The Mississippi general fund budget is well over $5 billion. And each year, the Department of Education makes up close to 40 percent of that, easily the largest budget funded by the state.

The process started all over again when state superintendent, Dr. Hank Bounds, made his request for fiscal 2010.

Board of Education chairman Bill Jones and Bounds say they hope the state legislature will appropriate more funds to state education.

"Obviously, there's no guarantee in terms of what our funding level will look like, but I am certainly hopeful the leadership on both sides and the members will look at the data," said Bounds. "The numbers are compelling."

Right now, Mississippi spends less per student than Alabama, Louisiana and Arkansas. Plus, Bounds says the state is 2,113 teachers short.

"In the state that has the poorest population in the country, you have to start earlier," said Bounds. "And when you have a shortage of more than two thousand teachers you must bring some financial sources to bear."

The state department of education is asking for over $183 million more than last year. It wants to continue funding the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, put $38 million towards teacher supplies and building funds and increase teacher pay raises three percent.

The only problem lawmakers have is the budget won't hold everything.

"If we have a two percent growth, that's what? $100 million growth? We could have as much as a billion dollar request over last year," said Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant.

But Bryant and other legislators say more time should be spent on our schools, rather than more money.

"We want to make sure the schools are managed by parents and teachers," said Bryant. "Those are the two most important elements we see in our education of our children."

Lawmakers say they will put funding the Mississippi Adequate Education Program and teacher pay raises first, then see what else might fit in the budget.