The Mississippi Association of Educators held a press conference at their headquarters on Tuesday, Aug. 15, to announce the launch of Raise Mississippi. Officials presented their vision for bolstering public schools to ensure that graduates are equipped for the workforce. The effort encourages legislators to not only fully fund education but to be intentional about how the funding is appropriated.
“We are going to continue to advocate for them fully funding what we know about MAEP,” MAE president Erica Jones told the media at the press conference. “It has been fully funded only twice in the last couple of years, and that is something we’re going to continue to advocate around.”
Raise Mississippi promotes what it refers to as “smart funding” to ensure competitive salaries that attract and retain fully qualified educators, school nurses, librarians, counselors and school support staff. The initiative also promotes funding technological upgrades and learning materials as well as safe and clean buildings for all communities in Mississippi. MAE officials hope that by transforming how schools are funded, the state can improve not only education but increase economic growth.
“Smart funding decisions now and in January will help create over 25,000 new jobs in less than a decade,” Jones said. “Those are good-paying jobs that our children will be able to benefit from. It will help our children in the state and because they are going to have the opportunity to not only thrive in the classrooms today but in the workforce for tomorrow.”
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Mississippi Association of Educators President Erica Jones says that focusing funding on classrooms not only strengthens the education system but has the increased benefit of bolstering the state’s economy. Photo courtesy MAE
Local attorney Graham Carner lended his support to the effort as a parent. He said that supporting public schools is important because they affect the largest population of students in the state. The MAE website notes that approximately 90% of the children in the state are educated in public schools.
“All parents want to see their children become happy, healthy and productive adults, and Mississippi Public Schools do that,” Carner
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