MAEP Formula Explained | Jackson Free Press | Jackson, MS

MAEP Formula Explained

Average Daily Attendance

• Calculated from ADA in months 2-3 for grades K-12.

• School districts with high growth (determined by positive growth in the preceding 3 years) have an increased calculation of their ADA.

• Due to new legislation, districts may not count students as "present" if they miss more than three hours in a day.

+Base Student Cost

• Determined by looking at expenditures of school districts deemed successful by the state board of education using assessment data, and efficient in instruction, administration, operation and maintenance, and ancillary support. 

• Calculated every four years.

• Partially adjusted for inflation in the years between calculations.

+At Risk Component

• School districts get a higher allocation if they have a high number of free-lunch participants: 5% of the base student cost multiplied by the number of free lunch participants on Oct. 31 of preceding year

-Local Contribution

• MAEP statute requires that local governments contribute revenue collected from 28 mills to school funding to satisfy their local contribution. 

• The maximum required local contribution is 27% of adequate education program costs.

+8% Guarantee

• An adjustment made to make sure that school districts receive at least what they received in 2002 plus 8%.

=MAEP Formula Allocation

MAEP Formula Allocation

+Add-on programs

• Includes transportation, vocational education, special education, gifted education, alternative school programs, extended school year programs, university-based programs and bus-driver training programs.

=Total MAEP District Funding

Source: Better Schools Better Jobs

Support our reporting -- Follow the MFP.