Education advocates in Mississippi say the state spends a larger share of its education budget on administration than other Southern states and that teachers in the state are the lowest paid in the country, according to the advocates.
Advocates told reporters they want the state to reduce administrative spending and redirect money into classrooms. They said research shows classroom spending has a greater impact on student outcomes than money spent on bureaucracy, the advocates said.
Those pushing for change said cuts to administrative costs would allow the state to raise teacher pay and invest directly in instruction. “Mississippi needs to cut the bureaucracy, raise teacher pay and put money inside the classroom where it can make the most difference,” the advocacy group said.
Officials with the Mississippi Department of Education did not provide a comment for this report by publication time, the advocates said.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
