finish their homework before the 3:00 bell rings. The teacher told the child they don't have to finish it today, that they can do the rest at home. To which the child replied, "My mom won't help me with it when I get home because she says she has to watch tv."
This is why I do not agree with paying teachers on performance. Also, when you start paying teachers on performance, it increases the likelihood of major curving of grades and student performance, which doesn't solve anything. What happens if a truly great teacher starts to be paid by performance and the majority of the class just doesn't care if they excel or not. That teacher gets punished through no fault of their own.
I know not *all* parents are like the one mentioned previously, but it's a significant number that are. They just *do not care*! Mostly because 95% are supported by the govt anyway. One thing plays off of another plays off of another.
I agree that *just* throwing more money at education will not improve it. It takes more funding AND a complete OVERHAUL of the way things are done. Take out the friggin POLITICS and you'll see a *HUGE* leap forward. Funny how politics corrupts and ruins everything it touches.
Unfortunately I think the trouble is less about the teachers and more about "the overhead" (logistics, administration, etc.). If more of the dollars spent would actually make it into the classroom, our schools would be a LOT better, I think.
You're also right about the "drug war". The more that is spent on the fake, un-winnable "war on drugs" the more available drugs seem to become.
If we would legalize drugs, we'd make them harder for kids to get AND we could tax the hell out of them and have plenty of money to fund our schools!!
Politicians think that every problem is solvable given enough money to throw on it. I guess thats why illegal drugs are so rampant with the billions that have put into that. This isn't about money--its about common sense and diligence in spending....
“'We are beating up on the very people we rely on the provide good, reliable care' to Medicaid recipients, Bryan said."
Two grammatical errors in a single story on public education!
Doesn't anyone proof read the articles before they're posted?
Way to set the example, Journal Inc.!!
"The senator said consensus has formed that more money is need for public education."