Initiative 42 Explains Phase-in For School Funding

The 42 For Better Schools Campaign today released its second video which explains how full state funding for K-12 schools can be phased in without state agency budget cuts or new taxes.

“This video presents Initiative 42 in an easy-to-understand format so that voters will know how we can reach full funding that’s so important to our children and our state’s economic future,” said Sissy Lynn of Ridgeland, Mississippi’s 2015 Parent of the Year and a volunteer with the 42 For Better Schools Campaign. “The video answers questions and addresses possible confusion as voters educate themselves about the ballot measure.”

Using the voices of two school-age children, the 1:23-minute video features information about the citizen-led initiative slated for the Nov. 3 ballot and how the Legislature can achieve the funding it promised in 1997 but has done only twice.

The video also explains why full legislative support is needed to provide resources to educate the nearly 500,000 children who attend some 150 school districts.

Since 2008, the Legislature has short-changed these schools nearly $1.7 billion, which has put financial pressure on cities and counties to bridge the gaps.

Initiative 42 will appear on the ballot because nearly 200,000 Mississippians signed petitions in 2014 to vote on school funding.

The phase-in language was on each petition.