Students at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science may have sensed a cloud looming over the school in the previous six years in the form of a funding crisis.

“I don’t really know a lot about the funding of MSMS. I know that it’s a public school that gets money, but that’s it,” said Haven Howell.

For those unaware of the unique financial situation, MSMS receives money in a way that the average public school in Mississippi does not: through a direct allocation of funds set aside by the Mississippi Legislature. This money goes through the Mississippi Department of Education and is given directly to MSMS.

In the year 2009, MSMS received a budget cut that approximately halved the annual funding for the school. Currently, MSMS is allocated $4,950,000 a year, and this amount of money has not grown since 2009. Due to this budget, MSMS has been forced to pull from other resources to keep incoming classes at a relatively constant size.

“Our Foundation is backed by private investors” stated Dr. Germain McConnell, executive director for MSMS. In the recent years, the Foundation has helped given many students an opportunity for excellence that they would not have had otherwise. For example, in the class of 2017 three students were allowed to come to MSMS due solely to finances that the foundation had brought together.     

Although there have been no talks about Mississippi Legislature increasing state funding for the school it is hopeful that private donations will help cover the gaps that state funding alone cannot cover.    

“I think that something like showing the state legislation what we have to offer to the future of Mississippi would help us get funding” said Howell.

MSMS serves as an economic investment for the rest of the state. Money that is put into the school returns to the state in the form of MSMS graduates bringing in business into the state. There are many ways that students of MSMS can help convince the Mississippi legislature that MSMS deserves a long overdue boost in funding.

“They [Mississipi Legislators] need to hear from you, their constituents, saying how much this school has really meant to them” stated Dr. McConnell. MSMS students have a tremendous power to influence the future of their school. It only takes a little bit of effort and time, and with enough outcry a change can be made that could affect the future of MSMS for the better.      

“I am optimistic about the use of private funding” stated Dr. McConnell. Although the facts about funding may seem grim, the future looks bright for The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science.