Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-175 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 23-175
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-175
Status: in_force

For purposes of Sections 37-23-171 through 37-23-181 , the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context shall prescribe otherwise:

(a) “Gifted children” shall mean children who are found to have an exceptionally high degree of intellect, and/or academic, creative or artistic ability.

(b) “Gifted education” shall mean programs for instruction of intellectually gifted children within Grades 2 through 12 and programs for instruction of academically gifted children within Grades 9 through 12 and programs for instruction of creative or artistically gifted children within Grades 2 through 12 of the public elementary and secondary schools of this state. Such programs shall be designed to meet the individual needs of gifted children and shall be in addition to and different from the regular program of instruction provided by the district.

(c) “Department” shall mean the State Department of Education.

(d) “Board” shall mean the State Board of Education.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 45-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-1
Status: in_force

The legislature hereby recognizes that in order to exercise the constitutional power, set forth in Section 201 of Article 8, that the legislature may, in its discretion, “provide for the maintenance and establishment of free public schools for all children between the ages of six and twenty-one years, by taxation or otherwise,” equality of educational opportunity with respect to instructional personnel, school buildings and facilities, transportation facilities, curriculum and all other school facilities should be provided for all such children, that the burden of providing such equality of educational opportunity can no longer be borne entirely by the local taxing units, and, therefore, that a program of state aid therefor should be instituted. The legislature, therefore, declares and determines that the maintenance of the uniform system of free public schools to insure and provide substantial equality of educational opportunity is the joint responsibility of the State of Mississippi and the local taxing units thereof.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-105 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 33-105
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-105
Status: in_force

All proceeds from community rehabilitation program contracts or other funds paid for services, fees or items sold shall be deposited in a special fund in an established local county or central state depository and shall be subject to audit by the State Auditor. All expenditures from the special fund shall be made on the signatures of the community rehabilitation program staff as designated by the Director of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. The earnings of all client-trainee persons and all production personnel shall be paid from that fund. Instructor-supervisors and support personnel may be paid in whole or in part from that fund. The director, on behalf of the State Department of Rehabilitation Services, is authorized to apply for and accept gifts, grants or other personal or real property to be used for the purposes of Section 37-33-101 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-33 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 27-33
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-33
Status: in_force

If an agricultural high school has established or hereafter establishes facilities for the industrial training of students and it appears to the board of trustees that the training of students will be facilitated by the continuous operation of such facilities, the trustees are authorized to lease to individual firms or corporations such facilities or a part thereof upon such terms and conditions as the trustees may approve, provided that all students desirous of securing training of the kind offered by the lessee shall be given a reasonable opportunity therefor.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-43 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 47-43
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-43
Status: in_force

All bonds issued under the authority of this chapter shall be lithographed or engraved and printed in two (2) or more colors to prevent counterfeiting. Such bonds shall be issued in denominations as shall be specified by the State Bond Commission. No bond shall bear more than one (1) rate of interest; each bond shall bear interest from its date to its stated maturity date at the interest rate specified in the bid; all bonds of the same maturity shall bear the same rate of interest from date to maturity; all interest accruing on such bonds so issued shall be payable semiannually or annually, except that the first interest coupon attached to any such bond may be for any period not exceeding one (1) year.

No interest payment shall be evidenced by more than one (1) coupon and neither cancelled nor supplemental coupons shall be permitted. The interest rate of any one (1) interest coupon shall not exceed eight percent (8%) except that the interest rate of any one (1) coupon issued after March 31, 1981, shall not exceed seven percent (7%).
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-123 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 33-123
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-123
Status: in_force

For the purposes of Sections 37-33-121 through 37-33-131 , a community rehabilitation program means a program that provides directly or facilitates the provision of services to individuals with disabilities to enable them to maximize their opportunities for employment. These specialized programs provide paid, time-limited work experiences to clients with disabilities through the manufacture of goods or provision of services sold to industry or other parties as the primary means in rendering realistic work based evaluation and training services designed to enable clients with disabilities to attain the necessary work skills, habits, behaviors, and experience required to successfully obtain and maintain competitive employment. Additional services provided by the community rehabilitation program to enhance and facilitate the employability of clients with disabilities include, but are not limited to, vocational evaluation/career exploration and planning, counseling and guidance, job readiness and job seeking skills training, on the job evaluation and other therapeutic or work training services that support or contribute to the ultimate employment of clients with disabilities.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 175-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-3
Status: in_force

The Mississippi Speech-Language Therapy Scholarship for Students with Speech-Language Impairments Program, which may also be cited as the Nate Rogers Scholarship for Students with Disabilities Program, is established to provide a scholarship to a nonpublic school of choice, for students with an eligibility ruling of a speech-language impairment. Students in kindergarten through Grade 6 or its equivalent who have been properly evaluated and received an eligibility ruling of speech-language impairment shall be eligible to receive scholarship assistance under this program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-123-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 123-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-123-3
Status: in_force

The principal object of the Delta State College shall be to qualify teachers for the public schools of this state, by imparting instruction in the art and practice of teaching in all branches of study which pertain to a common school education, and such other studies as the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning may from time to time prescribe.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-69-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 69-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-69-7
Status: in_force

(1) The Board of Trustees of the Vicksburg-Warren School District and the Claiborne County Board of Education are authorized to make application to the Mississippi Development Authority for the approval of entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with a nuclear facility and Warren County and the State of Mississippi for the establishment of a partnership for the operation of an Energy High School Academy. The purpose of the Energy High School Academy shall be to provide qualified students attending school in Warren and/or Claiborne County in the eighth through twelfth grade with career education, potential student internships and continuing education for careers in the energy industry.

(2)(a) The Energy High School Academy shall be under the administrative direction of the Energy High School Academy Partnership Council (Partnership Council) consisting of one (1) member from each of the following entities:

(i) The Chief Executive Officer of an enterprise engaged in the generation of nuclear energy located in Claiborne County, or his designee, who shall serve for four (4) years;

(ii) The superintendent of the Vicksburg-Warren School District, who shall serve for four (4) years;

(iii) The superintendent of the Claiborne County School District, who shall serve for four (4) years;

(iv) A designee of the Mississippi Development Authority, appointed by the executive director of MDA, and who may be the executive director, who shall serve three (3) years;

(v) A member of the Board of Trustees of the Vicksburg-Warren School District, appointed by the Vicksburg Mayor and Board of Alderman, who shall serve two (2) years;

(vi) A member of the Claiborne County Board of Education, appointed by the Claiborne County Board of Supervisors, who shall serve two (2) years;

(vii) A member of the Claiborne County Chamber of Commerce, appointed by the chairman of the board of directors, who may appoint himself or herself, and who shall serve one (1) year; and

(viii) A member of the Vicksburg Chamber of Commerce, appointed by the chairman of the board of directors, who may appoint himself or herself, and who shall serve one (1) year.

(b) Members of the Partnership Council shall serve staggered terms, as prescribed in paragraph (a) of this subsection, commencing with the initial appointments made in 2019, and shall thereafter, upon the expiration of the initial term, the succeeding appointees shall serve a term of four (4) years. Members of the council may be reappointed to the council by the original appointing authority without limitation on the number of terms served. In the event of a vacancy on the council, the original appointing authority shall appoint a replacement to complete the unexpired term of the member creating the vacancy.

(c) The Partnership Council shall meet on or before August 1, 2019, and organize for business, elect officers and adopt necessary regulations for the operation of the Energy High School Academy. Meetings shall be held upon the call of the chairman.

(3) The Energy High School Academy Partnership Council shall promulgate administrative rules and regulations to prescribe the criteria to be used in the establishment of the Energy High School Academy, which shall include student qualifications, application requirements and curriculum components.

(4)(a) There is established in the State Treasury a fund to be known as the “Energy High School Academy Fund.” The purpose of the fund is to provide necessary financial support to Vicksburg-Warren/Claiborne County School Districts and the Mississippi Development Authority for start-up costs and costs associated with implementing and operating the Energy Academy established under this section. The fund may consist of monies obtained from grants from any public or private source. The Mississippi Development Authority shall administer the fund pursuant to appropriation by the Legislature, and may apply for any grants from the federal government or private sources.

(b) The Mississippi Development Authority shall prepare a three-year budget proposal for the operation of the Energy Academy which shall include staff and liaison salary estimates, equipment and facility costs and job demand estimates. This budget shall be submitted to the Governor, the Legislative Budget Office and the Partnership Council and updated annually.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-403 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 29-403
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-403
Status: in_force

All of the property belonging to the board of trustees of Perkinston Junior College and all of the property belonging to either or all of the counties prior to and as of May 10, 1962, cooperating in the Perkinston Junior College or the agricultural high school-junior college located at Perkinston, Mississippi and utilized or held for the present or future use and benefit of said junior college and/or agricultural high school-junior college shall be and the same is hereby transferred to and vested in the Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College District.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-55 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 47-55
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-55
Status: in_force

The state treasurer shall keep a record in his office of the issuance of all bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter, and he shall execute a certificate to that effect on the back of each bond, which certificate may be signed by either the original or the facsimile signature of the state treasurer. The state treasurer shall also keep proper records relating to the sale and issuance of bonds under the provisions of this chapter, and the amounts received therefor and paid into the state treasury for the purposes provided in this chapter. He shall also keep a full and complete record of all registered bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-47 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 145-47
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-47
Status: in_force

The bonds issued pursuant to Sections 37-145-43 through 37-145-73 shall be authorized by a resolution of the company, shall bear such date or dates, and shall mature at such time or times as such resolution may provide, except that no bond shall mature more than thirty (30) years from the date of issue. Bonds which are not subject to taxation shall bear interest at such rate or rates not exceeding that authorized by Section 75-17-103 , including variations of such rates, be in such denominations, be in such form, carry such registration privileges, be executed in such manner, be payable in such medium of payment, at such place or places, and be subject to such terms of redemption, including redemption prior to maturity, as such resolution may provide. Except as expressly provided otherwise in Sections 37-145-43 through 37-145-73 , the provisions of other laws of the state relating to the issuance of revenue bonds shall not apply to bonds issued by the company. As to bonds issued hereunder and designated as taxable bonds by the company, any immunity to taxation by the United States government of interest on such bonds or notes is hereby waived. Bonds of the company may be sold by the company at public or private sale, from time to time, and at such price or prices as the company shall determine.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-97 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 151-97
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-97
Status: in_force

The State Department of Education shall develop an annual reporting process to inform the Legislature, local district personnel and the general public as to the ongoing and future plans for the state's educational programs. The annual reporting process will include those vital statistics that are commonly reported by schools and districts and that can provide clear demographic, strategic and educational information to constituencies such as, but not limited to, the following information:

(a) Student enrollment and attendance reported in the aggregate and specifically for each student population that is subject to weighting under Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 , and drop-out and graduation data;

(b) Overall student and district achievement;

(c) Budget, administrative costs and other pertinent fiscal information, including:

(i) The receipts and disbursements of all school funds handled by the board;

(ii) Reports of expenditures for public schools, which, upon request must be made available on an individual district basis by the State Department of Education;

1. Total Student Expenditures:

a. Instruction (1000s);

b. Other Student Instructional Expenditures (2100s, 2200s);

2. General Administration (2300s and 2500s);

3. School Administration (2400s);

4. Other Expenditures (2600s, 2700s, 2800s, 3100s, 3200s); and

5. Nonoperational Expenditures (4000s, 5000s, 6000s);

(iii) The number of school districts, school teachers employed, school administrators employed, pupils taught and the attendance record of pupils therein;

(iv) County and district levies for each school district and agricultural high school;

(v) The condition of vocational education, a list of schools to which federal and state aid has been given, and a detailed statement of the expenditures of federal funds and the state funds that may be provided, and the ranking of subjects taught as compared with the state's needs.

(d) Other as directed by the State Board of Education.

Further, the reporting process will include an annual report developed specifically to relate the mission and goals of the State Board of Education, state superintendent and departments. This document will become the method through which the strategic planning and management process of the department is articulated to the public. It will explain and inform the public of the major initiatives of the department and clearly identify rationale for program development and/or elimination. The report will establish benchmarks, future plans and discuss the effectiveness of educational programs.

In addition to the information specified herein, the State Board of Education shall have full and plenary authority and power to require the furnishing of such further, additional and supplementary information as it may deem necessary for the purpose of determining the cost of the total funding formula in such school district for the succeeding fiscal year, the amount of the total funding formula funds to be allotted to each school district for the succeeding fiscal year, and for any other purpose authorized by law or deemed necessary by said State Board of Education.

It shall be the duty of the State Department of Education to prescribe the forms for the reports provided for in this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-138-9 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 138-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-138-9
Status: in_force

The commission shall administer and enforce this chapter and shall have the following powers and duties under this chapter:

(a) To adopt, modify, repeal and promulgate, after due notice and hearing, and where not otherwise prohibited by federal or state law, to make exceptions to and grant exemptions and variances from, and to enforce rules and regulations implementing or effectuating the powers and duties of the commission under this chapter, including but not limited to rules and regulations concerning the required accreditation training, the issuance and annual renewal of certificates, the assessment of annual fees and the assessment of penalties, reprimands, and the suspension and revocation of certificates, abatement emergencies and the exclusion of minor abatement and/or routine maintenance activities at commercial buildings, industrial facilities, public buildings and school buildings from any requirements of this chapter;

(b) To issue certificates for the positions of management planner, project designer, air monitor, contractor, supervisor, inspector and worker and to renew said certificates annually;

(c) To assess penalties, to issue reprimands and to suspend and revoke certificates;

(d) To assess annual fees for the issuance and annual renewal of certificates;

(e) To approve the accreditation of training courses administered to applicants for issuance and annual renewal of certificates and to develop an examination and grading system for testing applicants, to be administered by the designated university;

(f) Administration and expenditure of funds deposited in and expended by legislative appropriation from the Asbestos Abatement Accreditation and Certification Fund;

(g) Reciprocal arrangements for accreditation and certification of management planners, project designers, air monitors, contractors, supervisors, inspectors and workers with other states that have established accreditation and certification programs that meet or exceed the accreditation and certification requirements of this chapter;

(h) To apply for, receive and expend any federal or state funds or contributions, gifts, devises, bequests or funds from any other source relating to this chapter;

(i) To commission or conduct studies relating to this chapter;

(j) To enter into, and to authorize the executive director to execute with the approval of the commission, contracts, grants and cooperative agreements with any federal or state agency or subdivision thereof, or any public or private institution located inside or outside the State of Mississippi, or any person, corporation or association in connection with carrying out the provisions of this chapter; but this authority under this chapter shall not include contracts, grants or cooperative agreements which do not develop data or information usable by the commission in connection with this chapter, or which provide goods, services or facilities to the commission or any of its bureaus, and shall exclude any monies for special interest groups for purposes of lobbying or otherwise promoting their special interests; and

(k) To discharge such other duties, responsibilities and powers as are necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-110-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 110-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-110-7
Status: in_force

It shall be the duty and responsibility of universities participating in the intern program to nominate qualified graduate students to said program and to keep the program coordinator fully apprised of the academic development of the intern student, including any change in the student's educational status.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-15 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 27-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-15
Status: in_force

The trustees of agricultural high schools shall have control of the property, elect and fix salaries of all teachers of the school, and shall have full power to do all things necessary to the successful operation of said school. When a common school is taught in connection with an agricultural high school, the election of teachers for the common school department shall be made by the common school trustees in the same manner as is required of other common school trustees.

The trustees may, where in their judgment it would be beneficial to the school, pay the traveling expenses, hotel bills, and other necessary expenses of the executive head of the school in promoting the school's general welfare, provided that such traveling expenses, hotel bills, and other necessary expenses shall not exceed Nine Hundred Dollars ($900.00) annually.

Each member of the board of trustees, the county superintendent excepted, shall receive his actual expenses while on duty, provided that said expenses do not exceed Twelve Dollars and Fifty Cents ($12.50) per day, to be paid out of the county agricultural high school fund on receipt of an itemized statement issued to the county superintendent.

The board of trustees of a school established or maintained by the joint action of two or more counties, shall have all the power and discharge all the duties appertaining to boards of trustees of schools where only one county is interested.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-35-11 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 35-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-35-11
Status: in_force

The Mississippi Community College Board shall determine policies and procedures for administration of this program.

Funds provided under this section and Section 37-35-9 can be used for matching federal funds if such become available.

Funds provided under this section and Section 37-35-9 shall be allocated to schools and community/junior colleges on an average of twelve (12) to fifteen (15) adult students per class in average attendance, for one hundred fifty (150) hours maximum instruction per class. Funds will be allocated on a basis of target population by county for general educational development preparatory classes based on adults who have from nine (9) to eleven (11) years of schooling as indicated by the 1990 census. Schools and community/junior colleges will receive one hundred percent (100%) of the cost of general educational development preparatory classes. All classes funded under this section and Section 37-35-9 shall be considered temporary and shall be renewed only as long as participation is adequate for continued funding.

An annual report on program activities, adult participation and results shall be prepared by the Mississippi Community College Board and submitted to the Mississippi Legislature within the first month of regular legislative session each year.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-14 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 25-14
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-14
Status: in_force

The Department of Public Safety shall report to the Department of Education annual statistics regarding crash and fatality data for the State of Mississippi and nationally, including, but not limited to, statistics involving teenage drivers.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-149 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 23-149
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-149
Status: in_force

There is hereby created in the State Treasury a special fund to be designated as the “Special Education, Special Services Fund” which shall be used to distribute any funds specifically appropriated by the Legislature to such fund. This Special Education, Special Services Fund will be used solely for the provision of direct services to individual children with disabilities. Any funds remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, but shall carryover to subsequent fiscal years. Any interest accruing on any unexpended balance in the Special Education, Special Services Fund shall be invested by the State Treasurer and shall remain in the fund.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-9 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 101-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-9
Status: in_force

The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall serve without salary compensation but shall receive a per diem and mileage as authorized by law including time of going to and returning from meetings of said board, together with actual travel and hotel expenses incident to the meetings of the board, and in the discharge of duties prescribed by the board.

The board of trustees shall hold two (2) regular slated meetings annually, one (1) in June and the other in January, and as many special meetings as may be necessary on call of the president or on call of five (5) members. In either case, the call shall be in writing and shall be mailed by registered letter with return receipt requested, or by certified mail, to each and every member at least five (5) days prior to the date of meeting. Eight (8) members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-47 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 43-47
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-47
Status: in_force

Bills for textbooks purchased by the state on requisitions as provided in this chapter, and bills for all other expenses incurred under the terms of this chapter, shall be paid by warrants on the State Treasury made by the Auditor on receipt of bills from the State Superintendent of Public Education, and approved by the State Board of Education. Bills for textbooks purchased by public school districts, shall be submitted to the respective school district submitting the requisition. Each public school district will make payment to the appropriate entity which is responsible for providing the requested textbooks.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-49 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 28-49
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-49
Status: in_force

(1) Charter school teachers and other school personnel, as well as members of the governing board and any education service provider with whom a charter school contracts, are subject to criminal history record checks and fingerprinting requirements applicable to employees of other public schools. The authorizer shall require that current criminal records background checks and current child abuse registry checks are obtained, and that the criminal record information and registry checks are on file at the charter school for any new hires applying for employment. In order to determine an applicant's suitability for employment, the applicant must be fingerprinted. If no disqualifying record is identified at the state level, the fingerprints must be forwarded by the Department of Public Safety to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history record check. Under no circumstances may a member of the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board, member of the charter school governing board or any individual other than the subject of the criminal history record checks disseminate information received through the checks except as may be required to fulfill the purposes of this section. The determination whether the applicant has a disqualifying crime, as set forth in subsection (2) of this section, must be made by the appropriate state or federal governmental authority, which must notify the charter school whether a disqualifying crime exists.

(2) If the fingerprinting or criminal record checks disclose a felony conviction, guilty plea or plea of nolo contendere to a felony of possession or sale of drugs, murder, manslaughter, armed robbery, rape, sexual battery, sex offense listed in Section 45-33-23(g) , child abuse, arson, grand larceny, burglary, gratification of lust or aggravated assault which has not been reversed on appeal or for which a pardon has not been granted, the new hire is not eligible to be employed at the charter school. However, the charter school, in its discretion, may allow any applicant aggrieved by the employment decision under this section to show mitigating circumstances that exist and may allow, subject to the approval of the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board, the new hire to be employed at the school. The authorizer may approve the employment depending on the mitigating circumstances, which may include, but need not be limited to: (a) age at which the crime was committed; (b) circumstances surrounding the crime; (c) length of time since the conviction and criminal history since the conviction; (d) work history; (e) current employment and character references; and (f) other evidence demonstrating the ability of the person to perform the employment responsibilities competently and that the person does not pose a threat to the health or safety of children.

(3) No charter school, charter school employee, member of the charter school governing board, the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board or member or employee of the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board employee may be held liable in any employment discrimination suit in which an allegation of discrimination is made regarding an employment decision authorized under this section.

(4) A charter school shall terminate any teacher or administrator for committing one or more of the following acts:

(a) Engaging in unethical conduct relating to an educator-student relationship as identified by the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board;

(b) Fondling a student as described in Section 97-5-23 or engaging in any type of sexual involvement with a student as described in Section 97-3-95 ; or

(c) Failure to report sexual involvement of a charter school employee with a student as required by Section 97-5-24 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 27-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-5
Status: in_force

Boards of supervisors are hereby authorized, in their discretion, to levy on the taxable property in the county at the time the annual tax levy is made, a tax for the building, repair, and equipment of agricultural high schools, as well as for the purchase of suitable lands or buildings, or both, or for the payment of debts heretofore created for any of said purposes, not to exceed three mills. Within twenty (20) days after levy has been made, twenty percent (20%) of the qualified electors of said county may file with the clerk of the board of supervisors a petition asking that the tax be not levied; thereupon, the question shall be submitted to an election of the people, which election shall be decisive to the levy for that year only. The maximum levy for maintenance purposes as fixed by the law for the agricultural high school, shall not be deemed a limitation on the tax levy for the building, repair, and equipment of agricultural high schools hereinbefore mentioned, nor the levy under this section, a limitation on the levy for maintenance purposes.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-473 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 7-473
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-473
Status: in_force

School buildings, land, property and related facilities may be sold, conveyed, leased or otherwise disposed of under Sections 37-7-471 through 37-7-483 , to any charter school, to any group of persons, to any association, club or corporation, or to any county, municipality or other political subdivision, to be used as a charter school facility, to be used as a civic, community, recreational or youth center, or to be used by any county or district fair association in connection with its activities, or to be used for church purposes, or to be used as a library or other public building, or to be used as a factory or otherwise in connection with an industrial enterprise, or to be used as part of a residential, mixed-use or other development activity to stimulate economic development activities within the district, or to enhance property values within the district, or to be used for any similar or related purpose or activity.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-1001 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 7-1001
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-1001
Status: in_force

The State Board of Education is hereby authorized to establish a Standing Commission on School District Efficiency. The commission shall meet and study the operations, rules, policies and regulations in school districts on an ongoing basis for the purpose of identifying opportunities to increase efficiencies, and to determine appropriate efficiency standards that should be considered for accreditation standards. The commission shall report annually its findings and recommendations to the State Board of Education, and the State Board of Education may make its report and recommendations annually to the Legislature seeking legislative support to achieve efficiencies in school districts. In establishing the Standing Commission on School District Efficiency the State Board of Education shall provide that the membership not be less than six (6) members. The State Board of Education shall appoint school district employees proficient in the areas of fiscal management, procurement, data processing or other fields of school business, with at least one (1) member being appointed from each congressional district. The commission shall meet on a date designated by the State Superintendent of Education and organize by selecting a chairman and adopt rules for conducting business. Members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for necessary travel expenses from any available funds for attending official meetings of the commission. The State Department of Education shall provide necessary administrative and clerical support for the functions of the commission.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-153-215 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 153-215
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-153-215
Status: in_force

The office shall provide a comprehensive report on the use and effectiveness of funds distributed under the grant programs created in this article, to include wage data and employment outcomes for residents, to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, Chairs of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, Chair of the Senate Economic and Workforce Development Committee, and Chair of the House Workforce Development Committee by October 1 of each year of the existence of the program and for at least three (3) years after the program ceases.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-17 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 145-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-17
Status: in_force

All repaid principal and interest resulting from repayment of a loan and not required for retirement of bonds issued under authority of Sections 37-145-43 through 37-145-73 or other expenses of the Mississippi Opportunity Loan Program shall be credited to the Mississippi Opportunity Loan Fund.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-173-21 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 173-21
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-173-21
Status: in_force

(1) The State Board of Education in conjunction with each nonpublic school and local school board operating under the provisions of this chapter, may:

(a) Extend the school day or length of the scholastic year;

(b) Develop and establish a curriculum that is consistent with the Mississippi Curriculum Framework in the subject areas of mathematics, social studies, science, music, art and physical education; and

(c) Select, purchase and use textbooks, literature and other instructional materials that would improve educational attainment by students in the school, subject to the approval of the board.

(2) The qualified personnel to facilitate the educational process of learning and instruction for children with dyslexia who attend the schools shall consist of the following:

(a) An administrator or director with additional training in the characteristics of dyslexia;

(b) A dyslexia therapist licensed by the department in dyslexia therapy;

(c) Dyslexia therapists in training participating in a department approved dyslexia therapy graduate internship program; and

(d) Licensed elementary teachers under the supervision of a state department licensed dyslexia therapist.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-27 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 145-27
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-27
Status: in_force

All general obligation bonds of the State of Mississippi and interest coupons issued under the provisions of Sections 37-145-23 through 37-145-41 shall have and are hereby declared to have all the qualities and incidents of negotiable instruments under the negotiable instruments law of the State of Mississippi. Such bonds and the income therefrom shall be exempt from all taxation within the State of Mississippi.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-57-113 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 57-113
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-57-113
Status: in_force

The board of supervisors of any class one county which has a population in the 1970 decennial census of not less than thirty-five thousand (35,000) and not more than fifty thousand (50,000) and having a total assessed valuation in 1971 of not less than forty million dollars ($40,000,000.00) and not more than fifty million dollars ($50,000,000.00) may impose an excise and/or transfer tax upon the sale or construction of all new family units as defined in Section 37-57-111 for capital improvement of public schools as provided by law for countywide public school districts. Said taxation shall not exceed three percent (3%) of the first twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) and one-half of one percent ( 1 / 2 of 1%) of all over twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00) of the total sale or contract price of the family unit; however, said taxation shall not exceed three percent (3%) of the first ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) and one-half of one percent ( 1 / 2 of 1%) of all over ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) of the total sale or contract price of apartments, condominiums, duplexes or townhouses.

The tax hereby authorized, if imposed by order of the board of supervisors of the county by order duly spread upon the minutes of said board, shall apply only to the initial sale or construction of new family units not heretofore occupied or used for residence purposes, and shall be an indebtedness of the owner of the family unit.

Said tax shall not apply to such family units purchased or constructed by or for any religious, charitable, educational or nonprofit corporation or institution, nor shall it apply to demonstration of model homes.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-23 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 175-23
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-23
Status: in_force

Teachers and other school personnel shall be subject to criminal history record checks and fingerprinting requirements applicable to other public schools under Section 37-9-17(2) and (3) .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-173 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 29-173
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-173
Status: in_force

Local funds made available to the junior colleges or supporting funds allocated in support of the Mississippi Junior College Vocational and Technical Training Law of 1964, or both, may be used to supplement any other funds that may now be, or that may hereafter become, available for the purposes of carrying out the intent of said law. In no event, however, shall any expenditures be made under the provisions of said law unless the amount of local funds involved shall be equal to or exceed the amount of state funds made available for the projects or programs involved.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 45-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-5
Status: in_force

The commission shall be composed of six (6) members who shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. However, no such confirmation shall be made by the Senate until said appointment or appointments have been referred to the proper Senate standing committee and an individual report has been made on each appointee by said Senate standing committee reporting that in its judgment such appointee has the proper qualifications and is a proper person to perform the duties of this office.

One (1) member shall be appointed from each congressional district of the state as presently existing. In making the original appointments, two (2) members shall be appointed for a term expiring April 1st, 1956; two (2) members shall be appointed for a term expiring April 1st, 1958; and two (2) members shall be appointed for a term expiring April 1st, 1960. Thereafter all appointments shall be for terms of six (6) years commencing on April 1st of the year in which the appointments are made. New members of the commission shall be appointed from the same district as their predecessor. Any vacancy in the membership of the commission occurring before the expiration of a term shall be filled in the manner hereinabove provided for, but only for the unexpired term.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-51-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 51-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-51-3
Status: in_force

The terms and provisions of this chapter shall be administered and executed by the state educational finance commission. For the purpose of this chapter, the term “commission” shall mean “state educational finance commission” except where the context clearly indicates otherwise.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-111-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 111-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-111-1
Status: in_force

For the purpose of promoting higher standards of scholarship, a greater degree of culture, closer social fellowship and a stronger college spirit among the students of the state universities and colleges, any group of students in such institutions shall be permitted to organize themselves into such societies as academic, professional, honorary, Masonic, or so-called Greek letter fraternities or sororities, or similar organizations whether of a local or connectional character as provided in this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-275 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 29-275
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-275
Status: in_force

Any act, which, if committed within the limits of a city, town or village, or in any public place, would be a violation of the general laws of this state, shall be criminal and punishable if done on the campus, grounds or roads of any of the state-supported junior colleges. The peace officers duly appointed by the board of trustees of state-supported community or junior colleges or officers of private security firms licensed by the State of Mississippi contracted by the boards of trustees of state supported community/junior colleges are vested with the powers and subjected to the duties of a constable for the purpose of preventing and punishing all violations of law on state-supported junior college grounds and for preserving order and decorum thereon. Peace officers appointed by the boards of trustees or officers of private security firms licensed by the State of Mississippi contracted by the boards of trustees shall have authority to bear arms in order to carry out their law enforcement responsibilities if such officers have been certified according to the minimum standards established by the Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training. The peace officers duly appointed by the boards of trustees of public community/junior colleges are also vested with the powers and subjected to the duties of a constable for the purpose of preventing all violations of law that occur within five hundred (500) feet of any property owned by the college, if reasonably determined to have a possible impact on the safety of students, faculty or staff of the college while on said property. Provided, however, that nothing in this section shall be interpreted to require action by any such peace officer appointed by a college to events occurring outside the boundaries of college property, nor shall any such college or its employees be liable for any failure to act to any event occurring outside the boundaries of property owned by the college. If a law enforcement officer is duly appointed to be a peace officer by a college under this section, the board of trustees of the public community/junior college may enter into an interlocal agreement with other law enforcement entities for the provision of equipment or traffic control duties, however, the duty to enforce traffic regulations and to enforce the laws of the state or municipality off of college property lies with the local police or sheriff's department which cannot withhold its services solely because of the lack of such an agreement.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-15 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 155-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-15
Status: in_force

(1) There is hereby created a Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition Program Trust Fund (hereinafter referred to as the trust fund or the fund) to be administered by the State of Mississippi Treasury Department until and unless the Legislature shall determine otherwise.

(2) The official location of the trust fund shall be the State of Mississippi Treasury Department, and the facilities of the State of Mississippi Treasury Department shall be used and employed in the administration of the fund, including, but without limitations thereto, the keeping of records, the management of bank accounts and other investments, the transfer of funds and the safekeeping of securities evidencing investments.

(3) Payments received by the board from purchasers on behalf of beneficiaries or from any other source, public or private, shall be placed in the trust fund, and the fund may be divided into separate accounts as may be determined by the board.

(4) The trust fund, through the Treasurer, is hereby specifically authorized to receive and deposit into the trust fund any gift of any nature, real or personal property, made by an individual by testamentary disposition, including, without limitation, any specific gift or bequeath made by will, trust or other disposition.

(5) The board shall obtain appropriate actuarial assistance to establish, maintain and certify a fund sufficient to meet the obligation of the trust fund, and shall annually evaluate or cause to be evaluated, the actuarial soundness of the trust fund. If the board perceives a need for additional assets in order to preserve actuarial soundness, it may adjust the terms of subsequent prepaid tuition contracts to ensure such soundness.

(6) The trust fund shall constitute a fund of an agency of the state, and its property and income shall be exempt from all taxation by the state and by all of its political subdivisions.

(7) In order to provide funds to enable the trust to pay all amounts that shall be due under prepaid tuition contracts, there is hereby irrevocably pledged to that purpose from the trust fund such monies as shall be necessary to pay all amounts that shall be due under prepaid tuition contracts at any time. In order to carry out the said pledge, in each fiscal year the board shall determine the amount of the future obligations of the trust fund under prepaid tuition contracts by any appropriate actuarial method. After that determination has been made, all monies on deposit in the trust fund up to and including the amount of such future obligations shall remain on deposit in the trust fund and shall be subject to the aforesaid pledge and appropriation by the Legislature.

(8) There is hereby created a separate account with the State of Mississippi Treasury Department to be known as the “Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition Administrative Account” for the purposes of implementing and maintaining prepaid college tuition accounts pursuant to this article.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-150 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 23-150
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-150
Status: in_force

It is the intent of the Legislature that none of the provisions of Sections 37-16-9 , 37-23-1 through 37-23-9 and 37-23-133 through 37-23-149 shall create mandates that impose financial or legal requirements upon local school districts that are greater or more restrictive upon local school districts as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 and any later amendments or regulations thereunder, or any other relevant federal legislation. Furthermore, it is not the intent of the Legislature to impose any additional state unfunded mandates for the implementation of Sections 37-16-9 , 37-23-1 through 37-23-9 and 37-23-133 through 37-23-149 . Any provisions of Sections 37-16-9 , 37-23-1 through 37-23-9 and 37 -- 23 -133 through 37-23-149 that are inconsistent, create additional unfunded state mandates, or that are more restrictive upon school districts than federal requirements shall be expressly unenforceable and have no effect.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-5-18 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 5-18
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-5-18
Status: in_force

In any county bordering on the Mississippi Sound and having therein at least four (4) municipal separate school districts, each member of the county board of education established by Section 37-5-1 for such county shall be elected from and shall be a resident and qualified elector in a special district determined in the following manner:

The board of education of such a county shall apportion the county into five (5) board of education districts in the territory outside the municipal separate school districts and these board of education districts shall be divided as nearly equal as possible according to population, incumbency and other factors heretofore pronounced by the courts. The board of education shall place upon its minutes the boundaries determined for the new five (5) board of education districts. The board of education of said county shall thereafter publish the same in some newspaper of general circulation within said county for at least three (3) consecutive weeks and after having given notice of publication and recording the same upon the minutes of the board of education of said county, said new district lines will thereafter be effective.

All incumbents now holding office within the district as presently constituted shall continue holding their respective offices provided they reside within the new district for the remainder of the term of office to which they have heretofore been elected and all members from the respective district shall be elected from the new board of education district constituted as herein provided in the same manner provided by law for the election of members of the county board of education. Any vacancies in the office, whether occasioned by redistricting or by other cause, shall be filled in the manner presently provided by law for the filling of vacancies.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-123-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 123-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-123-5
Status: in_force

No person shall be eligible to admission to the Delta State College, who shall not have completed the studies of course prescribed by law for the common or public schools of the state.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 23-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-5
Status: in_force

Except as otherwise provided in Laws, 1999, Chapter 582, 1 the State Department of Education is empowered to foster, inspect, approve and administer a program of education for exceptional children. The State Department of Education shall make the necessary rules and regulations in keeping with the provisions of Sections 37-23-1 through 37-23-9 and applicable federal laws and regulations which are not in conflict with Mississippi law for its proper administration and shall employ such personnel as may be necessary to administer such program.

The department shall require that the program of education for exceptional children be designed to provide individualized appropriate special education and related services that enable a child to reach his or her appropriate and uniquely designed goals for success.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-208 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 7-208
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-208
Status: in_force

The board of trustees of any consolidated school district may pay from funds other than total funding formula funds the cost and expense of litigation involved by or resulting from the creation of or litigation to create single member school board trustee election districts, and pay from funds other than the total funding formula funds the cost or expense to implement any plan, decree or reorganization as approved by the court. Said payments by the board of trustees shall be deemed a “new program” under the provisions of Section 37-57-107 , and any additional millage levied for such purpose and the revenue generated therefrom shall be excluded from the tax increase limitation prescribed in Sections 37-57-105 and 37-57-107 . The board of supervisors of any county in which there is located such consolidated school district may, in its discretion, contribute out of county general funds to the cost and expense of such litigation and/or the cost of implementing such redistricting plan.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-29 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 45-29
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-29
Status: in_force

All notices or other process authorized or required to be served upon the commission shall be served upon the chairman and the executive secretary.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-102-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 102-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-102-5
Status: in_force

The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning may designate the university which shall operate and be responsible for each off-campus site. However, off-campus sites shall be located in such a manner as to make the services of the institutions of higher learning available to the people of Mississippi without unnecessary program duplication in the same geographic area.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-159-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 159-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-159-7
Status: in_force

The school board of any school district situated within a geographical area of the state where there exists a critical shortage of teachers, as designated by the State Board of Education, in its discretion, may reimburse persons who interview for employment as a licensed teacher with the district for the mileage and other actual expenses incurred in the course of travel to and from the interview by such persons at the rate authorized for county and municipal employees under Section 25-3-41 . Any reimbursement by a school board under this section shall be paid from funds other than adequate education program funds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-106-83 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 106-83
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-106-83
Status: in_force

(1) There is established in the State Treasury a special fund to be designated as the “Kinkade Fostering Access and Inspiring True Hope (FAITH) Scholarship Program Fund.” The special fund shall consist of funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the Legislature in any manner, and funds from any other source designated for deposit into the special fund. Monies in the fund shall only be spent upon appropriation by the Legislature to the Mississippi Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board and shall only be used by the Board for the purpose of implementing the scholarship program established in Section 37-106-81 .

(2) Unexpended amounts remaining in the special fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund but shall remain in the Kinkade FAITH Scholarship Program Fund. Any investment earnings or interest earned on amounts in the special fund shall be deposited to the credit of the special fund.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-104-13 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 104-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-104-13
Status: in_force

The governing board of any private institution of higher learning is hereby authorized and empowered, in its discretion, to declare by resolution to the Authority the need for an educational facility project at said private institution of higher learning and for the issuance of revenue bonds to finance or refinance said educational facility project.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-9 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 113-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-9
Status: in_force

The right belongs to each county to have a number of students admitted to the Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science proportionate to its number of educable males compared with the whole number in the state.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-35 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 145-35
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-35
Status: in_force

Such general obligation bonds may be issued without any other proceedings or the happening of any other conditions or things than those proceedings, conditions and things which are specified or required by Sections 37-145-23 through 37-145-41 . Any resolution providing for the issuance of general obligation bonds under the provisions of Sections 37-145-23 through 37-145-41 shall become effective immediately upon its adoption by the State Bond Commission, and any such resolution may be adopted at any regular, special or adjourned meeting of the State Bond Commission by a majority of its members.

The bonds authorized under the authority of Sections 37-145-23 through 37-145-41 may, in the discretion of the State Bond Commission, be validated in the Chancery Court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County, Mississippi, in the manner and with the force and effect provided now or hereafter by Chapter 13, Title 31, Mississippi Code of 1972 , for the validation of county, municipal, school district and other bonds. The necessary papers for such validation proceedings shall be transmitted to the State Bond Commission, and the required notice shall be published in a newspaper published in the City of Jackson, Mississippi.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-253 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 33-253
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-253
Status: in_force

As used in Sections 37-33-251 through 37-33-263 :

(a) “Department” means the State Department of Rehabilitation Services.

(b) “Rehabilitation center” means a facility which provides intermediate care and stresses rehabilitation for persons with spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injuries.

(c) “Transitional living facility” means a facility which provides a temporary, structured residential environment for those individuals with spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injuries in a training or educational program, in order to prepare such individuals to live independently.

(d) “Traumatic brain injury” means an insult to the skull, brain, or its covering, resulting from external trauma which produces an altered state of consciousness or anatomic, motor, sensory or cognitive/behavioral deficits.

(e) “Spinal cord injury” means an acute traumatic insult to the spinal cord, not of a degenerative or congenital nature, but caused by an external trauma resulting in any degree of motor or sensory deficit.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-57 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 45-57
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-57
Status: in_force

In the event of an appeal by any county board of education or board of trustees of any municipal separate school district from any final rule, regulation or order of the state educational finance commission, it shall be the duty and responsibility of such appealing county board or board of trustees, under the supervision of the executive secretary of said commission, to prepare or cause to be prepared the record on appeal, which, when approved by the commission or by the chairman thereof in vacation, shall be and constitute the record on appeal. The same shall thereupon be filed, as required by law, in the chancery court to which the appeal is taken. The cost of making and filing such record shall be an item of cost of said appeal, which shall be paid by said appellant. The cost of such record shall not be in excess of the cost of a similar record on appeal from a chancery court of this state to the supreme court of Mississippi.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 45-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-7
Status: in_force

Each member of the commission shall, before entering upon the discharge of his duties, enter into a good and sufficient surety bond in the sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) payable to the State of Mississippi and conditioned upon the faithful discharge of his duties. Said bond shall be executed by some surety company authorized to do business in this state. The premiums thereon shall be paid from any funds which may be available to the commission for such purpose.

Any member of the commission may have his vote on any question before the commission recorded on the minutes thereof at the time of the vote, and a member of the commission who votes against an illegal, unlawful or unauthorized expenditure of funds shall not be liable therefor.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-106-41 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 106-41
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-106-41
Status: in_force

(1) If any member of the armed services, whose official house of record and residence is within the State of Mississippi, is officially reported as being either a prisoner of war or missing in action in Southeast Asia or has been a prisoner of a foreign government as the result of a military action against the United States naval vessel, Pueblo, his child or children shall be entitled to an eight-semester scholarship without cost, exclusive of books, food, school supplies, materials and dues or fees for extracurricular activities at any state-supported college or university of his choice within this state. However, no child will be entitled to receive benefits during any semester or quarter when said child has reached the age of twenty-three (23) years on the first day of the semester or quarter.

(2) The provisions of this section shall apply to the child or children of any member of the armed services who is officially reported as being either a prisoner of war or missing in action in Southeast Asia whose spouse was a resident of this state for a period of not less than ten (10) years during her minority and is a resident or physically resides within this state and does continually reside within this state at the time of enrollment and during the enrollment, and is a resident or physically resides within this state as of April 9, 1973.

(3) It is further provided that the provisions of this section shall apply to the child or children of any person who was a resident of this state at the time he was inducted into the Armed Forces of the United States of America and who is either a former prisoner of war or officially reported as being a prisoner of war or missing in action in Southeast Asia and who, or his spouse if she was a resident of this state for a period of not less than ten (10) years during her minority, is a resident of this state and at the time of enrollment and during the enrollment of his child or children at any state-supported college or university in this state resided or resides in this state.

(4) Any applicant qualified and desiring a scholarship under this section shall apply in writing to the board. The board shall make inquiries into each such application and shall make the investigation as it deems proper to establish and validate all claims made under this section before a scholarship is granted.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-39 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 28-39
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-39
Status: in_force

(1) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, to the extent that any provision of this chapter is inconsistent with any other state or local law, rule or regulation, the provisions of this chapter govern and are controlling.

(2) A charter school and any education service provider which provides comprehensive management for a charter school must be a nonprofit education organization.

(3) A charter school is subject to all federal laws and authorities specified in this chapter or agreed upon with the authorizer in the charter contract, where such contracting is consistent with applicable laws, rules and regulations.

(4) To the extent approved by the authorizer, a charter contract may consist of one or more schools. Each charter school that is part of a charter contract must be separate and distinct from any other charter school.

(5) A single governing board may hold one or more charter contracts.

(6) A charter school must function as a local educational agency, and as such, a charter school is responsible for meeting the requirements of local educational agencies under applicable federal laws, including those relating to special education, receipt of funds and compliance with funding requirements. Status as a local educational agency, however, does not preclude a charter school from developing, by mutual agreement or formal contract, links with the local school district for services, resources and programs.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-27 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 25-27
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-27
Status: in_force

Funds expended under authority of this chapter shall be paid by the state treasurer out of the driver training penalty assessment fund or other funds used in administering this chapter, upon warrants issued by the state auditor of public accounts. The said auditor shall issue his warrant upon requisition signed by the proper person, officer or officers in the manner provided by law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-59-13 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 59-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-59-13
Status: in_force

Where an election has been called, as provided in Section 37-59-11 , notice of such election shall be signed by the president of the school board and shall be published once a week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks, in at least one (1) newspaper published in such school district. The first publication of such notice shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date fixed for such election, and the last publication shall be made not more than seven (7) days prior to such date. If no newspaper is published in such school district, then such notice shall be given by publishing the same for the required time in some newspaper having a general circulation in such school district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-79 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 31-79
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-79
Status: in_force

Sections 37-31-71 through 37-31-79 shall be liberally construed to effectuate the provisions thereof and are hereby declared to be severable. Such sections are supplemental to the authority provided in Sections 37-7-401 through 37-7-413 and other applicable statutes, and any agreement entered into pursuant to Sections 37-31-71 through 37-31-79 shall likewise be effective to confer on the contracting parties all powers contained in the Sections 37-7-401 through 37-7-413 provided such agreement is also approved by the state educational finance commission in accordance therewith.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-125 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 33-125
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-125
Status: in_force

Funds for the purpose of providing grants to assist in the establishing and operating of community rehabilitation programs for severely disabled individuals may be received by the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, State Department of Rehabilitation Services from appropriations by the Legislature, from grants from other state agencies, departments, divisions, commissions and boards having funds available for this purpose, and from the federal government. The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, State Department of Rehabilitation Services, shall promulgate and publish rules and regulations that shall govern the distribution of those grants and the matching basis incumbent thereto.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-231 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 29-231
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-231
Status: repealed

(1) The provisions of Sections 37-103-1 through 37-103-29 relating to the legal residence of and tuition to be charged any student applying for admission to state educational institutions shall be applicable to the boards of trustees of each junior college district in the state and to the administrative authorities of each such junior college governed by said board.

(2)(a) The board of trustees of each community or junior college is authorized, in its discretion and as deemed necessary, to enter into contract with a municipality as authorized under Section 21-25-23 , or into an interlocal agreement with the county governing authority of the county wherein the community or junior college is located if situated outside of the incorporated limits of any city or municipality therein, to provide fire protection and first responder services to the main campus of the community or junior college for which the contract or interlocal agreement was entered. In addition to fire protection services, first responder services shall also include law enforcement services and emergency medical transportation services.

(b) Upon entering such contract or interlocal agreement, the board of trustees of the community or junior college receiving services under the contract or interlocal agreement may assess each student a fee not to exceed Five Dollars ($5.00), each semester to offset the cost associated with the services provided, which shall be allocated by the board of trustees to the local governing authority providing first responder services. This paragraph (b) shall stand repealed on July 1, 2027.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-465 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 29-465
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-465
Status: in_force

The board of trustees of the Copiah-Lincoln Junior College District shall have the authority to purchase property, make capital improvements, and lease or use private or public facilities at either the Copiah-Lincoln or Natchez Campuses, in the discretion of the board.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-107 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 151-107
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-107
Status: in_force

Any superintendent of education, member of the local school board of any school district, superintendent, principal, teacher, carrier, bus driver or member or employee of the State Department of Education or State Board of Education, or any other person, who shall willfully violate any of the provisions of this chapter, or who shall willfully make any false report, list or record, or who shall willfully make use of any false report, list or record, concerning the number of school children in net enrollment shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days or by a fine of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00), nor more than Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court. In addition, any such person shall be civilly liable for all amounts of public funds which are illegally, unlawfully or wrongfully expended or paid out by virtue of or pursuant to such false report, list or record, and upon conviction or adjudication of civil liability hereunder, such person shall forfeit his license to teach for a period of three (3) years, if such person is the holder of such a license. Any suit to recover such funds illegally, unlawfully or wrongfully expended or paid out may be brought in the name of the State of Mississippi by the Attorney General or the proper district attorney or county attorney, and, in the event such suit is brought against a person who is under bond, the sureties upon such bond shall likewise be liable for such amount illegally, unlawfully or wrongfully expended or paid out.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-259 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 33-259
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-259
Status: in_force

(1) There is created within the department an Advisory Council on Spinal Cord Injuries and Traumatic Brain Injuries composed of a physician with expertise in areas related to the care and rehabilitation of individuals with spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injuries or the prevention of spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries, a professional in a clinical rehabilitation setting, a representative designated by the Mississippi Head Injury Association, a representative designated by the Mississippi Paralysis Association, three (3) individuals with spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injuries, and three (3) family members of individuals with spinal cord or traumatic brain injuries.

(2) Members of the council shall be appointed by the Executive Director of the State Department of Rehabilitation Services and shall serve for terms of four (4) years, except that five (5) members of the first appointed council shall serve for two (2) years.

(3) The council shall meet a minimum of twice per year, and members shall be entitled to uniform per diem and travel expenses in accordance with the provisions of Sections 25-3-69 and 25-3-41, Mississippi Code of 1972 .

(4) The council shall provide advice and expertise to the department in the preparation, implementation and periodic review of the coordinated rehabilitation program as set forth in Sections 37-33-251 through 37-33-263 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-77 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 23-77
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-77
Status: in_force

If a child, as defined in Sections 37-23-61 and 37-23-63 , is under the legal guardianship of the State Department of Human Services, or any other state agency, and for whom no foster parents are available and no state-funded institution placement is available, funds available under Section 37-23-1 et seq. may be used to provide for the education of the child in an institution approved by the Department of Human Services and the State Department of Education. However, if the educational services needed by the child are available in a state funded institution, these funds shall not be used to pay for educational services at that institution. At any such time a child is taken out of a school setting and placed under the custody of the Department of Human Services, the department shall immediately notify the State Department of Education and apply for funds for the child's educational services under Section 37-23-1 et seq. and the State Department of Education shall respond to the application within ten (10) working days. The special education and related services provided for this child shall be provided in compliance with State Department of Education regulations. The State Department of Education shall promulgate such regulations as are necessary to implement this section.

The State Department of Education shall require that the special education and related services provided for the children under this section be designed to provide individualized appropriate special education and related services that enable a child to reach his or her appropriate and uniquely designed goals for success.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-111 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 29-111
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-111
Status: in_force

Bonds issued under the provisions of Section 37-29-109 , may be refunded, in whole or in part, in any of the following circumstances, to wit:

(a) When any such bonds by their terms become due and payable and there are not sufficient sums in the fund established for their payment to pay such bonds and the interest thereon;

(b) When any such bonds are by their terms callable for payment and redemption in advance of their date of maturity and shall have been duly called for payment and redemption;

(c) When any such bonds are voluntarily surrendered by the holder or holders thereof in exchange for refunding bonds; and

(d) When, in connection with the issuance of any additional bonds under the provisions of Section 37-29-109 for the purpose of financing any additional construction authorized under the provisions of Section 37-29-107 , any such board shall determine to combine such new issue of bonds with any issue or issues of bonds of the same board then outstanding, for the purpose of unifying such indebtedness and utilizing the income and revenues derived from all projects or facilities operated by such board to the payment of such indebtedness, and such board shall determine that such outstanding bonds are by their terms then callable for redemption or are obtainable by and through the voluntary surrender thereof by the holder or holders thereof.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-13 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 151-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-13
Status: in_force

The State Board of Education shall establish and design an annual program of awards for exemplary performing administrators in Mississippi's public school districts, to be called the “Mississippi Administrator of the Year” Award Program.

The board shall establish criteria and guidelines for making the annual award to one (1) exemplary performing administrator in Mississippi, which shall include a cash award of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) to be paid by the State Department of Education pursuant to appropriation therefor and shall be unrestricted as to its use by the recipient. Such award shall be paid as a supplement to such administrator's contracted salary in the year subsequent to receiving the recognition.

The State Board of Education shall utilize such awards to bring the best administrative practices to the attention of other schools. The awards shall include public recognition by the local school board and the State Board of Education and the awarding of plaques, certificates and the monetary award for administrators that perform well.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-109 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 23-109
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-109
Status: in_force

Any child development center created under the provisions of Sections 37-23-91 through 37-23-111 shall be entitled to receive all contributions and benefits allowed to the other school districts from the federal and state governments including, but not limited to, contributions on the basis of the net enrollment per child, school textbooks and school lunch program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-331 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 101-331
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-331
Status: in_force

It is the express intent of the Legislature that the capital renovation and repair needs of state community and junior colleges be comprehensively addressed by appropriate legislation during the 1989 Regular Legislative Session; and, to that end, the Mississippi Community College Board is hereby directed to prepare a complete report detailing:

(a) Repair and renovation needs;

(b) The financing capabilities of each community and junior college district; and

(c) The total millage levied in each community and junior college district for the support of the district, the amount of revenue generated in each district by the millage imposed, and an assessment of what capital renovation and repair needs can be financed under existing levying authority.

The board shall submit such report to the Legislature on or before January 3, 1989, in order that the Legislature be made fully cognizant of such needs and capabilities. The Governor's Office of General Services is directed to provide the fullest degree of reasonable cooperation to the Mississippi Community College Board in the preparation of this report.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-457 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 29-457
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-457
Status: in_force

(1) The operation and control of the Copiah-Lincoln Junior College District shall be vested in a board of trustees representing the seven (7) counties lying within the district. The said board shall consist of twenty (20) members to be chosen as follows:

(a) Copiah County shall be entitled to five (5) members who shall be elected and serve according to Section 37-29-65 .

(b) Lincoln County shall be entitled to five (5) members who shall be elected and serve according to Section 37-29-65 .

(c) Lawrence County shall be entitled to one (1) member who shall be elected and serve according to Section 37-29-65 .

(d) Franklin County shall be entitled to one (1) member who shall be elected and serve according to Section 37-29-65 .

(e) Simpson County shall be entitled to one (1) member who shall be elected and serve according to Section 37-29-65 .

(f) Jefferson County shall be entitled to one (1) member who shall be elected and serve according to Section 37-29-65 .

(g) Adams County shall be entitled to five (5) members who shall be elected from the residents of said county by the board of supervisors of Adams County within thirty (30) days of February 4, 1975.

The terms of office for the members shall be five (5) years. However, upon the first selection of trustees in the county, one (1) shall be elected for a term of five (5) years, one (1) for a term of four (4) years, one (1) for a term of three (3) years, one (1) for a term of two (2) years, and one (1) for a term of one (1) year, so as to prevent the retirement of more than one (1) member in any one (1) year. The members elected from Adams County shall have like qualifications and receive the same compensation as the members from other counties as provided by Section 37-29-65 .

(h) There shall be one (1) member of the board of trustees who shall be elected by the members of the said board of trustees from among the residents of the Copiah-Lincoln Junior College District. Said member so chosen shall serve a five-year term and have the same powers and duties as the other board members.

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (g) of this subsection (1), persons who are currently serving as members of the board of trustees of the Copiah-Lincoln Junior College District shall complete their terms without interruption.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-27 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 25-27
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-27
Status: in_force

Funds expended under authority of this chapter shall be paid by the state treasurer out of the driver training penalty assessment fund or other funds used in administering this chapter, upon warrants issued by the state auditor of public accounts. The said auditor shall issue his warrant upon requisition signed by the proper person, officer or officers in the manner provided by law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-14 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 25-14
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-14
Status: in_force

The Department of Public Safety shall report to the Department of Education annual statistics regarding crash and fatality data for the State of Mississippi and nationally, including, but not limited to, statistics involving teenage drivers.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-13 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 151-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-13
Status: in_force

The State Board of Education shall establish and design an annual program of awards for exemplary performing administrators in Mississippi's public school districts, to be called the “Mississippi Administrator of the Year” Award Program.

The board shall establish criteria and guidelines for making the annual award to one (1) exemplary performing administrator in Mississippi, which shall include a cash award of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) to be paid by the State Department of Education pursuant to appropriation therefor and shall be unrestricted as to its use by the recipient. Such award shall be paid as a supplement to such administrator's contracted salary in the year subsequent to receiving the recognition.

The State Board of Education shall utilize such awards to bring the best administrative practices to the attention of other schools. The awards shall include public recognition by the local school board and the State Board of Education and the awarding of plaques, certificates and the monetary award for administrators that perform well.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-20-9 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 20-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-20-9
Status: in_force

(1) The State Department of Education shall provide technical assistance to districts and carry out the responsibilities of reviewing, monitoring and evaluating the programs conducted under this chapter.

(2) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules which, in its opinion, are necessary to assure that the programs in each school district are carried out in a manner consistent with the purpose and intent of this chapter. The State Board of Education shall develop a procedure for approving or denying local program applications within sixty (60) days of their receipt by the State Department of Education. The State Department of Education shall include in its annual report the number of students participating in programs under this chapter, the extent to which student achievement has increased, the programs which appear to be most successful, and an analysis of the expenditure of funds by district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-59 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 47-59
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-59
Status: in_force

All bonds issued under the authority of this chapter may, in the discretion of the state bond commission, be validated in the chancery court of Hinds County, Mississippi, in the manner and with the force and effect now or hereafter provided by Chapter 13, Title 31, of the Mississippi Code of 1972 . In the event of such validation, the necessary papers shall be transmitted to the state bond attorney by the secretary of said state bond commission and the required notice shall be addressed to the taxpayers of the State of Mississippi and shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation published in the City of Jackson, Mississippi.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-203 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 33-203
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-203
Status: in_force

Sections 37-33-203 through 37-33-223 shall be known as the “Special Disability Programs Law of Mississippi.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-105 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 9-105
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-105
Status: in_force

If a recommendation is made by the school district not to offer an employee a renewal contract for a successive year, written notice of the proposed nonreemployment stating the reasons for the proposed nonreemployment shall be given no later than the following:

(a) If the employee is a principal, the superintendent, without further board action, shall give notice of nonreemployment on or before March 1; or

(b) If the employee is a teacher, administrator or other professional educator covered under Sections 37-9-101 through 37-9-113 , the superintendent, without further board action, shall give notice of nonreemployment on or before April 15, or within ten (10) calendar days after the date that the Governor approves the appropriation bill(s) comprising the state's education budget for funding K-12, whichever date is later.

An interim conservator appointed pursuant to Section 37-17-6(15)(a) or a school board acting on the recommendation of a school district financial advisor appointed pursuant to Section 37-9-18 shall not be required to comply with the time limitations prescribed in this section for recommending the reemployment of principals, teachers, administrators or other professional educators.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-159-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 159-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-159-1
Status: in_force

Sections 37-159-1 through 37-159-19 shall be known and may be cited as the “Mississippi Critical Teacher Shortage Act of 1998.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-63-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 63-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-63-3
Status: in_force

The Authority for Educational Television shall consist of the State Superintendent of Public Education, or his designee, and six (6) members appointed, with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Governor shall appoint four (4) members, one (1) of whom shall be actively engaged as a teacher or principal in a secondary school system in the State of Mississippi and one (1) of whom shall be actively engaged as a teacher or principal in an elementary school system in the State of Mississippi. Beginning July 1, 1994, the appointee actively engaged as a teacher or principal in a secondary school shall be appointed for an initial term of three (3) years. The member actively engaged as a teacher or principal in an elementary school shall be appointed for an initial term of four (4) years. The remaining two (2) gubernatorial appointees shall serve until July 1, 1996. Beginning July 1, 1996, the Governor shall appoint two (2) members for initial terms of three (3) and four (4) years, with the Governor specifically designating which member shall be appointed for three (3) years and which shall be appointed for four (4) years. The Mississippi Community College Board shall appoint one (1) member, and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall appoint one (1) member. After the expiration of the initial terms, all members shall serve for terms of four (4) years. An appointment to fill a vacancy among the gubernatorial appointees, other than by expiration of a term of office, shall be made by the Governor for the balance of the unexpired term.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-117-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 117-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-117-3
Status: in_force

The purpose and aim of the Mississippi State College for Women is the moral and intellectual advancement of the girls of the state by the maintenance of a first-class institution for their education in the arts and sciences, for their training in normal school methods and kindergarten, for their instruction in bookkeeping, photography, stenography, telegraphy, and typewriting, and in designing, drawing, engraving, and painting, and their industrial application, and for their instruction in fancy, general and practical needlework, and in such other industrial branches as experience, from time to time, shall suggest as necessary or proper to fit them for the practical affairs of life.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-41 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 47-41
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-41
Status: in_force

All state school bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be signed by the governor, or by his facsimile signature, and attested by the secretary of state. The great seal of the State of Mississippi shall be affixed to or impressed upon each of them. Coupons attached to such bonds may bear only the facsimile signatures of both the governor and secretary of state. Subject to the provisions of this chapter the state bond commission shall have full discretion in providing for the issuance of such bonds and in fixing the terms and details thereof. Said state bond commission may provide for the issuance of such bonds in such form, either coupon or registered, with such registration privileges, and executed in such manner and payable in such medium and at such place or places, and containing such terms, covenants and provisions as the state bond commission may, by resolution or resolutions, provide. All or any part of the bonds issued under the authority of this chapter may be made optional for redemption prior to maturity in the discretion of the state bond commission, and in such case such bonds shall specify the manner in and premiums at which the bonds shall be so redeemable. Such bonds shall not be redeemable before maturity unless same expressly so provide.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-29 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 33-29
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-29
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful, except for purposes directly connected with the administration of the vocational rehabilitation program, for eligible individuals with disabilities, and in accordance with regulations, for any person or persons to solicit, disclose, receive, or make use of, or authorize, knowingly permit, participate in, or acquiesce in the use of any list of, or names of, or any information concerning persons applying for or receiving vocational rehabilitation, directly or indirectly derived from the records, papers, files, or communications of the state or subdivisions or agencies thereof, or acquired in the course of the performance of official duties, except in response to summons, subpoena or other order of a court. Any violation of this section shall be a misdemeanor and punishable accordingly.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-133-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 133-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-133-3
Status: in_force

It is hereby declared that the state public welfare demands and the state public policy requires:

(a) That some program be immediately initiated to rectify the presently existing critical condition of lack of a resident labor force within the State of Mississippi capable of holding positions requiring particular skills in the technical, scientific and engineering fields demanded by heavy and aero-space industry and installations;

(b) That the present and prospective health, safety, morals, pursuit of happiness, right of gainful employment, and general welfare of the citizens of the State of Mississippi demand, as a public purpose, the immediate correction of the deficient and incomplete training programs and facilities by the state institutions of higher learning to quickly increase and thereafter maintain an adequate source of skilled engineering technicians demanded by heavy and aero-space industry and installations;

(c) That the means and measures authorized in the Mississippi Technical Institute Law of 1964 to promote engineering, commercial, industrial, agricultural, manufacturing and aero-space enterprises and installations, are, as a matter of public policy, for the public purposes of increasing the gainful employment, business activity, and for the proper development of the State of Mississippi; and

(d) That the accomplishment of the things herein authorized will stimulate and provide ready and attractive employment for skilled engineering technician residents of the State of Mississippi through the proper increase of the skilled engineering technician labor force available, which will further develop the engineering, agricultural, commercial, industrial and other resources of the State of Mississippi for the general welfare.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-49 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 41-49
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-49
Status: in_force

In case of any violation by a school district bus driver or carrier of the safety regulations established by the State Board of Education, such violation shall be deemed a misdemeanor and such offender may be punished as provided in Section 37-41-47 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-353 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 101-353
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-353
Status: in_force

The board is authorized to take any and all necessary and proper action for the implementation of Sections 37-101-351 through 37-101-357 , including but not limited to (a) pursuing cooperative ventures with the John C. Stennis Institute of Government; and (b) pursuing cooperative ventures with the John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training and Development.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-61-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 61-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-61-7
Status: in_force

If at the end of any fiscal year there should remain a balance in the school district fund of any school district which is not needed and is not to be used for paying the expenses properly payable out of such district fund for the preceding fiscal year, such balance shall be carried forward as a part of the school district fund for the next fiscal year and used and expended in the manner otherwise provided by law. Nothing in this section shall be construed as applying to balances of total funding formula funds of a school district, and balances remaining in such funds shall be governed by Section 37-61-5 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-141-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 141-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-141-7
Status: in_force

It is hereby declared to be the intent of the Legislature that the functions of the center shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(a) Undertaking selected applied research projects with a permanent research staff, augmented by specialists from universities and colleges, government agencies and private firms, assisted by graduate students.

(b) Relating, when applicable, public service-related research and technical assistance activities at all state universities to the overall statewide economic development plan.

(c) Coordinating economic development related activities among all state universities.

(d) Providing a computer facility for use by all educational institutions and government agencies.

(e) Maintaining current information on research projects in the state; on scientific and research personnel; on research expenditures and sources of funds; on research programs of agencies and institutions outside the state which bear upon Mississippi development; publishing annually a catalogue of this information; and otherwise functioning as a research clearinghouse for the State of Mississippi.

(f) Developing a list of priority research projects that would have significant contribution to advancement of economic development efforts in the state.

(g) Coordinating with universities and other entities in the state to promote completion of the priority economic development related research projects with economic development potential and advising and assisting in the securing of needed research funding.

(h) Contracting with universities and other entities to effect needed priority economic development related research projects.

(i) Providing printing and data processing support to the Department of Economic Development.

(j) Identifying all federal funds that flow into Mississippi for any and all purposes, making comparisons with other states and preparing appropriate analyses to identify sources of federal funds where potential exists for attracting and obtaining larger amounts of federal funds for the state.

(k) Develop a system whereby economic development related research results can be disseminated to public and private entities for the purpose of enhancing economic development efforts, particularly at the local level.

(l) Assisting institutions, organizations and firms in identifying and obtaining research funds and other grants from public and private sources.

(m) Developing an econometric model of Mississippi designed to forecast various sectors of the Mississippi economy.

(n) Supporting and utilizing the Mississippi Automated Resource Information System (MARIS) to accomplish its objectives of gathering, maintaining and disseminating information and providing research assistance.

(o) Performing other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Commissioner of Higher Education.

(p) Carrying out the provisions of Sections 37-141-51 through 37-141-57 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-59 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 41-59
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-59
Status: in_force

Every school district is authorized to mount a camera on any retractable, hand-operated stop sign that is a part of the equipment of a school bus.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-138-29 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 138-29
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-138-29
Status: in_force

The commission may establish requirements for reciprocity for accreditation and certification of management planners, project designers, contractors, supervisors, inspectors and workers with other states that have established accreditation and certification programs that meet or exceed the Model Plan and the accreditation and certification requirements of this chapter. The commission shall have the authority to issue orders and promulgate rules and regulations to carry out this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-17 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 11-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-17
Status: in_force

(1) The State Board of Education, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, the Mississippi Community College Board, the boards of trustees of the several junior colleges, the county boards of education, the governing authorities of any county, municipal or other public school districts, such other boards set up by law for any educational institution, school, college or university, or their authorized representative, or the State Health Officer or his authorized representative, may require any teacher, supervisor, janitor or other employee of the school to submit to a thorough physical examination, deemed advisable to determine whether he has any infectious or communicable disease.

(2) The State Board of Education may develop a program to accomplish the identification of public school district students with abnormal spinal curvature. No state funds shall be expended for the purposes of implementing this subsection. Such program shall:

(a) Provide that an adequate number of school personnel in each district be instructed by qualified medical experts in the proper examination of students for abnormal spinal curvatures;

(b) Provide that all public school district students who are at least ten (10) years old be screened at least every two (2) years but at least in the fourth, sixth, eighth and tenth grades or at such other times as may be recommended by medical experts on a per case basis;

(c) Provide that students identified as having abnormal spinal curvatures or potential for abnormal spinal curvatures be referred to the county health officer or to the student's personal physician or chiropractor with notice of the evaluation; and

(d) Provide for notification of the parent or guardian of any student identified under this program and for the supplying to such parent or guardian information on the condition and resources available for the correction or treatment of such condition. However, the requirement for screening shall not apply to a child whose parent or guardian objects thereto on grounds that the requirement conflicts with his conscientiously held religious beliefs.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-15-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 15-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-15-1
Status: in_force

The State Board of Education shall prepare and provide necessary forms for keeping permanent records and cumulative folders for each pupil in the public schools, including charter schools, of the state. In the permanent record and cumulative folders, the teachers and principals shall keep information concerning the pupil's date of birth, as verified by the documentation authorized in this section, record of attendance, grades and withdrawal from the school, including the date of any expulsion from the school and a description of the student's act or behavior resulting in the expulsion. The records also shall contain information pertaining to immunization and such other information as the State Board of Education may prescribe. The cumulative folder, in addition to that information maintained in the permanent records, also shall contain such other information as the State Board of Education shall prescribe. It shall be the responsibility of the person in charge of each school to enforce the requirement for evidence of the age of each pupil before enrollment. If the first prescribed evidence is not available, the next evidence obtainable in the order set forth below shall be accepted:

(a) A certified birth certificate;

(b) A duly attested transcript of a certificate of baptism showing the date of birth and place of baptism of the child, accompanied by an affidavit sworn to by a parent, grandparent or custodian;

(c) An insurance policy on the child's life which has been in force for at least two (2) years;

(d) A bona fide contemporary Bible record of the child's birth accompanied by an affidavit sworn to by the parent, grandparent or custodian;

(e) A passport or certificate of arrival in the United States showing the age of the child;

(f) A transcript of record of age shown in the child's school record of at least four (4) years prior to application, stating date of birth; or

(g) If none of these evidences can be produced, an affidavit of age sworn to by a parent, grandparent or custodian. Any child enrolling in kindergarten or Grade 1 shall present the required evidence of age upon enrollment. Any child in Grades 2 through 12 not in compliance at the end of sixty (60) days from enrollment shall be suspended until in compliance.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-3-67 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 3-67
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-3-67
Status: in_force

Components of the Alliance for Families program shall include, but shall not be limited to:

(a) A signed parent pledge to assist with identification of ways to improve their child's performance;

(b) Folder/notebook that is sent home periodically, but not less than once per month, for parent's signature;

(c) Emphasis on “back to school night” or other family-oriented programs is key parent education events and as a beginning of establishing a partnership with the home;

(d) Reading focus programs which require home reading programs;

(e) Teacher, principal and parent training on how to participate most effectively in the program;

(f) Newsletters to parents on school programs, classroom curriculum, and how parents can reinforce what their child is learning;

(g) Home survey to assess parents' perceptions about communication, school programs and learning strategies for the home;

(h) Parent/teacher conferences which involve training parents and teachers in effective conferencing strategies and cooperative methods to achieve student success.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-51 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 43-51
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-51
Status: in_force

The management of all public, private, parochial or denominational schools wherein the board is furnishing to the students thereof free school textbooks and said free school textbooks are used by the students in said school, shall file annually with the State Board of Education any and all reports as may be required by the board.

Any person who shall refuse, neglect or fail to file any report required by the board shall be denied a new allocation of funds until such reports have been completed and filed with the board.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-65-15 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 65-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-65-15
Status: in_force

Upon or during any closure of any school, junior college or institution of higher learning in accordance with the terms of this article, the retirement benefits under existing law of any teacher, superintendent, principal or other employee shall in no way be affected by the same or because of the period of time elapsing during which such school, junior college or institution of higher learning may be closed.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-147-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 147-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-147-1
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Mississippi University Research Authority Act.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-105-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 105-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-105-7
Status: in_force

The board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning is hereby authorized and empowered to prevent or regulate the running at large of animals of all kinds on the campus and the streets of any state institution of higher learning under the supervision of such board, and to cause such animals as may be running at large to be impounded and a charge made against the owner to discharge the cost and expenses of keeping the same. If the owner of any such animal does not pay such cost within the time prescribed by the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning, such impounded animal may be sold to discharge the cost and expense of impounding and selling the same.

If the owner of any such animal does not pay such cost within the time prescribed by the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning and if such impounded animal cannot be sold to discharge the cost and expense of impounding and selling the same, such impounded animal may be sold or donated to research organizations.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-92 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 13-92
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-92
Status: in_force

(1) Beginning with the school year 2004-2005, the school boards of all school districts shall establish, maintain and operate, in connection with the regular programs of the school district, an alternative school program or behavior modification program as defined by the State Board of Education for, but not limited to, the following categories of compulsory-school-age students:

(a) Any compulsory-school-age child who has been suspended for more than ten (10) days or expelled from school, except for any student expelled for possession of a weapon or other felonious conduct;

(b) Any compulsory-school-age child referred to such alternative school based upon a documented need for placement in the alternative school program by the parent, legal guardian or custodian of such child due to disciplinary problems;

(c) Any compulsory-school-age child referred to such alternative school program by the dispositive order of a chancellor or youth court judge, with the consent of the superintendent of the child's school district;

(d) Any compulsory-school-age child whose presence in the classroom, in the determination of the school superintendent or principal, is a disruption to the educational environment of the school or a detriment to the interest and welfare of the students and teachers of such class as a whole; and

(e) No school district is required to place a child returning from out-of-home placement in the mental health, juvenile justice or foster care system in alternative school. Placement of a child in the alternative school shall be done consistently, and for students identified under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), shall adhere to the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. If a school district chooses to place a child in alternative school the district will make an individual assessment and evaluation of that child in the following time periods:

(i) Five (5) days for a child transitioning from a group home, mental health care system, and/or the custody of the Department of Human Services, Division of Youth and Family Services;

(ii) Ten (10) days for a child transitioning from a dispositional placement order by a youth court pursuant to Section 43-21-605 ; and

(iii) An individualized assessment for youth transitioning from out-of-home placement to the alternative school shall include:

1. A strength needs assessment.

2. A determination of the child's academic strengths and deficiencies.

3. A proposed plan for transitioning the child to a regular education placement at the earliest possible date.

(2) The principal or program administrator of any such alternative school program shall require verification from the appropriate guidance counselor of any such child referred to the alternative school program regarding the suitability of such child for attendance at the alternative school program. Before a student may be removed to an alternative school education program, the superintendent of the student's school district must determine that the written and distributed disciplinary policy of the local district is being followed. The policy shall include standards for:

(a) The removal of a student to an alternative education program that will include a process of educational review to develop the student's individual instruction plan and the evaluation at regular intervals of the student's educational progress; the process shall include classroom teachers and/or other appropriate professional personnel, as defined in the district policy, to ensure a continuing educational program for the removed student;

(b) The duration of alternative placement; and

(c) The notification of parents or guardians, and their appropriate inclusion in the removal and evaluation process, as defined in the district policy. Nothing in this paragraph should be defined in a manner to circumvent the principal's or the superintendent's authority to remove a student to alternative education.

(3) The local school board or the superintendent shall provide for the continuing education of a student who has been removed to an alternative school program.

(4) A school district, in its discretion, may provide a program of High School Equivalency Diploma preparatory instruction in the alternative school program. However, any High School Equivalency Diploma preparation program offered in an alternative school program must be administered in compliance with the rules and regulations established for such programs under Sections 37-35-1 through 37-35-11 and by the Mississippi Community College Board. The school district may administer the High School Equivalency Diploma Testing Program under the policies and guidelines of the Testing Service of the American Council on Education in the alternative school program or may authorize the test to be administered through the community/junior college district in which the alternative school is situated.

(5) Any such alternative school program operated under the authority of this section shall meet all appropriate accreditation requirements of the State Department of Education.

(6) The alternative school program may be held within such school district or may be operated by two (2) or more adjacent school districts, pursuant to a contract approved by the State Board of Education. When two (2) or more school districts contract to operate an alternative school program, the school board of a district designated to be the lead district shall serve as the governing board of the alternative school program. Transportation for students attending the alternative school program shall be the responsibility of the local school district. The expense of establishing, maintaining and operating such alternative school program may be paid from funds contributed or otherwise made available to the school district for such purpose or from local district maintenance funds.

(7) The State Board of Education shall promulgate minimum guidelines for alternative school programs. The guidelines shall require, at a minimum, the formulation of an individual instruction plan for each student referred to the alternative school program and, upon a determination that it is in a student's best interest for that student to receive High School Equivalency Diploma preparatory instruction, that the local school board assign the student to a High School Equivalency Diploma preparatory program established under subsection (4) of this section. The minimum guidelines for alternative school programs shall also require the following components:

(a) Clear guidelines and procedures for placement of students into alternative education programs which at a minimum shall prescribe due process procedures for disciplinary and High School Equivalency Diploma placement;

(b) Clear and consistent goals for students and parents;

(c) Curricula addressing cultural and learning style differences;

(d) Direct supervision of all activities on a closed campus;

(e) Attendance requirements that allow for educational and workforce development opportunities;

(f) Selection of program from options provided by the local school district, Division of Youth Services or the youth court, including transfer to a community-based alternative school;

(g) Continual monitoring and evaluation and formalized passage from one (1) step or program to another;

(h) A motivated and culturally diverse staff;

(i) Counseling for parents and students;

(j) Administrative and community support for the program; and

(k) Clear procedures for annual alternative school program review and evaluation.

(8) On request of a school district, the State Department of Education shall provide the district informational material on developing an alternative school program that takes into consideration size, wealth and existing facilities in determining a program best suited to a district.

(9) Any compulsory-school-age child who becomes involved in any criminal or violent behavior shall be removed from such alternative school program and, if probable cause exists, a case shall be referred to the youth court.

(10) The State Board of Education shall promulgate guidelines for alternative school programs which provide broad authority to school boards of local school districts to establish alternative education programs to meet the specific needs of the school district.

(11) Each school district having an alternative school program shall submit a report by July 31 of each calendar year to the State Department of Education describing the results of its annual alternative school program review and evaluation undertaken pursuant to subsection (7)(k). The report shall include a detailed account of any actions taken by the school district during the previous year to comply with substantive guidelines promulgated by the State Board of Education under subsection (7)(a) through (j). In the report to be implemented under this section, the State Department of Education shall prescribe the appropriate measures on school districts that fail to file the annual report. The report should be made available online via the department's website to ensure transparency, accountability and efficiency.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-197 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 23-197
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-197
Status: in_force

(1) Each blind student, as determined by the IEP Committee, shall be eligible for instruction in Literary and Nemeth Braille reading and writing codes which will sufficiently enable that student to communicate effectively and efficiently with the same level of proficiency expected of the student's peers of comparable ability and grade level.

(2) It shall be the standard procedure for the IEP or 504 Team under Section 37-23-195 that Braille instruction or the use of Braille is required for the student, and the student's IEP or 504 Plan must be written in consultation with a Certified Teacher of the Visually Impaired.

(3) If the IEP or 504 team determines procedures other than the standard for the appropriate reading and writing media of a student are required, its decision must be based on the current ability and needs as well as the future needs of the student, considering the following:

(a) For a student with some residual vision where the team decides that large print, or large print in combination with Braille, is the appropriate reading and writing media, then that decision must be supported by a statement from a TVI declaring that the appropriate reading and writing media for that student is not Braille; and

(b) The reading and writing media of a student with some residual vision shall be determined after a TVI has administered and reviewed the results of a research-based learning media assessment and reviewed a student's current reading and writing skill level in comparison to levels expected of the student's sighted peers as determined by the IEP Committee.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-351 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 101-351
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-351
Status: in_force

The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning is hereby authorized to establish an executive institute which shall be responsible for providing advanced training and assessment for public sector executives, elected officials, state board and commission members, and officers and employees of local government entities of the State of Mississippi.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-106-73 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 106-73
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-106-73
Status: in_force

(1) There is established a Speech-Language Pathologists Forgivable Loan Program. It is the intent of the Legislature that persons declaring an intention to work in an accredited public school (K-12), including a charter school, located in the State of Mississippi as a speech-language pathologist shall be eligible for a loan for the purpose of acquiring a master's level education in such profession. The board shall enter into contracts with applicants, providing that such loans may be discharged by working as a master's level speech-language pathologist in an accredited public school (K-12), including a charter school, located in the State of Mississippi.

Repayment and conversion terms shall be the same as those outlined in Section 37-106-53 .

(2) The board shall establish rules and regulations as it deems necessary and proper to carry out the purposes and intent of this section.

The provisions of this section shall be subject to specific appropriation therefor by the Legislature.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-223 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 33-223
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-223
Status: in_force

The Department of Rehabilitation Services shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the proper administration of the Office of Special Disability Programs and shall establish guidelines for eligibility, services, training and evaluation under the program. The State Department of Rehabilitation Services may accept funds from public and private sources for the implementation of Sections 37-33-203 through 37-33-223 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-144-21 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 144-21
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-144-21
Status: in_force

This chapter may not be construed as granting the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship Program or its governing commission any governing or administrative authority over any program administered by any college, university, medical school or residency program in this state or any other program established by state law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-65-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 65-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-65-5
Status: in_force

Upon the closure of any such school, college, or institution of higher learning, no person shall go or enter upon the premises thereof except with the permission or approval of said governor, and any other person going or entering upon said premises shall be a trespasser and guilty of a misdemeanor under the laws of the State of Mississippi. Upon conviction thereof, such person shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00), or be imprisoned in the county jail for not more than thirty days, or be both so fined and imprisoned.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-104-45 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 104-45
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-104-45
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be deemed to provide a complete, additional and alternative method for the doing of things authorized thereby and shall be regarded as supplemental and additional to powers conferred by other laws; provided, the issuance of revenue bonds and revenue-refunding bonds under the provisions of this chapter need not comply with the requirements of any other law applicable to the issuance of bonds. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, none of the powers granted to the Authority under the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to the supervision or regulation or require the approval or consent of any municipality or political subdivision or any department, division, commission, board, body, bureau, official or agency thereof, or of any other state agency, department, division, commission, board, body, bureau, or official.

The powers and duties conferred upon the State Bond Commission, and its members, the Governor, the Attorney General and the State Treasurer, acting as the Authority, are supplemental to and not to conflict with the duties and powers conferred upon the State Bond Commission, the Governor, the Attorney General, and State Treasurer by law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-35 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 113-35
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-35
Status: in_force

Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science is hereby authorized and directed, through its agricultural extension service or other appropriate divisions or services of the institution, to make a survey of all farms and farm lands operated by the various state institutions, and to prepare for each of the said institutions a five-year plan of land use based on good husbandry and the particular needs of each institution. Separate plans shall be made for each institution and shall be submitted to the governing authorities of the institution affected. The governing authorities of such institutions shall put such plan into effect as soon as may be practicable. The university shall also cause to be made a detailed report and compilation of the survey made at each institution, and the plan prepared for each, which report shall be printed and bound in book or pamphlet form and distributed as follows: ten (10) copies each to the governor and the legislative budget office, and one (1) copy to each member of the legislature, or state official or institution requesting the same.

Each year after submitting the aforesaid plan to the several institutions, the university, through its agricultural extension service or other appropriate divisions or services of the institution, shall make a semiannual inspection of each institution for which a plan was submitted, and determine what progress has been made by the institution in adopting and carrying into effect or to completion the plan prepared for it. A report of each inspection made hereunder shall be made to the governor and the legislative budget office.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-23 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 113-23
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-23
Status: in_force

(1) There is hereby authorized a branch experiment station, to be known as the “Pontotoc Ridge-Flatwoods Soil Experiment Station,” to be located on a suitable tract of approximately six hundred acres of land in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, the site of which is to be selected by the director of the agricultural and forestry experimental station at the Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science. Said acreage shall be divided equally, as nearly as practicable, between the Pontotoc Ridge and Flatwoods soil types, for the purpose of experimentation with said two types of soil in forestry, pasture-improvement, horticulture, soil conservation, truck crops, forage crops, poultry, disease and insect control and general farm products. The said experiment station shall be supplied with the necessary buildings, equipment, and other facilities.

(2) The purpose of this section is to provide for increased efficiency in agriculture research for the farmers in the Pontotoc Ridge and Flatwoods soil types, who have been denied this service for all these years. Said branch experiment station shall serve the following named counties, to-wit: The Pontotoc Ridge soil begins at the Tennessee line and traverses the counties of Alcorn, Prentiss, Union, Pontotoc, Chickasaw and Clay. The Flatwoods soil which joins the Pontotoc Ridge soil on the west, begins at the Tennessee line and traverses the counties of Tippah, Benton, Union, Pontotoc, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Webster, Clay, Choctaw, Oktibbeha, Winston, Neshoba, Kemper and Lauderdale County or other counties applicable to these conditions.

(3) The governing authorities of any municipality, town, or county in the state, or any person, firm or corporation may contribute or donate land, money or other property to the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning in furtherance of the purpose of this section.

(4) The board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning is hereby authorized, upon the recommendation of the director of the agricultural and forestry experimental station at Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, which recommendation is approved by and transmitted to said board by the president of said university, to establish said Pontotoc Ridge-Flatwoods soil experiment station, to receive and accept title to any land or money or property herein authorized or to be authorized, made available or to be made available by the state legislature, to purchase land, let contracts for the construction of necessary buildings, to equip same, and to further equip said experiment station with farm equipment and any and all other equipment, and to do all things necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-141-23 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 141-23
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-141-23
Status: in_force

The Attorney General of the state shall be legal counsel to the University Research Center.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-207 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 9-207
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-207
Status: in_force

Each district that wishes to participate in the beginning teacher support program shall submit a formal application to the Mississippi Teacher Center no later than September 15 of each school year, according to rules of the Mississippi Teacher Center. By that date, districts shall inform the department of:

(a) The names of all eligible beginning teachers employed by the district and a description of their teaching assignments and extracurricular duties;

(b) The names of mentor teachers selected by a district and a description of their teaching assignments and the endorsement area in which they are certified to teach;

(c) A description of the content and calendar of the proposed beginning teacher support program. The program must provide a minimum of ninety (90) hours of direct contact between mentor teachers and beginning teachers, including observation of or assistance with classroom teaching, or both, during the school day;

(d) A description of the amount and nature of each eligible beginning teacher's classroom and extracurricular duties and assurance that these duties are not unreasonable for a beginning teacher; and

(e) A certification that no eligible beginning teacher is or may be misassigned outside the teacher's endorsement area, except as provided for by rules of the Mississippi Teacher Center.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-48 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 115-48
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-48
Status: in_force

(1) The University of Mississippi Medical Center is authorized, in its discretion, to rearrange or disinter, remove or reinter, where applicable, human remains reposing in the potter's field located on the University of Mississippi Medical Center's property to a different location on the medical center's property when the disinterment, removal or reinterment, where applicable, is necessary for proper and efficient maintenance and management.

(2) Markers, headstones, or other identification shall accompany the remains whenever identification exists, and a record of the removal and reinterment, where applicable, shall be maintained in the files of the Chancery Clerk of Hinds County, Mississippi.

(3) Before taking any action authorized under this section, the University of Mississippi Medical Center shall first advertise its intent to rearrange, disinter, remove or reinter, where applicable, remains from the property by publishing notice in a newspaper of the county once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks.

(4) The University of Mississippi Medical Center and its officers and employees shall be immune from any action or suit arising from the maintenance or attempted maintenance of the potter's field and the rearrangement, removal or reinterment, where applicable, of remains, when performed in good faith under authority of this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 23-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-1
Status: in_force

The purpose of Sections 37-23-1 through 37-23-159 is to mandate free appropriate public educational services and equipment for exceptional children in the age range three (3) through twenty (20) for whom the regular school programs are not adequate and to provide, on a permissive basis, a free appropriate public education, as a part of the state's early intervention system in accordance with regulations developed in collaboration with the agency designated as “lead agency” under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The portion of the regulations developed in collaboration with the lead agency which are necessary to implement the programs under the authority of the State Board of Education shall be presented to the State Board of Education for adoption. This specifically includes, but shall not be limited to, provision for day schools for the deaf and blind of an age under six (6) years, where early training is in accordance with the most advanced and best approved scientific methods of instruction, always taking into consideration the best interests of the child and his improvement at a time during which he is most susceptible of improvement. Educational programs to exceptional children under the age of three (3) years shall be eligible for total funding formula funds provided in Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 .

All references in the laws of this state to the “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act” or to the “IDEA” shall be construed to include any subsequent amendments to that act.

The educational programs and services provided for exceptional children in Sections 37-23-1 through 37-23-15 , 37-23-31 through 37-23-35 , 37-23-61 through 37-23-75 and 37-23-77 shall be designed to provide individualized appropriate special education and related services that enable a child to reach his or her appropriate and uniquely designed goals for success. The State Board of Education shall establish an accountability system for special education programs and students with disabilities. The system shall establish accountability standards for services provided to improve the educational skills designed to prepare children for life after their years in school. These standards shall be a part of the accreditation system and shall be implemented before July 1, 1996.

The State Department of Education shall establish goals for the performance of children with disabilities that will promote the purpose of IDEA and are consistent, to the maximum extent appropriate, with other goals and standards for children established by the State Department of Education. Performance indicators used to assess progress toward achieving those goals that, at a minimum, address the performance of children with disabilities on assessments, drop-out rates, and graduation rates shall be developed. Every two (2) years, the progress toward meeting the established performance goals shall be reported to the public.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-69-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 69-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-69-1
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be known as “The Energy Academy Act.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-11 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 28-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-11
Status: in_force

(1) To cover the costs of overseeing charter schools in accordance with this chapter, the authorizer shall receive three percent (3%) of annual per-pupil allocations received by a charter school from state and local funds for each charter school it authorizes.

(2) The authorizer may receive appropriate gifts, grants and donations of any kind from any public or private entity to carry out the purposes of this chapter, subject to all lawful terms and conditions under which the gifts, grants or donations are given.

(3) The authorizer may expend its resources, seek grant funds and establish partnerships to support its charter school authorizing activities.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-263 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 33-263
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-263
Status: in_force

(1) The State Board of Health shall establish in the State Department of Health a program to:

(a) Identify and investigate spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries; and

(b) Maintain a central registry for cases of spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries.

(2) The State Department of Health shall design the registry program so that it will:

(a) Provide information in a central data bank of accurate, precise and current information on spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries;

(b) Provide for the collection of such data to identify risk factors and causes of spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries;

(c) Provide information for early identification of spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries:

(d) Provide for the dissemination of such data for the purposes of care and support for persons with spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries;

(e) Provide for the analysis of such data for the purpose of prevention.

(3) The State Board of Health shall adopt rules, regulations and procedures to govern the operation of the registry program and to carry out the intent of this section.

(4) The State Board of Health in its rules and regulations shall specify the types of information to be provided to the spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries registry and the persons and entities who are required to provide such information to the registry.

(5) The State Board of Health by rule shall prescribe the manner in which records and other information are made available to the State Department of Health.

(6) Information collected and analyzed by the State Department of Health under this section shall be placed in a central registry to facilitate research and to maintain security.

(a) Data obtained under this section directly from the medical records of a patient is for the confidential use of the State Department of Health and the persons or public or private entities that the State Department of Health determines are necessary to carry out the intent of this section. The data is privileged and may not be divulged or made public in a manner that discloses the identity of an individual whose medical records have been used for obtaining data under this section.

(b) Information that may identify an individual whose medical records have been used for obtaining data under this section is not available for public inspection under the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983.

(c) Statistical information collected under this section is public information.

(7) The State Department of Health may use the registry to:

(a) Investigate the causes of spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries and other health conditions as authorized by statute;

(b) Design and evaluate measures to prevent the occurrence of spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries, and other conditions;

(c) Conduct other investigations and activities necessary for the State Board of Health and the State Department of Health to fulfill their obligation to protect the public health; and

(d) Identify those persons who cannot achieve complete independence after suffering spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries.

(8) Any person or entity who misuses the information provided to the registry shall be subject to a civil penalty of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for each such failure or misuse. Such penalty shall be assessed and levied by the State Board of Health after a hearing, and all such penalties collected shall be deposited into the State General Fund.

(9) The State Health Officer may appoint or delegate his authority to establish and appoint an advisory council, for the purposes of this section, to the State Department of Rehabilitation Services Advisory Council on Spinal Cord Injuries and Traumatic Brain Injuries. The advisory council may designate a subcommittee to act as the registry's advisor. The State Board of Health shall consult and be advised by the committee on the promulgation of rules, regulations and procedures for the purposes of this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 25-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-7
Status: in_force

Any student receiving instruction under this chapter shall be:

(a) Fourteen (14) years of age or above;

(b) A regularly enrolled student in the ninth, tenth, eleventh or twelfth grade; and

(c) A full-time student in the respective secondary school.

Any driver education student shall not be required to possess a learner's permit or driver's license while the student is under the direct supervision of a driver education instructor and is actually enrolled in an approved course of driver education.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-177-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 177-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-177-5
Status: in_force

The State Department of Education shall establish a Mississippi Reading Panel to collaborate with the State Department of Education in recommending appropriate equitable alternative standardized assessments and cut scores to be used to determine promotion to the Fourth Grade of those Third-Grade students who did not score at the required achievement level on the state annual accountability assessment, as outlined in Section 37-177-9 , or who, for unforeseen circumstances, were unable to take the assessment. The panel should have knowledge and input in the adoption or development of a universal screener for required use only in select schools most in need for the reading intervention program to identify reading deficiencies and determine progress. A suggestive list of no less than four (4) screening assessments should be available to schools not selected for the critical reading intervention program taking into consideration those screening assessments already being used satisfactorily in Mississippi elementary schools. An approved alternative standardized reading assessment may be used in years when the state is transitioning to a new state annual accountability assessment. The panel shall consist of six (6) members as follows: the State Superintendent of Education, or his/her designee, who will chair the committee; the Chair of the House Education Committee, or his designee; the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee, or his designee; one (1) member appointed by the Governor; and two (2) additional members appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-607 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 29-607
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-607
Status: in_force

(1) All bonds issued by an educational building corporation shall be solely and exclusively obligations of the corporation and shall not create an obligation or debt of the State of Mississippi. The state shall not pledge its full faith or credit for the payment of any debt incurred or bonds issued by such corporation.

(2) All such bonds shall not constitute a debt of the community or junior college for which the facilities are to be constructed.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-71 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 27-71
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-71
Status: in_force

In any such case the board of trustees of such agricultural high school, by resolution or order, shall declare its intention to borrow any sum not in excess of the limitation fixed in Section 37-27-69 , and shall recite in said resolution or order with reasonable particulars the purpose for which said funds are to be borrowed, and shall fix a schedule of amounts and dates of maturities by which such loans shall be repaid. Such resolution or order shall be duly recorded in the permanent minutes of the board of trustees of such institution. All such loans shall be fully repaid within six (6) years, and they shall be evidenced by notes signed by the president and secretary of the board of trustees, which shall bear appropriate reference to the resolution or order of the board of trustees authorizing such loan. Such loan shall be retired in installments of not less than one-fifth (1/5) the amount thereof on the first day of April of the year next succeeding the date of such loan and an equal amount on the same date of each and every year thereafter until said loan is paid.

Notes issued in evidence of such loans shall bear interest at a rate of not to exceed four percent (4%) per annum, all interest payable semi-annually, and no such note shall be sold or negotiated by said institution for less than par and accrued interest. Funds received by such institution from the sale or negotiation of any such notes shall be paid into the treasury of the institution and disbursed as other funds thereof are disbursed, but for no other purpose than that authorized by Section 37-27-69 . Such notes shall be lithographed, or engraved, and printed in two (2) or more colors to prevent counterfeiting. Such notes shall bear the signature of the agricultural high school issuing the same, by the president and secretary of the board of trustees thereof. They shall be impressed with the seal of such institution. Interest coupons attached may bear the facsimile signatures of the aforesaid officers of the board of trustees. Before negotiation or sale and delivery thereof, said notes shall be registered in a book kept in the business office of such institution.

All indebtedness so created shall be paid from first funds derived from tax levies for maintenance and operation of said school coming into the treasury thereof and from fees, rentals and other charges as provided in Section 37-27-73 . In order to secure the prompt payment of any and all indebtedness, whether of principal or interest incurred hereunder, a special fund shall be established in the depository of the funds of said institution, the style of which shall be, “debt retirement fund of __________ agricultural high school,” and immediately upon receipt of the distribution of said first funds derived from such tax levies, annually hereafter in advance of the due date of each and every installment of said indebtedness, a sufficient sum from said taxes shall be paid into said special fund for the retirement of all principal and interest coming due within said year equal to the difference, if any, between such principal and interest and the amount collected from fees, rentals and other charges, as provided in Section 37-27-73 . Said debt retirement fund shall be used for no other purpose than for the payment of principal and interest of indebtedness incurred hereunder.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-605 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 29-605
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-605
Status: in_force

All bonds issued by an educational building corporation may be executed and delivered at any time and from time to time, may be in such form and denominations, may be of such tenor, may be payable in such installments and at such time or times not exceeding thirty (30) years from their date, may be payable at such place or places, may bear interest at such rate or rates payable at such place or places and evidenced in such manner, and may contain such provisions not inconsistent with Sections 37-29-601 through 37-29-613 , all as may be provided by resolution of its board of directors. The bonds issued by any such corporation shall be signed by the chairman of its board of directors or other chief executive officer and attested by its secretary, and the seal of such corporation shall be affixed thereto. Any such bonds may be sold at public or private sale in such manner and from time to time as may be determined by the board of directors to be most advantageous, and the corporation may pay all expenses, premiums and commissions which its board of directors may deem necessary or advantageous in connection with the authorization, sale and issuance of the bonds. All such bonds shall be construed to be negotiable instruments, despite the fact that they are payable solely from a specified source.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-65-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 65-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-65-3
Status: in_force

The decision or determination to close any one or more of the schools, colleges or institutions of higher learning as provided in Section 37-65-1 , shall be effectuated and evidenced by a proclamation of the governor of the State of Mississippi, which shall be effective upon his execution or issuance thereof, and such schools, colleges, or institutions of higher learning closed according to the provisions of this article shall remain so closed until said governor shall execute or issue a further proclamation opening same. The use by said governor of the power vested in him by the terms of this article may be exercised from time to time as, in his discretion, he may deem necessary for any or all of the purposes specified in Section 37-65-1 and any proclamation of closure need not specify the period of time during which such closure shall be effective.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 41-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-7
Status: in_force

The local school board is hereby authorized, empowered and directed to lay out all transportation routes and provide transportation for all school children who are entitled to transportation within their respective counties and school districts.

Any school district may, in the discretion of the school board, expend funds from any funds available to the school district, including the amounts derived from district tax levies, sixteenth section funds, and all other available funds, for the purpose of supplementing funds available to the school board for paying transportation costs not covered by total funding formula funds as provided in Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-153-231 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 153-231
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-153-231
Status: in_force

This article shall be known and cited as the “Paramedics Recruitment and Retention Scholarship Program Act.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-75 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 31-75
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-75
Status: in_force

The various counties, municipalities, school districts and community and junior college districts which may become parties to any agreement authorized by Sections 37-31-71 through 37-31-79 are authorized to appropriate and expend any and all funds which may be required to carry out the terms of the agreement from any funds available to any party to the agreement not otherwise appropriated without limitation as to the source of the funds, including total funding formula funds, sixteenth section funds, funds received from the federal government or other sources by way of grant, donation or otherwise, and funds which may be available to any such party through the State Department of Education or any other agency of the state, regardless of the party to the agreement designated by the agreement to be primarily responsible for the construction or operation of the regional education center and regardless of the limitation on the expenditure of any funds imposed by any other statute. However, no funds whose use was originally limited to the construction of capital improvements shall be utilized for the purpose of defraying the administrative or operating costs of any regional education center. Any one or more of the parties to an agreement may be designated as the fiscal agent or contracting party in carrying out any of the purposes of the agreement, and any and all funds authorized to be spent by any of the parties may be paid over to the fiscal agent or contracting party for disbursement by the fiscal agent or contracting party. Disbursements shall be made and contracted for under the laws and regulations applicable to the fiscal or disbursing agent, except to the extent they may be extended or modified by the provisions of Sections 37-31-71 through 37-31-79 . All of the parties to the agreement may issue bonds, negotiable notes or other evidences of indebtedness for the purpose of providing funds for the acquisition of land and for the construction of buildings and permanent improvements under the terms of the agreement under any existing laws authorizing the issuance or sale of bonds, negotiable notes or other evidences of indebtedness to provide funds for any capital improvement.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-59 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 33-59
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-59
Status: in_force

The department shall provide vocational rehabilitation services to individuals who are blind who are determined by the department to be eligible therefor, and in carrying out the purposes of the Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind Law, the department is authorized among other things:

(a) To cooperate with other departments, agencies and institutions, both public and private, in providing for the vocational rehabilitation of individuals who are blind, in studying the problems involved therein, and in establishing, developing and providing, in conformity with the purposes of that law, such programs, facilities and services as may be necessary or desirable;

(b) To conduct research and compile statistics relating to the vocational rehabilitation of individuals who are blind;

(c) To prescribe and provide such courses of vocational training as may be necessary for the vocational rehabilitation of individuals who are blind.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-17 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 175-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-17
Status: in_force

(1) To be eligible to participate in the Mississippi Speech-Language Therapy Scholarship for Students with Speech-Language Impairments Program, a nonpublic school must:

(a) Be a state accredited nonpublic special purpose school in the state that is organized to provide and emphasizes instruction in speech-language therapy and intervention as the primary purpose of the school;

(b) Provide to the department all documentation required for a student's participation, including the nonpublic school's and student's fee schedules, at least thirty (30) days before the first quarterly scholarship payment is made for the student;

(c) Be academically accountable to the parent or legal guardian for meeting the educational needs of the student by, at a minimum, annually providing to the parent or legal guardian a written explanation of the student's progress;

(d) Maintain in this state a physical location where a scholarship student regularly attends classes.

(2) The inability of a nonpublic school to meet the requirements of this subsection shall constitute a basis for the ineligibility of the nonpublic school to participate in the scholarship program as determined by the department.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-237 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 29-237
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-237
Status: in_force

Any public junior college fraternity, sorority, or secret society as defined in Section 37-29-235 is hereby declared to be inimical to public free schools and therefore unlawful.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-213 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 9-213
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-213
Status: in_force

The Mississippi Teacher Center shall be responsible for the regular and ongoing evaluation of the beginning teacher support program and may contract for such evaluation. The evaluation shall include, but not be limited to, assessments of the following:

(a) A survey and follow-up of all eligible mentor teachers and beginning teachers and appropriate district officials, to assess satisfaction with and the effectiveness of the beginning teacher support program;

(b) The amount and quality of the contact time between mentor teachers and beginning teachers;

(c) The effectiveness of workshops and other training required under Sections 37-9-201 through 37-9-211 ;

(d) The effectiveness of the mentor program in enhancing the professional development and retention of new teachers in the district;

(e) The desirability of extending this assistance program to students participating in graduate level teacher preparation programs similar to those which have been proposed by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning; and

(f) The desirability of extending this assistance program to all probationary teachers.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-107 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 31-107
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-107
Status: in_force

Qualified students for the classes or courses may be accepted by the schools from any source, but priority of enrollment will be given referrals from the Department of Child Protection Services, state employment service, vocational rehabilitation, and nonretired veterans. The state employment service will assist with student job placement and referral whenever possible.

For the purposes of Sections 37-31-101 through 37-31-111 , a qualified student is an adult, at least eighteen (18) years old, who is underemployed or unemployed and is not enrolled in school.

Students will not be eligible if they have dropped out of regular school for the specific purpose of enrolling in the manpower programs.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-8 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 17-8
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-8
Status: in_force

(1) The State Board of Education, through the Commission on School Accreditation, shall establish criteria for comprehensive in-service staff development plans. These criteria shall: (a) include, but not be limited to, formula and guidelines for allocating available state funds for in-service training to local school districts; (b) require that a portion of the plans be devoted exclusively for the purpose of providing staff development training for beginning teachers within that local school district and for no other purpose; and (c) require that a portion of the school district's in-service training for administrators and teachers be dedicated to the application and utilization of various disciplinary techniques. The board shall each year make recommendations to the Legislature concerning the amount of funds which shall be appropriated for this purpose.

(2) School districts shall not be required to submit staff development plans to the Commission on School Accreditation for approval. However, any school district accredited at the lowest performance levels, as defined by the State Board of Education, shall include, as a part of any required corrective action plan, provisions to address staff development in accordance with State Board of Education requirements. All school districts, unless specifically exempt from this section, must maintain on file staff development plans as required under this section. The plan shall have been prepared by a district committee appointed by the district superintendent and consisting of teachers, administrators, school board members, and lay people, and it shall have been approved by the district superintendent.

(3) In order to insure that teachers are not overburdened with paperwork and written reports, local school districts and the State Board of Education shall take such steps as may be necessary to further the reduction of paperwork requirements on teachers.

(4) Districts meeting the highest levels of accreditation standards, as defined by the State Board of Education, shall be exempted from the mandatory provisions of this section relating to staff development plans.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-121 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 101-121
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-121
Status: in_force

The board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning is hereby authorized and empowered, in its discretion, and with the consent and approval of the state building commission, to invest any funds derived or made available for the purpose of constructing, erecting, repairing, remodeling or equipping dormitories and other housing facilities under projects approved and sanctioned by the Home and Housing Finance Agency of the United States of America, whether said funds be derived from the proceeds of bonds issued under the provisions of Sections 37-101-91 through 37-101-103 , or from money borrowed for the interim financing of any such project, or from any other sources, in short-term bonds or other direct obligations of the United States of America. However, no such funds shall be so invested except the amount of such funds which is in excess of the sums which will be required for expenditure in financing the construction of said projects during the succeeding ninety days. In all cases, the bonds or other obligations in which such funds are invested shall mature or be redeemable prior to the time the funds so invested will be needed for expenditure in financing the construction of said projects.

The board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning, with the consent and approval of the state building commission, may, by order or resolution spread upon its minutes, authorize and empower any member or members of said board of trustees, or any officers or employees thereof, or any other person or persons, to make investments of such funds from time to time as they shall be available for investment under the provisions of this section. Any such member or members or officers or employees, or other person or persons, when so authorized by such order or resolution, shall have the power and authority to make such investments of such funds, to make purchases of such bonds or other obligations, to execute all necessary instruments in connection therewith, and to take such other action as may be necessary to effectuate the investment of such funds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-211 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 151-211
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-211
Status: in_force

(1)(a) Before February 1 of each year, the tax assessor of each county shall file reports with the State Department of Education which provide information essential to the department in determining the local contribution that each school district or charter school is required to provide toward the cost of local school funding. A separate report must be filed for each school district or part of a school district situated in the county and must include the following information:

(i) The total assessed valuation of nonexempt property for school purposes in each school district;

(ii) Assessed value of exempt property owned by homeowners aged sixty-five (65) or older or disabled, as defined in Section 27-33-67(2) ;

(iii) The school district's tax loss from exemptions provided to applicants under the age of sixty-five (65) and not disabled, as defined in Section 27-33-67(1) ; and

(iv) The school district's homestead reimbursement revenues.

(b) The State Department of Education shall prepare and make available to the tax assessor of each county a form for the reports required under paragraph (a) of this subsection (1)(a).

(2)(a) The department shall use the information submitted pursuant to subsection (1) to calculate and certify to each school district the millage required to raise its minimum local tax effort, which must be the value of not less than twenty-eight (28) mills for the then current fiscal year or a millage rate equivalent to twenty-seven percent (27%) of the total funding formula funds for the school district, any charter schools, and any Mississippi Achievement School District Schools located in its boundaries, whichever is a lesser amount as certified to the school district by the department, upon all of the taxable property of the school district, including the following sources:

(i) One hundred percent (100%) of Grand Gulf income, as prescribed in Section 27-35-309 ; and

(ii) One hundred percent (100%) of any fees in lieu of taxes, as prescribed in Section 27-31-104 , in accordance with Section 37-57-1 .

(b) The department shall determine the local contribution of each school district or charter school based on the minimum local tax effort, as determined under paragraph (a), and shall certify this required local contribution to each school district or charter school, as follows:

(i) For school districts in which there are no charter schools, the minimum local tax effort is the required local contribution for the school district.

(ii) For school districts in which there is located one or more charter schools, the local contribution of the school district is the product of multiplying the local pro rata amount by the net enrollment of the school district. The department will calculate the local pro rata amount by dividing the school district's minimum local tax effort by the sum of the net enrollment of the school district, as determined by Section 37-151-207 , and the projected enrollment of charter school students, as specified in Section 37-151-207 , who reside or are estimated to reside in the district, but excluding from this projected enrollment any resident students who are projected to transfer from the district to a charter school after the calculation of the district's net enrollment, so as not to double-count those students.

(iii) For each charter school, the local contribution is the sum of the local pro rata amount for each charter school student, as determined by Section 37-151-207 , based on each student's district of residence. The department will calculate a local pro rata amount for each school district in which a student projected to attend the charter school resides or is estimated to reside using the methodology in subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph (b).

(iv) In the case of an agricultural high school, the local contribution is based on an equitable amount per pupil, as determined by the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education shall set the millage requirement to generate such an amount and will certify this amount and millage requirement to agricultural high schools in the same manner as for all other school districts under this subsection.

(3) Except as otherwise provided in Section 37-151-213(1) , the required state share in support of each school district and charter school is determined by subtracting the required local contribution, which total amount may not exceed twenty-seven percent (27%) of the total projected funding formula cost, from the total projected funding formula cost, as determined under Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 , for the school district or charter school.

(4) If the school board of any school district or charter school governing board determines that it is not economically feasible or practicable to operate any school within the district or charter school for the full one hundred eighty (180) days required for the school term of a scholastic year under Section 37-13-63 , due to an enemy attack, man-made, technological, or natural disaster in which the Governor has declared a disaster emergency under the laws of this state or the President of the United States has declared an emergency or major disaster to exist in this state, the school board or charter school governing board may notify the State Department of Education of the disaster and submit a plan for altering the school term. If the State Board of Education finds the disaster to be the cause of the school not operating for the contemplated school term and that the school is located in a school district covered by the Governor's or President's disaster declaration, the board may permit the schools located in that district to be operated for less than one hundred eighty (180) days and, in such case, the State Department of Education may not reduce the state share in support of the funding formula for that district or charter school because of the failure to operate those schools for one hundred eighty (180) days.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-140-9 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 140-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-140-9
Status: in_force

The board shall be the exclusive governing body of the school and shall promulgate rules and regulations required for the administration and operation of the school, consistent with the provisions of this chapter. The emphasis of the school shall be on the education and training of students in the performing, visual and literary arts and in the humanities, but this emphasis shall not preclude the teaching of those liberal arts and science courses, math and science deemed necessary by the board to provide students with a well-rounded education.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-106-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 106-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-106-1
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be cited as the “Post-Secondary Education Financial Assistance Law of 1975.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-149-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 149-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-149-1
Status: in_force

(1) There is established within the State Department of Education, the Mississippi Teacher Center for the purpose of insuring that the children of our state are taught by quality professionals. The center shall serve as an interagency center focused on teacher recruitment, enhanced training and initial instructional support.

(2) The center shall have a staff which shall consist of one (1) director, one (1) administrative assistant and professional teacher recruiters. A steering committee shall be established which shall consist of one (1) member from each of the following: the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, the Mississippi Community College Board, the State Board of Education, the Board of the Mississippi Association of Independent Colleges, the Board of the Mississippi Association of Colleges of Teacher Education, trustees of the local school boards, teachers and the private sector. The members of the steering committee shall be appointed by the State Superintendent with the approval of the board. The steering committee shall direct the work and establish policies for the purpose of operating the center.

(3) The center shall provide leadership for the following initiatives:

(a) The initiation and monitoring of high school programs for teacher recruitment;

(b) The initiation and monitoring of college level programs for teacher recruitment;

(c) The establishment of a Beginning Teacher/Mentoring program, as authorized in Sections 37-9-201 through 37-9-213 ;

(d) The sponsorship of a teacher renewal institute;

(e) The continuation of the Teacher Corps program;

(f) The enhancement of the William Winter Scholarship program;

(g) Research for the development of professional teaching standards;

(h) Provide additional scholarships for any targeted populations needing potential teachers; and

(i) Provide assistance to local school districts in identifying and locating specific teacher needs.

(4)(a) The Legislature recognizes that a highly qualified teacher in every public classroom in this state is fundamental to a quality education. The Legislature also recognizes that Mississippi has a serious shortage of qualified teachers to serve in the public schools of this state and that it has a responsibility to enact public policy in an effort to remedy that shortage of qualified teachers.

(b) There is hereby established a Mississippi “Troops to Teachers” pilot program in the State Department of Education to assist in the recruitment, licensure, referral, placement and compensation of military personnel interested in beginning a second career in public education as a teacher. The Teacher Center in the State Department of Education shall collaborate with the national “Troops to Teachers” program to establish the criteria and procedures for allocation of funds provided by the federal government to administer the pilot program to ensure the most effective placement of such teachers around the state taking into consideration the degree of teacher shortage in each school district.

(c) The Legislature shall appropriate funds necessary for the support of this pilot program which will not supplant federal funds provided for that purpose. The Office of the Governor shall transfer any federal funds provided for the Mississippi “Troops to Teachers” program to the State Department of Education for the administration of this program.

(d) The Department of Education shall report to the Legislature no later than January 1, 2009, on the status of the implementation of the Mississippi “Troops to Teachers” program and the need for its continuation.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-35 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 23-35
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-35
Status: in_force

(1) When any children who are residents of the State of Mississippi and qualify under the provisions of Section 37-23-31 , are provided a program of education, instruction and training within a school under the provisions of Section 37-23-31 , the State Department of Education shall allocate one (1) teacher unit for each approved class. The allocation of funds for each teacher unit shall be based on the teacher's certification and shall be in accordance with Section 37-19-7 . The department shall complete provisional teacher unit approval for university or college-based programs at the same time teacher units are approved for local educational agencies. The university or college shall be eligible for state and federal funds for such programs in accordance with IDEA. The university or college shall be responsible for providing for the additional costs of the program.

(2) IDEA-Part B and preschool allocations for each LEA shall be determined and calculated by the State Department of Education with notification provided to the UBP of the total amount of funds being distributed to the LEA. The LEA and UBP shall enter into a collaborative agreement that describes the services provided and the funds required for such services.

(3) State funds for transportation, extended school year and teacher unit allocations, including National Board Certification/Speech-Language Pathology Supplements, shall be distributed by the State Department of Education directly to the state-supported university or college for students placed either through the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process or who are parentally placed. The university-based program (UBP) shall submit this information directly to the State Department of Education.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-11 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 25-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-11
Status: in_force

A determination of the cost of a driver education and training program in a secondary school shall include, but by no means is limited to, the cost of the replacement of the automobile or machinery used in the instruction of pupils, the cost of the instructor's salary, the upkeep and maintenance of said automobile, and the cost of such other equipment and classroom data as may be required in a driver education and training program operated in compliance with the rules and regulations of the state board of education.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-63-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 63-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-63-1
Status: in_force

It is declared to be the legislative purpose of this chapter, and the public policy of the State of Mississippi, that there be established and developed in the public interest an educational television and radio system which shall provide educational and instructional, professional growth, and public service programs for the students and citizens of Mississippi, such system to be known as Mississippi Educational Television. The legislature therefore declares and determines that for these and other related purposes there is hereby established an agency of state government to be known as the Mississippi authority for educational television which shall have the responsibility for the administration, operation, control and supervision of educational television and radio in Mississippi.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-141-17 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 141-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-141-17
Status: in_force

The center, on behalf of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, shall prepare an annual report of economic development activities of those agencies and institutions subject to the Board of Trustees. The report shall describe:

(a) Economic development efforts and accomplishments of the University Research Center, each university, and each institute.

(b) Efforts and accomplishments of the center in coordinating economic development activities among the universities.

(c) Recommendations of the center for coordination and utilization of university resources in economic development, for university-based initiatives in economic development, and for funding related to economic development and plans of the universities.

(d) Assistance rendered to the Department of Economic Development by the center and each university.

(e) Activities and accomplishments of staff assigned to planning and development districts pursuant to Section 37-141-19 .

(f) Any other information which the center wishes to present.

The annual report shall be submitted to the Governor and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee not later than July 1 of each year.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-35 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 11-35
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-35
Status: in_force

(1) If any person charged by Section 37-11-29(2) or (3) to make the reports therein provided for shall willfully fail, refuse or neglect to file any such report, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or be imprisoned not exceeding six (6) months, or both.

(2) If any person charged by Section 97-5-24 to make the reports therein provided for shall willfully fail, refuse or neglect to file any such report, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or be imprisoned not exceeding six (6) months, or both.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-173-15 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 173-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-173-15
Status: in_force

(1)(a) Each local school district shall adopt a policy to ensure that students will be screened by a screener approved by the State Board of Education in the spring of kindergarten and the fall of Grade 1. The component of the screening must include:

(i) Phonological awareness and phonemic awareness;

(ii) Sound symbol recognition;

(iii) Alphabet knowledge;

(iv) Decoding skills;

(v) Encoding skills; and

(vi) Rapid naming.

(b) If a student fails the screener, the parent or legal guardian will be notified of the results of the screener. Subsequent dyslexia evaluations may be administered by licensed professionals, including:

(i) Psychologists, licensed under Chapter 31, Title 73, Mississippi Code of 1972;

(ii) Psychometrists, licensed by the Mississippi Department of Education, and in accordance with Chapter 31, Title 73 , Section 27, Mississippi Code of 1972; or

(iii) Speech Language Pathologists, licensed under Chapter 38, Title 73, Mississippi Code of 1972 .

(c) If a student fails the screener, the school district, in its discretion, may perform a comprehensive dyslexia evaluation, such evaluation must be administered by any of the licensed professionals identified under paragraph (b) of this subsection.

(d) If a parent or legal guardian of a student who fails the dyslexia screener exercises the option to have a subsequent evaluation performed, such evaluation shall be administered by any of the licensed professionals identified under paragraph (b) of this subsection, and the resulting diagnosis of the subsequent evaluation must be accepted by the school district for purposes of determining eligibility for placement within a dyslexia therapy program within the current school or to receive a Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship for placement in a dyslexia program in another public school or nonpublic school.

(2) The screening of all compulsory-school-age children enrolled in each local public school district for dyslexia required by subsection (1)(a) of this section shall in no manner nullify or defeat the requirements of the pilot programs adopted by the State Department of Education to test certain students enrolled or enrolling in public schools for dyslexia under Section 37-23-15 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-303 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 29-303
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-303
Status: in_force

As used in Sections 37-29-301 through 37-29-305 , the following terms shall be defined as provided in this section:

(a) “ Full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment ” means the process by which the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) calculates FTE by taking total undergraduate semester credit hours divided by thirty (30); total undergraduate quarter hours divided by forty-five (45); total graduate semester credit hours divided by twenty-four (24); and total graduate quarter hours divided by thirty-six (36).

(b) “ State funds ” means all funds appropriated by the Legislature including funds from the State General Fund, Education Enhancement Fund, Budget Contingency Fund and Health Care Expendable Fund.

(c) “ E & G operations ” means education and general expenses of the colleges and universities.

(d) “ Net enrollment ” has the same meaning as ascribed to that term under Section 37-151-201 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-13 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 41-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-13
Status: in_force

All routes shall be laid out so as to place all pupils entitled to transportation within a reasonable distance of same. No child entitled to transportation shall be required to walk a greater distance than one mile to reach the vehicle of transportation in the morning or to reach his home in the afternoon.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-121-19 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 121-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-121-19
Status: in_force

The lands and property of Alcorn State University shall not be subject to state, county or municipal taxation. The buildings and improvements that are or may be erected on any land belonging to the university that has been or may be leased to private entities for the purpose of affording affordable board to the students attending the institution shall not be subject to taxation.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-77 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 23-77
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-77
Status: in_force

If a child, as defined in Sections 37-23-61 and 37-23-63 , is under the legal guardianship of the State Department of Human Services, or any other state agency, and for whom no foster parents are available and no state-funded institution placement is available, funds available under Section 37-23-1 et seq. may be used to provide for the education of the child in an institution approved by the Department of Human Services and the State Department of Education. However, if the educational services needed by the child are available in a state funded institution, these funds shall not be used to pay for educational services at that institution. At any such time a child is taken out of a school setting and placed under the custody of the Department of Human Services, the department shall immediately notify the State Department of Education and apply for funds for the child's educational services under Section 37-23-1 et seq. and the State Department of Education shall respond to the application within ten (10) working days. The special education and related services provided for this child shall be provided in compliance with State Department of Education regulations. The State Department of Education shall promulgate such regulations as are necessary to implement this section.

The State Department of Education shall require that the special education and related services provided for the children under this section be designed to provide individualized appropriate special education and related services that enable a child to reach his or her appropriate and uniquely designed goals for success.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-121 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 23-121
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-121
Status: in_force

Sections 37-23-121 through 37-23-131 shall be cited as the “Mississippi Learning Resources Law of 1974.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-69 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 23-69
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-69
Status: in_force

The State Department of Education may determine and pay the amount of the financial assistance to be made available to each applicant, and see that all applicants and the programs for them meet the requirements of the program for exceptional children. No financial assistance shall exceed the obligation actually incurred by the applicant for educational costs, which shall include special education and related services as defined by the Mississippi Department of Education Policies and Procedures Regarding Children with Disabilities under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Within the amount of available state funds for that purpose, each such applicant may receive assistance according to the following allowances:

(a) If the applicant chooses to attend a private school, a parochial school or a speech, hearing and/or language clinic having an appropriate program for the applicant, and if the school or clinic meets federal and state regulations, then the educational costs reimbursement will be one hundred percent (100%) of the first Six Hundred Dollars ($600.00) in educational costs charged by the school or clinic; or, if the applicant is under six (6) years of age, and no program appropriate for the child exists in the public schools of his domicile, then the reimbursement shall be one hundred percent (100%) of the first Six Hundred Dollars ($600.00) in educational costs charged by the school or clinic, and fifty percent (50%) of the next Eight Hundred Dollars ($800.00) in educational costs charged by the school or clinic;

(b) A public school district shall be reimbursed for the educational costs of an applicant up to an annual maximum based on a cost factor determined by the State Board of Education if the following conditions are met: (i) an applicant in the age range six (6) through twenty (20) requests the public school district where he resides to provide an education for him and the nature of the applicant's educational problem is such that, according to best educational practices, it cannot be met in the public school district where the child resides; (ii) the public school district decides to provide the applicant a free appropriate education by placing him in a private school, a parochial school or a speech, hearing and/or language clinic having an appropriate program for the applicant; (iii) the program meets federal and state regulations; and (iv) the applicant is approved for financial assistance by a State Level Review Board established by the State Board of Education. The Review Board will act on financial assistance requests within five (5) working days of receipt. Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent two (2) or more public school districts from forming a cooperative to meet the needs of low incidence exceptional children, nor shall the public school be relieved of its responsibility to provide an education for all children. If state monies are not sufficient to fund all applicants, there will be a ratable reduction for all recipients receiving state funds under this section. School districts may pay additional educational costs from available federal, state and local funds.

If an exceptional child, as defined in Section 37-23-3 , is placed in a therapeutic or other group home licensed or approved by the state that has no educational program associated with it, the local school district in which the home is located shall offer an appropriate educational program to that child.

At any time that the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Committee in the district where the home is located determines that an exceptional child, as defined in Section 37-23-3 , residing in that home can no longer be provided a free appropriate public education in that school district, and the State Department of Education agrees with that decision, then the State Department of Education shall recommend to the Department of Human Services placement of the child by the Department of Human Services, which shall take appropriate action. The placement of the exceptional child in the facility shall be at no cost to the local school district. Funds available under Sections 37-23-61 through 37-23-77 , as well as any available federal funds, may be used to provide the educational costs of the placement. If the exceptional child is under the guardianship of the Department of Human Services or another state agency, the State Department of Education shall pay only for the educational costs of that placement, and the other agency shall be responsible for the room, board and any other costs. The special education and related services provided to the child shall be in compliance with State Department of Education and any related federal regulations. The State Board of Education may promulgate regulations that are necessary to implement this section; and

(c) If an appropriate local or regional system of care, including a free appropriate public education, is available for exceptional children who are currently being served in out-of-district or Department of Human Services placements under paragraph (b) of this section or Section 37-23-77 , then the state funds from the State Department of Education that would have been used for those placements may be paid into a pool of funds with funds from other state agencies to be used for the implementation of the individualized plans of care for those children. If there are sufficient funds to serve additional exceptional children because of cost savings as a result of serving these students at home and/or matching the pooled funds with federal dollars, the funds may be used to implement individualized plans of care for those additional exceptional children. Each local or regional provider of services included in the individualized plans of care shall comply with all appropriate state and federal regulations. The State Board of Education may promulgate regulations that are necessary to implement this section.

The State Department of Education may also provide for the payment of that financial assistance in installments and for proration of that financial assistance in the case of children attending a school or clinic for less than a full school session and, if available funds are insufficient, may allocate the available funds among the qualified applicants and local school districts by reducing the maximum assistance provided for in this section.

Any monies provided an applicant under Sections 37-23-61 through 37-23-75 shall be applied by the receiving educational institution as a reduction in the amount of the educational costs paid by the applicant, and the total educational costs paid by the applicant shall not exceed the total educational costs paid by any other child in similar circumstances enrolled in the same program in that institution. However, this limitation shall not prohibit the waiving of all or part of the educational costs for a limited number of children based upon demonstrated financial need, and the State Department of Education may adopt and enforce reasonable rules and regulations to carry out the intent of these provisions.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-173-11 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 173-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-173-11
Status: in_force

A parent or legal guardian who applies for a Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship is exercising his or her parental option to place his or her child in a nonpublic school. Each participating parent or legal guardian and student shall adhere to the following:

(a) The parent or legal guardian must select the nonpublic school and apply for the admission of his or her child;

(b) The parent or legal guardian must have requested the scholarship at least thirty (30) days before the date of the first scholarship payment;

(c) Any student participating in the Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship for Students with Dyslexia Program must remain in attendance throughout the school year unless excused by the school for illness or other good cause; and

(d) Each parent or legal guardian and each student has an obligation to the nonpublic special purpose school to comply with the nonpublic special purpose school's published policies.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-107 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 155-107
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-107
Status: in_force

In addition to those powers granted to the board by Sections 37-155-1 through 37-155-27 and any other provisions of this article, the board shall have the powers necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes and provisions of this article, the purposes and objectives of the trust fund, and the powers delegated by any other law or executive order of this state, including, but not limited to, the following express powers:

(a) To adopt such rules and regulations as are necessary to implement this article, subject to applicable federal laws and regulations, including rules regarding transfers of funds between accounts established under prepaid tuition contracts and savings trust agreements;

(b) To impose reasonable requirements for residency for beneficiaries or account owners at the time of purchase of the savings trust agreement;

(c) To contract for necessary goods and services, to employ necessary personnel, and to engage the services of consultants and other qualified persons and entities for administrative and technical assistance in carrying out the responsibilities of the trust funds under terms and conditions that the board deems reasonable, including contract terms for periods up to ten (10) years at which time a contract may be terminated, extended or renewed for a term determined by the board, not to exceed a term of ten (10) years at any one time;

(d) To solicit and accept gifts, including bequests or other testamentary gifts made by will, trust or other disposition grants, loans and other aids from any personal source or to participate in any other way in any federal, state or local governmental programs in carrying out the purposes of this article;

(e) To define the terms and conditions under which payments may be withdrawn or refunded from the trust fund established under this article to impose reasonable charges for a withdrawal or refund;

(f) To impose reasonable time limits on the use of savings trust account distributions provided by the MACS Program;

(g) To regulate the receipt of contributions or payments to the MACS Trust Fund;

(h) To segregate contributions and payments to the MACS Trust Fund into various accounts and funds;

(i) To require and collect administrative fees and charges in connection with any transaction and to impose reasonable penalties for withdrawal of funds for nonqualified higher educational expenses or for entering into a savings trust agreement on a fraudulent basis;

(j) To procure insurance against any loss in connection with the property, assets and activities of the MACS Trust Fund or the board;

(k) To require that account owners of savings trust agreements or purchasers of Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (MPACT) contracts under Sections 37-155-1 through 37-155-27 verify, under oath, any requests for contract conversions, substitutions, transfers, cancellations, refund requests or contract changes of any nature;

( l ) To solicit proposals and to contract for the marketing of the MACS Program, provided that: (i) any materials produced by a marketing contractor for the purpose of marketing the program must be approved by the board before being made available to the public; and (ii) neither the state nor the board shall be liable for misrepresentation of the program by a marketing contractor;

(m) To delegate responsibility for administration of the comprehensive investment plan to a contractor or contractors or a consultant or consultants that the board determines is qualified;

(n) To make all necessary and appropriate arrangements with colleges and universities or other entities in order to fulfill its obligations under savings trust agreements;

( o ) To establish other policies, procedures and criteria necessary to implement and administer this article; and

(p) To authorize the Treasury Department or the State Treasurer, or both, to carry out any or all of the powers and duties enumerated in this section for efficient and effective administration of the MACS Program and MACS Trust Fund.