Governor's Budget Proposal Includes Public School, University Consolidation

Governor Haley Barbour is pushing for school consolidation in the budget for fiscal year 2011.

Governor Haley Barbour presented his executive budget recommendation yesterday for fiscal year 2011. And as MPB's Carl Gibson reports, the Governor has proposed drastic changes to state institutions.

Barbour has recommended merging Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State Universities with Jackson State University to save money on administrative costs. He is also proposing the consolidation of Mississippi University for Women into Mississippi State University.

"It's impossible to justify Mississippi's taxpayers paying for 8 separate, self-standing universities. And this is a way to deal with it. And I do repeat to you--I believe merging the universities is better than closing one or more of the campuses."

Barbour has also suggested consolidating Mississippi's 152 public school districts into 100 starting the following school year.

"The highest-performing school districts should be the most likely to survive. the lowest-performing school districts should be most likely to be put in with somebody that's doing better."

The Governor's education budget includes freezing pay raises for public school teachers. Representative Steve Holland of Plantersville says that's unfair to already underpaid educators in Mississippi.

"You're talking about eliminating teacher pay increments that they have worked hard for. You're talking about those kinds of recommendations, and I think the people are gonna rise up in saying, 'This is how much that are we can stand.'"

The final state budget must be approved by state legislators in the January session before any changes are made.