Mississippi lawmakers seek comment on school funding formula

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Top lawmakers are seeking public comments on Mississippi’s system of school funding.

Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and House Speaker Philip Gunn on Monday asked people to email comments to schoolfinance@ls.ms.gov.

Lawmakers have hired a consulting firm - EdBuild - to recommend possible changes to the Mississippi Adequate Education Program. The funding formula determines how $2.2 billion is divided among Mississippi’s public schools.

The current formula is designed to give each district enough money to meet midlevel academic standards. Enacted by a Democratic-controlled Legislature in 1997, it has been fully funded only twice. This year lawmakers allotted $170 million less than the law called for.

EdBuild says it’s likely to recommend changes tying funding more to the needs of individual students.

Reeves and Gunn say they will have public meetings later.