Video: What’s Next for Initiative 42?

[syndicaster id=’6062118′]

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) — Almost a week after Initiative 42 failed, state leaders and teachers laying out what’s next for education in Mississippi.

“We would like to go above and beyond for our students, but reality is, we don’t even have the necessary materials,” says Leigh Anne Newton, gifted coordinator for Lee County Schools.

She says not fully funding schools, prevents teachers and students from making the impact they want.

“Students that come from more of a poverty background, it’s our job to make up the difference, and without full funding, we just can’t do that,” says Newton.

And proponents of the initiative say even though it did not pass ,it’s clear voters want education fully funded.

“Something like 48% of them wanted it bad enough to vote for the constitution amendment,” says District 7 senator Hob Bryan.

He says the money is there …

“Over a 3 year period, we can fund the formula, we can increase funding for universities, we can increase funding for community colleges, and we can have some money to put in our highway system,” says Senator Bryan.

But he says too much is spent on tax credits for businesses.

“If we stopped all that nonsense, and would tend to the core functions of state government, which is what most people want us to do.”

Senator Bryan says progress can still be made, if Democrats and Republicans focus on who they were elected to help.

“The individual legislatures were elected by their constituents, and their various districts and their constituents support public education.”

Both Senator Bryan and Newton say they hope both parties can come together to do what’s best for the state’s education system.