Video: New State Education Budget Proposal

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)—Discussions at the state capital raises a few eyebrows for several Mississippi school districts.

In October republican lawmakers brought in a consulting firm to propose new ways of funding state school districts leaving many school district wondering how much will be cut.

Monday the consulting group EdBuild presented to state law makers it’s recommendations on how to fund schools in the state.

State Lawmakers look at EdBuild’s education budget proposal as a new way to fund public schools in the state. But for school districts like Lowndes County it could simply mean receiving less money.

“Our legislature is looking at coming up with another formula for M.A.E.P. funding,” said Lowndes County School District Superintendint Lynn Wright.

The consulting firm proposed that more of the cost for state education should be shifted to the local districts rather then the state.

Edbuild recommends that more funding would go to low-income students, special needs or students who don’t speak English fluently.

Though these are recommendations Lowndes county Superintendent Lynn Wright says they are already preparing for the final copy.

” Be prepared in case it actually effect our funds with a cut or a significant cut. We started preparing for this in December and we’ve alerted all our principals and supervisors to try and be as frugal as we can be. Because we’ve gotta be as effective and as efficient as we can be. And to utilize the funds to the best of our ability,”says Wright.

Currently the state guarantees at least 73 percent of school funding with the other 27 percent coming from the local tax payer’s pocket. Under the EdBuild formula the state share would drop and local districts would have to make up the difference.

“Look at our budget and see a request on whether or not that would require an increase in taxes and what we will continue to try to do is keep our budget where we can work within the revenues being projected coming in where there will not be any tax increase”

Wright says if the district is forced to contribute more local money..he believes the growth of industry to the area would help cushion the blow of potential cuts in state funds.

“Because of the leadership we have in our county there are continuously looking at attracting more industry and you know we can’t say enough of the efforts of Joe Max Higgins, our county supervisor and many of the founders of Lowndes county that are still around that had a vision to bring all this industry into Lowndes. We’re very blessed in our county the industry that we have been able to operate as effectively as what we have and have the resources to provide different things for our students that a lot of districts can’t”

Edbuild is recommending students be funded between $4,300 and $5,000 per pupil.