Mississippi’s education system lags behind almost every other state. Our system is poor and weak, students remain uneducated, and many teachers are poorly trained. President Bush has urged parents to hold schools accountable for children’s lack of education. In his No Child Left Behind Act, he proposed employers allow personal time for parents to attend parent-teacher conferences. Bush also suggested schools send progress reports to inform parents of school actions to improve facilities and learning environments.
Gov. Musgrove said he plans to make education a priority and set aside $1.53 billion-almost 42 percent of the total state budget-for education. More than 100,000 college students receive financial aid from federal, state, local and private sources.
To support his No Child Left Behind Act, Bush apportioned the federal budget to provide an additional $1.6 billion for elementary and secondary school districts with disadvantaged students and $3 billion to go toward teacher training. Bush tripled funding for a literacy program. The president claims that he will demand results from this money, but will the money be enough?
While Mississippi receives federal money for education, the state education budget drops. In 2000-2001, the education budget dropped $82 million; this year proposed budget cuts near $86 million.
Elementary and secondary school teachers expect to receive $72.5 million as part of a five-year plan to increase salaries. But, teachers still pay for classroom supplies out of their own pockets. Classroom budgets provide barely enough money to buy paper.
The next pay raise for higher education teachers will only be 2 percent. This is pathetic.
Before leaving Mississippi State, Malcolm Portera said that MSU’s budget could survive cuts up to 5 percent without affecting operating budgets. Last year Mississippi’s Institutions of Higher Learning budget dropped 3.35 percent. In many departments, teachers are not allowed to make copies for class distribution because departments cannot afford the paper; some teachers have even begun to charge for copies. Add that 10 cents per page to our 15 percent tuition increase.
With budget cuts and minute raises, teachers are leaving Mississippi for work elsewhere. MSU lost 85 educators last year-usually the university only loses about 40.
So what’s wrong with this picture? MSU is the best university in the state. The president and the governor both claim that the money is coming. Meanwhile, classroom budgets are cut left and right while other projects-campus beautification and construction-continue without a hitch. Could construction and landscaping funds be shared to provide paper and basic classroom supplies? Something needs to change.