Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-153 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 101-153
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-153
Status: reserved

The board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning is hereby authorized and empowered in its discretion to lease any lands, or any part thereof, belonging to any of the institutions of higher learning, either of said institutions or other institutions under its control and supervision, for oil, gas and mineral development, upon such terms, conditions and considerations as said board of trustees shall deem proper and for the best interest of the institution or institutions. Any such oil, gas or mineral lease shall be for a primary term of not more than six years and so long thereafter as oil, gas or other mineral is produced from said land. The royalty reserved in such lease or leases shall not be less than the following:

(a) On oil, one-eighth part produced and saved from said land;

(b) On gas, including casinghead gas, or other gaseous substances, produced from said land and sold or used off the premises, or for the extraction of gasoline or other products therefrom the market value at the well of one-eighth of the gas so sold or used; and

(c) On all other minerals mined and marketed, one-eighth part in kind or value at the well or mine except sulphur on which the royalty shall be two dollars ($2.00) per long ton.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-603 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 29-603
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-603
Status: in_force

Each corporation formed under the provisions of Section 37-29-601 shall have the following powers, together with all powers incidental thereto or necessary to the discharge thereof in corporate form:

(a) To have succession by its corporate name for the duration of time, which may be in perpetuity, specified in its certificate of incorporation;

(b) To sue and be sued and to defend suits against it;

(c) To make use of a corporate seal and to alter it at pleasure;

(d) To acquire, whether by purchase, construction or gift, facilities for one or more community or junior college and land therefor;

(e) To equip, maintain, enlarge or improve such facilities;

(f) To lease under such terms and conditions as its board of directors may deem advisable and as shall not conflict with the provisions of Sections 37-29-601 through 37-29-613 to the Mississippi Community College Board or to such other entity as may be approved by the board subject to prior approval by the board of each issue of bonds;

(g) To issue its bonds for the purpose of defraying the cost of acquiring, constructing, maintaining, enlarging, improving or equipping any of such facilities or land in the manner provided in Section 37-29-601 ;

(h) To secure the payment of such bonds through the pledge of and lien on such revenues or other sources of income, including lease payments, entering into trust agreements, and the making of such covenants as are provided in Section 37-101-101 ;

(i) To refund bonds previously issued;

(j) To enter into contracts and agreements or do any act necessary for or incidental to the performance of its duties and the execution of its powers under Sections 37-29-601 through 37-29-613 ;

(k) To accept gifts from any source whatsoever;

(l) To appoint and employ such officers and agents, including attorneys, as its business may require; and

(m) To provide for such insurance as its board of directors may deem advisable.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-27 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 115-27
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-27
Status: in_force

The medical school and teaching hospital shall be built and equipped together, in connection with each other, or as nearly together or connected as may promote the most efficient operation of both of them in proper coordination one with the other. The medical school and teaching hospital shall be located and built upon part of the lands owned by the State of Mississippi in or near the City of Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi, and commonly known as the old asylum lands, to be selected by the State Building Commission. The medical school and teaching hospital may have other locations as determined to be reasonable and necessary by the University of Mississippi Medical Center. All University of Mississippi Medical Center locations shall provide in the aggregate not less than fifty percent (50%) of their services to indigent persons including qualified beneficiaries of the State Medicaid Program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-15-21 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 15-21
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-15-21
Status: in_force

If any parent, guardian or other person having custody of any child affected by the assignment of such child to a school or attendance center by the school board shall feel aggrieved at the order of the school board provided for in Section 37-15-17 , such person may, at any time within thirty (30) days from the date of such order, appeal therefrom by filing a petition for appeal in the circuit court of the county in which the school district involved is located. Upon the filing of such petition for an appeal, process shall be issued for and served upon the president of the school board of the school district involved. Upon being served with process, it shall be the duty of the school board to transmit promptly to the court a certified copy of the entire record of the proceedings as shown by the file of the school board. From the judgment of the circuit court, an appeal may be taken to the Supreme Court in the same manner as other appeals are taken from other judgments of such court.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-15-11 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 15-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-15-11
Status: in_force

Whenever any minor child seeks or applies to enroll or gain entrance to any public school in this state, and the child is not accompanied by an adult or is accompanied by an adult who is not the child's parent, guardian, if a legal guardian has been appointed for the child, or legal custodian, the school official or officials or teacher to whom the child applies or reports for enrollment or admission may delay consideration of the enrollment or enlistment of the minor child and require the child's parent, legal guardian or legal custodian to accompany the child and apply for enrollment and admission into the school for and on behalf of the minor child.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-5-19 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 5-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-5-19
Status: in_force

Vacancies in the membership of the county board of education shall be filled by appointment, within sixty (60) days after the vacancy occurs, by the remaining members of the county board of education. Said appointee shall be selected from the qualified electors of the district in which the vacancy occurs, and shall serve until the first Monday of January next succeeding the next general election, at which general election a member shall be elected to fill the remainder of the unexpired term in the same manner and with the same qualifications applicable to the election of a member for the full term. In the event the school district is under conservatorship and no members of the county board of education remain in office, the Governor shall call a special election to fill the vacancies and said election will be conducted by the county election commission.

In the event the vacancy occurs more than five (5) months prior to the next general election and the remaining members of the county board of education are unable to agree upon an individual to be appointed, any two (2) of the remaining members may certify such disagreement to the county election commission. Upon the receipt of such a certificate by the county election commission, or any member thereof, the commission shall hold a special election to fill the vacancy, which said election, notice thereof and ballot shall be controlled by the laws concerning special elections to fill vacancies in county or county district offices. The person elected at such a special election shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-77 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 27-77
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-77
Status: in_force

The board of supervisors of any county wherein there is located an agricultural high school not located upon the campus of a junior college may, in its discretion, purchase a bus for the use and benefit of said agricultural high school to be used in connection with various school activities and to be paid for from the general fund of the county.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-133 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 29-133
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-133
Status: in_force

All such leases shall contain an option granting the board the right to purchase the leased property upon the expiration of the primary term or upon such earlier date as may be agreed upon. With respect to leased machinery, furniture, fixtures and equipment, the purchase price shall be specified in the lease contract separately and distinctly from that portion of lease payments attributable to interest. With respect to other property, the purchase price, excluding payments attributable to interest, shall not exceed the appraised fair market value of the leased property at the time the college takes possession of the property for occupancy.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-4-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 4-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-4-3
Status: in_force

(1) From and after July 1, 1986, there shall be a Mississippi Community College Board which shall receive and distribute funds appropriated by the Legislature for the use of the public community and junior colleges and funds from federal and other sources that are transmitted through the state governmental organization for use by said colleges. This board shall provide general coordination of the public community and junior colleges, assemble reports and such other duties as may be prescribed by law.

(2) The board shall consist of ten (10) members of which none shall be an elected official. Until January 1, 2028, the Governor shall appoint two (2) members from the First Mississippi Congressional District, one (1) who shall serve an initial term of two (2) years and one (1) who shall serve an initial term of five (5) years; two (2) members from the Second Mississippi Congressional District, one (1) who shall serve an initial term of five (5) years and one (1) who shall serve an initial term of three (3) years; and two (2) members from the Third Mississippi Congressional District, one (1) who shall serve an initial term of four (4) years and one (1) who shall serve an initial term of two (2) years; two (2) members from the Fourth Mississippi Congressional District, one (1) who shall serve an initial term of three (3) years and one (1) who shall serve an initial term of four (4) years; and two (2) members from the Fifth Mississippi Congressional District, one (1) who shall serve an initial term of five (5) years and one (1) who shall serve an initial term of two (2) years. All subsequent appointments shall be for a term of six (6) years and continue until their successors are appointed and qualify. An appointment to fill a vacancy which arises for reasons other than by expiration of a term of office shall be for the unexpired term only. All members shall be appointed with the advice and consent of the Senate.

The Mississippi Community College Board, created by former Section 37-4-3, is continued and reconstituted as follows: Effective January 1, 2028, the Governor shall appoint three (3) members from each Mississippi Supreme Court District and one (1) from the state at large. The members shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, for a term of office of four (4) years, provided that six (6) members shall be appointed in 2028 to a term ending December 31, 2031, and four (4) members shall be appointed in 2030 to a term ending December 31, 2033. Appointments made at the beginning of the four-year cycle shall be made to fill any member's term which actually expires that year and any member's term which expires next until the majority of the membership of the board or commission is reached. Appointments made at the beginning of the third year of the four-year cycle shall be made for the remainder of the membership positions irrespective of the time of their prior appointment. Any question regarding the order of appointments shall be determined by the Secretary of State in accordance with the specific statute. All appointment procedures, vacancy provisions, interim appointment provisions and removal provisions specifically provided for in Section 7-1-35, Mississippi Code of 1972 , shall be fully applicable to appointments to the Mississippi Community College Board, and to the position of executive director.

(3) There shall be a chairman and vice chairman of the board, elected by and from the membership of the board; and the chairman shall be the presiding officer of the board. The board shall adopt rules and regulations governing times and places for meetings and governing the manner of conducting its business.

(4) The members of the board shall receive no annual salary, but shall receive per diem compensation as authorized by Section 25-3-69, Mississippi Code of 1972 , for each day devoted to the discharge of official board duties and shall be entitled to reimbursement for all actual and necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties, including mileage as authorized by Section 25-3-41, Mississippi Code of 1972 .

(5) Effective July 1, 2028, the board shall name a director for the state system of public junior and community colleges, who shall serve at the will and pleasure of the board, with the advice and consent of the Senate, not less than every four (4) years. Such director shall be the chief executive officer of the board, give direction to the board staff, carry out the policies set forth by the board, and work with the presidents of the several community and junior colleges to assist them in carrying out the mandates of the several boards of trustees and in functioning within the state system and policies established by the Mississippi Community College Board. The Mississippi Community College Board shall set the salary of the director of the board. The Legislature shall provide adequate funds for the Mississippi Community College Board, its activities and its staff.

(6) The powers and duties of the Mississippi Community College Board shall be:

(a) To authorize disbursements of state-appropriated funds to community and junior colleges through orders in the minutes of the board.

(b) To make studies of the needs of the state as they relate to the mission of the community and junior colleges.

(c) To approve new, changes to and deletions of vocational and technical programs to the various colleges.

(d) To require community and junior colleges to supply such information as the board may request and compile, publish and make available such reports based thereon as the board may deem advisable.

(e) To approve proposed new attendance centers (campus locations) as the local boards of trustees should determine to be in the best interest of the district. Provided, however, that no new community/junior college branch campus shall be approved without an authorizing act of the Legislature.

(f) To serve as the state approving agency for federal funds for proposed contracts to borrow money for the purpose of acquiring land, erecting, repairing, etc., dormitories, dwellings or apartments for students and/or faculty, such loans to be paid from revenue produced by such facilities as requested by local boards of trustees.

(g) To approve applications from community and junior colleges for state funds for vocational-technical education facilities.

(h) To approve any university branch campus offering lower undergraduate level courses for credit.

(i) To appoint members to the Post-Secondary Educational Assistance Board.

(j) To appoint members to the Authority for Educational Television.

(k) To contract with other boards, commissions, governmental entities, foundations, corporations or individuals for programs, services, grants and awards when such are needed for the operation and development of the state public community and junior college system.

(l) To fix standards for community and junior colleges to qualify for appropriations, and qualifications for community and junior college teachers.

(m) To have sign-off approval on the State Plan for Vocational Education which is developed in cooperation with appropriate units of the State Department of Education.

(n) To approve or disapprove of any proposed inclusion within municipal corporate limits of state-owned buildings and grounds of any community college or junior college and to approve or disapprove of land use development, zoning requirements, building codes and delivery of governmental services applicable to state-owned buildings and grounds of any community college or junior college. Any agreement by a local board of trustees of a community college or junior college to annexation of state-owned property or other conditions described in this paragraph shall be void unless approved by the board and by the board of supervisors of the county in which the state-owned property is located.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-61 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 33-61
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-61
Status: in_force

The department, through the office, shall cooperate, under agreements with the federal government, in carrying out the purposes of any federal statutes pertaining to vocational rehabilitation of individuals who are blind, and is authorized to adopt such methods of administration as are found by the federal government to be necessary for the proper and efficient operation of those agreements or plans for vocational rehabilitation and to comply with such conditions as may be necessary to secure the full benefits of those federal statutes and appropriations, to administer any legislation under those federal statutes and appropriations that is enacted by the State of Mississippi, to direct the disbursement and administer the use of all funds provided by the federal government or this state for the vocational rehabilitation of individuals who are blind in this state, and to do all things necessary to insure the vocational rehabilitation of individuals who are blind.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-43 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 11-43
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-43
Status: in_force

All boards of trustees of public high schools shall prohibit fraternities, sororities, or secret societies in all high schools under their respective jurisdiction. It shall be the duty of said boards of trustees to suspend or expel from said high schools under their control, any pupil or pupils who shall be or remain a member of, or shall join or promise to join, or who shall become pledged to become a member, or who shall solicit or encourage any other person to join, promise to join, or be pledged to become a member of, any such public high school fraternity, sorority or secret society, as defined in Section 37-11-37 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-313 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 101-313
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-313
Status: in_force

The State Bond Commission shall act as the issuing agent for such bonds, prescribe the form of the bonds, advertise for and accept bids, issue and sell the bonds so authorized to be sold, pay all fees and costs incurred in such issuance and sale, and do any and all other things necessary and advisable in connection with the issuance and sale of such bonds. The State Bond Commission shall sell such bonds on sealed bids at public sale and for such price as it may determine to be for the best interest of the State of Mississippi, but no such sale shall be made at a price less than par plus accrued interest to date of delivery of the bonds to the purchaser. All bonds shall bear interest at such rate or rates not exceeding the limits set forth in Section 75-17-101, Mississippi Code of 1972 . All interest accruing on such bonds so issued shall be payable semiannually or annually; provided that the first interest payment may be for any period of not more than one (1) year.

Each interest rate specified in any bid must be in a multiple of one-eighth of one percent ( 1 / 8 of 1%) or one-tenth of one percent ( 1 / 10 of 1%) and a zero rate of interest cannot be named.

Notice of the sale of any such bond shall be published at least one (1) time, the first of which shall be made not less than ten (10) days prior to the date of sale, and shall be so published in one or more newspapers having a general circulation in the City of Jackson, Mississippi, and in one or more other newspapers or financial journals with a national circulation, to be selected by the State Bond Commission.

The State Bond Commission, when issuing any bonds under the authority of Sections 37-101-301 through 37-101-331 , may provide that bonds, at the option of the State of Mississippi, may be called in for payment and redemption in reverse order of maturity at the call price named therein and accrued interest on such date or dates named therein.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-41 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 43-41
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-41
Status: in_force

The State Textbook Fund of Mississippi shall consist of the amounts appropriated by the Legislature for the same, all monies accruing from the sale of disused books from other than public schools, all monies derived from the purchase of books by both public and private schools trustees, and by private individuals, all monies collected in damage suits under the terms of this chapter, and all other monies collected in any way whatsoever under the terms of this chapter.

There is hereby created a special fund in the State Treasury to be designated as the “Local School District Textbook Carryover Fund.” Said fund shall be credited with any funds which were appropriated by the Legislature to the State Textbook Fund for any fiscal year in which said funds were allocated to local school districts but unexpended by said districts. Said unexpended funds shall be deposited by the board into the Local School District Textbook Carryover Fund to the credit of the local school districts which were originally allocated such funds. All carryover funds which exist on June 30, 1994, which belong to public school districts shall be disbursed to the respective school districts. Carryover funds for other than public schools shall be handled in the same manner as previously described in this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-159-17 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 159-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-159-17
Status: in_force

There is established in the State Treasury a special fund to be designated the “Mississippi Critical Teacher Shortage Fund,” into which shall be deposited those funds appropriated by the Legislature, and any other funds that may be made available, for the purpose of implementing the programs established under Sections 37-159-5 , 37-9-77 , 37-3-91 and 37-159-9 through 37-159-13 . Money in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the General Fund, and interest earned on any amounts deposited into the fund shall be credited to the special fund.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-205 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 151-205
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-205
Status: in_force

(1) The preliminary weighted enrollment of each school district and charter school under Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 is determined by applying the weights prescribed in this section, none of which are mutually exclusive of another, to each applicable school district or charter school's net enrollment, as determined by Section 37-151-207 . To determine additional funding authorized under this section, the number of students in a school district that are identified as the applicable weight shall be calculated as a percentage of the students in the school district. Such amount shall be referred to as the “percentage of applicable students.”

(2) For students identified as low-income, as defined in Section 37-151-201 , the percentage of applicable students in the school district is multiplied by thirty one-hundredths ( 30 / 100 ), and then multiplied by net enrollment.

(3) For students identified as English Language Learners, as defined in Section 37-151-201 , the percentage of applicable students in the school district is multiplied by fifteen one-hundredths ( 15 / 100 ), and then multiplied by net enrollment.

(4) The following weights are applied to students who are identified as entitled to and receiving services in a special education program:

(a) Tier I: For students diagnosed with a specific learning disability, speech and language impairment, or developmental delay, the percentage of applicable students in the school district is multiplied by sixty one-hundredths ( 60 / 100 ), and then multiplied by net enrollment.

(b) Tier II: For students diagnosed with autism, hearing impairment, emotional disability, orthopedic impairment, intellectual disability, or other health impairment, the percentage of applicable students in the school district is multiplied by one hundred ten one-hundredths (1 10 / 100 ), and then multiplied by net enrollment.

(c) Tier III: For students diagnosed with visual impairment, deaf-blindness, multiple disabilities, or traumatic brain injury, the percentage of applicable students in the school district is multiplied by one hundred thirty one-hundredths (1 30 / 100 ), and then multiplied by net enrollment.

For the purpose of student counts, a student entitled to and receiving special education services may not be included under more than one (1) tier prescribed in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this subsection. A student having multiple diagnoses must be counted under the highest tier applicable to that student.

(5) A weight of five percent (5%) is applied to five percent (5%) of a school district or charter school's net enrollment for the purpose of providing gifted education, regardless of the number of students in a school district or charter school that have been identified as gifted students: the total number of students in net enrollment in a school district or charter school, as determined by Section 37-151-207 , is multiplied by five one-hundredths ( 5 / 100 ), which is again multiplied by five one-hundredths ( 5 / 100 ).

(6) For Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Grade students enrolled in a career and technical education course, as defined in Section 37-151-201 , the percentage of applicable students in the school district is multiplied by ten one-hundredths ( 10 / 100 ), and then multiplied by net enrollment. Students enrolled in multiple career and technical education courses are counted once.

(7) In each school district or charter school where the number of students identified as low income, as defined in Section 37-151-201 , exceeds thirty-five percent (35%) of the school district or charter school's net enrollment, a weight of ten percent (10%) is applied only to the number of low income students in excess of the number of low income students which constitute thirty-five percent (35%) of net enrollment. The number of students eligible for this weight is calculated by subtracting the number of students equivalent to thirty-five percent (35%) of the net enrollment of that school district or charter school from the total number of students in that school district or charter school identified as low income: if the total percentage of applicable students identified in subsection (2) exceeds thirty-five percent (35%) of the school district or charter school's total net enrollment, as determined in Section 37-151-207 , the difference between the total percentage of applicable students identified in subsection (2) and thirty-five percent (35%) of the school district or charter school's total net enrollment is multiplied by ten one-hundredths ( 10 / 100 ), and then multiplied by net enrollment.

(8) The final weighted enrollment of each school district and charter school under the total funding formula as provided for in Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 is determined as follows:

(a) The final weighted enrollment for each school district or charter school that is not classified as a sparsely populated district or charter school, as defined in Section 37-151-201 , is equivalent to the preliminary weighted enrollment of that school district or charter school, as determined in subsections (1) through (7) of this section: the State Department of Education shall add to the school district or charter school's net enrollment, as determined under Section 37-151-207 , each of the additional figures calculated in accordance with subsections (2) through (7), and this total is the final weighted enrollment.

(b) The final weighted enrollment for each sparsely populated district or charter school, as defined in Section 37-151-201 , is determined by multiplying the sparsity weight by the preliminary weighted enrollment, as determined in subsections (1) through (7) of this section, and then adding that figure to the preliminary weighted enrollment. To calculate the final weighted enrollment, the State Department of Education shall add to the school district or charter school's net enrollment, each of the additional figures calculated in accordance with subsections (2) through (7) to determine the preliminary weighted enrollment, multiply this figure by the sparsity weight as determined below, and add this resulting number to the preliminary weighted enrollment to find the final weighted enrollment. To calculate the sparsity weight, the State Department of Education shall find the difference between the number of students per square mile in that district or charter school and a sparsity threshold of eight (8) students per square mile, and then shall divide the resulting figure by one hundred (100) to create a percentage: for example, if the number of students per square mile in a district is three (3), the difference is five (5) (eight (8) minus three (3)), and the sparsity weight is five percent (5%), or five one-hundredths ( 5 / 100 ).
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-151 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 33-151
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-151
Status: in_force

The following terms shall have the meanings ascribed herein, unless the context shall otherwise require:

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

(b) “Executive Director” means the Executive Director of the State Department of Rehabilitation Services.

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

(d) “Director” means the administrative head of an office.

(e) “Office” means an administrative subdivision of the department.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-127 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 33-127
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-127
Status: in_force

(1) Any city, county, nonprofit corporation, state-supported institution, or any combination thereof, may apply to the Director of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation of the State Department of Rehabilitation Services for assistance in establishing or operating, or both establishing and operating, a community rehabilitation program. Applications for that assistance shall be on forms supplied by the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. Each applicant shall annually submit to the Director of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation its plan and budget for the next fiscal year. No applicant shall be eligible for a grant under this section unless its plan and budget have been approved by the director.

(2) In order to provide the necessary funds for a community rehabilitation program, the governing body of any city or county may expend any money in the general fund of the city or county for that purpose. Any city, county, nonprofit corporation and state-supported institution may accept gifts or grants from any source for the community rehabilitation program. Any money received as a gift or nonfederal grant may be used to match federal funds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-27 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 28-27
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-27
Status: in_force

A school district must provide or publicize to parents and the general public information about charter schools as an enrollment option within the district to the same extent and through the same means that the district provides and publicizes information about noncharter public schools in the district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-103-15 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 103-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-103-15
Status: in_force

A married person may claim the residence status of his or her spouse, or he or she may claim independent residence status under the same regulations set forth in Section 37-103-13 as any other adult.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-169 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 33-169
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-169
Status: in_force

(1) The State Treasurer is designated as the custodian of all monies received by the state from appropriations made by the federal government or from other sources for the purpose of carrying out disability determination functions under the federal Social Security Act, and he shall establish such special funds and accounts as may be necessary. He shall make disbursements therefrom for disability determination purposes upon requisition by the executive director or, when so authorized, by the director on behalf of the executive director, and upon the issuance of warrants thereunder by the State Fiscal Officer.

(2) If federal funds are no longer available for the purpose of funding programs under the provisions of this chapter, the State of Mississippi shall not be obligated to appropriate funds for the continuance of such programs.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-35 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 41-35
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-35
Status: in_force

In every school district of this state having district-owned school buses, the school board may establish, maintain and operate a school bus garage or shop for the servicing, repair and maintenance of such county-owned or district-owned buses. Two (2) or more counties or school districts are authorized, in the discretion of the respective school boards thereof, jointly to establish, maintain and operate a school bus garage or shop for the servicing, repair and maintenance of such county-owned or district-owned buses. All of such garages or shops shall be established, maintained and operated under such rules and regulations as may be promulgated by the State Board of Education. All expenses incurred in acquiring land, purchasing, renting or constructing buildings, purchasing equipment, and all other expenses incurred in connection with the establishing, operation and maintenance of such garages or shops, may be paid from county or district transportation funds. However, before any county or school district shall expend such transportation funds for the purchase of land, or the purchase, rental or construction of buildings, or other permanent improvements in connection with such garages or shops, such proposed expenditures shall be submitted to and approved by the State Board of Education in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of said board. Where maintenance shops are operated by the board of supervisors or the governing authorities of a municipality, school boards may, by agreement with the board of supervisors or the governing authorities of a municipality provide for the maintenance of school buses in the maintenance shops operated by said boards of supervisors or governing authorities of a municipality and may contribute to the support and expense of said shops as they may deem appropriate, subject to the approval of the State Board of Education. School boards may contract with Head Start Programs to provide maintenance services for buses operated by Head Start and may accept financial contributions from Head Start Programs to support the expense of operating their respective school district vehicle maintenance facilities. All such contractual agreements with Head Start Programs shall be subject to the approval of the State Board of Education.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-33 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 115-33
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-33
Status: in_force

The state building commission in the development of the architectural facilities of the medical center and hospital facilities is hereby authorized, empowered and directed to erect and equip adequate facilities for the training of nurses under such rules and regulations as may be promulgated by the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-41 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 113-41
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-41
Status: in_force

The board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning is hereby authorized to establish a fund to be known as the J. C. Hardy Memorial Fund.

The fund herein authorized shall be raised and supplemented by donations, gifts, legacies, and otherwise. Under the supervision of said board of trustees, said fund or the proceeds therefrom shall be used to assist sons of low-income Mississippi citizens to meet their educational expenses at the Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-22-25 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 22-25
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-22-25
Status: in_force

(1) This section shall be known and may be cited as the “Mississippi School District Emergency Bridge Loan Act.”

(2)(a) There is established a bridge loan program to be administered by the State Department of Education for the purpose of assisting local school districts that suffer revenue losses as a result of an economic downturn that substantially impacts the state and local revenues available to school districts. Loan proceeds distributed to school districts shall be specifically for school district operations identified as essential by the department.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the department endeavor to ensure that the costs of the administration of this section are as low as possible.

(3)(a) There is created a special fund in the State Treasury to be designated as the “Mississippi School District Emergency Bridge Loan Fund,” referred to in this section as the “fund.” The fund shall consist of money designated for deposit in the fund from any source including, but not limited to, appropriations, bond proceeds, grants, gifts, donations or funds from any source, public or private. The fund shall be credited with all repayments of principal and interest derived from loans made from the fund. Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned on amounts in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the State General Fund. Monies in the fund may not be used or expended for any purpose except as authorized under this section.

(b) The department shall establish a loan program by which loans may be made available to school districts to assist those school districts. Any school district that demonstrates for the current fiscal year a projected revenue loss equal to or exceeding one-third ( 1 / 3 ) of its revenues in the preceding fiscal year may qualify for a loan. The interest rate on loans made under this section may vary from time to time and from loan to loan and shall be at or below market interest rates as determined by the department. The department shall act as quickly as is practicable and prudent in deciding on any loan request that it receives.

(c) The aggregate amount of any loans received under this section by a school district shall not exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the difference between the revenue received by the school district to fund essential operations in the preceding fiscal year and the estimated revenue from those sources in the current fiscal year plus sixteenth section principal funds that may be expended under law, cash reserves or fund balances at the fiscal year end, as determined by the department. The State Board of Education shall set the maximum amount of any loan made under this section at an amount that will ensure the equitable distribution of the amounts available for loans to the eligible school districts.

(d) A school district that receives a loan from the fund shall pledge for repayment of the loan any part of the homestead exemption annual tax loss reimbursement to which it may be entitled under Section 27-33-77 , as may be required by the department. Each recipient of a loan shall establish a dedicated source of revenue for repayment of the loan. Before any school district shall receive a loan, it must execute with the department a loan agreement evidencing the loan, a copy of which must be filed by the department with the State Tax Commission. The loan agreement may not be construed to prohibit any recipient from prepaying any part or all of the funds received. The repayment schedule in each loan agreement shall provide for: (i) monthly payments; (ii) semiannual payments; or (iii) other periodic payments. The loan agreement shall provide for the repayment of all funds received from the fund within not more than ten (10) years. At the request of the department, the State Tax Commission shall withhold semiannually from the amount to be remitted to a school district the sum necessary to pay all or a portion of the periodic payments for the loan.

(e) A school district that receives a loan from the state which is not eligible to pledge for repayment of the loan under paragraph (d) of this subsection shall repay the loan by making payments each month to the State Treasurer through the Department of Finance and Administration for and on behalf of the department according to Section 7-7-15 , to be credited to the fund in lieu of pledging homestead exemption annual tax loss reimbursement.

Loan repayments shall be according to a repayment schedule contained in each loan agreement as required under paragraph (d) of this subsection.

(f) Evidences of indebtedness that are issued under this section may not be deemed indebtedness within the meaning specified in Section 37-59-5 .

(g) The State Auditor, upon the request of the department, shall audit the receipts and expenditures of a school district if loan repayments appear to be in arrears. If the Auditor finds that the school district is in arrears in the repayments, the Auditor immediately shall notify the State Superintendent of Public Education, who may take any action necessary to enforce the terms of the loan agreement. The superintendent, in his discretion, may notify the State Tax Commission to withhold all future payments to the school district of homestead exemption annual tax loss reimbursements under Section 27-33-77 until such time that the school district is again current in its loan repayments, as certified by the department.

(h) All monies deposited in the fund may be used only for providing the loans authorized under this section. In addition, any amounts in the fund may be used to defray the reasonable costs of administering the fund. The department is authorized to use amounts available to it from the fund to contract for those facilities and staff needed to administer and provide routine management for the funds and loan program.

(4) In administering this section, the State Department of Education shall have the following powers and duties:

(a) To supervise the use of all funds made available under this section;

(b) To promulgate rules and regulations and to establish procedures in accordance with this section for the implementation of the loan program;

(c) To requisition monies in the fund and distribute those monies in accordance with this section;

(d) To maintain, in accordance with generally accepted government accounting standards, an accurate record of all monies in the fund made available to school districts under this section; and

(e) To file annually with the Legislature a report detailing how monies in the fund were spent during the preceding fiscal year in each school district.

(5) The State Bond Commission, at one time or from time to time, may declare the necessity for general funds for the purposes provided in this section, including the costs incident to the administration of the loan program. Upon approval by the State Bond Commission, the Department of Finance and Administration may transfer the necessary amount from the General Fund to the fund in ample time to discharge such loans and incidental costs.

(6) The Department of Finance and Administration, without further process of law, may certify the necessity for warrants and issue those warrants in such amounts as may be necessary to make loans under the program authorized by this section.

(7) After any state funds in the fund are no longer needed for the particular purpose for which they were appropriated, deposited or transferred into the fund, the Department of Finance and Administration shall transfer those state funds back to the particular fund or funds in the State Treasury from which they were appropriated or transferred into the fund, upon certification of the State Superintendent of Public Education that the state funds currently are not needed.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 41-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-5
Status: in_force

In addition to public school students or pupils authorized to be transported to the public schools by virtue of Section 37-41-3 , the local school board, with the concurrence of the board of supervisors, in their discretion and with local tax funds or other local contributions or support exclusively and without state appropriations, may provide transportation for students or pupils to the public schools whenever the within described boards or officers find that extraordinary circumstances and conditions are prevalent in said school district in regard to such matters as the public health and safety, school facilities, location of the school site, unusual economic growth and population expansion, newly expanded municipal corporation limits, the general welfare, and any other emergency facts and conditions which may be deemed by said authorities to be in the best interest of the political subdivision.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-19 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 33-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-19
Status: in_force

Except as may be otherwise provided by law for the vocational rehabilitation of the blind, the state board, through the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, shall provide vocational rehabilitation services to eligible individuals with disabilities determined by the director to be eligible therefor, and in carrying out the purposes of the Vocational Rehabilitation Law, the office 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 eligible individuals with disabilities, 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 eligible individuals with disabilities;

(c) To prescribe and provide such courses of vocational training as may be necessary for the vocational rehabilitation of eligible individuals with disabilities.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-139-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 139-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-139-1
Status: in_force

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed herein, except when the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

(a) “Board” means the State Board of Education.

(b) “School” means the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-37-9 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 37-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-37-9
Status: in_force

Upon completion of each review or audit, the State Auditor shall prepare a report setting forth the audit results and findings, specifically noting all exceptions or violations of any existing law. Copies thereof shall be furnished to the State Department of Education and each school district reviewed or audited. The original copy shall be retained in the Office of the State Auditor as a permanent record thereof and shall be subject to public inspection. The State Auditor shall complete a comprehensive annual report summarizing results of reviews or audits each year and provide the report to the State Department of Education and to the education committees of the Mississippi House of Representatives and Senate.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-6-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 6-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-6-1
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Mississippi Uniform School Law of 1986.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-54 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 33-54
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-54
Status: in_force

The State Department of Rehabilitation Services, through the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind, shall administer the Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind Law as prescribed in Sections 37-33-53 through 37-33-75 , Sections 43-3-3 through 43-3-15 and Section 43-3-93 . The executive director of the department shall assign to the office such powers and duties deemed appropriate to carry out the lawful functions of this law and any federal law or regulation.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-31 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 41-31
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-31
Status: in_force

(1) In each case where pupils are transported to and from the public schools in the school districts of this state in privately owned vehicles, the contract for such transportation shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder who is able to furnish a solvent bond for the faithful performance of his contract. This shall be done after each route over which such pupils are to be transported has been laid out and established as provided in this chapter. Such contracts shall be awarded upon receipt of sealed bids or proposals after the time and place of letting such contracts and the manner of bidding have been duly advertised in some newspaper published in the county in accordance with the procedures provided in Section 31-7-13(c) . If no newspaper is published in the county, then the advertisement shall be made by publication for the required time in some newspaper having a general circulation therein, and, in addition, by posting a copy thereof for that time in at least three (3) public places in the county, one (1) of which shall be at the county courthouse in each judicial district of the county. The awarding of all such contracts shall, however, in all respects be subject to the provisions of Section 37-41-29 .

(2) Private contracts for the transportation of exceptional children, as defined in Section 37-23-3 , may be negotiated by the local school board without the necessity of the advertising for or taking of bids. The same may apply under extraordinary circumstances where regular transportation is considered to be impractical. The local school board may negotiate and contract for the transportation described in this paragraph so long as the local school board complies with the school transportation regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education.

(3) Contracts shall be made for four (4) years, at the discretion of the local school board and shall include the stipulation for the placement of district-identifying signage on all buses under contract, as required under Section 37-41-43 . Any and all bids may be rejected. At the expiration of any transportation contract, if the school board believes a route should remain substantially as established and finds that the carrier thereon has rendered efficient and satisfactory services it may extend the contract for not more than four (4) years, subject, however, to the provisions of Section 37-41-29 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 145-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-5
Status: in_force

There is hereby created the Mississippi Opportunity Loan Program to assist students in meeting the rising costs of higher education and to increase the educational opportunities of such students by providing low interest rate student loans to assist Mississippi students in furthering their higher education goals.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-213 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / 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. § 37-11-51 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 11-51
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-51
Status: in_force

(1) Test questions and answers in the possession of a public body, as defined by paragraph (a) of Section 25-61-3 , which are to be used in future academic examinations, shall be exempt from the provisions of the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983. 1

(2) Letters of recommendation in the possession of a public body, as defined by paragraph (a) of Section 25-61-3 , respecting admission to any educational agency or institution, shall be exempt from the provisions of the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983.

(3)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, documents, records, papers, data, protocols, information or materials in the possession of a community college or state institution of higher learning that are created, collected, developed, generated, ascertained or discovered during the course of academic research, shall be exempt from the provisions of the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983.

(b) The exemption under paragraph (a) of this subsection shall not apply to a public record that has been published, copyrighted, trademarked or patented.

(4) Unpublished manuscripts, preliminary analyses, drafts of scientific or academic papers, plans or proposals for future research and prepublication peer reviews in the possession of a community college or state institution of higher learning, or submitted and accepted for publication by publishers shall be exempt from the provisions of the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983.

(5) Nothing in this section shall otherwise create a public record right over, or shall impede or infringe upon, the copyright in any work.

(6) School safety plan documents containing preventive services listed in Section 37-3-83 shall be exempt from the provisions of the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-13 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 33-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-13
Status: in_force

As used in the Vocational Rehabilitation Law:

(a) “ Competitive employment ” means work in the competitive labor market that is performed on a full-time or part-time basis in an integrated setting and for which an individual is compensated at or above the minimum wage, but not less than the customary wage and level of benefits paid by the employer for the same or similar work performed by individuals who are not disabled;

(b) “ Department ” or “ agency ” means the State Department of Rehabilitation Services;

(c) “ Director ” means the Director of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation;

(d) “ Executive director ” means the Executive Director of the State Department of Rehabilitation Services;

(e) “ Employment outcome ” means, with respect to an individual entering or retaining full-time or, if appropriate part-time competitive employment in the integrated labor market to the greatest extent practicable; supported employment; or any other type of employment, including self-employment, telecommuting, or business ownership, that is consistent with an individual's strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice;

(f) “ Individual with a disability ” means any individual who has a physical or mental impairment, whose impairment constitutes or results in a substantial impediment to employment, and who can benefit in terms of an employment outcome from the provision of vocational rehabilitation services;

(g) “ Maintenance ” means monetary support provided to an individual for expenses, such as food, shelter, and clothing, that are in excess of the normal expenses of the individual and that are necessitated by the individual's participation in an assessment for determining eligibility and vocational rehabilitation needs or the individual's receipt of vocational rehabilitation services under an individualized plan for employment;

(h) “ Occupational license ” means any license, permit or other written authority required by any governmental unit to be obtained in order to engage in an occupation;

(i) “ Office ” means the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation of the State Department of Rehabilitation Services;

(j) “ Personal assistance services ” means assistance in a range of services provided by one or more persons designed to assist an eligible individual with a disability to perform daily living activities on or off the job that the individual would typically perform without assistance. The services must be designed to increase the individual's control in life and ability to perform every day activities on or off the job. The services must be necessary to the achievement of an employment outcome and may be provided only while the individual is receiving other vocational rehabilitation services. The services may include training in managing, supervising, and directing personal assistance services;

(k) “ Physical restoration services ” means (i) corrective surgery or therapeutic treatment that is likely, within a reasonable period of time, to correct or modify substantially a stable or slowly progressive physical or mental impairment that constitutes a substantial impediment to employment; (ii) diagnosis of and treatment for mental or emotional disorders by qualified personnel in accordance with state licensure laws; (iii) dentistry; (iv) nursing services; (v) necessary hospitalization (either inpatient or outpatient care) in connection with surgery or treatment and clinic services; (vi) drugs and supplies; (vii) prosthetic and orthotic devices; (viii) eyeglasses and visual services, including visual training, and the examination and services necessary for the prescription and provision of eyeglasses, contact lenses, microscopic lenses, telescopic lenses, and other special visual aids prescribed by personnel that are qualified in accordance with state licensure laws; (ix) podiatry; (x) physical therapy; (xi) occupational therapy; (xii) speech or hearing therapy; (xiii) mental health services; (xiv) treatment of either acute or chronic medical restoration services, or that are inherent in the condition under treatment; (xv) special services for the treatment of individuals with end-stage renal disease; and (xvi) other medical or medically-related rehabilitation services;

(l) “ Prosthetic appliance ” means any artificial device necessary to support, to take the place of a part of the body, or to increase the acuity of a sense organ;

(m) “ Regulations ” means regulations made by the executive director with the approval of the state board.

(n) “ Rehabilitation engineering services ” means the systematic application of engineering sciences to design, develop, adapt, test, evaluate, apply, and distribute technological solutions to problems confronted by individuals with disabilities in functional areas such as mobility, communications, hearing, vision, and cognition, and in activities associated with employment, independent living, education, and integration into the community;

(o) “ Rehabilitation training ” means all necessary training provided to an eligible individual with a disability to enable him or her to overcome his or her employment handicap, including, but not limited to, manual, preconditioning, prevocational, vocational and supplementary training and training provided for the purpose of developing occupational skills and capacities;

(p) “ State board ” means the State Board of Rehabilitation Services;

(q) “ Substantial impediment to employment ” means that a physical or mental impairment (in light of attendant medical, psychological, vocational, educational, communication, and other related factors) hinders an individual from preparing for, entering into, engaging in, or retaining employment consistent with the individual's abilities and capabilities;

(r) “ Supported employment services ” means ongoing support services and other appropriate services needed to support and maintain an individual with a most significant disability in supported employment that are provided by the designated state unit (i) for a period of time not to exceed eighteen (18) months, unless under special circumstances the eligible individual and the rehabilitation counselor jointly agree to extend the time to achieve the employment outcome identified in the individualized plan for employment; and (ii) following transition, as post-employment services that are unavailable from an extended services provider and that are necessary to maintain or regain the job placement or advance in employment;

(s) “ Vocational rehabilitation ” and “ vocational rehabilitation services ” mean, for an eligible individual with a disability, services as appropriate and required to assist in preparing for, securing, retaining, or regaining an employment outcome that is consistent with the individual's strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice, including, but not limited to, services in accordance with definitions in the most current amendment of the Rehabilitation Act: (i) assessment for determining eligibility and priority for services by qualified personnel, including, if appropriate, an assessment by personnel skilled in rehabilitation technology; (ii) assessment for determining vocational rehabilitation needs by qualified personnel, including, if appropriate, an assessment by personnel skilled in rehabilitation technology; (iii) vocational rehabilitation counseling and guidance, including information and support services to assist an individual in exercising informed choice; (iv) referral and other services necessary to assist applicants and eligible individuals to secure needed services from other agencies, including other components of the statewide workforce investment system and to advise those individuals about client assistance programs; (v) physical and mental restoration services, to the extent that financial support is not readily available from a source other than the State Department of Rehabilitation Services (such as through health insurance or a comparable service or benefit); (vi) vocational and other training services, including personal and vocational adjustment training, books, tools, and other training materials, except that no training or training services in an institution of higher learning (universities, colleges, community or junior colleges, vocational schools, technical institutes, or hospital schools of nursing) may be paid for with funds under this law unless maximum efforts have been made by the state unit and the individual to secure grant assistance in whole or in part from other sources to pay for that training; (vii) maintenance; (viii) transportation in connection with the rendering of any vocational rehabilitation service; (ix) vocational rehabilitation services to family members of an applicant or eligible individual if necessary to enable the applicant or eligible individual to achieve an employment outcome; (x) interpreter services, including sign language and oral interpreter services, for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and tactile interpreting services for individuals who are deaf-blind provided by qualified personnel; (xi) reader services, rehabilitation teaching services, and orientation and mobility services for individuals who are blind; (xii) job-related services, including job search and placement assistance, job retention services, follow-up services, and follow-along services; (xiii) supported employment services: (xiv) personal assistance services; (xv) post-employment services; (xvi) occupational licenses, tools, equipment, initial stocks, and supplies; (xvii) rehabilitation technology including vehicular modification, telecommunications, sensory, and other technological aids and devices; (xviii) transition services; (xix) technical assistance and other consultation services to conduct market analyses, develop business plans, and otherwise provide resources, to the extent those resources are authorized to be provided through the statewide workforce investment system, to eligible individuals who are pursuing self-employment or telecommuting or establishing a small business operation as an employment outcome; (xx) other goods and services determined necessary for the individual with a disability to achieve an employment outcome.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-433 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 29-433
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-433
Status: in_force

If it shall be determined to proceed with the issuance of the said bonds the same may be validated and sold as other bonds of the county or counties except that the sale shall be made by the board of trustees of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College District and the validation proceedings may be held before the chancery court of any county of the district. Notice of the validation herein shall, however, be published as provided by law in each of the counties of the district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-20-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 20-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-20-7
Status: in_force

(1) To be eligible to receive funds under this chapter a school district shall describe in writing its remedial education program. The description shall include all special remedial and compensatory instruction to be provided by the district from all fund sources. The district description shall include a description of the program to be conducted at each separate school or location in the district and shall include the estimated number of students to participate in the program; the estimated number of teachers, volunteers and others to be utilized in the program; and the estimated budget for each such program.

(2) The programs provided by funds received under this chapter shall meet the following criteria:

(a) Each participating student must be determined by the school district, on the basis of the district's assessment tests, to need special educational assistance in order that the student's level of educational attainment in basic skills may be raised to that appropriate for children of the student's age.

(b) The program must be based on performance objectives related to educational achievement in the basic skills and provide supplementary services designed to meet the special educational needs of each participating student.

(c) The program must be evaluated in a manner consistent with the performance objectives and include a pretest and a post-test for each participating student. The evaluation may use local measures designed to measure the local instructional management plan.

(d) The state and local funds expended in the program must be accounted for separately from all other funds expended by the district.

(e) The program must establish a teacher support team in each building wherein the program is implemented to play a key role in determining the instructional services required by a child.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-103 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 155-103
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-103
Status: in_force

The following are the purposes of this article:

(a) To provide a program of savings trust agreements to apply distributions toward qualified higher education expenses at eligible educational institutions, as defined in Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code , as amended, or other applicable federal law.

(b) To provide for the creation of a trust fund, as an instrumentality of the State of Mississippi, to assist qualified students in financing costs of attending institutions of higher education.

(c) To encourage timely financial planning for higher education by the creation of savings trust accounts.

(d) To provide a choice of programs to persons who determine that the overall educational needs of their families are best suited to a prepaid tuition contract under the Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition (MPACT) Program, a savings trust agreement under this article, or both.

(e) To provide a savings program for those persons who wish to save to meet post secondary educational needs beyond the traditional baccalaureate curriculum.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-187-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 187-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-187-7
Status: in_force

(1) The grant monies distributed under this chapter shall be used by school districts and schools to negotiate and contract with existing or potential broadband providers to increase or gain broadband access for the unserved areas where their students reside. To achieve such increased broadband access, the school districts and schools may utilize any broadband technology available to increase or gain broadband access in the unserved areas.

(2) The use of grants shall be subject to audit by the United States Department of the Treasury's Office of Inspector General and the Mississippi Department of Education. A school district or school found to be fully or partially noncompliant with grant requirements shall return to the state all or a portion of the grant monies received. Recipient school districts and schools shall confirm their understanding of these terms.

(3) Mississippi public school districts, independent schools and Native American tribal schools that receive grant monies under this chapter shall provide periodic project status reports to the Mississippi Department of Education and any other documentation that the Mississippi Department of Education determines is necessary to ensure compliance with this chapter and the United States Department of the Treasury regarding the use of monies from the Coronavirus Relief Fund established in Section 5001 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-179-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 179-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-179-1
Status: in_force

(1) For purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the meaning ascribed herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(a) “ District of innovation ” means a district that has developed a plan of innovation in compliance with this section and has been approved by the State Board of Education to be exempted from certain administrative regulations and statutory provisions to improve the educational performance of students within the district;

(b) “ Innovation ” means a new or creative alternative to existing instructional and administrative practices intended to improve student learning and student performance of all students;

(c) “ School of innovation ” means a school that voluntarily participates in a district of innovation plan to improve instruction, including waivers and exemptions from local school board policies, selected provisions of rules and regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education, and selected sections of the Mississippi Code of 1972, as permitted under this section and Section 37-179-3 ;

(d) “ Board ” means the State Board of Education;

(e) “ Department ” means the State Department of Education.

(2) The State Board of Education is authorized to approve districts of innovation for the purposes of improving students' educational performance. Districts of innovation shall be provided flexibility from selected board regulations, Title 37, Mississippi Code of 1972 , and local school board policies for school administrators, teachers and staff to meet the diverse needs of students. The initial approval of a district of innovation shall be for a five-year period. Each renewal of a district of innovation shall not exceed five (5) years and shall comply with administrative regulations promulgated by the board pursuant to subsection (4) of this section.

(3) The board shall promulgate administrative rules and regulations to prescribe the conditions and procedures to be used by a local school board to be approved as a district of innovation and shall publish the same on or before December 31, 2015.

(4) Administrative rules and regulations promulgated by the board under subsection (3) of this section shall specify:

(a) The regulatory areas which may be exempted or modified if approved by the board, except as provided in Section 37-179-3(2) , and in addition to those areas identified in Section 37-179-3(3) ;

(b) The application, plan review, approval and amendment process for a district;

(c) Timelines for initial approval as a district of innovation, the renewal process and ongoing evaluative procedures required of the district;

(d) Acceptable documentation of a critical mass of parental, community, educator and business support and capacity to effect a change;

(e) Evidence of teacher collaboration and shared leadership within the district and the schools to be designated as schools of innovation;

(f) The process of revocation of the designation of district of innovation or school of innovation;

(g) Reporting and oversight responsibilities of the district and the State Department of Education;

(h) The financial detail relating to budgets of schools and evidence of sound fiscal management practices;

(i) Acceptable areas of emphasis for innovation;

(j) Acceptable documentation of job-embedded professional development within the proposed innovation design; and

(k) Other components deemed necessary to implement this section and Section 37-179-3 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-59-24 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 59-24
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-59-24
Status: in_force

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any school district having outstanding school debt which is repaid at least in part from local ad valorem tax receipts may, for the remaining term of such debt, irrevocably instruct the appropriate local tax collector/assessor in writing to deposit a portion of the monthly ad valorem tax collections for district purposes directly with any state or federally chartered bank serving as trustee or paying agent on such district debt. The district's instructions to the tax collector/assessor shall specify the amount of tax receipts to be so deposited with the trustee or paying agent and shall be binding on the district and local tax collector/assessor during the term of such debt.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-131-9 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 131-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-131-9
Status: in_force

In addition to the amounts paid to the demonstration or practice school from total funding formula funds, as provided in Section 37-131-7 , the board of trustees of the school district involved may contract with the demonstration or practice school for the payment of additional amounts thereto to defray expenses over and above those defrayed by the total funding formula funds, which additional amounts shall be paid from any funds available to the school district other than total funding formula funds, whether produced by a supplemental district tax levy or otherwise.

If the total funds paid to the demonstration or practice school by the school district are inadequate to defray the cost and expense of maintaining and operating such demonstration or practice school then the president or executive head of the institution may, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, require the payment of additional fees or tuition in an amount to be fixed by the president or executive head of the institution, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, which amount shall be paid by and collected from the student or his parents.

Boards of trustees of school districts involved may designate an area within the jurisdiction of the board as an attendance center as provided by law, and may require students in such area to attend demonstration or practice schools, subject to a satisfactory contract between the school board and the president or executive head of the institution operating the demonstration or practice school. In such event, all fees and tuition must be borne by the school district and in no case shall the child or the parents of the child assigned to such demonstration or practice school be required to pay any fees or tuition.

The president or executive head of the institution, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, may also fix the amount of fees and tuition to be paid by students desiring to attend such demonstration or practice school in cases where there is no contract with the board of trustees of the school district in which the students reside therefor.

All funds received by an institution, under the provisions of this section, shall be deposited in a special fund and shall be used and expended solely for the purpose of defraying and paying the cost and expense of operating, maintaining and conducting such teachers demonstration and practice school. Such funds may be supplemented by and used in connection with any other funds available to the institutions for such purpose whether made available by legislative appropriation or otherwise.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-225 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 7-225
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-225
Status: in_force

The county election commissioners shall place the name of any person eligible to hold the office of trustee on the ballot used in the election, provided that such candidate shall have filed with the county registrar, not more than ninety (90) days and by 5:00 p.m. not less than sixty (60) days prior to the date of such election, a petition of nomination signed by not less than fifty (50) qualified electors of the school district. Where there are less than one hundred (100) qualified electors in said district, it shall only be required that said petition of nomination be signed by at least twenty percent (20%) of the qualified electors of such school district. If such person be a candidate for an unexpired term, he shall indicate the term for which he is a candidate in such petition; otherwise he shall be deemed to be a candidate for a full term.

If after the time for candidates to file the petition of nomination provided for herein there should be only one (1) person to qualify for the office of trustee, then no election or notice of election shall be necessary and such person shall, if otherwise qualified, be declared elected without opposition.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 41-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-3
Status: in_force

Pupils of legal school age, which shall include kindergarten pupils, and in actual attendance in the public schools who live a distance of one (1) mile or more by the nearest traveled road from the school to which they are assigned by the school district in which they are enrolled shall be entitled to transportation within the meaning of this chapter. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to bar any child from such transportation where he or she lives less than one (1) mile and is on the regular route of travel of a school bus and space is available in such bus for such transportation. No state funds shall be paid for the transportation of children living within one (1) mile of the school, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, and such children shall not be included in transportation reports. In the development of route plans, economy shall be a prime consideration. There shall be no duplication of routes except in circumstances where it is totally unavoidable. The State Department of Education shall have authority to investigate school bus routing when there is reason to believe the provisions of this statute are being violated. The State Board of Education shall have authority to withhold transportation funds when school districts fail to correct unnecessary route duplication. Provided further, that all school districts are hereby authorized to lease or contract with any public or private individual, partnership, corporation, association, agency or other organization for the implementation of transportation of pupils as provided for in this section.

The school boards may provide transportation to such crippled and physically handicapped children as may be designated by such boards, when the failure to do so would result in undue hardship, even though the children are not otherwise entitled to transportation under the provisions of this chapter. The State Department of Education shall require all school districts during the 1993-1994 school year to equip school buses with properly designed seat belts to protect such physically handicapped children, and school districts are authorized to expend funds therefor from nonminimum program or other sources.

Where space is available, students attending junior colleges shall be allowed transportation on established routes in district-owned buses. However, no additional funds shall be allocated or expended for such purposes, and such persons shall not be included in transportation reports.

Children enrolled in special or alternative programs approved by school boards may be provided transportation even though such children are not otherwise entitled to transportation under the provisions of this chapter. No additional funds shall be allocated or expended for such purpose, and such children shall not be included in transportation reports.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 43-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-1
Status: in_force

(1) This chapter is intended to furnish a plan for the adoption, purchase, distribution, care and use of free textbooks to be loaned to the pupils in all elementary and high schools, other than charter schools, of Mississippi.

(2) The books herein provided by the State Board of Education, which shall be the State Textbook Procurement Commission, shall be distributed and loaned free of cost to the children of the free public school districts of the state and of all other schools located in the state, which maintain educational standards equivalent to the standards established by the State Department of Education for the state schools as outlined in the Approval Requirements of the State Board of Education for Nonpublic Schools.

(3) Teachers shall permit all pupils in all grades of any public school in any school district to carry to their homes for home study, the free textbooks loaned to them, and any other regular textbooks whether they be free textbooks or not.

(4) For the purposes of this chapter, the term “ board ” shall mean the State Board of Education.

(5) “ Textbook ” shall be defined as any medium or manual of instruction which contains a systematic presentation of the principles of a subject and which constitutes a major instructional vehicle for that subject.

(6) In addition to the authority granted in this chapter, local school boards shall make available to the parents or legal guardians of any children of school age who reside in the school district administered by the school board, upon request, any textbooks on the state surplus inventory list. The parent or legal guardian is responsible for the return of the textbook(s) to the local school district upon completion of the textbook(s) use. Failure to return the textbook(s) to the school district will result in the parents or legal guardians being responsible for compensating the school district for the fair market value of the textbook(s).
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-17 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 17-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-17
Status: in_force

(1) There is created the Mississippi Achievement School District for the purpose of transforming persistently failing public schools and districts throughout the state into quality educational institutions. The Mississippi Achievement School District shall be a statewide school district, separate and distinct from all other school districts but not confined to any specified geographic boundaries, and may be comprised of any public schools or school districts in the state which, during two (2) consecutive school years, are designated an “F” school or district by the State Board of Education under the accountability rating system or which have been persistently failing and chronically underperforming.

(2) The Mississippi Achievement School District shall be governed by the State Board of Education.

(3) The State Board of Education shall obtain suitable office space to serve as the administrative office of the school district.

(4) The State Board of Education shall select an individual to serve as superintendent of the Mississippi Achievement School District. The superintendent must be deemed by the board to be highly qualified with a demonstrable track record for producing results in a context relevant to that of Mississippi Achievement School District schools. The superintendent of the Mississippi Achievement School District shall exercise powers and duties that would afford significant autonomy but are bound by the governance of the State Board of Education.

(5)(a) Each public school or district in the state which, during each of two (2) consecutive school years or during two (2) of three (3) consecutive school years, receives an “F” designation by the State Board of Education under the accountability rating system or has been persistently failing as defined by the State Board of Education may be absorbed into and become a part of the Mississippi Achievement School District. All eligible public schools and districts shall be prioritized by the Mississippi Achievement School District according to criteria set by the Mississippi Achievement School District and publicized prior to the annual release of accountability rating data. The Mississippi Achievement School District shall takeover only the number of schools and districts for which it has the capacity to serve. The transfer of the school's/district's governance from the local school district to the Mississippi Achievement School District shall take effect upon the approval of the State Board of Education unless, in the sole determination of the Mississippi Achievement School District, the transition may be more smoothly accomplished through a gradual transfer of control. If the Mississippi Achievement School District elects not to assume complete control of a school or district immediately after that school receives an “F” designation during each of two (2) consecutive school years or during two (2) of the three (3) consecutive school years, the State Board of Education shall prescribe the process and timetable by which the school or district shall be absorbed; however, in no event may the transfer of the school or district to the Mississippi Achievement School District be completed later than the beginning of the school year next succeeding the year during which the school or district receives the “F” designation. School districts that are eligible to be absorbed by the Achievement School District, but are not absorbed due to the capacity of the Achievement School District, shall develop and implement a district improvement plan with prescriptive guidance and support from the Mississippi Department of Education, with the goal of helping the district improve student achievement. Failure of the school board, superintendent and school district staff to implement the plan with fidelity and participate in the activities provided as support by the department shall result in the school district retaining its eligibility for the Mississippi Achievement School District.

(b) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules and regulations governing the operation of the Mississippi Achievement School District.

(c) Designations assigned to schools or districts under the accountability rating system by the State Board of Education before the 2015-2016 school year may not be considered in determining whether a particular school or district is subject to being absorbed by the Mississippi Achievement School District. During the 2017-2018 school year, any school or district receiving an “F” designation after also being designated an “F” school or district in the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school years may be absorbed immediately by the Mississippi Achievement School District, upon approval of the State Board of Education.

(d) The school district from which an “F” school or district is being absorbed must cooperate fully with the Mississippi Achievement School District and the State Board of Education in order to provide as smooth a transition as possible in the school's/district's governance and operations for the students enrolled in the school or district. Upon completion of the transfer of a school or district to the Mississippi Achievement School District, the school or district shall be governed by the rules, regulations, policies and procedures established by the State Board of Education specifically for the Mississippi Achievement School District, and the school or district shall no longer be under the purview of the school board of the local school district. In the event of the transfer of governance and operations of a school district, the State Board of Education shall abolish the district as prescribed in Section 37-17-13 .

(e) Upon the transfer of the school or school district to the Mississippi Achievement School District, the individual appointed by the State Board of Education to serve as superintendent for the Mississippi Achievement School District shall be responsible for the administration, management and operation of the school or school district, including the following activities: (i) approving or denying all financial obligations of the school or school district; (ii) approving or denying the employment, termination, nonrenewal and reassignment of all licensed and nonlicensed personnel; (iii) approving or denying contractual agreements and purchase orders; (iv) approving or denying all claim dockets and the issuance of checks; (v) supervising the day-to-day activities of the school or school district's staff in a manner which in the determination of the Mississippi Achievement School District will best suit the needs of the school or school district; (vi) approving or denying all athletic, band and other extracurricular activities and any matters related to those activities; (vii) honoring any reasonable financial commitment of the district being absorbed; and (viii) reporting periodically to the State Board of Education on the progress or lack of progress being made in the school or school district to improve the school or school district's impairments.

(f) Upon attaining and maintaining a school or district accountability rating of “C” or better under the State Department of Education's accountability rating system for five (5) consecutive years, the State Board of Education may decide to revert the absorbed school or district back to local governance, provided the school or school(s) in question are not conversion charter schools. “Local governance” may include a traditional school board model of governance or other new form of governance such as mayoral control, or other type of governance. The State Board of Education shall determine the best form of local governance and school board composition after soliciting the input of local citizens and shall outline a process for establishing the type of governance selected. The manner and timeline for reverting a school or district back to local control shall be at the discretion of the State School Board, but in no case shall it exceed five (5) years.

(6) The Superintendent of the Mississippi Achievement School District shall hire those persons to be employed as principals, teachers and noninstructional personnel in schools or districts absorbed into the Mississippi Achievement School District. Only highly qualified individuals having a demonstrable record of success may be selected by the superintendent for such positions in the Mississippi Achievement School District. The superintendent may choose to continue the employment of any person employed in an “F” rated school when the school or district is absorbed into the Mississippi Achievement School District; alternatively, the superintendent may elect not to offer continued employment to a person formerly employed at a school or district that is absorbed into the Mississippi Achievement School District. Any persons employed by the Mississippi Achievement School District shall not be subject to Sections 37-9-101 through 37-9-113 .

(7)(a) The Mississippi Achievement School District may use a school building and all facilities and property that is a part of a school and recognized as part of the facilities or assets of the school before it is absorbed into the Mississippi Achievement School District. In addition, the Mississippi Achievement School District shall have access to those additional facilities that typically were available to that school or district, its students, faculty and staff before its absorption by the Mississippi Achievement School District. Use of facilities by a school or district in the Mississippi Achievement School District must be unrestricted and free of charge. However, the Mississippi Achievement School District shall be responsible for providing routine maintenance and repairs necessary to maintain the facilities in as good a condition as when the right of use was acquired by the Mississippi Achievement School District. The Mississippi Achievement School District shall be responsible for paying all utilities at the facilities used for the absorbed school. Any fixtures, improvements and tangible assets added to a school building or facility by the Mississippi Achievement School District must remain at the school or district building or facility if the school or district is returned to local governance.

(b) The State Board of Education shall include in the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to subsection (5) of this section specific provisions addressing the rights and responsibilities of the Mississippi Achievement School District relating to the real and personal property of a school or district that is absorbed into the Mississippi Achievement School District.

(8)(a) The Mississippi Achievement School District shall certify annually to the State Board of Education in which a Mississippi Achievement School District school or district is located the number of students residing in the school district which are enrolled in that school or district.

(b) Whenever an increase in funding is requested by the school board for the support of schools within a particular school district absorbed into the Mississippi Achievement School District, the State Board of Education and the superintendent for the Mississippi Achievement School District shall hold a public meeting in the local municipality having jurisdiction of the absorbed school district to allow input of local residents on the matter, and subsequent to the conclusion of such meeting, the board of the Mississippi Achievement School District shall submit its request for ad valorem increase in dollars to the local governing authority having jurisdiction over the absorbed school district for approval of the request for increase in ad valorem tax effort. In a district in which a school or schools but not the entire district is absorbed into the Mississippi Achievement School District, the local school district shall pay directly to the Mississippi Achievement School District an amount for each student enrolled in that school equal to the ad valorem tax receipts and in-lieu payments received per pupil for the support of the local school district in which the student resides. The pro rata ad valorem receipts and in-lieu receipts to be transferred to the Mississippi Achievement School District shall include all levies for the support of the local school district under Sections 37-57-1 (local contribution to the education funding program) and 37-57-105 (school district operational levy) and may not include any taxes levied for the retirement of the local school district's bonded indebtedness or short-term notes or any taxes levied for the support of vocational-technical education programs, unless the school or schools absorbed include a high school at which vocational-technical education programs are offered. In no event may the payment exceed the pro rata amount of the local ad valorem payment to the education funding program under Section 37-57-1 for the school district in which the student resides. Payments made under this section by a school district to the Mississippi Achievement School District must be made before the expiration of three (3) business days after the funds are distributed to the local school district by the tax collector.

(c) If an entire school district is absorbed into the Mississippi Achievement School District, the tax collector shall pay the amounts as described in paragraph (b) of this subsection, with the exception that all funds should transfer, including taxes levied for the retirement of the local school district's bonded indebtedness or short-term notes and any taxes levied for the support of vocational-technical education programs. The Mississippi Achievement School District shall pay funds raised to retire the district's debts to the appropriate creditors on behalf of the former district.

(9)(a) The State Department of Education shall make payments to the Mississippi Achievement School District for each student in average daily membership at a Mississippi Achievement School District school equal to the state share of the education funding program payments for each student in average daily attendance at the local school district or former local school district in which that school is located. In calculating the local contribution for purposes of determining the state share of the education funding program payments, the department shall deduct the pro rata local contribution of the school district or former school district in which the student resides, to be determined as provided in Section 37-151-7(2)(a) .

(b) Payments made pursuant to this subsection by the State Department of Education must be made at the same time and in the same manner as education funding program payments are made to all other school districts under Sections 37-151-101 and 37-151-103 . Amounts payable to the Mississippi Achievement School District must be determined by the State Department of Education in the same manner that such amounts are calculated for all other school districts under the education funding program.

(10) The Mississippi Achievement School District shall be considered a local educational agency for the same purposes and to the same extent that all other school districts in the state are deemed local educational agencies under applicable federal laws.

(11) The Mississippi Achievement School District may receive donations or grants from any public or private source, including any federal funding that may be available to the school district or individual schools within the Mississippi Achievement School District.

(12) The Legislature may appropriate sufficient funding to the State Department of Education for the 2017 fiscal year for the specific purpose of funding the start-up, operational and any other required costs of the Mississippi Achievement School District during the 2017-2018 school year.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-145 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 23-145
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-145
Status: in_force

(1) The State Board of Education shall establish and maintain an advisory panel for the purpose of providing policy guidance with respect to special education and related services for children with disabilities in the State.

(2) The advisory panel shall consist of members appointed by the State Superintendent of Education who are representative of the state's population and who are composed of individuals involved in, or concerned with, the education of children with disabilities, including:

(a) Parents of children with disabilities;

(b) Individuals with disabilities;

(c) Teachers;

(d) Representatives of institutions of higher education that prepare special education and related services personnel;

(e) State and local education officials;

(f) Administrators of programs for children with disabilities;

(g) Representatives of other state agencies involved in the financing or delivery of related services to children with disabilities;

(h) Representatives of private schools and public charter schools;

(i) At least one (1) representative of a vocational, community, or business organization concerned with the provision of transition services to children with disabilities; and

(j) Representatives from the State juvenile and adult correction agencies.

(3) A majority of the members of the panel shall be individuals with disabilities or parents of children with disabilities.

(4) The duties of the advisory panel shall include:

(a) Advise the State Department of Education of unmet needs within the State in the education of children with disabilities;

(b) Comment publicly on any rules or regulations proposed by the State Department of Education regarding the education of children with disabilities;

(c) Advise the State Department of Education in developing evaluations and reporting on data to the secretary in accordance with the requirements under IDEA;

(d) Advise the State Department of Education in developing and implementing policies relating to the coordination of services for children with disabilities; and

(e) Advise the State Department of Education in developing corrective action plans to address findings identified in federal monitoring reports under IDEA.

(5) The advisory panel shall be provided the opportunity to provide comments to the State Board of Education on rules or regulations proposed by the State Department of Education relating to the implementation of the IDEA 1997 Amendments.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-80.1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 13-80.1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-80.1
Status: in_force

(1) The State Board of Education shall implement a Middle School Dropout Prevention and Recovery Pilot Program in select “D” and “F” rated school districts selected by the State Board of Education. The purpose of the pilot program is to reengage students and increase the graduation rates in Mississippi through an educational program that provides vocational technology, flexible scheduling and a blended learning environment with individualized and self-paced learning options.

(2) Under the pilot program, the educational services and programming shall be provided by an education partner that is a nonprofit or for-profit entity approved by the State Board of Education. The local school board of the districts selected to participate in the pilot program shall be responsible for reporting enrollment to the State Department of Education, working with the education partner to align graduation requirements. The participating schools district shall be accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as an indicator of quality instructional programming.

(3) The pilot program shall provide at least the following:

(a) Facilities that are easily accessible to the students being served;

(b) Flexible scheduling, including at least two (2) different program schedules;

(c) Differentiated instruction that shall include individualized, group and online instructional components;

(d) The capacity for assessing, recording and responding to the students' academic progress on a daily basis using assessments that are aligned with state and local standards and requirements;

(e) A focus on serving a defined population of at-risk students who have dropped out or are likely to drop out of school in the foreseeable future without some type of intervention;

(f) Support services, including social workers and crisis intervention professionals who are trained to assist students in removing barriers to attending school and graduating;

(g) Vocational technology and other instructional models that are self-paced and mastery-based; and

(h) Individualized graduation plans to guide students to graduation with a standard high school diploma.

(4) Before the State Board of Education approves an applicant as an education partner, the applicant must demonstrate the following:

(a) A history providing dropout recovery services to high school students in public schools;

(b) At least two (2) years of relevant experience operating and providing services to brick-and-mortar public schools;

(c) At least two (2) years of relevant experience providing comprehensive online learning or vocational technology programs;

(d) Relevant experience serving diverse student populations, including socioeconomically disadvantaged students;

(e) An explanation of the steps taken by the applicant to ensure that its proposed instructional content is aligned with state standards;

(f) A plan for the recruitment and hiring of state-certified teachers, including hiring criteria;

(g) A plan for the recruitment and hiring of qualified administrators, including hiring criteria;

(h) A detailed description of the applicant's plan to work with the participating local school districts and the State Board of Education to identify students who need to be served, to reengage those students, and to provide alternative education options for students at risk of dropping out. Students at risk of dropping out from their current schools may be transferred into the pilot program; and

(i) An operational plan that includes the following:

(i) The number and physical location of proposed sites and a list of the equipment required;

(ii) A proposed program calendar and daily schedule and an explanation of how the calendar and schedule meet the needs of prospective students. The schedule must include at least four (4) hours per school day of on-site learning at a physical location;

(iii) The student-to-teacher ratio;

(iv) A description of each of the instructional methods to be used and number of hours per day for each method;

(v) A plan for differentiated instruction that must include individualized, group, and online instructional components;

(vi) Capacity for assessing, recording, and responding to students' academic progress on a daily basis using standard assessments;

(vii) A detailed one-year budget;

(viii) A system of competency-based credit; and

(ix) A plan for aggregation and reporting of student performance data and reporting of financial activity.

(5)(a) The State Board of Education shall develop and implement an alternative student performance accountability method to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of pilot program school districts that solely provide dropout prevention services and dropout recovery programs to at-risk students who have dropped out of or are likely to drop out of their base high school. Data and student results collected and compiled from the pilot program districts shall inform the State Board of Education in developing an alternative accountability method to apply statewide and in evaluating the success of the pilot program as a whole.

(b) The alternative accountability method shall only measure academic growth of students who have been continuously enrolled for a period of one hundred twenty (120) days. Students shall be assessed by pre-testing and post-testing at the beginning and end of the one hundred twenty-day enrollment period to measure student growth and shall apply beginning with the 2014-2015 school year.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-15 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 33-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-15
Status: in_force

The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation established by Section 37-33-153 shall be administered by a director appointed by the executive director in conformity with policies adopted by the department. The Director of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation shall devote his or her full time to the administration of vocational rehabilitation. In carrying out his or her duties under the Vocational Rehabilitation Law, the director:

(a) Shall, with the approval of the executive director, make regulations governing the protection of records and confidential information, the manner and form of filing applications, eligibility and investigations and determinations thereof for vocational rehabilitation services, procedures for fair hearings, and such other regulations as are found necessary to carry out the purposes of that law;

(b) Shall, with the approval of the executive director, establish appropriate subordinate administrative units within the office;

(c) Shall, with the approval of the executive director, recommend for appointment such personnel as may be necessary for the efficient performance of the functions of the office;

(d) Shall prepare and submit to the state board through the executive director annual reports of activities and expenditures and, before each regular session of the Legislature, shall submit estimates of sums required for carrying out the Vocational Rehabilitation Law and estimates of the amounts to be made available for this purpose from all sources;

(e) Shall, if the executive director so authorizes, make certifications on behalf of the executive director for the disbursement of funds available for vocational rehabilitation;

(f) Shall, with the approval of the executive director and the state board, appoint boards as required by federal law and regulations;

(g) Shall, with the approval of the executive director and the state board, take such other action as he or she deems necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Vocational Rehabilitation Law;

(h) May, with the approval of the executive director and the state board, delegate to any officer or employee of the office such of his or her powers and duties, except the making of regulations and the making of recommendations for appointment of personnel, as he or she finds necessary to carry out the purposes of the Vocational Rehabilitation Law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-59-31 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 59-31
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-59-31
Status: in_force

In any case where the issuance of the bonds of a school district has been authorized pursuant to referendum of the qualified electors of the school district under the provisions of this article, and at any time prior to the actual issuance and sale of said bonds, there should be a resolution adopted by the school board of the school district on whose behalf the bonds are to be issued requesting either that the authority to issue said bonds be withdrawn and revoked or that the purpose or purposes for which the bonds are to be issued be amended, altered and changed, in which latter case the resolution shall specify distinctly the amendment, alteration and change proposed, the school board shall, within sixty (60) days after the adoption of such resolution, call an election to be held within the school district involved for the purpose of submitting to the qualified electors thereof the question of whether the authority to issue the bonds should be withdrawn and revoked or whether the purpose or purposes for which the bonds are to be issued should be amended, altered and changed, as the case may be. The resolution calling said election shall designate the date upon which the election will be held and the place or places within such district at which same will be held, which place or places may or may not be the school house or school houses of such district. In all respects, notice of the election shall be given for the time and in the manner otherwise provided in this article with respect to elections upon the question of the issuance of bonds of the school district. The results of the election shall be canvassed, returned and determined as is otherwise provided in this article with respect to elections upon the question of the issuance of school district bonds. The ballots used at said election shall have printed thereon a brief statement of the proposal that the authority to issue the bonds be withdrawn and revoked, or of the proposal that the purpose or purposes for which the bonds are to be issued be amended, altered and changed, as the case may be and in the event the proposal be to amend, alter and change the purpose or purposes of the proposed issue of bonds, a brief statement of the amendments, alterations and changes proposed. There shall also be printed on the ballot the words “FOR THE PROPOSITION” and the words “AGAINST THE PROPOSITION” and the voter shall vote by placing a cross (x) or check mark (✓) opposite his choice. If a majority of the qualified electors who vote in said election shall vote in favor of the proposition, and the proposition be to withdraw or revoke the authority to issue said bonds, then the authority to issue such bonds shall terminate; otherwise, the school board shall continue to have the power and authority to issue said bonds to the same extent as though such election shall not have been held. If a majority of the qualified electors who vote in said election shall vote in favor of the proposition, and the proposition be to amend, alter or change the purpose or purposes for which the bonds shall be issued, then the school board shall be authorized to issue said bonds for the purpose or purposes as amended, altered and changed; otherwise, the bonds shall be issued for the purpose or purposes originally specified.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-39 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 47-39
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-39
Status: in_force

For the purpose of paying the principal of and interest upon all state school bonds issued under the authority of this chapter, there shall be and there is hereby pledged the full faith, credit, and taxing power of the State of Mississippi.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-75 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 23-75
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-75
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for any person to obtain, seek to obtain, expend, or seek to expend, any financial assistance funds for any purpose other than in payment of or in reimbursement for the tuition costs for the attendance of his child or ward at a private school, parochial school or speech, hearing and/or language clinic. A violation of this section shall constitute a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00), by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months in jail, or both.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-291 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 101-291
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-291
Status: in_force

(1) In order to help alleviate the problem of the shortage of health care professionals at the state health institutions, there is established a program of paid educational leave for the study of such health care professions as defined in Section 37-101-285 and licensed practical nursing by any employee who works at a state health institution and who declares an intention to work in such respective health care occupation in the same state health institution in which the employee was working when granted educational leave, for a minimum period of time after graduation.

(2) The paid educational leave program shall be administered by the respective state health institutions.

(3)(a) Within the limits of the funds available to a state health institution for such purpose, the institution may grant paid educational leave to those applicants deemed qualified therefor, upon such terms and conditions as it may impose and as provided for in this section.

(b) In order to be eligible for paid educational leave, an applicant must:

(i) Be working at a state health institution at the time of application;

(ii) Attend any college or school approved and designated by the state health institution; and

(iii) Agree to work in a health care profession as defined in Section 37-101-285 or as a licensed practical nurse in the same state health institution for a period of time equivalent to the period of time for which the applicant receives paid educational leave compensation, calculated to the nearest whole month, but in no event less than two (2) years.

(c)(i) Before being granted paid educational leave, each applicant shall enter into a contract with the state health institution, which shall be deemed a contract with the State of Mississippi, agreeing to the terms and conditions upon which the paid educational leave shall be granted to him. The contract shall include such terms and provisions necessary to carry out the full purpose and intent of this section. The form of such contract shall be prepared and approved by the Attorney General of this state, and shall be signed by the executive director of the respective state health institution and the recipient. If the recipient is a minor, his minority disabilities shall be removed by a chancery court of competent jurisdiction before the contract is signed.

(ii) The state health institution shall have the authority to cancel any contract made between it and any recipient for paid educational leave upon such cause being deemed sufficient by the executive director of such institution.

(iii) The state health institution is vested with full and complete authority and power to sue in its own name any recipient for any balance due the state on any such uncompleted contract, which suit shall be filed and handled by the Attorney General of the state. The state health institution may contract with a collection agency or banking institution, subject to approval by the Attorney General, for collection of any balance due the state from any recipient. The State of Mississippi, agencies of the state and the state health institution and its employees are immune from any suit brought in law or equity for actions taken by the collection agency or banking institution incidental to or arising from their performance under the contract. The state health institution, collection agency and banking institution may negotiate for the payment of a sum that is less than full payment in order to satisfy any balance the recipient owes the state, subject to approval by the facility director of the sponsoring facility within the state health institution.

(iv) Failure to meet the terms of an educational loan contract shall be grounds for revocation of the professional license which was earned through the paid educational leave compensation granted under this section.

(v) A finding by the sponsoring agency of a default by the recipient shall be a finding of unprofessional conduct and therefore, a basis for the revocation of the professional license which was obtained through the educational leave program. The finding also will be grounds for revocation of any license, as defined by Section 93-11-153 .

(vi) Notice of pending default status shall be mailed to the recipient at the last known address by the sponsoring agency.

(vii) The sponsoring agency shall conduct a hearing of pending default status, make a final determination, and issue an Order of Default, if appropriate.

(viii) Recipients may appear either personally or by counsel, or both, and produce and cross-examine witnesses or evidence in the recipient's behalf. The procedure of the hearing shall not be bound by the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure and Evidence.

(ix) If a recipient is found to be in default, a copy of an Order of Default shall be forwarded to the appropriate licensing agency.

(x) Appeals from a finding of default by the sponsoring agency shall be to the Circuit Court of Hinds County. Actions taken by a licensing entity in revoking a license when required by this section are not actions from which an appeal may be taken under the general licensing and disciplinary provisions applicable to the licensing agency.

(xi) Rules and regulations governing hearing and other applicable matters shall be promulgated by the sponsoring agency.

(xii) A license which has been revoked pursuant to this statute shall be reinstated upon a showing of proof that the recipient is no longer in default.

(xiii) A finding by the sponsoring facility of educational leave default is a disciplinary action, not a collection action, and therefore shall not be affected by the recipient declaring bankruptcy.

(4)(a) Any recipient who is granted paid educational leave by a state health institution shall be compensated by the institution during the time the recipient is in school, at the rate of pay received by a nurse's aide employed at the respective state health institution. All educational leave compensation received by the recipient while in school shall be considered earned conditioned upon the fulfillment of the terms and obligations of the educational leave contract and this section. However, no recipient of full-time educational leave shall accrue personal or major medical leave while the recipient is on paid educational leave. Recipients of paid educational leave shall be responsible for their individual costs of tuition and books.

(b) Paid educational leave shall be granted only upon the following conditions:

(i) The recipient shall fulfill his or her obligation under the contract with the State of Mississippi by working as a professional in a health care profession defined in Section 37-101-285 or as a licensed practical nurse in a state health institution; a recipient sponsored by a health institution under the supervision of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health may fulfill his or her obligation under the contract with the State of Mississippi at another health institution under the supervision of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health with prior written approval of the Director of the Department of Mental Health institution with which he or she originally contracted for educational leave. The total compensation that the recipient was paid while on educational leave shall be considered as unconditionally earned on an annual pro rata basis for each year of service rendered under the educational leave contract as a health care professional in his respective state health institution.

(ii) If the recipient does not work as a professional in a health care profession as defined in Section 37-101-285 or as a licensed practical nurse in his respective state health institution for the period required under subsection (3)(b)(iii) of this section, the recipient shall be liable for repayment on demand of the remaining portion of the compensation that the recipient was paid while on paid educational leave which has not been unconditionally earned, with interest accruing at ten percent (10%) per annum from the recipient's date of graduation or the date that the recipient last worked at that state health institution, whichever is the later date. In addition, there shall be included in any contract for paid educational leave a provision for liquidated damages equal to Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) which may be reduced on a pro rata basis for each year served under such contract.

(iii) If any recipient fails or withdraws from school at any time before completing his or her health care training, the recipient shall be liable for repayment on demand of the amount of the total compensation that the recipient was paid while on paid educational leave, with interest accruing at ten percent (10%) per annum from the date the recipient failed or withdrew from school. However, the recipient shall not be liable for liquidated damages, and if the recipient returns to work in the same position held in the same state health institution prior to accepting educational leave, the recipient shall not be liable for payment of any interest on the amount owed.

(iv) The issuance and renewal of the professional license required to work in a health care profession as defined in Section 37-101-285 for which the educational leave was granted shall be contingent upon the repayment of the total compensation that the recipient received while on paid educational leave. No license shall be granted until a contract for repayment is executed. No license shall be renewed without proof of an existing contract which is not in default. Failure to meet the terms of an educational loan contract shall be grounds for revocation of the professional license which was earned through the paid educational leave compensation granted under this section. Any person who receives any amount of paid educational leave compensation while in school and subsequently receives a professional license shall be deemed to have earned the professional license through paid educational leave.

(v) The obligations of educational leave recipients under contracts entered into before July 1, 2002, shall remain unchanged. However, state health institutions may use the collection or license revocation provisions of this section to collect money owed under all educational leave contracts, regardless of when those contracts were executed.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-19-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 19-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-19-7
Status: in_force

(1) Teachers' salaries in each public school district shall be determined and paid in accordance with the scale for teachers' salaries as provided in this subsection. For teachers holding the following types of licenses or the equivalent as determined by the State Board of Education, and the following number of years of teaching experience, the scale shall be as follows:

2022-2023 AND SUBSEQUENT SCHOOL YEARS MINIMUM SALARY SCHEDULE

Exp.

AAAA

AAA

AA

A

0

45,500.00

44,000.00

43,000.00

41,500.00

1

46,100.00

44,550.00

43,525.00

41,900.00

2

46,700.00

45,100.00

44,050.00

42,300.00

3

47,300.00

45,650.00

44,575.00

42,700.00

4

47,900.00

46,200.00

45,100.00

43,100.00

5

49,250.00

47,500.00

46,350.00

44,300.00

6

49,850.00

48,050.00

46,875.00

44,700.00

7

50,450.00

48,600.00

47,400.00

45,100.00

8

51,050.00

49,150.00

47,925.00

45,500.00

9

51,650.00

49,700.00

48,450.00

45,900.00

10

53,000.00

51,000.00

49,700.00

47,100.00

11

53,600.00

51,550.00

50,225.00

47,500.00

12

54,200.00

52,100.00

50,750.00

47,900.00

13

54,800.00

52,650.00

51,275.00

48,300.00

14

55,400.00

53,200.00

51,800.00

48,700.00

15

56,750.00

54,500.00

53,050.00

49,900.00

16

57,350.00

55,050.00

53,575.00

50,300.00

17

57,950.00

55,600.00

54,100.00

50,700.00

18

58,550.00

56,150.00

54,625.00

51,100.00

19

59,150.00

56,700.00

55,150.00

51,500.00

20

60,500.00

58,000.00

56,400.00

52,700.00

21

61,100.00

58,550.00

56,925.00

53,100.00

22

61,700.00

59,100.00

57,450.00

53,500.00

23

62,300.00

59,650.00

57,975.00

53,900.00

24

62,900.00

60,200.00

58,500.00

54,300.00

25

65,400.00

62,700.00

61,000.00

56,800.00

26

66,000.00

63,250.00

61,525.00

57,200.00

27

66,600.00

63,800.00

62,050.00

57,600.00

28

67,200.00

64,350.00

62,575.00

58,000.00

29

67,800.00

64,900.00

63,100.00

58,400.00

30

68,400.00

65,450.00

63,625.00

58,800.00

31

69,000.00

66,000.00

64,150.00

59,200.00

32

69,600.00

66,550.00

64,675.00

59,600.00

33

70,200.00

67,100.00

65,200.00

60,000.00

34

70,800.00

67,650.00

65,725.00

60,400.00

35

& above

71,400.00

68,200.00

66,250.00

60,800.00

2024-2025 AND SUBSEQUENT SCHOOL YEARS MINIMUM SALARY SCHEDULE

The school district, with assistance from the Department of Education, shall consider the teacher's years of service and license type and determine the corresponding salary for the retired teacher. After determining the retired teacher's corresponding salary, the school district may allocate up to one hundred twenty-five percent (125%) of the amount provided under the salary schedule for such teacher, as applicable, as salary and assessment under the program.

After determining the retired teacher's salary, the school district may pay no more than fifty percent (50%) of the retired teacher's compensation as salary to the retired teacher. The remaining fifty percent (50%) of the retired teacher's compensation as salary shall be paid by the school district to PERS as a pension liability participation assessment.

It is the intent of the Legislature that any state funds made available for salaries of licensed personnel in excess of the funds paid for such salaries for the 1986-1987 school year shall be paid to licensed personnel pursuant to a personnel appraisal and compensation system implemented by the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education shall have the authority to adopt and amend rules and regulations as are necessary to establish, administer and maintain the system.

All teachers employed on a full-time basis shall be paid a minimum salary in accordance with the above scale. However, no school district shall receive any funds under this section for any school year during which the local supplement paid to any individual teacher shall have been reduced to a sum less than that paid to that individual teacher for performing the same duties from local supplement during the immediately preceding school year. The amount actually spent for the purposes of group health and/or life insurance shall be considered as a part of the aggregate amount of local supplement but shall not be considered a part of the amount of individual local supplement.

The level of professional training of each teacher to be used in establishing the salary for the teacher for each year shall be determined by the type of valid teacher's license issued to that teacher on or before October 1 of the current school year. However, school districts are authorized, in their discretion, to negotiate the salary levels applicable to licensed employees who are receiving retirement benefits from the retirement system of another state.

(2)(a) The following employees shall receive an annual salary supplement in the amount of Six Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00), plus fringe benefits, in addition to any other compensation to which the employee may be entitled:

(i) Any licensed teacher or retired teacher employed by a school district under the authority of Section 25-11-126 who has met the requirements and acquired a Master Teacher certificate from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and who is employed by a local school board or the State Board of Education as a teacher and not as an administrator. Such teacher shall submit documentation to the State Department of Education that the certificate was received prior to October 15 in order to be eligible for the full salary supplement in the current school year, or the teacher shall submit such documentation to the State Department of Education prior to February 15 in order to be eligible for a prorated salary supplement beginning with the second term of the school year.

(ii) A licensed nurse who has met the requirements and acquired a certificate from the National Board for Certification of School Nurses, Inc., and who is employed by a local school board or the State Board of Education as a school nurse and not as an administrator. The licensed school nurse shall submit documentation to the State Department of Education that the certificate was received before October 15 in order to be eligible for the full salary supplement in the current school year, or the licensed school nurse shall submit the documentation to the State Department of Education before February 15 in order to be eligible for a prorated salary supplement beginning with the second term of the school year.

(iii) Any licensed school counselor who has met the requirements and acquired a National Certified School Counselor (NCSC) endorsement from the National Board of Certified Counselors and who is employed by a local school board or the State Board of Education as a counselor and not as an administrator. Such licensed school counselor shall submit documentation to the State Department of Education that the endorsement was received prior to October 15 in order to be eligible for the full salary supplement in the current school year, or the licensed school counselor shall submit such documentation to the State Department of Education prior to February 15 in order to be eligible for a prorated salary supplement beginning with the second term of the school year. However, any school counselor who started the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards process for school counselors between June 1, 2003, and June 30, 2004, and completes the requirements and acquires the Master Teacher certificate shall be entitled to the master teacher supplement, and those counselors who complete the process shall be entitled to a one-time reimbursement for the actual cost of the process as outlined in paragraph (b) of this subsection.

(iv) Any licensed speech-language pathologist and audiologist who has met the requirements and acquired a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and any certified academic language therapist (CALT) who has met the certification requirements of the Academic Language Therapy Association and who is employed by a local school board. The licensed speech-language pathologist and audiologist and certified academic language therapist shall submit documentation to the State Department of Education that the certificate or endorsement was received before October 15 in order to be eligible for the full salary supplement in the current school year, or the licensed speech-language pathologist and audiologist and certified academic language therapist shall submit the documentation to the State Department of Education before February 15 in order to be eligible for a prorated salary supplement beginning with the second term of the school year.

(v) Any licensed athletic trainer who has met the requirements and acquired Board Certification for the Athletic Trainer from the Board of Certification, Inc., and who is employed by a local school board or the State Board of Education as an athletic trainer and not as an administrator. The licensed athletic trainer shall submit documentation to the State Department of Education that the certificate was received before October 15 in order to be eligible for the full salary supplement in the current school year, or the licensed athletic trainer shall submit the documentation to the State Department of Education before February 15 in order to be eligible for a prorated salary supplement beginning with the second term of the school year.

(b) An employee shall be reimbursed for the actual cost of completing each component of acquiring the certificate or endorsement, excluding any costs incurred for postgraduate courses, not to exceed Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for each component, not to exceed four (4) components, for a teacher, school counselor or speech-language pathologist and audiologist, regardless of whether or not the process resulted in the award of the certificate or endorsement. A local school district or any private individual or entity may pay the cost of completing the process of acquiring the certificate or endorsement for any employee of the school district described under paragraph (a), and the State Department of Education shall reimburse the school district for such cost, regardless of whether or not the process resulted in the award of the certificate or endorsement. If a private individual or entity has paid the cost of completing the process of acquiring the certificate or endorsement for an employee, the local school district may agree to directly reimburse the individual or entity for such cost on behalf of the employee.

(c) All salary supplements, fringe benefits and process reimbursement authorized under this subsection shall be paid directly by the State Department of Education to the local school district and shall be in addition to its allotments from the total funding formula provided in Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 and not a part thereof in accordance with regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education. Local school districts shall not reduce the local supplement paid to any employee receiving such salary supplement, and the employee shall receive any local supplement to which employees with similar training and experience otherwise are entitled. However, an educational employee shall receive the salary supplement in the amount of Six Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00) for only one (1) of the qualifying certifications authorized under paragraph (a) of this subsection. No school district shall provide more than one (1) annual salary supplement under the provisions of this subsection to any one (1) individual employee holding multiple qualifying national certifications.

(d) If an employee for whom such cost has been paid, in full or in part, by a local school district or private individual or entity fails to complete the certification or endorsement process, the employee shall be liable to the school district or individual or entity for all amounts paid by the school district or individual or entity on behalf of that employee toward his or her certificate or endorsement.

(3) The following employees shall receive an annual salary supplement in the amount of Four Thousand Dollars ($4,000.00), plus fringe benefits, in addition to any other compensation to which the employee may be entitled:

Effective July 1, 2016, if funds are available for that purpose, any licensed teacher or retired teacher employed by a local school district under the authority of Section 25-11-126 who has met the requirements and acquired a Master Teacher Certificate from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and who is employed in a public school district located in one (1) of the following counties: Claiborne, Adams, Jefferson, Wilkinson, Amite, Bolivar, Coahoma, Leflore, Quitman, Sharkey, Issaquena, Sunflower, Washington, Holmes, Yazoo and Tallahatchie. The salary supplement awarded under the provisions of this subsection (3) shall be in addition to the salary supplement awarded under the provisions of subsection (2) of this section.

Teachers who meet the qualifications for a salary supplement under this subsection (3) who are assigned for less than one (1) full year or less than full time for the school year shall receive the salary supplement in a prorated manner, with the portion of the teacher's assignment to the critical geographic area to be determined as of June 15th of the school year.

(4)(a) This subsection shall be known and may be cited as the “Mississippi Performance-Based Pay (MPBP)” plan. In addition to the minimum base pay described in this section, only if funds are available for that purpose, the State of Mississippi may provide monies from state funds to school districts for the purposes of rewarding licensed teachers, administrators and nonlicensed personnel at individual schools showing improvement in student test scores. The MPBP plan shall be developed by the State Department of Education based on the following criteria:

(i) It is the express intent of this legislation that the MPBP plan shall utilize only existing standards of accreditation and assessment as established by the State Board of Education.

(ii) To ensure that all of Mississippi's teachers, administrators and nonlicensed personnel at all schools have equal access to the monies set aside in this section, the MPBP program shall be designed to calculate each school's performance as determined by the school's increase in scores from the prior school year. The MPBP program shall be based on a standardized scores rating where all levels of schools can be judged in a statistically fair and reasonable way upon implementation. At the end of each year, after all student achievement scores have been standardized, the State Department of Education shall implement the MPBP plan.

(iii) To ensure all teachers cooperate in the spirit of teamwork, individual schools shall submit a plan to the local school district to be approved before the beginning of each school year. The plan shall include, but not be limited to, how all teachers, regardless of subject area, and administrators will be responsible for improving student achievement for their individual school.

(b) The State Board of Education shall develop the processes and procedures for designating schools eligible to participate in the MPBP. State assessment results, growth in student achievement at individual schools and other measures deemed appropriate in designating successful student achievement shall be used in establishing MPBP criteria.

(5)(a) If funds are available for that purpose, each school in Mississippi shall have mentor teachers, as defined by Sections 37-9-201 through 37-9-213 , who shall receive additional base compensation provided for by the State Legislature in the amount of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) per each beginning teacher that is being mentored. The additional state compensation shall be limited to those mentor teachers that provide mentoring services to beginning teachers. For the purposes of such funding, a beginning teacher shall be defined as any teacher in any school in Mississippi that has less than one (1) year of classroom experience teaching in a public school. For the purposes of such funding, no full-time academic teacher shall mentor more than two (2) beginning teachers.

(b) To be eligible for this state funding, the individual school must have a classroom management program approved by the local school board.

(6) Effective with the 2014-2015 school year, the school districts participating in the Pilot Performance-Based Compensation System pursuant to Section 37-19-9 may award additional teacher and administrator pay based thereon.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-73-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 73-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-73-7
Status: in_force

The State Workforce Investment Board, by and through the Office of Workforce Development, shall create, in consultation with the Mississippi Department of Education, the Mississippi Community College Board, the Mississippi State University Research and Curriculum Unit and other appropriate business and industry stakeholders, a single list of nationally recognized industry certifications for use in the Mississippi statewide accountability system, in diploma endorsement requirements and for reimbursement under Section 37-153-15 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-45 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 101-45
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-45
Status: in_force

Any holder of lease rights arising under the provisions of Section 37-101-41 , either at law or in equity, by suit, action, or other proceeding, may protect and enforce any and all rights granted thereunder, or under the resolution pursuant to which such lease was signed, or under said lease, and may enforce and compel performance of all duties required by said section to be performed, in order to provide for the payment of the lease obligations set out in said lease.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-155 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 101-155
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-155
Status: in_force

Before any of the land named in Section 37-101-153 , shall be leased for oil, gas and mineral purposes, the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning shall give notice of its intention by publishing a notice in some newspaper in the City of Jackson and also a newspaper published in the county or counties where such lands are situated, giving the time and place that said board will receive bids. Said notice shall be published once each week for three consecutive weeks. Said board at said time and place will receive sealed bids for such lease or leases, and will consider the highest and best bid that is the most advantageous to the institution or institutions. The board shall have the right to reject any or all such bids.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-159-19 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 159-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-159-19
Status: repealed

Sections 37-159-1 through 37-159-17 shall stand repealed on July 1, 2027.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-89 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 13-89
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-89
Status: in_force

(1) In each school district within the state, there shall be employed the number of school attendance officers determined by the Office of Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement to be necessary to adequately enforce the provisions of the Mississippi Compulsory School Attendance Law; however, this number shall not exceed one hundred fifty-three (153) school attendance officers at any time. From and after July 1, 1998, all school attendance officers employed pursuant to this section shall be employees of the State Department of Education. The State Department of Education shall employ all persons employed as school attendance officers by district attorneys before July 1, 1998, and shall assign them to school attendance responsibilities in the school district in which they were employed before July 1, 1998. The first twelve (12) months of employment for each school attendance officer shall be the probationary period of state service.

(2)(a) The State Department of Education shall obtain current criminal records background checks and current child abuse registry checks on all persons applying for the position of school attendance officer after July 2, 2002. The criminal records information and registry checks must be kept on file for any new hires. In order to determine an applicant's suitability for employment as a school attendance officer, the applicant must be fingerprinted. If no disqualifying record is identified at the state level, the Department of Public Safety shall forward the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for a national criminal history record check. The applicant shall pay the fee, not to exceed Fifty Dollars ($50.00), for the fingerprinting and criminal records background check; however, the State Department of Education, in its discretion, may pay the fee for the fingerprinting and criminal records background check on behalf of any applicant. Under no circumstances may a member of the State Board of Education, employee of the State Department of Education or any person other than the subject of the criminal records background check disseminate information received through any such checks except insofar as required to fulfill the purposes of this subsection.

(b) If the fingerprinting or criminal records check discloses 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(h) , 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 applicant is not eligible to be employed as a school attendance officer. Any employment of an applicant pending the results of the fingerprinting and criminal records check is voidable if the new hire receives a disqualifying criminal records check. However, the State Board of Education, in its discretion, may allow an applicant aggrieved by an employment decision under this subsection to appear before the board, or before a hearing officer designated for that purpose, to show mitigating circumstances that may exist and allow the new hire to be employed as a school attendance officer. The State Board of Education may grant waivers for mitigating circumstances, which may include, but are not necessarily limited to: (i) age at which the crime was committed; (ii) circumstances surrounding the crime; (iii) length of time since the conviction and criminal history since the conviction; (iv) work history; (v) current employment and character references; and (vi) other evidence demonstrating the ability of the person to perform the responsibilities of a school attendance officer competently and that the person does not pose a threat to the health or safety of children.

(c) A member of the State Board of Education or employee of the State Department of Education may not be held liable in any employment discrimination suit in which an allegation of discrimination is made regarding an employment decision authorized under this section.

(3) Each school attendance officer shall possess a college degree with a major in a behavioral science or a related field or shall have no less than three (3) years combined actual experience as a school teacher, school administrator, law enforcement officer possessing such degree, and/or social worker; however, these requirements shall not apply to persons employed as school attendance officers before January 1, 1987. School attendance officers also shall satisfy any additional requirements that may be established by the State Personnel Board for the position of school attendance officer.

(4) It shall be the duty of each school attendance officer to:

(a) Cooperate with any public agency to locate and identify all compulsory-school-age children who are not attending school;

(b) Cooperate with all courts of competent jurisdiction;

(c) Investigate all cases of nonattendance and unlawful absences by compulsory-school-age children not enrolled in a nonpublic school;

(d) Provide appropriate counseling to encourage all school-age children to attend school until they have completed high school;

(e) Attempt to secure the provision of social or welfare services that may be required to enable any child to attend school;

(f) Contact the home or place of residence of a compulsory-school-age child and any other place in which the officer is likely to find any compulsory-school-age child when the child is absent from school during school hours without a valid written excuse from school officials, and when the child is found, the officer shall notify the parents and school officials as to where the child was physically located;

(g) Contact promptly the home of each compulsory-school-age child in the school district within the officer's jurisdiction who is not enrolled in school or is not in attendance at public school and is without a valid written excuse from school officials; if no valid reason is found for the nonenrollment or absence from the school, the school attendance officer shall give written notice to the parent, guardian or custodian of the requirement for the child's enrollment or attendance;

(h) Collect and maintain information concerning absenteeism, dropouts and other attendance-related problems, as may be required by law or the Office of Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement; and

(i) Perform all other duties relating to compulsory school attendance established by the State Department of Education or district school attendance supervisor, or both.

(5) While engaged in the performance of his duties, each school attendance officer shall carry on his person a badge identifying him as a school attendance officer under the Office of Compulsory School Attendance Enforcement of the State Department of Education and an identification card designed by the State Superintendent of Public Education and issued by the school attendance officer supervisor. Neither the badge nor the identification card shall bear the name of any elected public official.

(6) The State Personnel Board shall develop a salary scale for school attendance officers as part of the variable compensation plan. The various pay ranges of the salary scale shall be based upon factors including, but not limited to, education, professional certification and licensure, and number of years of experience. School attendance officers shall be paid in accordance with this salary scale. The minimum salaries under the scale shall be no less than the following:

(a) For school attendance officers holding a bachelor's degree or any other attendance officer who does not hold such a degree, the annual salary shall be based on years of experience as a school attendance officer or related field of service or employment, no less than as follows:

Years of Experience

Salary

0--4 years

$

24,528.29

5--8 years

26,485.29

9--12 years

28,050.89

13--16 years

29,616.49

Over 17 years

31,182.09

(b) For school attendance officers holding a license as a social worker, the annual salary shall be based on years of experience as a school attendance officer or related field of service or employment, no less than as follows:

Years of Experience

Salary

0--4 years

$

25,558.29

5--8 years

27,927.29

9--12 years

29,822.49

13--16 years

31,717.69

17--20 years

33,612.89

Over 21 years

35,415.39

(c) For school attendance officers holding a master's degree in a behavioral science or a related field, the annual salary shall be based on years of experience as a school attendance officer or related field of service or employment, no less than as follows:

Years of Experience

Salary

0--4 years

$

26,382.29

5--8 years

29,008.79

9--12 years

31,109.99

13--16 years

33,211.19

17--20 years

35,312.39

Over 21 years

37,413.59

(7)(a) Each school attendance officer employed by a district attorney on June 30, 1998, who became an employee of the State Department of Education on July 1, 1998, shall be awarded credit for personal leave and major medical leave for his continuous service as a school attendance officer under the district attorney, and if applicable, the youth or family court or a state agency. The credit for personal leave shall be in an amount equal to one-third ( 1 / 3 ) of the maximum personal leave the school attendance officer could have accumulated had he been credited with such leave under Section 25-3-93 during his employment with the district attorney, and if applicable, the youth or family court or a state agency. The credit for major medical leave shall be in an amount equal to one-half ( 1 / 2 ) of the maximum major medical leave the school attendance officer could have accumulated had he been credited with such leave under Section 25-3-95 during his employment with the district attorney, and if applicable, the youth or family court or a state agency. However, if a district attorney who employed a school attendance officer on June 30, 1998, certifies, in writing, to the State Department of Education that the school attendance officer had accumulated, pursuant to a personal leave policy or major medical leave policy lawfully adopted by the district attorney, a number of days of unused personal leave or major medical leave, or both, which is greater than the number of days to which the school attendance officer is entitled under this paragraph, the State Department of Education shall authorize the school attendance officer to retain the actual unused personal leave or major medical leave, or both, certified by the district attorney, subject to the maximum amount of personal leave and major medical leave the school attendance officer could have accumulated had he been credited with such leave under Sections 25-3-93 and 25-3-95 .

(b) For the purpose of determining the accrual rate for personal leave under Section 25-3-93 and major medical leave under Section 25-3-95 , the State Department of Education shall give consideration to all continuous service rendered by a school attendance officer before July 1, 1998, in addition to the service rendered by the school attendance officer as an employee of the department.

(c) In order for a school attendance officer to be awarded credit for personal leave and major medical leave or to retain the actual unused personal leave and major medical leave accumulated by him before July 1, 1998, the district attorney who employed the school attendance officer must certify, in writing, to the State Department of Education the hire date of the school attendance officer. For each school attendance officer employed by the youth or family court or a state agency before being designated an employee of the district attorney who has not had a break in continuous service, the hire date shall be the date that the school attendance officer was hired by the youth or family court or state agency. The department shall prescribe the date by which the certification must be received by the department and shall provide written notice to all district attorneys of the certification requirement and the date by which the certification must be received.

(8)(a) School attendance officers shall maintain regular office hours on a year-round basis; however, during the school term, on those days that teachers in all of the school districts served by a school attendance officer are not required to report to work, the school attendance officer also shall not be required to report to work. (For purposes of this subsection, a school district's school term is that period of time identified as the school term in contracts entered into by the district with licensed personnel.) A school attendance officer shall be required to report to work on any day recognized as an official state holiday if teachers in any school district served by that school attendance officer are required to report to work on that day, regardless of the school attendance officer's status as an employee of the State Department of Education, and compensatory leave may not be awarded to the school attendance officer for working during that day. However, a school attendance officer may be allowed by the school attendance officer's supervisor to use earned leave on such days.

(b) The State Department of Education annually shall designate a period of six (6) consecutive weeks in the summer between school years during which school attendance officers shall not be required to report to work. A school attendance officer who elects to work at any time during that period may not be awarded compensatory leave for such work and may not opt to be absent from work at any time other than during the six (6) weeks designated by the department unless the school attendance officer uses personal leave or major medical leave accrued under Section 25-3-93 or 25-3-95 for such absence.

(9) The State Department of Education shall provide all continuing education and training courses that school attendance officers are required to complete under state law or rules and regulations of the department.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-193 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 13-193
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-193
Status: in_force

The State Board of Education may make civil rights and human rights education a part of the K-12 curriculum of instruction in Mississippi public schools. The State Department of Education shall work with the Mississippi Civil Rights Education Commission established in Section 37-13-195 in implementing these five (5) guidelines: (a) provide assistance and advice to K-12 schools with respect to the Civil Rights Movement and human rights education and awareness programs; (b) survey and catalog the extent to which civil rights and human rights education exists in state curricula; (c) inventory civil rights memorials, exhibits and resources that could be used in classrooms and other educational programs; (d) compile a list of volunteers who are willing to share their knowledge and experiences concerning the struggle for civil rights; (e) prepare reports for the Governor and the State Legislature on the inclusion of civil rights studies into the educational systems of the state.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-147-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / 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. § 37-7-419 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 7-419
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-419
Status: in_force

The various school districts which may become parties to any such agreement are authorized to appropriate and expend for the purposes thereof any and all funds which may be required to carry out the terms of any such agreement from any funds available to any such party to such an agreement not otherwise appropriated without limitation as to the source of such funds, including total funding formula funds as provided for in Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 , 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 such agreement designated thereby to be primarily responsible for the construction or operation of any such regional high school center and regardless of the limitation on the expenditure of any such funds imposed by any other statute. However, no such 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 such center. Any one or more of the parties to such an agreement may be designated as the fiscal agent or contracting party in carrying out any of the purposes of such agreement, and any and all funds authorized to be spent therefor by any of the said parties may be paid over to the fiscal agent or contracting party for disbursement by such fiscal agent or contracting party. Such disbursements shall be made and contracted for under the laws and regulations applicable to such fiscal or disbursing agent. All of the school district parties to any such 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 any such agreement under any existing laws authorizing the issuance or sale thereof to provide funds for any capital improvement.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-41 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 31-41
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-41
Status: in_force

All funds made available for carrying out the provisions of Sections 37-31-31 through 37-31-41 shall be paid by the state treasurer on warrants drawn therefor by the state auditor on requisitions of the state superintendent of public education.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-291 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 101-291
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-291
Status: in_force

(1) In order to help alleviate the problem of the shortage of health care professionals at the state health institutions, there is established a program of paid educational leave for the study of such health care professions as defined in Section 37-101-285 and licensed practical nursing by any employee who works at a state health institution and who declares an intention to work in such respective health care occupation in the same state health institution in which the employee was working when granted educational leave, for a minimum period of time after graduation.

(2) The paid educational leave program shall be administered by the respective state health institutions.

(3)(a) Within the limits of the funds available to a state health institution for such purpose, the institution may grant paid educational leave to those applicants deemed qualified therefor, upon such terms and conditions as it may impose and as provided for in this section.

(b) In order to be eligible for paid educational leave, an applicant must:

(i) Be working at a state health institution at the time of application;

(ii) Attend any college or school approved and designated by the state health institution; and

(iii) Agree to work in a health care profession as defined in Section 37-101-285 or as a licensed practical nurse in the same state health institution for a period of time equivalent to the period of time for which the applicant receives paid educational leave compensation, calculated to the nearest whole month, but in no event less than two (2) years.

(c)(i) Before being granted paid educational leave, each applicant shall enter into a contract with the state health institution, which shall be deemed a contract with the State of Mississippi, agreeing to the terms and conditions upon which the paid educational leave shall be granted to him. The contract shall include such terms and provisions necessary to carry out the full purpose and intent of this section. The form of such contract shall be prepared and approved by the Attorney General of this state, and shall be signed by the executive director of the respective state health institution and the recipient. If the recipient is a minor, his minority disabilities shall be removed by a chancery court of competent jurisdiction before the contract is signed.

(ii) The state health institution shall have the authority to cancel any contract made between it and any recipient for paid educational leave upon such cause being deemed sufficient by the executive director of such institution.

(iii) The state health institution is vested with full and complete authority and power to sue in its own name any recipient for any balance due the state on any such uncompleted contract, which suit shall be filed and handled by the Attorney General of the state. The state health institution may contract with a collection agency or banking institution, subject to approval by the Attorney General, for collection of any balance due the state from any recipient. The State of Mississippi, agencies of the state and the state health institution and its employees are immune from any suit brought in law or equity for actions taken by the collection agency or banking institution incidental to or arising from their performance under the contract. The state health institution, collection agency and banking institution may negotiate for the payment of a sum that is less than full payment in order to satisfy any balance the recipient owes the state, subject to approval by the facility director of the sponsoring facility within the state health institution.

(iv) Failure to meet the terms of an educational loan contract shall be grounds for revocation of the professional license which was earned through the paid educational leave compensation granted under this section.

(v) A finding by the sponsoring agency of a default by the recipient shall be a finding of unprofessional conduct and therefore, a basis for the revocation of the professional license which was obtained through the educational leave program. The finding also will be grounds for revocation of any license, as defined by Section 93-11-153 .

(vi) Notice of pending default status shall be mailed to the recipient at the last known address by the sponsoring agency.

(vii) The sponsoring agency shall conduct a hearing of pending default status, make a final determination, and issue an Order of Default, if appropriate.

(viii) Recipients may appear either personally or by counsel, or both, and produce and cross-examine witnesses or evidence in the recipient's behalf. The procedure of the hearing shall not be bound by the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure and Evidence.

(ix) If a recipient is found to be in default, a copy of an Order of Default shall be forwarded to the appropriate licensing agency.

(x) Appeals from a finding of default by the sponsoring agency shall be to the Circuit Court of Hinds County. Actions taken by a licensing entity in revoking a license when required by this section are not actions from which an appeal may be taken under the general licensing and disciplinary provisions applicable to the licensing agency.

(xi) Rules and regulations governing hearing and other applicable matters shall be promulgated by the sponsoring agency.

(xii) A license which has been revoked pursuant to this statute shall be reinstated upon a showing of proof that the recipient is no longer in default.

(xiii) A finding by the sponsoring facility of educational leave default is a disciplinary action, not a collection action, and therefore shall not be affected by the recipient declaring bankruptcy.

(4)(a) Any recipient who is granted paid educational leave by a state health institution shall be compensated by the institution during the time the recipient is in school, at the rate of pay received by a nurse's aide employed at the respective state health institution. All educational leave compensation received by the recipient while in school shall be considered earned conditioned upon the fulfillment of the terms and obligations of the educational leave contract and this section. However, no recipient of full-time educational leave shall accrue personal or major medical leave while the recipient is on paid educational leave. Recipients of paid educational leave shall be responsible for their individual costs of tuition and books.

(b) Paid educational leave shall be granted only upon the following conditions:

(i) The recipient shall fulfill his or her obligation under the contract with the State of Mississippi by working as a professional in a health care profession defined in Section 37-101-285 or as a licensed practical nurse in a state health institution; a recipient sponsored by a health institution under the supervision of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health may fulfill his or her obligation under the contract with the State of Mississippi at another health institution under the supervision of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health with prior written approval of the Director of the Department of Mental Health institution with which he or she originally contracted for educational leave. The total compensation that the recipient was paid while on educational leave shall be considered as unconditionally earned on an annual pro rata basis for each year of service rendered under the educational leave contract as a health care professional in his respective state health institution.

(ii) If the recipient does not work as a professional in a health care profession as defined in Section 37-101-285 or as a licensed practical nurse in his respective state health institution for the period required under subsection (3)(b)(iii) of this section, the recipient shall be liable for repayment on demand of the remaining portion of the compensation that the recipient was paid while on paid educational leave which has not been unconditionally earned, with interest accruing at ten percent (10%) per annum from the recipient's date of graduation or the date that the recipient last worked at that state health institution, whichever is the later date. In addition, there shall be included in any contract for paid educational leave a provision for liquidated damages equal to Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) which may be reduced on a pro rata basis for each year served under such contract.

(iii) If any recipient fails or withdraws from school at any time before completing his or her health care training, the recipient shall be liable for repayment on demand of the amount of the total compensation that the recipient was paid while on paid educational leave, with interest accruing at ten percent (10%) per annum from the date the recipient failed or withdrew from school. However, the recipient shall not be liable for liquidated damages, and if the recipient returns to work in the same position held in the same state health institution prior to accepting educational leave, the recipient shall not be liable for payment of any interest on the amount owed.

(iv) The issuance and renewal of the professional license required to work in a health care profession as defined in Section 37-101-285 for which the educational leave was granted shall be contingent upon the repayment of the total compensation that the recipient received while on paid educational leave. No license shall be granted until a contract for repayment is executed. No license shall be renewed without proof of an existing contract which is not in default. Failure to meet the terms of an educational loan contract shall be grounds for revocation of the professional license which was earned through the paid educational leave compensation granted under this section. Any person who receives any amount of paid educational leave compensation while in school and subsequently receives a professional license shall be deemed to have earned the professional license through paid educational leave.

(v) The obligations of educational leave recipients under contracts entered into before July 1, 2002, shall remain unchanged. However, state health institutions may use the collection or license revocation provisions of this section to collect money owed under all educational leave contracts, regardless of when those contracts were executed.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-61 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 45-61
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-61
Status: in_force

From an adverse decision of the chancery court, either party may appeal to the supreme court of the State of Mississippi. Said appeal shall be taken and perfected within thirty days and in the same manner provided by law for other appeals to the supreme court from the judgments of chancery courts, and upon appeal to the supreme court, the same shall be heard and disposed of as a preference cause as promptly and as expeditiously as the circumstances will permit.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-106-81 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 106-81
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-106-81
Status: in_force

(1) This section shall be known and may be cited as the “State Representative Bill Kinkade Fostering Access and Inspiring True Hope (FAITH) Scholarship Program.”

(2) As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meaning ascribed in this subsection, unless context of use clearly requires otherwise:

(a) “ Approved postsecondary educational institution ” means any public state-supported institution of higher learning, community or junior college, or any not-for-profit private institution of higher learning in the state. The term does not include proprietary colleges or universities.

(b) “ Board ” means the Mississippi Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board established in Section 37-106-9 , which is authorized and empowered to administer the provisions of Title 37, Chapter 106, Mississippi Code of 1972 .

(c) “ Director ” means the individual designated by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning to administer the provisions of the various financial assistance programs by promulgating the necessary rules and regulations for their effective administration.

(d) “ Department ” means the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services.

(e) “ Eligible student ” means:

(i) Any individual who is younger than twenty-five (25) years of age who was placed in the legal custody of the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services by a youth court or through other legal means and who was in the legal custody of the department at any time on or after attaining thirteen (13) years of age;

(ii) Any individual who is younger than twenty-five (25) years of age who was placed in a qualified residential child care agency by a parent, legal guardian, court of competent jurisdiction, or other person or entity acting in the best interest of the individual and who did reside in a qualified residential child care agency at any time on or after attaining thirteen (13) years of age; or

(iii) Any individual who is younger than twenty-five (25) years of age who was adopted from the department's legal custody or adopted while residing at a qualified residential child care agency as described in paragraph (f) of this subsection at any time on or after attaining thirteen (13) years of age.

(f) “ Qualified residential child care agency ” means an entity that provides a home for children and was licensed by the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services at the time that the scholarship applicant was housed by the agency.

(g) “ Scholarship ” means the State Representative Bill Kinkade Fostering Access and Inspiring True Hope (FAITH) Scholarship.

(3) The Mississippi Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board, with the assistance of the Mississippi Department Child Protection Services shall develop and administer the Kinkade FAITH Scholarship Program for eligible students. Commencing with the 2023-2024 academic year, the board shall approve scholarships to eligible students who meet the general requirements set forth in subsection (8) of this section. Scholarships shall be used to pay up to the cost of attendance at any approved postsecondary educational institution, provided that payments to any not-for-profit private institution of higher learning shall not exceed the average cost of attendance required by all of the public state-supported institutions of higher learning.

(4) Payments up to the cost of attendance are considered program scholarships.

(5) The Kinkade FAITH Scholarship Program shall include a mentor service administered by the department as a support system for scholarship recipients. This service shall include mentors who shall be compensated by the department, as employees or contractors, to help participants adapt to independent living, academics and other college or university activities.

(6)(a) Initial recipients shall be selected from all eligible students based on rules promulgated by the board. In the second and subsequent years of the program, priority consideration shall first be given to renewal applicants.

(b) The board shall develop rules for ensuring that expenses of the scholarship program in a fiscal year do not exceed funding for the program in that fiscal year. For that purpose, and any other provision of this section to the contrary notwithstanding, the board may limit the acceptance of scholarship applications and may limit the award of scholarships.

(7) The program shall pay up to the student's cost of attendance for up to five (5) years, except as otherwise provided in subsection (10) of this section. In no event shall the cost of attendance be paid pursuant to this section for more than seventy-two (72) credit hours at a community college or one hundred forty-four (144) credit hours at a four-year college. The program shall only pay up to cost of attendance for courses leading to an undergraduate credential or degree. Scholarship funds may be disbursed only if sufficient funding for the scholarship program is available.

(8) To participate in the program, a scholarship applicant shall satisfy the following general eligibility requirements:

(a) Be an eligible student as defined in subsection (2)(e) of this section;

(b) Be accepted for enrollment in a degree or certificate program at an approved postsecondary educational institution; and

(c) Have completed and submitted to the United States Department of Education a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before each year in which he or she receives a scholarship. He or she shall have applied for all federal student financial assistance, including Educational and Training Vouchers.

(9) To receive a renewal scholarship, a student shall satisfy the following continuing eligibility requirements:

(a) Make satisfactory academic progress toward the completion of a degree or certificate as determined by rules promulgated by the board and maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA for consecutive or nonconsecutive semesters of enrollment; and

(b) Remain in good standing with the policies established by the approved postsecondary educational institution.

(10) The age limitation under subsection (2)(e) of this section shall be extended by the total number of years during which the student was on active duty status in the United States Armed Forces. The number of months served on active duty status in the United States Armed Forces shall be rounded up to the next higher year to determine the maximum length of eligibility extension allowed.

(11) The scholarship will include any costs associated with room and board during institutional holidays at approved postsecondary educational institutions where such accommodations are available.

(12) Funds can be combined with any other federal, institutional, or private scholarships to meet the student's full cost of attendance. No other gift aid should be reduced or supplanted by the Kinkade FAITH scholarship. However, in no case shall the FAITH scholarship be combined with other gift aid to exceed cost of attendance.

(13) The board shall promulgate rules as necessary to implement and administer this section.

(14) Nothing in this section shall be construed to:

(a) Guarantee acceptance of or entrance into any approved postsecondary educational institution for an eligible student;

(b) Limit the participation of an eligible student in any other program of financial assistance for postsecondary education;

(c) Require any approved postsecondary educational institution to waive costs or fees relating to room and board; or

(d) Restrict any approved postsecondary educational institution, the Mississippi Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board, or the Department of Child Protection Services from accessing other sources of financial assistance, except loans, that may be available to an eligible student.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-65-123 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 65-123
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-65-123
Status: in_force

The words “ qualified elector ” or “ qualified electors ” for the purposes of this article, shall in addition to the provisions of the first paragraph of Section 37-65-119 , mean:

A person, who on the day he or she signs any petition provided for in the section, is properly registered and qualified to vote in a county wide election of the county if such were then held, according to the voter roll as electronically maintained in the Statewide Elections Management System in the office of the circuit clerk and registrar of the county, in which all or any part of the school district is located, and who is a resident of the school district in which one or more schools have been closed, and who (a) is qualified to vote in an election of a trustee of that school district, if any be elective and (b) if the school district be a municipal separate school district or a special municipal separate school district and such person lives within the corporate limits of the municipality then such person must be qualified to vote in a city wide election if such were held on the day he or she signs any petition herein provided for.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-160-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 160-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-160-1
Status: in_force

(1) This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Teach for America Act.”

(2) The following are the purposes of this chapter:

(a) To increase the number of highly accomplished recent college graduates teaching in school districts in geographical areas of the state which are economically challenged and in which there exists a critical shortage of teachers.

(b) To increase the number of recent college graduates teaching in the Teach For America partnering school districts on July 1, 2008, and to bring teachers from a nationally recruited corps of outstanding new teachers to additional communities in Mississippi by expanding the Teach For America program to additional school districts.

(c) To build a broader resource of talented and experienced future leaders in public education and education reform for the State of Mississippi.

(d) To authorize state funds to be used as matching funds by Teach For America, Inc., in order to raise additional funding to cover the programmatic costs of recruiting, selecting, training and providing appropriate support to the Teach For America teachers teaching in Mississippi.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-134 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 13-134
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-134
Status: in_force

(1) The Legislature recognizes that there is a problem with Mississippi student inactivity and obesity, and therefore requires the following guidelines for school district physical education, health education and physical activity and fitness classes:

(a) Kindergarten through Grade 8: One hundred fifty (150) minutes per week of physical activity-based instruction and forty-five (45) minutes per week of health education instruction, as defined by the State Board of Education.

(b) Grades 9 through 12: One-half ( 1 / 2 ) Carnegie unit requirement in physical education or physical activity for graduation. Beginning with the 2015-2016 Ninth Grade class, an instructional component on the proper administration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) shall be included as part of the physical education or health education curriculum. The curricula shall incorporate into the instruction the psychomotor skills necessary to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use of an automated external defibrillator as follows:

(i) An instructional program developed by the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross;

(ii) An instructional program which is nationally recognized and is based on the most current national evidence-based Emergency Cardiovascular Care guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator;

(iii) A licensed teacher shall not be required to be a certified trainer of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, to facilitate, provide or oversee such instruction for noncertification; and

(iv) Courses which result in a certification being earned must be taught by an authorized CPR/AED instructor.

For purposes of this paragraph (b), the term “ psychomotor skills ” means the use of hands-on practicing to support cognitive learning. Cognitive-only training does not qualify as “psychomotor skills.”

The requirements of this paragraph (b) shall be minimum requirements. Any local school district shall be authorized to offer CPR and AED instruction for longer periods of time than required herein, and may enhance the curriculum and training components.

(c) The State Department of Education shall establish a procedure for monitoring adherence by school boards to the requirements set forth in this section.

All instruction in physical education, health education and physical activity must be based on the most current state standards provided by the State Department of Education.

(2) Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year, each local school board shall, consistent with regulations adopted by the State Board of Education, adopt a school wellness plan which shall promote a healthy lifestyle for Mississippi's school children and staff. Beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, the school wellness plan shall also promote increased physical activity, healthy eating habits and abstinence from the use of tobacco and illegal drugs through programs that incorporate healthy lifestyle choices into core subject areas which may be developed in partnership with the Institute for America's Health.

(3) Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Department of Health, shall have the authority to establish a school health pilot program to improve student health so that all students can fully participate and be successful in school. The school health pilot program shall be implemented in local school districts, as provided in Section 37-13-134.1 .

(4) The Legislature shall appropriate sufficient state-source funds for the State Department of Education to employ a physical activity coordinator to assist districts on current and effective practices and on implementation of physical education and physical activity programs.

(5) The physical activity coordinator employed under Section 37-13-133 must have the qualifications prescribed in any of the following paragraphs, which are listed in the order of preference:

(a) A doctorate in physical education, exercise science or a highly related field, and at least three (3) years of experience in teaching physical education in Grades K-12 or in physical activity promotion/fitness leadership; or

(b) A master's degree in physical education, exercise science or a highly related field, and at least five (5) years of experience in teaching physical education in Grades K-12 or in physical activity promotion/fitness leadership; or

(c) A bachelor's degree in physical education, a teacher's license, and at least seven (7) years of experience in teaching physical education in Grades K-12 or in physical activity promotion/fitness leadership.

(6) The Governor's Commission on Physical Fitness and Sports created under Section 7-1-551 et seq. , the Mississippi Council on Obesity Prevention and Management created under Section 41-101-1 et seq. , the Task Force on Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention created under Section 41-103-1 et seq. , the Mississippi Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and the Mississippi Alliance for School Health shall provide recommendations to the State Department of Education regarding the employment of the physical activity coordinator. The department shall consider the recommendations of those entities in employing the physical activity coordinator.

(7) The physical activity coordinator shall present a state physical activity plan each year to the Governor's Commission on Physical Fitness and Sports, the Mississippi Council on Obesity Prevention and Management, the Task Force on Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, the Mississippi Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and the Mississippi Alliance for School Health.

(8) The physical activity coordinator shall monitor the districts for adherence to current Mississippi school accountability standards and for implementation of the physical education curriculum on file with the State Department of Education. The State Department of Education shall monitor and act as a clearinghouse for the activities of the local school health councils established pursuant to subsection (9) of this section.

(9)(a) The local school board of each school district shall establish a local school health council for each school which shall ensure that local community values are reflected in the local school's wellness plan to address school health. Such councils shall be established no later than November 1, 2006.

(b) The local school health council's duties shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(i) Recommend age appropriate curriculum and the number of hours of instruction to be provided in health and physical activity-based education, provided that the number of hours shall not be less than that required by this section;

(ii) Recommend appropriate practices that include a coordinated approach to school health designed to prevent obesity, cardiovascular disease, Type II diabetes and other health risks, through coordination of:

1. Health education;

2. Physical education;

3. Nutritional services;

4. Parental/Community involvement;

5. Instruction to prevent the use of tobacco, drugs and alcohol;

6. Physical activity;

7. Health services;

8. Healthy environment;

9. Counseling and psychological services;

10. Healthy lifestyles; and

11. Staff wellness.

(iii) Provide guidance on the development and implementation of the local school wellness plan.

(c) The local school board shall appoint members to the local school health council. At a minimum, the school board shall appoint one (1) person from each of the following groups:

(i) Parents who are not employed by the school district;

(ii) The director of local school food services;

(iii) Public schoolteachers;

(iv) Public school administrators;

(v) District students;

(vi) Health care professionals;

(vii) The business community;

(viii) Law enforcement;

(ix) Senior citizens;

(x) The clergy;

(xi) Nonprofit health organizations; and

(xii) Faith-based organizations.

(10) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit or limit the sale or distribution of any food or beverage item through fund-raisers conducted by students, teachers, school groups, or parent groups when the items are intended for sale off the school campus.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-154-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 154-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-154-1
Status: in_force

(1) To improve quality of life, education and employment opportunities for all citizens, the appropriate agencies of the State of Mississippi listed in subsection (2) of this section shall develop and maintain a State Longitudinal Data System (SLDS). The system will allow stakeholders and policymakers access data on state residents from birth to the workforce to drive accountability and investment decisions. The system will include data from multiple state agencies and entities. The system will provide decision makers a tool to develop policies to support objectives, including, but not limited to:

(a) Enabling Mississippians to secure and retain employment and receive better pay after completing training or postsecondary degrees;

(b) Enabling Mississippi to meet the education and job skill demands of business and industry;

(c) Developing an early warning system, which allows the state to intervene early, improving the graduation rates in high school and college;

(d) Identifying teachers, teaching methods and programs that lead to positive student outcomes; and

(e) Encouraging the sharing of electronic data across educational and other entities.

(2) Individual state agencies and state entities will send data from their internal system to the Statewide Longitudinal Data System. These initial agencies and entities shall provide data to the SLDS under the provisions developed by the SLDS Governing Board established in Section 37-154-3 :

(a) Mississippi Department of Education (MDE);

(b) Mississippi Community College Board;

(c) Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL);

(d) State Workforce Investment Board (SWIB);

(e) Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES);

(f) Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS); and

(g) State Early Childhood Advisory Council (SECAC).

Any agencies or entities added to SLDS shall provide a representative to the SLDS Governing Board and be governed in the same manner as the initial agencies and entities.

(3) The system will be based on an existing system currently housed, developed and maintained by the National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center (nSPARC) at Mississippi State University. The initial agencies participating in the SLDS Governing Board and nSPARC have worked collaboratively to secure funding through the United States Department of Education to expand and enhance the capacity of the state's existing technology infrastructure for the purposes of developing the SLDS. The State Data Center, operated by the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services (ITS), will provide application hosting services for the SLDS until such time the SLDS Governing Board approves that another entity should perform these services.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-18-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 18-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-18-7
Status: in_force

(1) As part of the school improvement plan for a School At-Risk, a professional development plan shall be prepared for those school administrators, teachers or other employees who are identified by the evaluation team as needing improvement. The State Department of Education shall assist the School At-Risk in identifying funds necessary to fully implement the school improvement plan.

(2) In the event a school continues to be designated a School At-Risk after three (3) years of implementing a school improvement plan, or in the event that more than fifty percent (50%) of the schools within the school district are designated as Schools At-Risk in any one (1) year, the State Board of Education may request that the Governor declare a state of emergency in that school district. Upon the declaration of the state of emergency by the Governor, the State Board of Education may take all such action for dealing with school districts as is authorized under subsection (12) or (15) of Section 37-17-6 , including the appointment of an interim superintendent.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 25-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-3
Status: in_force

Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, the school board of any school district maintaining a secondary school which includes any of the grades nine (9) through twelve (12) inclusive, shall establish and maintain driver education and training programs for pupils enrolled in the day secondary schools in that district.