NATCHEZ &8212; The difference between full education funding and the governor&8217;s plan for Natchez is $806,247.

And that&8217;s $806,247 the Natchez-Adams School District needs, Superintendent Anthony Morris told the school board Thursday.

&8220;If you&8217;ve been watching the news, there is some back and forth on that,&8221; Morris said. &8220;Personally, I support full funding of MAEP and not the governor&8217;s recommendation.&8221;

The Mississippi Adequate Education Program is a formula the state education department developed several years ago that gives public schools the money they need to perform on state standards.

The governor&8217;s plan includes $18,320,464 for Natchez, while full funding would mean $19,126,711.

The $806,247 makes a difference, Morris said after the meeting.

&8220;I&8217;m basing it on what we&8217;ve had to live with in the past,&8221; he said. &8220;Our school board does everything that it can in the budget preparation to not cause a tax increase, but costs are continuing to increase.&8221;

Mississippi education officials announced Thursday that they actually need $33.8 million less from the state than they originally asked for the fully funded MAEP &8212; a more than $2 billion program.

The new calculations figure in federal dollars the state will receive because of Hurricane Katrina.