Rep. Kent McCarty

Mississippi has a lot to be proud of when it comes to education. The Mississippi Miracle, an all-time high graduation rate that’s better than the national average, a top five state for high-quality pre-K – just to name a few.   There are a lot of reasons why Mississippi students are performing at historic levels. This includes loving parents, dedicated teachers, continuously upholding standards, conservative legislative reforms, and hardworking Mississippi students. It also includes an unwavering commitment to focusing on what’s best for kids — regardless of what the bureaucracy prefers to focus on.   To continue to see improved results and to maximize our children’s potential, we must continue being strategic and targeted in our investments in education. We must fund students, not systems. And we must keep tax dollars where they are most impactful — in the classroom. That means focusing on students and teachers — not administrators and the status quo.   I’m glad to see that the Mississippi House passed the INSPIRE Act. The House obviously recognizes and has made a strong statement that, if we want to continue our already impressive progress, the next step is to have a funding model that funds each individual kid — focusing on that individual kid. Not on the district office, not on the school or even on the administrators….but on the kids! The INSPIRE funding model will help fulfill the actual needs of Mississippi students. It will help students by directing additional funding based on their unique situation. For example, this includes students who are low-income, enrolled in career and technical education, gifted, or taking part in special education.   Thanks to those House members who are working tirelessly to find innovative solutions to develop a new funding model that focuses on what’s best for kids. I hope the Senate will follow suit and tell the coalition of the status quo they won’t win every time. Let’s fund students — not systems —Mississippi!!