*First appeared in the Nov. 5, 2014, edition of the Laurel Chronicle newspaper
More than 1,800 business leaders, elected officials, and others in search of a serious networking opportunity attended the 18th Annual Hobnob Mississippi hosted by the Mississippi Economic Council last week.
It was a record crowd that drew folks from all across this fine state.
While the event is usually held in an outdoor location – specifically, under a big tent at the Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum – the political rally-styled event was moved indoors to the Mississippi Coliseum this year. (Organizers opted not to tempt Mother Nature who was threatening inclement weather.)
My hobnobbing started somewhat late this year, and I missed a few of the early speakers. That being said, I’ll give you a recap of the ones I saw, just in case you missed the annual event.
I arrived just in time to see Speaker of the House Philip Gunn deliver comments to the large crowd. Gunn’s comments focused largely on the efforts of the Republican-majority Legislature to improve the quality of education for Mississippi’s kids.
He cited the MEC-led Blueprint report that endorsed charter schools, saying Republicans have implemented charter schools since taking control of the House and Senate.
Charter schools are about making sure parents have a choice in where to send their children to school. “You’re not bound to your hometown for your doctor, your lawyer, your mechanic – but when it comes to schools, you haven’t had that flexibility,” said Gunn of the state’s education system.
He touted the state’s early childhood pilot program and said Republicans had increased teacher pay along with implementing the first-ever performance-based compensation component. Importantly, he noted the Legislature’s funding commitment to education, saying public schools had received significant increases even when other state priorities saw cuts in their operating budgets.
“Don’t let anyone mislead you into questioning” the Legislature’s commitment to public education, Gunn said, a not-so-subtle reference to the current efforts by Democrat-aligned groups to paint Republicans as anti-education.
Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber spoke next with boundless enthusiasm about the city’s future. The Mayor told the business crowd that Jackson plans to lead on several fronts. “Crime is down” and the capital city is “starting a national conversation on infrastructure improvement.” (That was good to hear, since my water color alternates between a watered-down Lipton tea and a more stout Earl Gray.)
Both Travis Childers and Sen. Thad Cochran spoke at the event, but I won’t recount their comments. By the time you read this column, that race will be over…I think.
Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves dug in hard at the left-wing policies of the President, saying Obamacare, with its continuous rollout of regulations and fees, was like “death by 1,000 cuts” on Mississippi businesses, causing them to reduce wages, invest less in their company, or sometimes both.
Reeves touted the Republicans’ educational achievements, saying Mississippi “is a leader, not a laggard” on teacher pay. By getting the state’s fiscal house in order, the GOP Legislature has been able to put more money into priority areas like education – to the tune of a quarter of a billion dollars more over the last three years.
To make sure our children are ready for the next wave of innovation and jobs, taxpayers expect results from the state’s educational entities. “That’s why reforms must drive our spending,” explained Reeves, who also said educational opportunity should not be dictated by a child’s zip code or the parent’s profession.
If you looked up “fiscal hawk” in the dictionary, you’d likely find a picture of Reeves; so, it’s not surprising he spent a large portion of his speech on financial issues. In the last year, two out of every three state employees have had a pay raise, causing Reeves to ask: Isn’t it time for taxpayers to get a pay raise (through tax cuts)?
He said it would be difficult to do, particularly given that state agencies have already asked for over a billion dollars in new spending for the coming fiscal year. But, he said, “I’m sticking with my conservative principles to get our state’s fiscal house in order, which means having the courage to say no.”
Gov. Phil Bryant spent the majority of his speech combatting any negative perceptions about Mississippi by highlighting positive rankings the state has amassed over the past few months.
Mississippi ranks among the best in the nation for economic development; our cost-of-living is significantly lower (meaning our dollar goes further here than in, say, Washington, D.C.); and we come in at number five in the nation in terms of women-owned businesses. The Magnolia State is even ranked the best county in which to practice medicine (thanks, tort reform!).
Miss Mississippi Jasmine Murray entertained the crowd right before lunch, and that’s when I skirted off to the next thing. Overall, it was a pretty enjoyable Hobnob – so enjoyable, in fact, that I’ll be sure to attend again next year.
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Empower Mississippi
*First appeared in the Oct. 29 edition of the Laurel Chronicle newspaper
My friend and Laurel-native Grant Callen has a new job: Founder and President of Empower Mississippi, a new grassroots advocacy organization based in the Metro Jackson area.
The group’s lofty name is matched by its lofty goal: “To create opportunity and make Mississippi the most free and prosperous state in the nation.” To do that, they’re empowering citizens with tools and information to engage in the public policy process, holding the Legislature accountable through initiatives like scorecards, and pushing for reforms that align with their mission.
Initially, the group will focus on education choice, meaning they’ll be fighting for legislation and other regulatory changes that empower parents, not bureaucrats, to make educational decisions for their children. The group’s very existence is a threat to the status quo, which, by the way, is already hollering.
About a week ago, I got a press release announcing Empower’s first-ever education choice scorecard based on votes taken during the 2012, 2013, and 2014 legislative sessions. Just a few days later, I saw an email from another education group imploring readers not to be fooled by “the great lie that is school choice.”
Coincidence? I doubt it. Like many Jones Countians before him, Grant has successfully ruffled some feathers. In the education realm, that’s the telltale sign of doing something right.
Empower’s Education Choice Scorecard grades Mississippi legislators on key education votes involving bills related to dyslexia scholarships, charter schools, speech language scholarships, and special needs education. Here’s how Free State legislators scored:
On the House side, Reps. Bo Eaton and Omeria Scott both received the lowest grade possible (F). Rep. Johnny Stringer received a D minus. Reps. Bobby Shows and Gary Staples both received a score of A plus.
On the Senate side, Sen. Chris McDaniel received a score of A plus, but Sen. Haskins Montgomery received an F.
A full list of scores and the methodology used to determine rankings can be accessed at their website, www.empowerms.org.
In addition to the scorecard, Empower Mississippi will track legislation, alert citizens to key votes, and help connect citizens with legislative leaders. While education choice is the group’s initial focus, Empower is also dedicated to advocating for economic freedom and a fiscally responsible state government.
With Callen at the helm, Empower is currently touring the state, bringing its message of education choice to parents, teachers, community leaders, and citizens statewide. Groups interested in hearing from Empower can make that request on the organization’s website. (And, if I had to guess, I bet Callen would make a special trip to his native city to share the Empower message.)
In the organization’s press release, Callen explained that empowering parents with education choice tears down “barriers and [helps] ensure that every child in the state has the opportunity to receive a quality education. Implementing policies that promote economic freedom…[removes] obstacles for people to earn a living in a field of their choice and [promotes] long-term economic growth for the state.”
Over the years, I have developed a healthy dose of cynicism about organizations and their true intentions. But having an opportunity to get to know and work alongside Grant Callen the past few years has shown me he’s a man whose sincerity I ought not question. Callen is a true believer – he’s got a passion for empowering citizens to take control of their destiny, and, in his mind, that starts with education choice.
I tend to agree.
Hats off to my fellow Laurel native who’s using his talents to help give parents a choice. Then again, it’s not about the parents, is it? To quote Callen: In Mississippi, “greater choice is needed. For the children trapped by a failing system, help can’t come soon enough.”
My friend and Laurel-native Grant Callen has a new job: Founder and President of Empower Mississippi, a new grassroots advocacy organization based in the Metro Jackson area.
The group’s lofty name is matched by its lofty goal: “To create opportunity and make Mississippi the most free and prosperous state in the nation.” To do that, they’re empowering citizens with tools and information to engage in the public policy process, holding the Legislature accountable through initiatives like scorecards, and pushing for reforms that align with their mission.
Initially, the group will focus on education choice, meaning they’ll be fighting for legislation and other regulatory changes that empower parents, not bureaucrats, to make educational decisions for their children. The group’s very existence is a threat to the status quo, which, by the way, is already hollering.
About a week ago, I got a press release announcing Empower’s first-ever education choice scorecard based on votes taken during the 2012, 2013, and 2014 legislative sessions. Just a few days later, I saw an email from another education group imploring readers not to be fooled by “the great lie that is school choice.”
Coincidence? I doubt it. Like many Jones Countians before him, Grant has successfully ruffled some feathers. In the education realm, that’s the telltale sign of doing something right.
Empower’s Education Choice Scorecard grades Mississippi legislators on key education votes involving bills related to dyslexia scholarships, charter schools, speech language scholarships, and special needs education. Here’s how Free State legislators scored:
On the House side, Reps. Bo Eaton and Omeria Scott both received the lowest grade possible (F). Rep. Johnny Stringer received a D minus. Reps. Bobby Shows and Gary Staples both received a score of A plus.
On the Senate side, Sen. Chris McDaniel received a score of A plus, but Sen. Haskins Montgomery received an F.
A full list of scores and the methodology used to determine rankings can be accessed at their website, www.empowerms.org.
In addition to the scorecard, Empower Mississippi will track legislation, alert citizens to key votes, and help connect citizens with legislative leaders. While education choice is the group’s initial focus, Empower is also dedicated to advocating for economic freedom and a fiscally responsible state government.
With Callen at the helm, Empower is currently touring the state, bringing its message of education choice to parents, teachers, community leaders, and citizens statewide. Groups interested in hearing from Empower can make that request on the organization’s website. (And, if I had to guess, I bet Callen would make a special trip to his native city to share the Empower message.)
In the organization’s press release, Callen explained that empowering parents with education choice tears down “barriers and [helps] ensure that every child in the state has the opportunity to receive a quality education. Implementing policies that promote economic freedom…[removes] obstacles for people to earn a living in a field of their choice and [promotes] long-term economic growth for the state.”
Over the years, I have developed a healthy dose of cynicism about organizations and their true intentions. But having an opportunity to get to know and work alongside Grant Callen the past few years has shown me he’s a man whose sincerity I ought not question. Callen is a true believer – he’s got a passion for empowering citizens to take control of their destiny, and, in his mind, that starts with education choice.
I tend to agree.
Hats off to my fellow Laurel native who’s using his talents to help give parents a choice. Then again, it’s not about the parents, is it? To quote Callen: In Mississippi, “greater choice is needed. For the children trapped by a failing system, help can’t come soon enough.”
Thursday, September 19, 2013
More money for education should require less money for administration
*First appeared in the September 19, 2013, edition of the Laurel Chronicle.
Legislative budget hearings are nearly complete. By the time you read this column, legislators will have already endured hours of hearings in which agencies ask for more of your tax dollars to pay for things like increased salaries and wireless radios.
Nonetheless, the biggest slice of the state's budgetary pie will go to education, specifically K-12. Within education, the largest line-item is the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, known by most as "MAEP." Around the State Capitol, MAEP has become something of a four-letter word (see what I did there?).
When the MAEP was adopted, it was heralded as a magic formula that would, based on district measures like student population and free or reduced lunches, spit out the amount of money needed to "adequately" fund schools. So then, what's the problem?
Some say the formula is bogus and should be revamped. Others note the Legislature rarely funds MAEP at its required amount. Some say we must ensure the accuracy of the data that's being used as part of the calculation, and yet another school of thought insists we keep the formula but recalculate it on a more regular basis.
On the MAEP spectrum, I think I fall into the category labeled "yes."
Yes, let's look at the formula and make changes if necessary. But let's not forget that study of education funding should run simultaneous to study of educational efficiencies. After all, the money we can save through efficiencies is money we can steer back to the classroom.
Recognizing the serious budget pressures faced by school districts, the Legislature has already taken steps to reduce administrative costs. Under the leadership of Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and Senate Education Chairman Gray Tollison, Clay County and West Point school districts were merged to achieve efficiency without reducing educational quality.
Clay County, a K-6 school that had its own school district and superintendent, spent $16,795.38 per student in 2011-2012 - the highest in the state. Its consolidation with West Point along with the other six administrative consolidations implemented by this Legislature will save taxpayers millions of dollars that can be re-directed to the classroom.
Mississippi ranks ninth per capita on administrative costs, which means we must do even more to reduce spending. An aggressive shared services strategy focused on areas like transportation, purchasing, and technology could result in dramatic savings.
A Deloitte study looked more comprehensively at the issue, finding that shifting a quarter of the nation's school district tax dollars spent on non-instructional operations to shared services would save up to $9 billion. That's significantly larger than Mississippi's general fund budget and the equivalent of 900 new schools or more than 150,000 new school teachers.
The report notes a Canadian example where two school boards shared bus transportation across district lines, saving $8 million in three years. New Jersey's Middlesex County municipalities have saved five percent on electricity for public buildings through aggregate natural gas purchases.
In Pennsylvania, two school districts entered into an agreement to share the services of a food service director. After the first year, the program netted a profit of $100,000 compared to the previous year which had a combined $20,000 loss. The combined volume had increased the districts' purchasing power, thus reducing food costs.
I took great interest in the report's note about the California Charter Schools Association, which created a Joint Powers Authority to save members money on mandatory costs, such as worker's compensation insurance. The typical charter school over $20,000 per year on this expenditure.
In addition, the CCSA created "CharterBuy" - a program that taps into charter schools' collective buying power to provide them with the best deals on supplies and equipment. The CharterBuy program has saved as much as 50 percent on expected costs in these areas.
Shared services isn't a new concept and has been embraced across the country by both the private and public sectors. With a top ten listing in administrative costs, Mississippi can't afford to focus on increasing education spending without an equally serious focus on reducing money spent outside the classroom.
Legislative budget hearings are nearly complete. By the time you read this column, legislators will have already endured hours of hearings in which agencies ask for more of your tax dollars to pay for things like increased salaries and wireless radios.
Nonetheless, the biggest slice of the state's budgetary pie will go to education, specifically K-12. Within education, the largest line-item is the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, known by most as "MAEP." Around the State Capitol, MAEP has become something of a four-letter word (see what I did there?).
When the MAEP was adopted, it was heralded as a magic formula that would, based on district measures like student population and free or reduced lunches, spit out the amount of money needed to "adequately" fund schools. So then, what's the problem?
Some say the formula is bogus and should be revamped. Others note the Legislature rarely funds MAEP at its required amount. Some say we must ensure the accuracy of the data that's being used as part of the calculation, and yet another school of thought insists we keep the formula but recalculate it on a more regular basis.
On the MAEP spectrum, I think I fall into the category labeled "yes."
Yes, let's look at the formula and make changes if necessary. But let's not forget that study of education funding should run simultaneous to study of educational efficiencies. After all, the money we can save through efficiencies is money we can steer back to the classroom.
Recognizing the serious budget pressures faced by school districts, the Legislature has already taken steps to reduce administrative costs. Under the leadership of Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and Senate Education Chairman Gray Tollison, Clay County and West Point school districts were merged to achieve efficiency without reducing educational quality.
Clay County, a K-6 school that had its own school district and superintendent, spent $16,795.38 per student in 2011-2012 - the highest in the state. Its consolidation with West Point along with the other six administrative consolidations implemented by this Legislature will save taxpayers millions of dollars that can be re-directed to the classroom.
Mississippi ranks ninth per capita on administrative costs, which means we must do even more to reduce spending. An aggressive shared services strategy focused on areas like transportation, purchasing, and technology could result in dramatic savings.
A Deloitte study looked more comprehensively at the issue, finding that shifting a quarter of the nation's school district tax dollars spent on non-instructional operations to shared services would save up to $9 billion. That's significantly larger than Mississippi's general fund budget and the equivalent of 900 new schools or more than 150,000 new school teachers.
The report notes a Canadian example where two school boards shared bus transportation across district lines, saving $8 million in three years. New Jersey's Middlesex County municipalities have saved five percent on electricity for public buildings through aggregate natural gas purchases.
In Pennsylvania, two school districts entered into an agreement to share the services of a food service director. After the first year, the program netted a profit of $100,000 compared to the previous year which had a combined $20,000 loss. The combined volume had increased the districts' purchasing power, thus reducing food costs.
I took great interest in the report's note about the California Charter Schools Association, which created a Joint Powers Authority to save members money on mandatory costs, such as worker's compensation insurance. The typical charter school over $20,000 per year on this expenditure.
In addition, the CCSA created "CharterBuy" - a program that taps into charter schools' collective buying power to provide them with the best deals on supplies and equipment. The CharterBuy program has saved as much as 50 percent on expected costs in these areas.
Shared services isn't a new concept and has been embraced across the country by both the private and public sectors. With a top ten listing in administrative costs, Mississippi can't afford to focus on increasing education spending without an equally serious focus on reducing money spent outside the classroom.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)