Fully funding for kindergarten through 12th-grade education isthe goal of a grassroots coalition being formed to lobby statelawmakers prior to the 2005 legislative session.

“These are critical times for public education,” former Gov.William Winter told representatives from 10 southwest Mississippischool districts Thursday during an organizational meeting atBrookhaven High School.

The Coalition for Children and Public Education is a group ofschool administrators, educators, school board members, parents andothers interested in education funding. Former Brookhaven schoolsSuperintendent Dr. Sam Bounds, now executive director of theMississippi Association of School Superintendents, is coordinatingthe campaign to collect more than 200,000 signatures urginglawmakers to fully fund education.

“The urgency is now. We have to speak up,” Bounds said.

Bounds said the idea for the coalition originated during the2005 legislative session, when the Mississippi Adequate EducationProgram (MAEP) was underfunded by more than $79 million. Severalspeakers Thursday said MAEP was a commitment that lawmakers shouldkeep.

“We’re not asking for a Rolls Royce. We’re asking for a goodChevrolet,” said Bounds, adding that MAEP is designed to equalizeeducational opportunities for students, regardless of where theylive.

Bounds cited Brookhaven’s elimination of 30 positions, some ofwhich were due to retirements and other factors, following fundingcuts during this year’s session. He predicted more direconsequences is education is hit again during the upcomingsession.

‘There’s a lot of districts in the state that will have to closetheir doors if more drastic cuts come next year,” Bounds said.

The coalition’s goal is to form steering committees in 150school districts across the state to contact their local lawmakersregarding education funding.

Thursday’s meeting in Brookhaven was the fourth of several beingheld around the state. Bounds said 14 school districts wererepresented in Batesville, 24 in Tupelo and six at a Jacksonmeeting.

Nancy Loome, a parent from Clinton, encouraged educationsupporters to avoid partisan or personal attacks on lawmakers whentalking to them about funding.

“Among parents, this is not a partisan issue,” Loome said.

Despite lobbying efforts to see that funding reductions were notworse this year, Winter said education supporters face an evengreater task next year. He said lawmakers will be facingsignificant shortfalls.

“They’re going to be faced with some very tough choices,” Wintersaid. “Our goal is to see that those choices are the rightchoices.”

Winter is co-chairman of the coalition along with Jack Reed, ofTupelo. Winter said Mississippi is making strides in education andcannot afford to start slipping back.

“But we’re going to start slipping back unless there’s aconcentrated, planned effort on the part of the people of thisstate to insure that adequate education be fully funded,” Wintersaid.