In a Dec. 29 Facebook post, House Speaker Philip Gunn wrote: “Find someone who can explain MAEP. It is confusing and difficult to comprehend. Understanding how we fund education should not be confusing. If we don’t fund our schools in a transparent, efficient and consistent manner, we will continue our trend of staying in 50th place. Who’s not #FedUpWith50th?!?”
Why it stinks: While the state’s education formula should be transparent and efficient, calling MAEP confusing while simultaneously not admitting that the Legislature cannot fully fund it due to shrinking revenue and budget cuts is disingenuous. The state’s education funding formula will go through dramatic changes this legislative session if leaders like Gunn get their way, and if that process is kept transparent, more Mississippians might be able to see how and why education formulas sometimes need to be more “confusing” in order to be equitable.
