Gov. Haley Barbour’s tough-love talk to teachers Tuesday was most likely not what they wanted to hear.

Barbour, speaking to members of the Mississippi Association of Educators, said he wants to boost funding for schools but can’t promise that in a tight budget year.

We want full funding for education, but we can’t argue with the governor’s logic. The fact is, giving schools what they say they need this year may force the state to rob Peter to pay Paul &045; and then we only get ourselves in deeper trouble further down the line.

Barbour and the Legislature have until early May to agree on the entire $3.6 billion state budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Barbour says the state can’t fund education at the level requested by the state board; the House has adopted a plan to fully fund schools. The Senate has yet to pass a plan, but we’re anxious to see what senators come up with.

Mississippi needs to make education a top priority, but that requires a shift in thinking that hasn’t totally happened despite several past governors and lawmakers who put it on the forefront.

Like many states, Mississippi usually backs into its commitment to education funding, making promises it can’t live up to year after year by funding schools with one-time money.

But money isn’t the only way to improve public education. Making a clear commitment involves partnering with groups like the MAE on accountability and curriculum standards but also admitting that simply increasing funding isn’t the only solution &045; we need fair funding for all school districts, competitive teacher pay and elimination of waste in administrative costs. The combination of fiscal conservatism like Barbour’s and the passion for public education in the House could make for a successful compromise.

But first we need the commitment from both sides.