A State of the State that doesn’t add up

Regardless of how many times you say something, it does not make that statement true – even if you say it to the entire legislature, media and citizens of the state.

In his 2016 State of the State address, Governor Phil Bryant said the following:
“We now face a new year where I am able to inform the people and the duly elected members of the House and Senate – the state of the state in Mississippi is sound.”

Of course, he had to immediately brush off the fact that revenue projections were not met this year causing mid-year budget cuts along with a raiding of the rainy day fund. And revenue projections for next year are already down. Add to this the jobless rate INCREASING from 6% to 6.4% in the month of December (and still remaining much higher than the national rate of 5%). Even the Republican legislature’s best friend ALEC said our economy is terrible (though not the worst) ranking us 41st out of 50 on whatever arbitrary scale they produced.

ALEC is not the only group to give us a poor ranking on our economy, and Education Week is not the only group to name us 49th in the country for our abysmal education system. And while we might be “sound” because we have more money than is necessary in our rainy day fund for the future lack of revenue, nothing has improved in the lives or everyday Mississippians in the last four years – not benefits, not access to healthcare, not education, not job opportunities. It would be unfair to say pay hasn’t increased – from 2010 to 2014 the median household income did increase $273, allowing us to maintain our spot at 50th in the nation.

What To Expect: A New Year, Same Tired Republican Excuses

This is Part 2 of a series this week highlighting what to expect from the Mississippi Legislature this session.

If the very calculated and well-funded defeat of Initiative 42 did not clearly spell out that the Republicans are not for the funding of a public education system, there is not much else we could say on this blog to prove this fact to you. 

The problem is, our education system needs an infusion of money. We can go round and round about where the money should come from, how it should be spent on kids and not administration, and on and on and on. But the fact remains, quality people and facilities cost money. Money that our schools do not have, as repeated over and over again during the Initiative 42 battle. Money that is needed – money to pay for teachers, money to pay for walls and roofs, money to pay for textbooks and working computers.

With all those big businesses and lobbyists and associations backing the anti-Initiative 42 on behalf of Gov. Bryant, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, and Speaker Gunn, all three are now beholden to them and their wish list of tax breaks and incentives for companies and businesses. 

Republicans have announced that they plan to fund K-12 at current levels. Which means, underfund K-12 for another year. Instead of coming up with a plan to generate revenue, or not cut more corporate taxes, Republicans are developing a plan to move the goal posts and change the MAEP formula so the same or less amount of money will magically fully-fund education. 

When looking at what’s going on around the country in terms of charter schools, it’s hard not to get cynical about the next four years for public education. Republicans have basically been setting up unrealistic goals for public schools or defunding schools to the point where they cannot meet basic standards (or a combination) in order to convert schools to “charter schools.” But don’t think of these schools as the ones fought over a few years back – these are for-profit institutions using state money to run schools. ALEC and their friends in Indiana have already developed model legislation that will surely make its way to Mississippi.

(Some of) The Republican Caucus Fights Back

The battle for the heart and soul of the House Republican Caucus continues this week with a fundraiser for House District 58 candidate Bruce Bartley of Madison County. Bartley is in a heated primary with fellow Republican Joel Bomgaars (the actual spelling of his family name.)

The fundraiser for Bartley is being promoted by Ridgeland's Republican mayor, Gene McGee, and is co-sponsored by a number of current House Republicans including DeSoto County Reps. Forrest Hamilton and Wanda Jennings. In his letter to supporters, Mayor McGee sounds the alarm on the importance of this particular House seat. McGee notes that there are extremist factions within the Republican Party that seek to foster disunity among Republican voters.

You may recall Bomgaars's name from a recent post written about his involvement in funding campaigns against Republican House members who have historically supported public education like Reps. Hamilton and Jennings. Bomgaar has already spent a hefty sum supporting House Speaker Philip Gunn's agenda to dismantle Mississippi's public education system. Bomgaar and his allies have already spent tens of thousands of dollars supporting Republicans who have voted against public education such as Reps. Joey Hood of Ackerman and Randy Boyd of Mantachie.

Joel Bomgaars and House Speaker Philip Gunn (R-Clinton)

In fact, Speaker Philip Gunn is such a big fan of anti-public education candidate Joel Bomgaar that the Speaker tried to reward Bomgaar's efforts by appointing him to the state Board of Education. The state senate rejected Bomgaar's nomination, likely on the basis that since Bomgaar does not support public education that it would be a disservice to have him serve on this board which provides leadership and oversight of our public education system.

This brings us to the contrast that Mayor McGee noted in his letter. He is correct that there are divisions in the Republican Party, and the fact of the matter is that one candidate for House District 58 appears ready to stand up to the crazy. The other candidate is adding fuel to the extremist fire, and his name is Joel Bomgaar.

The 12 grades that prove why Mississippi's school system is a wreck

Last night, Gov. Phil Bryant made a big deal about Mississippi being ranked 9th in the nation in preschool enrollment, a stat he pulled from Education Week magazine's state report cards.

Of course, there's a lot that he didn't tell you about Education Week's evaluation of the Mississippi education system, and what he didn't tell you explains why our public schools are in such bad shape.

So let's take a look at some of Mississippi's grades from Education Week that Gov. Phil Bryant didn't share with you last night.

First, let's look at how we are doing funding-wise:

• Spending: F (48.4) !!!!!!!!
• Building & supporting capacity: F (56.7)
• School Finance: D (66.1)

Now, you know where Education Week says we are doing a great job? Accountability!

• Standards, Assessments, & Accountability: A (92.8)
• Standards: A (100.0)
• School accountability: A (100.0)

So when you have plenty of accountability, but no funding, what does that get you?

• Chance for Success: D+ (68.9)
• The Teaching Profession: D (66.5)
• Adult outcomes: D+ (68.2)
• College readiness: D- (60.0)
• K-12 Achievement: F (56.6)

How much longer are we going to have to wait until we elect leaders who understand the very simple concept that schools require adequate funding in order to teach our children?

Remember, we choose these leaders, Mississippi.

The big thing Gov. Phil Bryant hid from you in last night's State of the State

Last night, Gov. Phil Bryant made a big deal about an Education Week ranking that had Mississippi ranked 9th in the nation in preschool enrollment.

That's a good thing. But what else does Education Week say about Mississippi's public education system under Gov. Phil Bryant?

In its most recent review of state education systems across the nation, Education Week gave Mississippi an overall C- grade. Well, that's just barely below average, right?

No.

The only states to score lower than Mississippi were Idaho, Nevada, and South Dakota, and they only did so barely. That means that according to Education Week, we have the 4th worst education system in America. (You have to register to view that article, but it's free.)

To borrow a phrase: And now you know the rest of the story.....

Joel Bomgar nomination goes down in flames. ***CORRECTED***

***CORRECTION*** - In the daze that has been the last week, I had it in my head that Joel Bomgar was Phil Bryant's choice for the Ed Board.  I was mistaken.  Bomgar's nomination belonged to Speaker Philip Gunn.

Bomgar was Gov. Phil Bryant's Speaker Philip Gunn's choice to join the State Board of Education.  Of course, in keeping with Bryant's out of touch, right-wing extremist nature, (I just flat goofed that) Bomgar was a product of home schooling himself and is pursuing that option for his children also.

You know it's bad when the vastly Republican Mississippi Senate thinks you're too far to the right.

For what it's worth, I hear that Bomgar is shopping for houses in the Gluckstadt area, and plans to make a run for the state House in 2015.

A thought on the education proposals in Gov. Bryant's State of the State

It is interesting that Gov. Bryant is asking for legislation raising the requirements for education majors, yet his party supports charter schools that wholly reject the idea of teacher certification.

Just putting that out there.

Mississippi's former State Superintendent of Education makes strong case against charter schools

I can't add much to this.  Read it, share it, write and call your representatives.

Dr. Richard Boyd on the failure of charter schools

Mississippi Democratic Trust Education Policy Forum today at 1 p.m.

From a press release from the Mississippi Democratic Trust:

Thursday, January 17 Policy Forum

The Mississippi Democratic Trust along with House and Senate Democrats and the Legislative Black Caucus will host an education policy forum at the Capitol in Room 201(Ways and Means Committee Room) this Thursday at 1:00 p.m.

The moderator for the forum will be Representative Alyce G. Clarke (D-Jackson).

Panelists will include:

• Kenneth L. Campbell, President, Black Alliance for Educational Options
• Eden Heilman, Senior Staff Attorney, Southern Poverty Law Center
• Pam Shaw, Founder and President, P3 Strategies, LLC
• Laurie J. Smith, Ph. D., Education Policy Advisor for Governor Phil Bryant
• Mary Troupe, Director, Just Advocacy of Mississippi

Harvard Study: Jackson among most corrupt state capitals

A study by Harvard's Kennedy School of Government lays out what many of us living in the Magnolia State know well: Jackson is home to one of the most corrupt state governments in the country. The study (see below) focuses on the relationship between state government corruption and the relative isolation of the state capital from the majority of the state's population. At first, naming Jackson as a leader in corruption would seem to undermine the theory of the study, which is that corruption grows the further the state capital is from major population centers. After all, Jackson is the largest city in Mississippi by far, and sits at the center of the state's largest metropolitan area.

Reading a bit more of the study, you'll see that in actuality, the study is a condemnation of our state's media over the period from 1979-2002. (That's the era from which data was collected for the study.) I have no reason to believe it's improved since then, especially considering that Mississippi's only statewide newspaper, the Clarion-Ledger, appears to be dwindling away before our very eyes. Thanks, Gannett!

Facts like these are what animate many citizens, from Tea Party members to good-government Democrats. With the demise of the stalwarts of old media, hopefully new media can do a better job over the next generation informing the populous of what goes on underneath the dome at the corner of Mississippi and Congress in Downtown Jackson.

Of course, they'll have to actually care about what's going on, which is a whole other matter altogether. (The authors of the study appear to think that state capital isolation is what breeds lower education spending, while I can't help but wonder if the two are related at all, and if they are, whether or not that's a chicken and egg problem.)

Here's a link to an L.A. Times article on the study which gives a synopsis, and here's the actual Harvard study itself:

Harvard Study on State Government Corruption

CHARTER SCHOOLS BILL DIES IN HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Here are the votes:


No

Bain
Burnett
Calhoun
Clark
Dickson
J Evans
Gardner
Hamilton
Holloway
Jennings
Massengill
Nelson
Straughter
Thomas
Weathersby
Whittington

Aye

Arnold
Barker
Boyd
Chism
Crawford
Currie
DeBar
Espy
Frierson
Guice
Martinson
Mayo
McGee
Moore
Warren

I found out what Education Chairman John Moore (R - Brandon) said so on state-funded SuperTalk radio yesterday morning. WOW.

Yesterday morning, I asked what I'd missed by not catching Rep. John Moore's interview on the Gallo Show.  Sure, Rep. Moore (R - Brandon) spent time asking listeners to the Gallo Show to work to unseat people who vote against Moore's beloved charter schools bill.  There's nothing odd or wrong about that.  It's what he said at the end of the interview with Paul Gallo that should curl your hair.

Interesting read at the Washington Post about the House Education Committee meetings over the Mississippi charter schools bill

Mike Sayer of Southern Echo provides an in-depth account of the scene at the House Education Committee over the last two days.  The charter schools bill is stuck in the committee, and the vote keeps getting pushed back as supporters of the bill struggle to flip "no" votes.  The battle will resume next week, and Sayer's article builds the back story very well.  It's a fascinating read, and you can find it here.

***Developing throughout the afternoon - Votes still not there on charter schools

This was the scene moments ago when the House Education Committee began its meeting today to take up the charter schools bill, SB 2401.  Rep. John Moore (R - Brandon), the chairman of the committee, decided that the vote would be put off until another meeting of the committee later this afternoon.  That is a big signal that there still are not enough votes to pass the charter schools bill out of the committee, and that Rep. Steve Massengill (R - Hickory Flat) is standing his ground.

***BREAKING*** - Intrigue builds as House Education Committee may not pass Senate charter school bill

Representatives were called into Republican Speaker Philip Gunn's office today prior to the House Education Committee meeting, at which the Senate charter schools bill was to be presented.  The intention of the meeting was to press Education Committee members into voting for the bill.  The effort may not have worked, however, as Chairman John Moore (R - Brandon) announced during the committee meeting that there had been a late development. The bill was laid on the table subject to call, and the committee adjourned until tomorrow morning.  There's much more, though.

HB 1536 would establish school choice through tax breaks

At a time when the Republican budget relies heavily on cutting education funding, House Education Chairman Rep. John Moore (R - Brandon) has a plan to sneak school choice into Mississippi law via an income tax deduction.  The author of HB 1536 seeks to allow a $5,000 a year deduction (per child) for private school tuition.  Now that won't cover even half of the tuition at the more expensive private schools around Jackson.  But it will cover tuition at rural schools like Manchester Academy in Yazoo City or Washington School in Greenville.  And it will cover nearly all of the tuition at St. Stanislaus in Bay St. Louis or Sacred Heart in Hattiesburg.

So what is the net result?  Middle income and wealthy parents will get tax credits for sending their children to private schools, while poor parents won't be in a position to spend the $5,000 in tuition up front and get a rebate.  Average daily attendance at public schools would wane, leaving them with less money to educate poor children.

Democrats release budget plan, give map for level funding for education, healthcare, and libraries

From a Mississippi Democratic Legislative Caucus press release:

Jackson, MS – House and Senate Democrats held a press conference at 11:30 a.m. today to announce their budget plan for the 2013 fiscal year.  Democrats proposed level funding for the following key budget areas: 1) education, 2) healthcare, and 3) local libraries.  The Republican budget plan, introduced by Governor Phil Bryant on January 31, 2012, proposes significant cuts to each of these areas.  “Our budget plan would provide level funding for education, community mental health and local libraries without raising taxes and without exhausting our savings,” said House Democratic Caucus Leader Rep. Bobby Moak (D-Bogue Chitto).  

Education

The Republican budget would cut education by more than $100 million including:

o   nearly $73 million in cuts to elementary education,

o   over $12 million in cuts to community colleges, and

o   over $18 million in cuts to four year colleges.

“With our improving economy, we have enough money to maintain level funding,” said Sen. Hob Bryan (D-Amory).  “There is not a single Republican who won election by campaigning on spending less on education but that is exactly what their budget proposes.”

Healthcare

The Republican budget would cut healthcare by nearly $30 million including:

o   nearly $12 million in cuts to the University Medical Center,

o   nearly $14 million in cuts to the Department of Mental Health,

o   nearly $3 million in cuts to Public Health, and

o   over $1 million in cuts to Rehabilitation Services.

“The Republican healthcare plan is nothing short of reckless.  These deep cuts place the public at risk by jeopardizing our community mental health centers and cutting healthcare centers that have already been hobbled by previous budget shortfalls,” said Rep. Cecil Brown (D-Jackson).

Local Libraries

 The Republican budget would cut our local libraries by 15% or nearly $2 million. These cuts would place numerous important programs at risk, including:

o   children’s reading programs which serve more than 400,000 Mississippi children,

o   computer programs that serve more individuals performing job searches or completing employment applications, and

o   some WIN Job Centers.

“Local libraries perform several crucial functions for our communities including introducing children to reading and helping connect people to jobs.  These cuts would place many of our libraries at risk of closing their doors,” said Rep. Earle Banks (D-Jackson). 

Democrats sound drum beat for better education funding

Sen. Hob Bryan (D-Amory)

Since January, the Mississippi Democratic Caucus has led a chorus of Democratic legislators in targeting the Republican budget.  There's plenty not to like about the Republican plan but the education piece stands out.  In both Barbour's retirement budget and Governor Bryant's inaugural budget, education is slashed considerably over last year's appropriations.  In the coming days, it will be interesting to see how Republican Representatives and Senators who campaigned on education explain a plan that cuts elementary education by $73 million, community colleges by over $12 million, and Mississippi's four year colleges by over $18 million. 

In a St. Patrick's Day press release, the Democratic Trust released statements from two of Mississippi's foremost budget experts.  Sen. Hob Bryan (D-Amory) said:

"With the improving economy and improving tax collections, we have enough money to at least maintain last year's level of education funding.  It's hard to believe that Governor Bryant would propose even deeper cuts to education when they simply aren't necessary.  I don't remember the Republicans promising to cut education during the campaign."

Rep. Cecil Brown (D-Jackson), a longtime budget negotiator in the House and former Chairman of the House Education Committee said:

"At a time when we should be preparing Mississippi students for success in an increasingly competitive job market, Republicans are proposing that we cut education by more than $100 million.  This proposal is out of touch with out current needs."   

In a conversation this weekend, Brandon Jones, Executive Director of the Mississippi Democratic Trust, said, "There's no such thing as a competent jobs plan that does not include investing in education.  Republicans in the legislature would do well to stop playing to their party's fringe and mind the store."   

***UPDATE*** - Mississippi House Education Chairman not a college graduate

***The Meet Your Chairmen series has been interrupted for this important note on yesterday's subject, Rep. John Moore.***

Former House Education Chairman Cecil Brown (D-Jackson), served on the Education Committee for two terms before becoming its chairman. Rep. Brown is a certified public accountant who is generally considered an expert on budgetary issues such as education, with a resume that includes being the Executive Director of the Department of Finance & Administration and a Governor’s Chief of Staff. Brown received a bachelor’s degree from Ole Miss in mathematics and English, and a master’s degree with special distinction at the University of Texas.  After last Friday, Rep. Brown is no longer a member the Education Committee, let alone its chairman.  Republicans rejoiced at this.

Rep. John Moore (R-Brandon), by contrast, never served on the Education Committee before becoming its chair. As outlined yesterday, that doesn't mean he didn't have his own inventive solutions for how to move Mississippi off of the bottom educationally. From reducing the number of days spent in the classroom to preventing teachers from teaching about the Civil Rights Movement, Rep. Moore has been a font of ideas.

One thing Rep. Moore has not been, however, is overly dedicated to his own education. According to the National Student Clearinghouse, Mississippi House Education Chairman John Moore doesn't have a college degree:

Surely, the Paul Gallo interview is just days away now, in which Moore will explain his lack of a college diploma by citing some personal hardship or tragedy that befell him in the mid 1970s.  And that's all fine and good.  One does not need a college diploma to make it in life. A personal commitment to one's own education should be a requirement to head the House Education Committee, however.

So the takeaway is this: new Speaker Philip Gunn just appointed a man with no college degree to head our Education Committee.  This is in stark contrast with the previous chairman, who earned a college degree with a double major and a masters degree with honors.  I'm sure the national media will have a field day with this one.

Arkansans, on behalf of Speaker Gunn, you're welcome.

***BONUS*** - In an unrelated matter, I couldn't help but note that Rep. Moore also offered a bill that would prohibit municipalities from collecting taxes from tobacco sales if they restricted tobacco use inside the city limits.  Yes, you read that right.  If Rep. Moore had his way, towns that prohibit smoking in restaurants would be denied the ability to collect sales tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Rep. Flaggs, you're 1/3rd of the way to a dinner on me, sir

Rep. George Flaggs (D - Vicksburg) and I made a friendly bet last night about how the remainder of the session will play out. He made 3 predictions about how some of the most important unresolved issues will play out. In order to win, he has to be right on all three. Well, he nailed one of the predictions already, as a budget compromise was reached late yesterday evening. The new budget will cut $15M in education funding, but Gov. Barbour has promised to fill that hole with money he gets from the stimulus package. We got level funding on education, and I don't care how we got there. I do wish that we could find the money to fund education as we did a few years ago, though. I know that would be a blessing to systems like Clinton Public Schools that laid off teachers last year.

Anyway, I'm going to keep the details of the other predictions secret until they're met. I'll post here each time Rep. Flaggs gets closer to winning.