WDAM - Channel 7 - Serving Hattiesburg, Laurel and the Pine BeltEducation official calls Barbour's school cuts "disaster"
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HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) - Mississippi's education budget is expected to take a big hit when the 2010 legislative session convenes this week.
Governor Haley Barbour is also recommending a consolidation of schools districts across the state, but that recommendation isn't supported by some of the state's education leaders.
"We are really on the precipice of a disaster," said Chair of Mississippi Board of Education and former state legislator William Jones. "Advances in education, academic advances, programs, building construction - all of this is really in danger."
Barbour has proposed more cuts to the state's education budget. In addition, he wants to consolidate Mississippi's 152 school districts from into 100 and combine the eight universities into five.
In addition, Barbour has proposed cutting funding for gifted, special and vo-tech education programs by 68 percent.
"The governor has an abysmal record of funding at a minimal level the Mississippi Adequate Education Program," said Jones. "Of his six or seven years in office now, he has only fully funded it two or three years. How can you say schools are failing or they should be consolidated when you haven't even supported fully funding public education?"
Jones said the only way a consolidation of a failing and a successful school district could happen would be when the successful district accepts.
"That's a real conundrum because there are not many successful school districts that are going to accept a failing district at this time," said Jones.
The governor hasn't given any specifics on how Mississippi schools are inefficient and how consolidating schools would save the state money.
"We don't over pay our school teachers. We don't spend too much on buildings. We probably efficiently transport more students per mile than any state in the nation," said Jones. "Most of our districts actually make money on the school food lunch programs because it is a federally sponsored program. So, the governor spoke without really knowing what he was talking about."
Another option discussed has been turning under-performing districts into charter schools, something Jones doesn't oppose, but doesn't fully support.
"There are charter schools that work quite well, but as a general rule charter schools have not out performed public schools in America across the board at all."
The three-month session is scheduled to run until April 3. Members of the House and Senate will hammer out a $6 billion spending plan for the fiscal year beginning on July 1.
Barbour has said he anticipates cutting $160 million out of the state budget in 2010.
Under the current plan, 3,650 vacant government positions will not be filled, and all state agencies will have their budgets cut by 10 percent.
Tuition increases are expected at universities, and courses are expected to be dropped.
As the state funds decrease, officials expect to see local taxes increase.
State workers are worried Barbour will lift state Personnel Board rules for two years as he has threatened, placing their jobs in jeopardy.
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