Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-123 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 101-123
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-123
Status: in_force

When any such bonds or other direct obligations of the United States of America shall have been purchased with such excess funds as is provided for in Section 37-101-121 , such bonds or other obligations may be sold or surrendered for redemption at any time by order or resolution adopted by the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning, and approved by the state building commission. Any member or members thereof or any officers or employees thereof, or any other person or persons, when authorized by such order or resolution, shall have the power and authority to sell said bonds or other obligations or to surrender same for redemption and to execute all instruments and take such other action as may be necessary to effectuate the sale or redemption thereof. When such bonds or other obligations shall be sold or redeemed, the proceeds thereof, including the accrued interest thereon, shall be paid into the proper fund and shall in all respects be dealt with and expended for the purpose for which said funds were originally derived or made available.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-33 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 31-33
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-33
Status: in_force

For the purpose of enabling the state board of education to comply with the provisions of the federal social security act and to continue to extend and improve as far as practicable the services now maintained by said state board for locating crippled children and for providing medical, surgical, corrective, and other services, care and treatment, and facilities for diagnosis, hospitalization, and after-care for children who are crippled or who are suffering from conditions which lead to crippling, any and all funds appropriated for physical restoration of crippled children for the above purposes may be used for the purposes set forth in this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-55 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 45-55
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-55
Status: in_force

Any school board is authorized to pay the premium on any appeal bond entered into under the provisions of Section 37-45-51 . The said school board may pay same from the administrative fund provided by Section 37-19-31 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-141 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 23-141
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-141
Status: in_force

(1) The State Department of Education shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to establish a mediation system which, at a minimum, shall be available whenever a due process hearing under IDEA is requested. The mediation system shall allow parties the opportunity to resolve such disputes involving any matter relating to the identification, evaluation or educational placement of the child, or the provision of a free appropriate public education to such child.

(2) The State Department of Education shall ensure that the mediation process is:

(a) Voluntary on the part of the parties;

(b) Not used to deny or delay a parent's right to a due process hearing under IDEA or to deny any other rights afforded under IDEA; and

(c) Conducted by a qualified and impartial mediator who is trained in effective mediation techniques.

(3) The State Department of Education may establish procedures to require parents who choose not to use the mediation process to meet, at a time and location convenient to the parents, with a disinterested party who is under contract with a parent training and information center or community parent resource center in the state established under IDEA, or an appropriate alternative dispute resolution entity. The purpose of the meeting is to encourage the use, and explain the benefits, of the mediation process to the parents.

(4) The State Department of Education shall maintain a list of individuals who are qualified mediators and knowledgeable in laws and regulations relating to the provision of special education and related services.

(5) The state shall bear the cost of the mediation process, including the costs of all meetings described in this section.

(6) Each session in the mediation process shall be scheduled in a timely manner and shall be held in a location that is convenient to the parties in dispute.

(7) An agreement reached by the parties to the dispute in the mediation process shall be set forth in a written mediation agreement.

(8) Discussions that occur during the mediation process shall be confidential and may not be used as evidence in any subsequent due process hearings or civil proceedings and the parties to the mediation process may be required to sign a confidentiality pledge prior to the commencement of such process.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-107 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 151-107
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-107
Status: in_force

Any superintendent of education, member of the local school board of any school district, superintendent, principal, teacher, carrier, bus driver or member or employee of the State Department of Education or State Board of Education, or any other person, who shall willfully violate any of the provisions of this chapter, or who shall willfully make any false report, list or record, or who shall willfully make use of any false report, list or record, concerning the number of school children in net enrollment shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days or by a fine of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00), nor more than Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court. In addition, any such person shall be civilly liable for all amounts of public funds which are illegally, unlawfully or wrongfully expended or paid out by virtue of or pursuant to such false report, list or record, and upon conviction or adjudication of civil liability hereunder, such person shall forfeit his license to teach for a period of three (3) years, if such person is the holder of such a license. Any suit to recover such funds illegally, unlawfully or wrongfully expended or paid out may be brought in the name of the State of Mississippi by the Attorney General or the proper district attorney or county attorney, and, in the event such suit is brought against a person who is under bond, the sureties upon such bond shall likewise be liable for such amount illegally, unlawfully or wrongfully expended or paid out.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-15-33 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 15-33
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-15-33
Status: in_force

All students seeking to transfer from any school, public, private or homeschool within or outside of the boundaries of the State of Mississippi, to a public school within the state may be required to take a test to determine the grade and class to which the pupil shall be assigned at the time of pupil transfer.

The administrative head of each public school shall administer the test or tests to such pupil or pupils as shall apply for transfer to such public school. Such test or tests shall be administered within thirty (30) days after the filing of each such application for transfer. Notice of the giving of such test shall be given the applicant not less than five (5) days prior to the date of the administration of such test.

No transfer of a pupil shall be effected until the test has been given and the pupil is assigned according to the grade and class for which the test shows he is best suited. No pupil shall be assigned to a grade and class more than three (3) grades above or below the grade or class that the pupil would have been assigned to had the pupil remained in the school from which the transfer is being made. Pending the administration of the test herein provided for and its grading and an assignment based thereon the superintendent of the school district or the attendance center principal to which the pupil seeks admission may assign the pupil temporarily to a grade and class comparable to that in which the pupil would have been had the pupil continued in the school from which the transfer was being made.

If any student is transferred or reassigned within the school district by order of the board of trustees of that school district as designated by law of the State of Mississippi and not at his own request, the requirement of that pupil's taking the standardized test shall be waived. Likewise, if a pupil shall transfer from one school district to another school district in the manner provided and required by the laws of the State of Mississippi, the requirement of such pupil taking the standardized test shall be waived.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-305 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 101-305
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-305
Status: in_force

Upon receipt of a certified copy of a resolution of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning declaring the necessity for the issuance of any part or all of the bonds authorized by Sections 37-101-301 et seq. , the State Bond Commission is hereby authorized and empowered to sell and issue general obligation bonds of the State of Mississippi in the principal amount requested, not to exceed an aggregate principal amount of Forty Million Dollars ($40,000,000.00) for the purposes hereinabove set forth. The State Bond Commission is authorized and empowered to pay the costs that are incident to the sale, issuance and delivery of the bonds authorized under Sections 37-101-301 et seq. from the proceeds derived from the sale of such bonds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-57-115 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 57-115
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-57-115
Status: in_force

In addition to mobile home ad valorem taxes assessed and collected under authority of Chapter 53 of Title 27, Mississippi Code of 1972 , the boards of supervisors are hereby authorized and empowered to levy a ten dollar ($10.00) ad valorem tax upon each mobile home or house trailer used as a family dwelling not heretofore occupied or used for residential purposes within the county as defined in Section 27-53-1, Mississippi Code of 1972 , to be collected by the county tax assessor-collector annually and deposited into a county trust fund entitled “county school building and repair fund” and expended by the county board of education for capital improvements and equipment only in such compacted areas.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-104-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 104-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-104-7
Status: in_force

There is hereby created a body politic and corporate to be known as the “Mississippi Educational Facilities Authority for Private, Nonprofit Institutions of Higher Learning,” hereinafter referred to as “the Authority.” The Authority is constituted a public agency and instrumentality of the State of Mississippi and the exercise by the Authority of the powers conferred by this chapter shall be deemed and held to be the performance of an essential public function of the State of Mississippi. The administration of the powers and functions of the Authority shall be conducted by the State Bond Advisory Division, Office of the Governor, subject to the direction and approval of the members of the Authority.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-97-109 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 97-109
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-97-109
Status: in_force

(1) No postsecondary educational institution or any officer, trustee, or employee of a postsecondary educational institution shall be subject to a claim for damages related to their adoption, implementation, or enforcement of any contract, rule, regulation, standard or other requirement in compliance with this chapter. This chapter is not intended to and shall not waive or diminish any applicable defenses and immunities, including, without limitation, sovereign immunity applicable to public postsecondary educational institutions.

(2) A national association, a conference or any other group or organization with authority over the sport, that promotes or regulates collegiate athletics at a postsecondary educational institution to which this chapter applies shall not:

(a) Enforce a contract term, a rule, a regulation, a standard, a bylaw, guidance, or any other requirement that penalizes the institution, the institution's intercollegiate athletics program, or student-athlete for performing, participating in, or allowing an activity required or authorized by this chapter;

(b) Prevent a postsecondary educational institution from or penalize it for establishing agreements with a third-party entity to act on the institution's behalf to identify, create, solicit, facilitate, negotiate, support, assist, and otherwise enable opportunities for a student-athlete to earn compensation from their publicity rights; or

(c) Penalize a postsecondary educational institution because an individual or entity whose purpose includes supporting and benefiting the postsecondary institution or its intercollegiate athletic programs violates any contract term, a rule, a regulation, a standard, a bylaw, guidance, or any other requirement that is in conflict with actions required or authorized by this chapter.

(3) A person or entity, regardless of residence, shall not give or promise compensation for the use of publicity rights of a student-athlete that is currently enrolled in or has signed a National Letter of Intent or other written agreement to enroll in a postsecondary educational institution within the State of Mississippi with the purpose of recruiting or inducing the student-athlete to enroll at another postsecondary educational institution.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-211 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 151-211
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-211
Status: in_force

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(4) If the school board of any school district or charter school governing board determines that it is not economically feasible or practicable to operate any school within the district or charter school for the full one hundred eighty (180) days required for the school term of a scholastic year under Section 37-13-63 , due to an enemy attack, man-made, technological, or natural disaster in which the Governor has declared a disaster emergency under the laws of this state or the President of the United States has declared an emergency or major disaster to exist in this state, the school board or charter school governing board may notify the State Department of Education of the disaster and submit a plan for altering the school term. If the State Board of Education finds the disaster to be the cause of the school not operating for the contemplated school term and that the school is located in a school district covered by the Governor's or President's disaster declaration, the board may permit the schools located in that district to be operated for less than one hundred eighty (180) days and, in such case, the State Department of Education may not reduce the state share in support of the funding formula for that district or charter school because of the failure to operate those schools for one hundred eighty (180) days.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-11 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 17-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-11
Status: in_force

The State Board of Education, in its discretion, may exempt any school district meeting the highest levels of state accreditation standards, as defined by the State Board of Education, from any compulsory standard of accreditation. However, if the standard of accreditation is an educational policy required by statute, any such exemption shall only be made if specifically authorized by law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-49-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 49-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-49-3
Status: in_force

As used in this chapter:

(a) “person” means any individual, corporation, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, or any other legal entity;

(b) “educational institution” means a university, college, community college, junior college, high school, technical, vocational or professional school, or similar institution, wherever located, approved or accredited by the state department of education for the purposes of this chapter, or by the appropriate official, department or agency of the state in which the institution is located; and

(c) “educational loan” means a loan or other aid or assistance for the purpose of furthering the obligor's education at an educational institution.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-14 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 25-14
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-14
Status: in_force

The Department of Public Safety shall report to the Department of Education annual statistics regarding crash and fatality data for the State of Mississippi and nationally, including, but not limited to, statistics involving teenage drivers.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-13 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 151-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-13
Status: in_force

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

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

The State Board of Education shall utilize such awards to bring the best administrative practices to the attention of other schools. The awards shall include public recognition by the local school board and the State Board of Education and the awarding of plaques, certificates and the monetary award for administrators that perform well.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-37 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 11-37
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-37
Status: in_force

A public high school fraternity, sorority or secret society, as contemplated by Sections 37-11-37 through 37-11-45 , is hereby defined to be any organization composed wholly, or in part, of public high school pupils, which seeks to perpetuate itself by taking in additional members from the pupils enrolled in such high school on the basis of the decision of the membership of such fraternity, sorority or secret society, rather than upon the free choice of any pupil in the school. However, this does not apply to the Order of DeMolay or a similar organization sponsored by any branch of the Masonic Orders or like adult fraternal organization.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-181-19 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 181-19
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-181-19
Status: in_force

The State Department of Education may receive and expend contributions from any public or private source to fund ESAs for participating students.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 175-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-5
Status: in_force

(1) Parents or legal guardians may exercise the option to remove their child from a traditional public school setting to be enrolled in a nonpublic school which meets the standards for appropriate specific instruction designed to meet the unique learning needs of young students with a speech-language impairment. The objectives of such school shall be:

(a) To emphasize the importance of early intervention; and

(b) To provide intensive high-quality speech-language pathology services.

(2) The parent or legal guardian of a public school student with a speech-language impairment may request and receive from the state a Mississippi Speech-Language Therapy Scholarship for the child to enroll in and attend a nonpublic school in accordance with this section if:

(a) The student has spent the previous school year in attendance at a Mississippi public school or any other state accredited nonpublic special purpose school in the state that is organized to provide and emphasizes instruction in speech-language therapy and intervention as the primary purpose of the school; or

(b) The parent or legal guardian has obtained acceptance for admission of the student to a nonpublic school that is eligible for the program under Section 37-175-19 and has requested from the department a scholarship within thirty (30) days before the date of the first scholarship payment. The request must be through a communication directly to the department in a manner that creates a written or electronic record of the request and the date of receipt of the request. The State Department of Education must notify the district of the parent's or legal guardian's intent upon receipt of the parent's or legal guardian's request.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-47 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 43-47
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-47
Status: in_force

Bills for textbooks purchased by the state on requisitions as provided in this chapter, and bills for all other expenses incurred under the terms of this chapter, shall be paid by warrants on the State Treasury made by the Auditor on receipt of bills from the State Superintendent of Public Education, and approved by the State Board of Education. Bills for textbooks purchased by public school districts, shall be submitted to the respective school district submitting the requisition. Each public school district will make payment to the appropriate entity which is responsible for providing the requested textbooks.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-139-11 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 139-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-139-11
Status: in_force

For the operation and support of the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, the board is authorized and empowered to receive contributions, donations, gifts, bequests of money, other forms of financial assistance and/or property, equipment, materials or manpower from persons, foundations, trust funds, corporations, organizations and other sources, private or public, to be expended and utilized by said board in carrying out the provisions of this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-72.1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 11-72.1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-72.1
Status: in_force

(1)(a) Beginning on July 1, 2025, the local school board of each public school district shall have at least one (1) school employee at each school who has met the training requirements necessary to administer or assist with the self-administration of a seizure rescue medication or medication prescribed to treat seizure disorder symptoms as approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration and any successor agency.

(b) A local school district shall be permitted to use any adequate and appropriate training program or guidelines for training of school personnel in the seizure disorder care tasks covered under this section.

(2)(a) Before administering a seizure rescue medication or medication prescribed to treat seizure disorder symptoms, the student's parent, guardian or responsible adult shall:

(i) Provide the school with a written authorization to administer the medication at school;

(ii) Provide a written statement from the person's health care practitioner, which shall contain the following information:

1. Full name;

2. The name and purpose of the medication;

3. The prescribed dosage;

4. The route of administration;

5. The frequency that the medication may be administered; and

6. The circumstances under which the medication may be administered;

(iii) Provide the prescribed medication to the school in its unopened, sealed package with the label affixed by the dispensing pharmacy intact.

(b) In addition to the statements required in paragraph (a) of this subsection, the parent or guardian, or adult shall collaborate with school personnel to create a seizure action plan.

(3) The statements and seizure action plan required in subsection (2) of this section shall be kept on file in the office of the school nurse or school administrator.

(4) The permission for the administration of any of the medications authorized under subsection (1)(a) of this section shall be effective for the school year in which it is granted and shall be renewed each following school year upon fulfilling the requirements of subsections (2) through (3) of this section.

(5) The requirements of this section shall apply only to schools that have an adult employee or enrolled student who has a seizure disorder, a seizure rescue medication or medication prescribed to treat seizure disorder symptoms approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration and any successor agency prescribed by the student's health care provider.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-321 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 29-321
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-321
Status: in_force

(a)(i) A special fund, to be designated as the “2022 Community and Junior Colleges Capital Improvements Fund,” is created within the State Treasury. The fund shall be maintained by the State Treasurer as a separate and special fund, separate and apart from the General Fund of the state. 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 or investment earnings on amounts in the fund shall be deposited into such fund. Monies in the fund may not be used or expended for any purpose except as authorized under this section.

(ii) Monies deposited into the fund shall be disbursed, in the discretion of the Department of Finance and Administration, to pay the costs of acquisition of real property, construction of new facilities, equipping and furnishing facilities, including furniture and technology equipment and infrastructure, and addition to or renovation of existing facilities for community and junior college campuses as recommended by the Mississippi Community College Board. The amount to be expended at each community and junior college is as follows:

Coahoma․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

$ 1,570,500.00

Copiah-Lincoln․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

1,840,500.00

East Central․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

1,735,500.00

East Mississippi․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

2,015,500.00

Hinds․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

3,780,500.00

Holmes․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

2,656,500.00

Itawamba․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

2,415,500.00

Jones․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

2,295,500.00

Meridian․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

1,840,500.00

Mississippi Delta․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

1,655,500.00

Mississippi Gulf Coast․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

3,357,500.00

Northeast Mississippi․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

2,145,500.00

Northwest Mississippi․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

3,500,000.00

Pearl River․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

2,545,500.00

Southwest Mississippi․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

1,645,500.00

GRAND TOTAL ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

$35,000,000.00

(b) Amounts deposited into such special fund shall be disbursed to pay the costs of projects described in paragraph (a) of this section. If any monies in such special fund are not used within four (4) years after the date funds are transferred under Section 2 of this act from the Capital Expense Fund created in Section 27-103-303, Mississippi Code of 1972 , into the special fund, then the community college or junior college for which any such monies are allocated under paragraph (a) of this section shall provide an accounting of such unused monies to the Department of Finance and Administration.

(c) The Department of Finance and Administration, acting through the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management, is expressly authorized and empowered to receive and expend any local or other source funds in connection with the expenditure of funds provided for in this section. The expenditure of monies deposited into the special fund shall be under the direction of the Department of Finance and Administration, and such funds shall be paid by the State Treasurer upon warrants issued by such department, which warrants shall be issued upon requisitions signed by the Executive Director of the Department of Finance and Administration, or his designee.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-127-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 127-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-127-3
Status: in_force

The object of the Mississippi Valley State College shall be to train teachers for teaching in the public schools of this state by giving instruction in the art and practice of teaching in the elementary and high school grades and in all branches of study which pertain to industrial training, health, and rural and elementary education, and to provide instruction and training in such other subjects as the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning, in cooperation with the state department of education, may, from time to time, prescribe. It shall also be the object of said college to establish and conduct schools, classes or courses, for preparing, equipping and training citizens of the State of Mississippi for employment in gainful occupations, in trade, industrial and distributive pursuits whether such students are qualified by educational requirements or not.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-102-17 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 102-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-102-17
Status: in_force

The associate degree program in nursing of the University of Southern Mississippi located at Natchez, Mississippi, is exempt from this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-65 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 31-65
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-65
Status: in_force

The funds derived from any sources for any trade school, such as the Mississippi School for the Deaf, Mississippi School for the Blind, the Oakley Youth Development Center, or Parchman Vocational School or other agencies or institutions receiving funds for the purposes of this chapter, which are not operated in connection with any public school, agricultural high school or community/junior college, or by virtue of any tuition, registration fees, or payment for services rendered or commodities produced, shall be the property of the State Board of Education. In the event any public school, agricultural high school or community/junior college establishes any trade school, classes or courses under Section 37-31-61 , such funds shall be the property of such public school, agricultural high school or community/junior college, to be expended by the trustees thereof, and shall be expended solely for the expense of operating and conducting the trade school, classes or courses in connection with such public school, agricultural high school or community/junior college. None of such funds shall be commingled with the funds of any other of such schools, and none of such funds shall be commingled with any of the other funds of any of the public schools, agricultural high schools or community/junior colleges. All of such funds so created shall be and are hereby declared to be public funds, as defined by law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-105 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 7-105
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-105
Status: in_force

(1) In cases where two (2) or more school boards determine that it is appropriate that their existing boundaries be altered to provide better service to students, each school board shall enter on its minutes the legal description of new district lines and shall publish the order altering such districts in some newspaper published and having a general circulation in such district(s) once each week for three (3) consecutive weeks, which said order shall be duly certified by the president of said school board. If no newspaper be published in said school district, then such order shall be published for the required time in some newspaper having a general circulation therein, and, in addition, a copy of said order shall be posted for the required time at three (3) public places in the school district. The order so published shall contain a provision giving notice that said order shall become final thirty (30) days after the first publication of said notice unless a petition is filed protesting against same within such time. In the event no such petition be filed, the said order shall become final at said time. However, in the event twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is less, of the qualified electors of any school district altered by such order shall file a petition with the school board, within thirty (30) days after the first publication of said notice, protesting against the alteration of such district, then an election shall be called and held, on order of the school board, by the county election commission(s), after publication of legal notice of such election, which said election shall be held within thirty (30) days after the first publication of the notice of such election. At such election the question shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the district or districts in which a petition is filed as to whether or not such district or districts shall be altered as provided in the said order of the school board. If a majority of those voting in said election in each district affected and from which a petition is filed shall vote in favor of the order of the school board then such order shall become final. If a majority of those voting in said election in any district from which a petition is filed shall vote against the order of the school board then such order shall be void and of no effect and no further attempt to make the proposed change in such district shall be made for a period of at least two (2) years after the date of said election.

(2) When the orders of all boards adopting the new lines have been entered and are final, all orders shall be submitted to and considered by the State Board of Education as prescribed in Section 37-7-113, Mississippi Code of 1972 . If the new lines are approved by the State Board of Education, the new district lines shall be submitted to the Attorney General of the United States for preclearance or to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for a declaratory judgment in accordance with the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended. In the event the change in the school district lines are either precleared by the United States Department of Justice, or approved by the United States District Court, the State Board of Education shall formally declare the new lines as the new boundaries of the school districts.

(3) Should two (2) or more school districts determine that they wish to consolidate, the following actions shall be taken by the districts to perfect this consolidation: (a) Each board shall state its intent to consolidate with the other district or districts by passing a resolution of the board to that effect and spreading it on the minutes of the districts; and (b) each school board shall publish the order consolidating such districts in some newspaper having a general circulation in such district(s) once each week for three (3) consecutive weeks, which said order shall be duly certified by the president of said school board. The order so published shall contain a provision giving notice that said order shall become final thirty (30) days after the first publication of said notice unless a petition is filed protesting against same within such time. In the event no such petition be filed, the said order shall become final on said date. However, in the event twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is less, of the qualified electors of any one (1) of the school districts affected by the proposed consolidation shall file a petition with the applicable school board, within thirty (30) days after the first publication of said notice, protesting against the consolidation of such district or districts, then an election shall be called and held in such school districts where petitions were filed, on order of the school board, by the county election commission(s), after publication of legal notice of such election, which said election shall be held within thirty (30) days after the first publication of the notice of such election. At such election the question shall be submitted to the qualified electors of any district or districts in which petitions were filed as to whether or not such district or districts shall be consolidated as provided in the said order of the school boards. If a majority of those voting in said election shall vote in favor of the order of the school boards then such order shall become final. Should less than a majority of the electors of any single school district vote in favor of the adoption of the proposed consolidation, such school district shall not participate in any voluntary consolidation as authorized in this subsection, and the proposed consolidation plan adopted by such districts shall be void.

After the order of the local school boards becomes final, it shall be submitted to and considered by the State Board of Education. If approved by the State Board of Education, the consolidation shall be submitted by the local school boards to the appropriate federal agencies for approval. After all preclearance has been received, the State Board of Education shall declare the new boundaries of the consolidated school district and all action shall proceed as outlined under law using the new boundaries.

Upon preclearance of such consolidation, all school boards shall approve a joint resolution for the election of five (5) new board members from single member districts as provided by law. These elections shall be scheduled prior to May 1 of the year in which the consolidation is to become effective. The new consolidated district shall become effective on July 1 of that same year. The superintendent of any district created through consolidation shall be appointed if all of the school districts which are consolidating had previously appointed their superintendents. The superintendent of any district created through consolidation shall be elected if all of the school districts which are consolidating had previously elected their superintendents. In the event two (2) or more school districts consolidating under the provisions of this section shall have previously appointed one or more superintendents and elected the remainder, the superintendent shall be elected or appointed in accordance with the method utilized by the consolidating school district or districts with the larger or largest student populations. The superintendent shall begin work as the superintendent on July 1 of such year when the consolidation becomes effective. The order to consolidate shall invalidate the contracts of the superintendents of the preceding districts and shall terminate the term of the superintendent if that person was elected. The order to consolidate shall invalidate the term of any school board member beyond July 1 of that year whether they are elected or appointed. Any school board member from any school district may be eligible to run for election to the new consolidated school board.

Each school board shall be responsible for establishing the contracts for teachers and principals for the next school year with the consultation of the successor school board if they have been selected at the time such decisions are to be made. The selection of administrator in the central administration office shall be the responsibility of the successor school board. No existing dates for renewal of contracts shall invalidate the responsibility of the successor school board in taking such action. The successor school board may enter into these contracts at any time following their election, but no later than July 1 of that year. It shall also be the responsibility of the successor school board to prepare and approve the budget of the new district. The successor school board may use staff from the existing districts to prepare the budget. The school board shall have authority to approve the budget prior to the July 1 date and shall follow the time line established for budget preparation under the law. Should either district at the time of consolidation have more liabilities than assets, then the successor school board shall be authorized to levy an ad valorem tax upon the taxable property in the territory of the district where the deficit exists, a tax not to exceed five percent (5%) of the existing tax levy for the sole purpose of reducing the deficit. When the deficit is eliminated, then such tax levy shall be terminated. Any taxes levied to bring about the equalization of funding, to equalize pay scales or levied in the territory of a newly created district where a deficit exists, shall constitute a “new program” for the purposes of ad valorem tax limitations as prescribed in Sections 27-39-321 and 37-57-107, Mississippi Code of 1972 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-69 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 11-69
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-69
Status: in_force

(1) Each local school district shall include in its personnel policies, discipline policies and code of student conduct a prohibition against bullying or harassing behavior and adopt procedures for reporting, investigating and addressing such behavior, that:

(a) Prohibit the bullying of a student;

(b) Prohibit retaliation against any person, including a victim, a witness, or another person, who in good faith provides information concerning an incident of bullying;

(c) Establish a procedure for providing notice of an incident of bullying to a parent or guardian of the victim and a parent or guardian of the bully within a reasonable amount of time after the incident;

(d) Establish the actions a student should take to obtain assistance and intervention in response to bullying;

(e) Set out the available counseling options for a student who is a victim of or a witness to bullying or who engages in bullying;

(f) Establish procedures for reporting an incident of bullying, investigating a reported incident of bullying and determining whether the reported incident of bullying occurred;

(g) Prohibit the imposition of a disciplinary measure on a student who, after an investigation, is found to be a victim of bullying, on the basis of that student's use of reasonable self-defense in response to the bullying; and

(h) Require that discipline for bullying of a student with disabilities comply with applicable requirements under federal law, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ( 20 USCS Section 1400 et seq. ).

(2) The policies must recognize the fundamental right of every student to take reasonable actions as may be necessary to defend himself or herself from an attack by another student who has evidenced menacing or threatening behavior through bullying or harassing.

(3) The procedure for reporting bullying established under subsection (1) of this section must be posted on the district's Internet website.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-241 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 101-241
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-241
Status: in_force

(1) There is hereby created the Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation. Said commission shall be composed of the Executive Director of the Mississippi Community College Board, the Commissioner of Higher Education, or their designees, and three (3) additional members, one (1) of whom shall be selected by the foregoing two (2) members and who shall represent the private colleges within the state, and two (2) of whom shall be selected by the Mississippi Association of Colleges. The latter three (3) members shall each serve for a term of three (3) years.

(2) The commission shall meet and organize by electing from among its membership a chairman, a vice chairman and a secretary. The commission shall keep full and complete minutes and records of all its proceedings and actions.

(3) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall appoint staff as may be required for the performance of the commission's duties and provide necessary facilities, support, equipment, supplies, travel and other expenses required to properly manage the duties of the commission.

(4) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning may charge the commission for the actual cost incurred by the board to assist in the performance of the commission's duties.

(5) The commission shall have the power and authority, and it shall be its duty, to authorize and maintain an approved list of all public and private postsecondary, academic degree-granting institutions or any other entities domiciled, incorporated or otherwise located in the State of Mississippi which offer postsecondary academic degrees, programs or coursework. For purposes of this chapter, “ domiciled ” shall mean conducting postsecondary academic activity, including field placements, within the State of Mississippi. Postsecondary academic degrees include, but are not limited to, associate, bachelor, masters and doctorate degrees. The commission shall adopt standards which are in keeping with the best educational practices in accreditation and receive reports from the institutions seeking to be placed on the approved list.

(6) The above-described community, junior and senior colleges and universities or other entities must be approved annually by the commission in order to grant diplomas of graduation, degrees or offer instruction.

(7) The commission shall petition the chancery court of the county in which a person or agent offers one or more postsecondary academic degrees subject to the provisions of this chapter or advertises for the offering of such degrees without having first obtained approval by the commission, for an order enjoining such offering or advertising. The court may grant such injunctive relief upon a showing that the respondent named in the petition is offering or advertising one or more postsecondary academic degrees without having obtained prior approval of the commission. The Attorney General or the district attorney of the district, including the county in which such action is brought, shall, upon request of the commission, represent the commission in bringing any such action.

(8) The provisions of subsection (5) shall not apply to community, junior and senior colleges and universities with the main campus in Mississippi that were chartered, authorized or approved by the commission prior to July 1, 1988.

(9) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the proprietary schools and colleges subject to regulation under Section 75-60-1 et seq.

(10) The Commission on College Accreditation may promulgate rules and regulations and establish appropriate fees for the implementation of this section.

(11) The commission shall have the power and authority, and it shall be its duty, to execute site visits when deemed necessary by the commission. The members of the commission and commission-appointed evaluation teams shall receive reasonable traveling expenses and other authorized expenses incurred in the performance of commission duties, together with other expenses of the operation of the commission. The members of the Commission on College Accreditation shall serve without salary compensation but shall receive a per diem and mileage as authorized by law including time of going to and returning from site visits of said commission, together with actual travel and hotel expenses incident to the site visits of the commission, and in the discharge of duties prescribed by the commission.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-307 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 7-307
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-307
Status: in_force

(1) For purposes of this section, the term “ licensed employee ” means any employee of a public school district required to hold a valid license by the Commission on Teacher and Administrator Education, Certification and Licensure and Development.

(2) The school board of a school district shall establish by rules and regulations a policy of sick leave with pay for licensed employees and teacher assistants employed in the school district, and such policy shall include the following minimum provisions for sick and emergency leave with pay:

(a) Each licensed employee and teacher assistant, at the beginning of each school year, shall be credited with a minimum sick leave allowance, with pay, of seven (7) days for absences caused by illness or physical disability of the employee during that school year.

(b) Any unused portion of the total sick leave allowance shall be carried over to the next school year and credited to such licensed employee and teacher assistant if the licensed employee or teacher assistant remains employed in the same school district. In the event any public school licensed employee or teacher assistant transfers from one public school district in Mississippi to another, any unused portion of the total sick leave allowance credited to such licensed employee or teacher assistant shall be credited to such licensed employee or teacher assistant in the computation of unused leave for retirement purposes under Section 25-11-109 . Accumulation of sick leave allowed under this section shall be unlimited.

(c) No deduction from the pay of such licensed employee or teacher assistant may be made because of absence of such licensed employee or teacher assistant caused by illness or physical disability of the licensed employee or teacher assistant until after all sick leave allowance credited to such licensed employee or teacher assistant has been used.

(d) For the first ten (10) days of absence of a licensed employee because of illness or physical disability, in any school year, in excess of the sick leave allowance credited to such licensed employee, there shall be deducted from the pay of such licensed employee the established substitute amount of licensed employee compensation paid in that local school district, necessitated because of the absence of the licensed employee as a result of illness or physical disability. In lieu of deducting the established substitute amount from the pay of such licensed employee, the policy may allow the licensed employee to receive full pay for the first ten (10) days of absence because of illness or physical disability, in any school year, in excess of the sick leave allowance credited to such licensed employee. Thereafter, the regular pay of such absent licensed employee shall be suspended and withheld in its entirety for any period of absence because of illness or physical disability during that school year.

(3)(a) Beginning with the school year 1983-1984, each licensed employee at the beginning of each school year shall be credited with a minimum personal leave allowance, with pay, of two (2) days for absences caused by personal reasons during that school year. Effective for the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 school years, licensed employees shall be credited with an additional one-half ( 1 / 2 ) day of personal leave for every day the licensed employee is furloughed without pay as provided in Section 37-7-308 . Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, such personal leave shall not be taken on the first day of the school term, the last day of the school term, on a day previous to a holiday or a day after a holiday. Personal leave may be used for professional purposes, including absences caused by attendance of such licensed employee at a seminar, class, training program, professional association or other functions designed for educators. No deduction from the pay of such licensed employee may be made because of absence of such licensed employee caused by personal reasons until after all personal leave allowance credited to such licensed employee has been used. However, the superintendent of a school district, in his discretion, may allow a licensed employee personal leave in addition to any minimum personal leave allowance, under the condition that there shall be deducted from the salary of such licensed employee the actual amount of any compensation paid to any person as a substitute, necessitated because of the absence of the licensed employee. Any unused portion of the total personal leave allowance up to five (5) days shall be carried over to the next school year and credited to such licensed employee if the licensed employee remains employed in the same school district. Any personal leave allowed for a furlough day shall not be carried over to the next school year.

(b) Notwithstanding the restrictions on the use of personal leave prescribed under paragraph (a) of this subsection, a licensed employee may use personal leave as follows:

(i) Personal leave may be taken on the first day of the school term, the last day of the school term, on a day previous to a holiday or a day after a holiday if, on the applicable day, an immediate family member of the employee is being deployed for military service.

(ii) Personal leave may be taken on a day previous to a holiday or a day after a holiday if an employee of a school district has either a minimum of ten (10) years' experience as an employee of that school district or a minimum of thirty (30) days of unused accumulated leave that has been earned while employed in that school district.

(iii) Personal leave may be taken on the first day of the school term, the last day of the school term, on a day previous to a holiday or a day after a holiday if, on the applicable day, the employee has been summoned to appear for jury duty or as a witness in court.

(iv) Personal leave may be taken on the first day of the school term, the last day of the school term, on a day previous to a holiday or a day after a holiday if, on the applicable day, an immediate family member of the employee dies or funeral services are held. Any day of the three (3) bereavement days may be used at the discretion of the teacher, and are not required to be taken in consecutive succession.

For the purpose of this subsection (3), the term “ immediate family member ” means spouse, parent, stepparent, child or stepchild, grandparent or sibling, including a stepbrother or stepsister.

(4) Beginning with the school year 1992-1993, each licensed employee shall be credited with a professional leave allowance, with pay, for each day of absence caused by reason of such employee's statutorily required membership and attendance at a regular or special meeting held within the State of Mississippi of the State Board of Education, the Commission on Teacher and Administrator Education, Certification and Licensure and Development, the Commission on School Accreditation, the Mississippi Authority for Educational Television, the meetings of the state textbook rating committees or other meetings authorized by local school board policy.

(5) Upon retirement from employment, each licensed and nonlicensed employee shall be paid for not more than thirty (30) days of unused accumulated leave earned while employed by the school district in which the employee is last employed. Such payment for licensed employees shall be made by the school district at a rate equal to the amount paid to substitute teachers and for nonlicensed employees, the payment shall be made by the school district at a rate equal to the federal minimum wage. The payment shall be treated in the same manner for retirement purposes as a lump-sum payment for personal leave as provided in Section 25-11-103(f) . Any remaining lawfully credited unused leave, for which payment has not been made, shall be certified to the Public Employees' Retirement System in the same manner and subject to the same limitations as otherwise provided by law for unused leave. No payment for unused accumulated leave may be made to either a licensed or nonlicensed employee at termination or separation from service for any purpose other than for the purpose of retirement.

(6) The school board may adopt rules and regulations which will reasonably aid to implement the policy of sick and personal leave, including, but not limited to, rules and regulations having the following general effect:

(a) Requiring the absent employee to furnish the certificate of a physician or dentist or other medical practitioner as to the illness of the absent licensed employee, where the absence is for four (4) or more consecutive school days, or for two (2) consecutive school days immediately preceding or following a nonschool day;

(b) Providing penalties, by way of full deduction from salary, or entry on the work record of the employee, or other appropriate penalties, for any materially false statement by the employee as to the cause of absence;

(c) Forfeiture of accumulated or future sick leave, if the absence of the employee is caused by optional dental or medical treatment or surgery which could, without medical risk, have been provided, furnished or performed at a time when school was not in session;

(d) Enlarging, increasing or providing greater sick or personal leave allowances than the minimum standards established by this section in the discretion of the school board of each school district.

(7) School boards may include in their budgets provisions for the payment of substitute employees, necessitated because of the absence of regular licensed employees. All such substitute employees shall be paid wholly from district funds. Such school boards, in their discretion, also may pay, from district funds other than the total funding formula funds provided for in Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 , the whole or any part of the salaries of all employees granted leaves for the purpose of special studies or training.

(8) The school board may further adopt rules and regulations which will reasonably implement such leave policies for all other nonlicensed and hourly paid school employees as the board deems appropriate. Effective for the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 school years, nonlicensed employees shall be credited with an additional one-half ( 1 / 2 ) day of personal leave for every day the nonlicensed employee is furloughed without pay as provided in Section 37-7-308 .

(9) Vacation leave granted to either licensed or nonlicensed employees shall be synonymous with personal leave. Unused vacation or personal leave accumulated by licensed employees in excess of the maximum five (5) days which may be carried over from one year to the next may be converted to sick leave. The annual conversion of unused vacation or personal leave to sick days for licensed or unlicensed employees shall not exceed the allowable number of personal leave days as provided in Section 25-3-93 . The annual total number of converted unused vacation and/or personal days added to the annual unused sick days for any employee shall not exceed the combined allowable number of days per year provided in Sections 25-3-93 and 25-3-95 . Local school board policies that provide for vacation, personal and sick leave for employees shall not exceed the provisions for leave as provided in Sections 25-3-93 and 25-3-95 . Any personal or vacation leave previously converted to sick leave under a lawfully adopted policy before May 1, 2004, or such personal or vacation leave accumulated and available for use prior to May 1, 2004, under a lawfully adopted policy but converted to sick leave after May 1, 2004, shall be recognized as accrued leave by the local school district and available for use by the employee. The leave converted under a lawfully adopted policy prior to May 1, 2004, or such personal and vacation leave accumulated and available for use as of May 1, 2004, which was subsequently converted to sick leave may be certified to the Public Employees' Retirement System upon termination of employment and any such leave previously converted and certified to the Public Employees' Retirement System shall be recognized.

(10)(a) For the purposes of this subsection, the following words and phrases shall have the meaning ascribed in this paragraph unless the context requires otherwise:

(i) “ Catastrophic injury or illness ” means a life-threatening injury or illness of an employee or a member of an employee's immediate family that totally incapacitates the employee from work, as verified by a licensed physician, and forces the employee to exhaust all leave time earned by that employee, resulting in the loss of compensation from the local school district for the employee. Conditions that are short-term in nature, including, but not limited to, common illnesses such as influenza and the measles, and common injuries, are not catastrophic. Chronic illnesses or injuries, such as cancer or major surgery, that result in intermittent absences from work and that are long-term in nature and require long recuperation periods may be considered catastrophic.

(ii) “ Immediate family ” means spouse, parent, stepparent, sibling, child or stepchild, grandparent, stepbrother or stepsister.

(b) Any school district employee may donate a portion of his or her unused accumulated personal leave or sick leave to another employee of the same school district who is suffering from a catastrophic injury or illness or who has a member of his or her immediate family suffering from a catastrophic injury or illness, in accordance with the following:

(i) The employee donating the leave (the “donor employee”) shall designate the employee who is to receive the leave (the “recipient employee”) and the amount of unused accumulated personal leave and sick leave that is to be donated, and shall notify the school district superintendent or his designee of his or her designation.

(ii) The maximum amount of unused accumulated personal leave that an employee may donate to any other employee may not exceed a number of days that would leave the donor employee with fewer than seven (7) days of personal leave remaining, and the maximum amount of unused accumulated sick leave that an employee may donate to any other employee may not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the unused accumulated sick leave of the donor employee.

(iii) An employee must have exhausted all of his or her available leave before he or she will be eligible to receive any leave donated by another employee. Eligibility for donated leave shall be based upon review and approval by the donor employee's supervisor.

(iv) Before an employee may receive donated leave, he or she must provide the school district superintendent or his designee with a physician's statement that states that the illness meets the catastrophic criteria established under this section, the beginning date of the catastrophic injury or illness, a description of the injury or illness, and a prognosis for recovery and the anticipated date that the recipient employee will be able to return to work.

(v) Before an employee may receive donated leave, the superintendent of education of the school district shall appoint a review committee to approve or disapprove the said donations of leave, including the determination that the illness is catastrophic within the meaning of this section.

(vi) If the total amount of leave that is donated to any employee is not used by the recipient employee, the whole days of donated leave shall be returned to the donor employees on a pro rata basis, based on the ratio of the number of days of leave donated by each donor employee to the total number of days of leave donated by all donor employees.

(vii) Donated leave shall not be used in lieu of disability retirement.

(11) Effective January 1, 2020, the provisions of this section shall be fully applicable to any licensed employee of the Mississippi School of the Arts (MSA).
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-21 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 101-21
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-21
Status: in_force

A body politic and corporate is hereby created under the name of Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, to have perpetual succession, with powers to contract and be contracted with; to receive and acquire, by any legal method, property of any description, necessary or convenient for its operation, and to hold, employ, use and convey the same; to adopt and use a corporate seal; and to adopt by-laws, rules and regulations for the government of the same, its employees, officials, agents, and members.

The object and purposes of the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory shall be to promote the study and knowledge of science including the natural resources of the State of Mississippi and to provide for the dissemination of research findings and specimens from the Gulf Coast area.

The Gulf Coast Research Laboratory shall be under the control and supervision of the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning, and the powers of said laboratory shall be vested in and its duties performed by said board.

The laboratory shall be located at some appropriate place within the state and on the Gulf of Mexico to be determined by the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning.

It shall be the duty of the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning to appoint or elect a director for said laboratory, determine the number of instructors, assistants and other employees and fix their compensation, and in cooperation with the Mississippi Academy of Science, prescribe rules, regulations, and policies governing the operation of the institution, qualifications of instructors and employees and for the admission of students, and for the direction of research programs.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-57-111 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 57-111
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-57-111
Status: in_force

For the purposes of Sections 37-57-111 through 37-57-119 , the following words shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section:

(a) “Family unit” means a new family dwelling, mobile home, apartment, condominium, duplex, townhouse or structure, used for family residency.

(b) “Compacted area” means any countywide school system with inadequate building facilities to meet the educational needs of school children, causing crowded conditions, which will continue in the public school facilities.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-103 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 151-103
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-103
Status: in_force

(1) Funds due each school district and charter school under the total funding formula provided in Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 shall be paid in the following manner: Two (2) business days prior to the last working day of each month there shall be paid to each school district and charter school, by electronic funds transfer, one-twelfth ( 1 / 12 ) of the funds to which the district or charter school is entitled from funds appropriated for total funding formula. However, in December those payments shall be made on December 15th or the next business day after that date. All school districts shall process a single monthly or a bimonthly payroll for employees, in the discretion of the local school board, with electronic settlement of payroll checks secured through direct deposit of net pay for all school district employees. In addition, the State Department of Education may pay school districts and charter schools under the total funding formula on a date earlier than provided for by this section if it is determined that it is in the best interest of school districts and charter schools to do so.

However, if the cash balance in the State General Fund is not adequate on the due date to pay the amounts due to all school districts and charter schools in the state as determined by the State Superintendent of Public Education, the State Fiscal Officer shall not transfer the funds payable to any school district or districts or charter schools until money is available to pay the amount due to all districts and charter schools.

(2) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or any other law requiring the number of children in net enrollment or the net enrollment of transported children to be determined on the basis of the preceding year, the State Board of Education is hereby authorized and empowered to make proper adjustments in allotments in cases where major changes in the number of children in net enrollment or the net enrollment of transported children occurs from one (1) year to another as a result of changes or alterations in the boundaries of school districts, the sending of children from one (1) county or district to another upon a contract basis, the termination or discontinuance of a contract for the sending of children from one (1) county or district to another, a change in or relocation of attendance centers, or for any other reason which would result in a major decrease or increase in the number of children in net enrollment or the net enrollment of transported children during the current school year as compared with the preceding year.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 23-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-3
Status: in_force

(1) An exceptional child shall be defined as any child as herein defined, in the age range birth through twenty (20) years of age with an intellectual disability, hearing impairments (including deafness), speech or language impairments, visual impairments (including blindness), emotional disturbance, orthopedic impairments, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments, or specific learning disabilities and, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services. Such children shall be determined by competent professional persons in such disciplines as medicine, psychology, special education, speech pathology and social work and shall be considered exceptional children for the purposes of Sections 37-23-1 through 37-23-159 . Such professional persons shall be approved by the State Department of Education. The mandate for the provision of educational programs to exceptional children shall only apply to the children in the age range three (3) through twenty (20). Children who are potentially in need of special educational and related services must be considered for the services on an individual basis.

(2) During the fiscal year 1995 and fiscal year 1996, the State Department of Education shall conduct a pilot project in one or more school districts which shall test the method of providing language services described in this subsection. For purposes of this pilot project, a child with a disability as defined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) may not be denied language services because his measured cognitive functioning is equivalent to or lower than his measured functioning level in the language area. In order for language services to be provided for a child, the measured functioning level of the child in the language area must indicate a delay relative to the child's chronological age. Individual determination of a child's needs must take into consideration the need for development in the language area, the need for support for basic adaptive skills in language development and the extent to which the child's lack of ability in the language area may have interfered with academic achievement or development milestones. In the area of language development, a child's need of alternative or augmentative communication modes and the need for language development must be considered fundamental in making their determination of need for services.

(3) The State Department of Education shall report to the Education Committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate by December 1, 1995, and December 1, 1996, on the results of the pilot project described in subsection (2) of this section. Such reports shall include, but not be limited to, the project; the number and ages of the children who applied for participation and who did participate in the pilot project; and evaluation of the benefits obtained by the children who participated in the pilot project; an estimate of the number of children who would likely utilize similar services if provided on a statewide basis; and an estimate of the cost of providing such services on a statewide basis.

(4) The State Board of Education shall promulgate regulations which ensure services are provided to children as such services are defined in this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-153-63 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 153-63
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-153-63
Status: in_force

Grant funds shall be available under this article through December 31, 2026, or on the date of the fund expenditure deadline provided by the federal government, whichever occurs later. Each grant recipient shall certify, for any project for which a grant is awarded, that if the project is not completed by December 31, 2026, and the United States Congress does not enact an extension of the deadline on the availability of ARPA funds, then the grant recipient will complete the project through other funds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-131 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 13-131
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-131
Status: in_force

(1) The State Department of Education is designated as the state agency responsible for the administration and supervision of the Comprehensive School Health Education Program as an educational curriculum in the State of Mississippi. It is the intent of the Legislature that all funds made available to the State Department of Education for the purpose of comprehensive school health education shall be administered by the State Department of Education.

(2) Pursuant to the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, the State Department of Education is authorized to establish an Office of Comprehensive School Health Education within the framework of the State Department of Education for the purpose of developing standards, procedures and criteria for the administration and supervision of a statewide program of health education in Kindergarten through Grade 12. The State Department of Education, through the Office of Comprehensive School Health Education, shall assume the further responsibility for promoting a statewide effort designed to prepare local school faculties and staffs to incorporate the comprehensive health education concept into their local educational programs.

(3) The Mississippi Department of Health, in conjunction with the Office of Student Development-Branch of Health-Related Services of the State Department of Education, shall develop a long-range strategic plan for a Comprehensive School Health Education Program in Grades K through 12. The Comprehensive School Health Education Program shall encompass four (4) interdependent components: (a) health education; (b) health service; (c) physical education and fitness; and (d) a healthful school environment. These curriculum components shall be designed to develop decision-making competencies related to health and health behavior. Such curriculum components are intended to motivate health maintenance and promote wellness, not only to prevent disease or disability. The Mississippi Department of Health, in conjunction with the Office of Student Development-Branch of Health-Related Services of the Department of Education, shall develop the strategic plan and make a report thereon to the Governor and the Legislature on or before January 1, 1995.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-29 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 25-29
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-29
Status: in_force

(1) The Department of Public Safety shall develop a program of study on how persons should properly respond when stopped by law enforcement officers to be taught to students as part of the state driver education and training program and as part of a driver education program taught to students attending nonpublic schools.

(2) Any program developed by the Department of Public Safety under this section shall incorporate in that curriculum the constitutional rights that drivers have when encountering a law enforcement officer, including, but not limited to, consent to search and refusal to provide information not pertinent to the traffic stop.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-47 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 115-47
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-47
Status: in_force

(1) The University of Mississippi Medical Center is authorized to dispose of food that has been frozen or properly preserved for human consumption through donation to charitable facilities, charitable organizations and/or individuals providing charitable services as the Medical Center deems appropriate.

(2) The executive director of the charitable facility or organization, receiving such food, or his authorized designee, shall agree to a waiver of liability in favor of the State of Mississippi and the University of Mississippi Medical Center stating that such donations are being provided in the condition used by the State of Mississippi and the University Medical Center, and without warranty of any nature.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-106-63 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 106-63
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-106-63
Status: in_force

(1) There is hereby created the state dental forgivable loan program. The purpose of the program shall be to enable eligible applicants who desire to become dentists to obtain a standard four-year education in the study of dentistry in the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry, which will qualify them to become licensed, practicing dentists.

(2) The board shall establish, by rule and regulation, the maximum annual award which may be made under this program at an amount not to exceed the cost of tuition and other expenses, and shall establish the maximum number of awards, which may be made not to exceed the length of time required to complete the degree requirements.

(3) Repayment and conversion terms shall be the same as those outlined in Section 37-106-53 and shall include the following:

(a) Payment in full of principal and interest must be made in sixty (60) or less equal monthly installments;

(b) In lieu of payment in full of both principal and interest, a loan recipient may elect to repay by entry into public health work at a state health institution as defined in Section 37-106-67(2) , or community health centers that are grantees under Section 330 of the United States Public Health Service Act;

(c) In lieu of payment in full of both principal and interest, a loan recipient may elect to repay by entry into the practice of dentistry in an area outside of a metropolitan statistical area, as defined and established by the United States Census Bureau, and within a region ranking between 1 and 54, inclusively, on the Relative Needs Index of Four Factors for Dentists, as annually determined by the State Board of Health, for a period of five (5) years.

(4) The board shall establish the rules and regulations as it deems necessary and proper to carry out the purposes and intent of this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-152 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 33-152
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-152
Status: in_force

It is declared to be the policy of this state to provide rehabilitation services, to the extent needed and feasible within resources available, to eligible individuals with disabilities throughout the state, to the end that they may engage in useful and remunerative occupations and live independently to the extent of their capabilities, thereby increasing their social and economic well-being and that of their families, and the productive capacity of this state and nation, also thereby reducing the burden of dependency on families and taxpayers.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-33 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 11-33
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-33
Status: in_force

The office or law enforcement department or agency or the justice court judge or the clerk of the circuit court making such reports as are required pursuant to the provisions of Section 37-11-29(2) , shall receive the sum of One Dollar ($1.00) for each such report made, which sum shall be paid from the general fund by the town, city, or county where such report or reports are made, upon proper bill being submitted therefor supported by certificate or affidavit that such reports have been made.

All such reports shall be preserved by each recipient thereof and a copy retained in the office or law enforcement department or agency, state, county or municipal, and in the office of any justice of the peace or circuit clerk, as the case may be, who or which made such report or reports.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-148-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 148-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-148-7
Status: in_force

IHL and the Department of Revenue each may promulgate, in accordance with the Mississippi Administrative Procedures Law, rules and regulations, application forms and any other forms necessary for the implementation and administration of this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-107 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 29-107
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-107
Status: in_force

Subject to the approval of the Mississippi Community College Board, the boards of trustees of junior college districts are hereby authorized and empowered to contract with and borrow money from the United States of America, or any department, instrumentality, agency or agencies thereof, as may be designated or created to make loans or grants, or from private lenders, for the purpose of acquiring land for, and erecting, repairing, remodeling, maintaining, adding to, extending, improving, equipping or acquiring dormitories with or without dining facilities, dwellings or apartments to be located at or near the campuses of such junior colleges, for the use of students, faculty members or officers or employees thereof. The said boards are hereby authorized to supervise the contracting for and the construction and equipping of all facilities constructed and financed hereunder.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-91 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 27-91
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-91
Status: in_force

Any agricultural high school in this state, which has not been operated and maintained as an agricultural high school for four years last past, which does not own sufficient buildings in which to operate and maintain an agricultural high school, and which owes legal, valid and outstanding debts, may be abolished by the board of supervisors of the county in which such agricultural high school is located.

In the event an agricultural high school is abolished as provided in this section, the property of such school may be sold by the board of supervisors of such county. The proceeds of the sale of such property shall be used to pay the debts of the school, and the balance, if any, shall be paid into the general school fund of the county.

This section is intended to provide an additional method for abolishing agricultural high schools and it will not amend or repeal any other law providing for the abolishing of such schools.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-68-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 68-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-68-3
Status: in_force

(1) The Mississippi Legislature finds the following:

(a) The State of Emergency and ongoing public health crisis related to COVID-19 requires all schools to plan and implement distance learning programs, and plan to facilitate safe classroom and remote instruction;

(b) The availability of unprecedented federal funding for distance learning has created a unique opportunity for schools to provide all students and teachers with better access to technology to enhance traditional classroom teaching; and

(c) In recognition that every school's technology needs are different, this chapter establishes the Equity in Distance Learning Grant Program to require the Mississippi Department of Education and schools to expend funds on eligible expenses, within the relevant statutory provisions of this chapter and the regulations promulgated, in order to assist schools in expeditiously implementing distance learning programs and facilitating safe classroom and remote instruction.

(2) Therefore, the intent of the Mississippi Legislature is:

(a) To provide funding for devices and other technology, including technology related to connectivity and online access, sufficient for students, teachers, and administrators and other staff to engage in grade-appropriate distance learning aligned with the state's College and Career Readiness Standards, and provide funding for safe classroom or remote instruction; and

(b) To provide funding for technical support and professional development to facilitate distance learning and safe classroom or remote instruction.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-33 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 145-33
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-33
Status: in_force

Any holder of bonds issued under the provisions of Sections 37-145-23 through 37-145-41 or of any of the interest coupons pertaining thereto may, either at law or in equity, by suit, action, mandamus or other proceeding, protect and enforce any and all rights granted hereunder, or under such resolution, and may enforce and compel performance of all duties required by Sections 37-145-23 through 37-145-41 to be performed, in order to provide for the payment of bonds and interest thereon.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 11-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-1
Status: in_force

(1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (2) of this section, after a pupil has been assigned to a particular public school in a school district, the principal, or anyone else vested with the authority of assigning pupils to classes, knowingly shall not place such pupil in a class where the pupil's presence would serve to adversely affect, hinder, or retard the academic development of the other pupils in the class.

(2)(a) A parent or guardian of twins or higher order multiples, as defined in paragraph (d) of this subsection, may request that the children be placed in the same classroom or in separate classrooms if the children are in the same grade level at the same school in the school district. The school may recommend classroom placement and provide professional education advice to the parent or guardian to assist the parent or guardian in making the best decision for the children's education. A school must provide the placement requested by the children's parent or guardian unless: (i) the parent or guardian has requested that the children, who are different sexes, be placed in the same classroom and the students in the school have been assigned to different classrooms according to sex, as authorized under Section 37-11-3 ; or (ii) the school board of the school district makes a classroom placement determination following the school principal's request according to this subsection.

(b) A parent or guardian making a request under this subsection must submit a written request for the classroom placement to the school principal no later than fourteen (14) calendar days after the first day of each school year or, if the children are enrolled in the school after the school year commences, no later than fourteen (14) calendar days after the children's first day of attendance in the school.

(c) At the end of the initial grading period during which children have been in the same classroom or separate classrooms pursuant to their parent or guardian's request under this subsection, if the principal, in consultation with the children's classroom teacher or teachers, determines that the requested classroom placement is disruptive to the school, the principal may request that the school board determine the children's classroom placement.

(d) For purposes of this section, the term “ higher order multiples ” means triplets, quadruplets, quintuplets or more.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-41 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 101-41
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-41
Status: in_force

(1)(a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section, and subject to the provisions of Section 37-101-42 , the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (the “board”) is authorized and empowered to lease to private individuals or corporations for a term not exceeding thirty-five (35) years any land or land with existing auxiliary facilities at any of the following state-supported institutions: Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, Jackson State University, Mississippi Valley State University, University of Mississippi, Alcorn State University, University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi University for Women and Delta State University, for the purpose of erecting or renovating, furnishing, maintaining and equipping auxiliary facilities thereon for active faculty, staff and/or students. The auxiliary facilities shall be constructed or renovated, and may be furnished, maintained and equipped thereon by private financing, and may be leased back to the board for use by the concerned state-supported institution of higher learning. The lease shall contain a provision permitting the board to purchase the building located thereon, including any furnishings and equipment therein, for the sum of One Dollar ($1.00) after payment by the board of all sums of money due under said lease.

(b) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning may grant authority to universities to lease to private individuals or corporations for a period not exceeding thirty-five (35) years, any land or land with existing auxiliary facilities at the university, for the purpose of erecting or renovating, furnishing, maintaining and equipping auxiliary facilities thereon for active faculty, staff and/or students. The auxiliary facilities shall be constructed or renovated, and may be furnished, maintained and equipped thereon by private financing, and may be leased back to the board for use by the university. The lease shall contain a provision permitting the board to purchase the auxiliary facilities located thereon, including any furnishings and equipment therein, for the sum of One Dollar ($1.00) after payment by the board of all sums of money due under the lease.

(2) Upon there being an agreement reached between the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and a university upon whose land the auxiliary facility will be constructed or renovated and a private individual(s) or corporation(s) to enter into such lease agreement as described in subsection (1), it shall be stipulated in the agreement that all newly constructed or renovated auxiliary facilities shall be in compliance with the minimum building code standards employed by the state as required under Section 31-11-33 .

(3) The board, in conjunction with the university, shall have sole discretion to decide the placement of new auxiliary facilities upon the university's campus. However, the scope of any such construction or renovation by private entities shall be limited to two (2) leases entered into pursuant to this Section 37-101-41 per year for each university, and shall not exceed in the aggregate twenty-five percent (25%) of the university's total main campus or satellite campus property under the original lease period. In addition, the scope of any such renovation by private entities shall be limited to one (1) project per fiscal year for each university.

(4) No contractual lease agreement for the construction or renovation, furnishing, maintaining and equipping of privately financed auxiliary facilities shall be entered into by a university without prior approval of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. An auxiliary facility is a facility that is described by the current Postsecondary Education Facilities Inventory and Classification Manual (FICM) as within categories 500/600/700/800/900.

Before entering into contractual lease agreements for the construction or renovation, furnishing, maintaining and equipping of privately financed auxiliary facilities, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall establish rules and procedures to ensure adequate public advertisement of any requirement for the construction or renovation, furnishing, maintaining and equipping of privately financed auxiliary facilities at a university in order to promote full and open competition and which set forth the requirements for evaluation of offers and award of the contract lease agreement to the private entity.

(5) In addition to the above stated authority, the university, with the permission of the board, is authorized to enter into such marketing, support, management, operating, cooperating or other similar agreements as the university and board may deem advisable or prudent in connection with the ongoing operations of such auxiliary facilities for a period not to exceed the term of the lease relating to such auxiliary facilities.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-157 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 101-157
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-157
Status: in_force

All oil, gas and mineral leases provided for in Section 37-101-153 , shall be executed by the President of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and attested by the Commissioner of Higher Education, respectively, on behalf of the institution owning or having the use of such lands as the case may be. The corporate seal of the institution owning or having benefit of such land shall be affixed to all leases. In all such cases such leases shall be executed only upon order or resolution of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning in the manner hereinbefore set forth.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-59 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 47-59
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-59
Status: in_force

All bonds issued under the authority of this chapter may, in the discretion of the state bond commission, be validated in the chancery court of Hinds County, Mississippi, in the manner and with the force and effect now or hereafter provided by Chapter 13, Title 31, of the Mississippi Code of 1972 . In the event of such validation, the necessary papers shall be transmitted to the state bond attorney by the secretary of said state bond commission and the required notice shall be addressed to the taxpayers of the State of Mississippi and shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation published in the City of Jackson, Mississippi.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-27 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 155-27
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-27
Status: in_force

The provisions of this article are severable. If any part of this article is declared invalid or unconstitutional, such declaration shall not affect the part which remains.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 175-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-7
Status: in_force

(1) A student is not eligible for a Mississippi Speech-Language Therapy Scholarship while he or she is:

(a) Enrolled in a school operating for the purpose of providing educational services to youth in Department of Juvenile Justice commitment programs;

(b) Participating in a home-school education program;

(c) Participating in a virtual school, correspondence school, or distance learning program that receives state funding under the student's participation unless the participation is limited to no more than two (2) courses per school year;

(d) Not having regular and direct contact with his or her private school teachers at the school's physical location.

(2)(a) For purposes of continuity of educational choice, a Mississippi Speech-Language Therapy Scholarship shall remain in force until the student returns to a public school or completes Grade 6 or its equivalent, whichever occurs first.

(b) Upon reasonable notice to the department and the school district, the student's parent or legal guardian may remove the student from the nonpublic school and place the student in a public school in accordance with this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-104.8 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 7-104.8
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-104.8
Status: in_force

(1) In Chickasaw County, Mississippi, in which are located, as of January 1, 2017, three (3) school districts, there shall be an administrative consolidation of two (2) of those school districts in the county as a new school district to be designated as Chickasaw County School District which shall consist of the territory of the former Chickasaw County School District and the Houston Municipal Separate School District, effective on July 1, 2021. At such time that the administrative consolidation becomes effective, the central administrative office of the new Chickasaw County School District shall be located in Houston, Mississippi.

(2) On July 1, 2020, the Superintendent of Schools of the former Houston Municipal Separate School District shall continue to serve in like administrative capacity for the purpose of managing the transition for the consolidation of the former Chickasaw County School District and the Houston Municipal Separate School District. The said Superintendent of Schools shall be responsible for the administration, management and operation of the school district from July 1, 2020, until July 1, 2021, including, but not limited to, the following activities: (a) merging the existing budgets with the budget of the new consolidated school district; (b) nonrenewal of central office staff as necessary; (c) construction of a new salary scale for licensed and nonlicensed employees; (d) supplemental duties of school district employees; (e) assist local officials with school tax assessment; (f) appointment of assistant superintendents for the new district not to exceed three (3); and (g) veto authority over decisions of the former school boards until the new Chickasaw County Board of Education is in place. The said Superintendent of Schools shall cooperate with the State Department of Education, as soon as practicable after July 1, 2017, for the planning and transition of programs, services and alignment of curriculum for the administratively consolidated school districts.

(3) On July 1, 2020, the State Board of Education shall serve the Chickasaw County Board of Education and the Board of Trustees of the Houston Municipal Separate School District with notice and instructions regarding the timetable for action to be taken to comply with the administrative consolidation required in this section. The State Board of Education shall require the administrative consolidation of the Chickasaw County School District and the Houston Municipal Separate School District on or before July 1, 2021.

(4) In the new Chickasaw County School District, there shall be an Interim County Board of Education elected in a November 2020 special election which shall be called by the Governor for that purpose. The State Board of Education shall declare that the following territory shall be the election districts for the Interim Chickasaw County Board of Education, and members shall be qualified electors residing in that district: (a) three (3) members shall be elected at large from the territory of the former Houston School District; and (b) two (2) members shall be elected at large from the territory of the former Chickasaw County School District. Members elected in the November 2020 special election shall serve terms of three (3) years beginning on January 1, 2021. There shall be a new Chickasaw County Board of Education for the Chickasaw County School District, elected on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2023, at the same time and in the same manner as the statewide general election is held and conducted, for that purpose. The new county board of education shall be elected and the terms of office established as provided in Section 37-5-7(5) . Any school board member of the former school districts residing in the proper territory shall be eligible for election to the new Chickasaw County Board of Education.

(5) The State Board of Education shall declare that the territory embraced by Chickasaw County, Mississippi, excluding the territory of Okolona Separate School District, shall be the boundary lines for the territory of the new Chickasaw County School District and shall spread a legal description of the new school district on the minutes of its August 2020 meeting and shall serve the applicable school boards and the board of supervisors with an adequate legal description of these new boundaries. Any school district affected by the required administrative consolidation in the county that does not voluntarily consolidate as ordered by the State Board of Education shall be administratively consolidated by the State Board of Education, to be effective immediately upon action of the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education shall promptly move on its own motion to administratively consolidate a school district which does not voluntarily consolidate in order to enable the affected school districts to reasonably accomplish the resulting administrative consolidation into the Chickasaw School District by July 1, 2021, following the motion to consolidate. The affected school districts shall comply with any consolidation order issued by the State Board of Education.

(6) The Interim Chickasaw County Board of Education shall conduct a search for a new Superintendent of Schools for the Chickasaw County School District to be selected no later than July 1, 2021, in the manner provided in Section 37-9-13 and the Superintendent of Schools serving on that date may be selected to continue in office. The position of Chickasaw County Superintendent of Schools shall be an appointive position. No superintendent serving in a school district placed under conservatorship shall be eligible for appointment as a superintendent or assistant superintendent in the new Chickasaw County School District. The Interim Chickasaw County Board of Education shall also employ central office staff for the Chickasaw County School District no later than July 1, 2021, or as soon thereafter as is practicable.

(7) On January 1, 2021, following the motion of the State Board of Education to consolidate school districts in Chickasaw County and the Houston Municipal Separate School Districts, the Chickasaw County School District and the Houston Municipal Separate School District and the former school boards of those districts shall be abolished. All real and personal property which is owned or titled in the name of the school district located in such former school districts shall be transferred to the new Chickasaw County School District. The Superintendent of Schools and the County Board of Education of the new Chickasaw County School District shall be responsible for establishing the contracts for teachers, principals, clerical and administrative staff personnel for the 2020-2021 school year and thereafter. It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent of Schools and the County Board of Education of the new Chickasaw County School District to prepare and approve the budget of the new reorganized district. Any proposed order of the State Board of Education directing the transfer of the assets, real or personal property of an affected school district in the county, shall be final and conclusive for the purposes of the transfer of property required by such administrative consolidation.

(8) From and after July 1, 2021, all outstanding debt of the former Chickasaw County School District and the Houston Municipal Separate School District shall be assumed by and become the debt of the new Chickasaw County School District. Any debt assumed by the Chickasaw County School District secured by a special ad valorem tax shall become secured by and payable from a mandatory, special ad valorem tax which shall be levied on all taxable property in the territory of the former Houston Municipal Separate School District or the former Chickasaw County School District, as the case may be, by the levying authority of the new Chickasaw County School District. It is the intent of the Legislature that any such pledges of the former school districts will remain in effect and that the pledged funds will be available to the new Chickasaw County School District to pay its debt to which the funds are pledged. The Board of Supervisors of Chickasaw County shall be the “levying authority” for the new Chickasaw County School District.

(9) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the closing of any school or school facility, unless the facility is an unneeded administrative office located within a school district which has been abolished under the provisions of this section. All administrative consolidations under this section shall be accomplished so as not to delay or in any manner negatively affect the desegregation of another school district in the county pursuant to court order.

(10) The State Board of Education, acting through the new Superintendent of Schools, shall promulgate rules and regulations to facilitate the administrative consolidation of the school districts in Chickasaw County and Houston, Mississippi, pursuant to this section. The consolidated district shall make an election within one (1) year of consolidation concerning the group term life insurance described in Section 25-15-9(7) .

(11) For the initial two (2) years following the administrative consolidation required by this section, conditioned on approval by the U.S. Department of Education, the State Department of Education shall grant a waiver of accountability and state assessment requirements to the new Chickasaw County School District for the student population enrolled therein from the former Chickasaw County School District and the Houston Municipal Separate School District, when determining the new consolidated school district accreditation level based on the performance and accountability rating model.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-117-9 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 117-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-117-9
Status: in_force

The superintendent of education of each county, after due notice published, shall examine applicants, not qualified to enter by certificate from an accredited school, upon questions prepared and submitted by the president of the Mississippi State College for Women, and, with the consent of the board of supervisors, shall give certificates of selection to the number of girls to which his county is entitled, in addition to those already in the said college, if any. County superintendents shall make their appointments of students to the said college not later than July 1 of each year.

The certificate of selection shall be attested by the clerk of the board of supervisors, under its seal, and shall entitle the holder to admission into the said college, with all the privileges thereof, to pursue all the industrial branches selected, and to enter the subclass or class for which she is fitted.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-153-13 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 153-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-153-13
Status: in_force

The Mississippi Community College Board, in collaboration with the Office of Workforce Development, is designated as the primary support agency to the workforce development centers. The Mississippi Community College Board, in collaboration with the Office of Workforce Development, may exercise the following powers:

(a) To provide the workforce development centers the assistance necessary to accomplish the purposes of this article;

(b) To provide the workforce development centers consistent standards and benchmarks to guide development of the local workforce development system and to provide a means by which the outcomes of local services can be measured;

(c) To develop the staff capacity to provide, broker or contract for the provision of technical assistance to the workforce development centers, including, but not limited to:

(i) Training local staff in methods of recruiting, assessment and career counseling;

(ii) Establishing rigorous and comprehensive local preemployment training programs;

(iii) Developing local institutional capacity to deliver total quality management training;

(iv) Developing local institutional capacity to transfer new technologists into the marketplace;

(v) Expanding the Skills Enhancement Program and improving the quality of adult literacy programs; and

(vi) Developing data for strategic planning;

(d) To collaborate with the Mississippi Development Authority, Office of Workforce Development, individual community and junior colleges, and other economic development and educational organizations and political subdivisions to increase the economic development potential and the state's labor force participation rate;

(e) To administer presented and approved certification programs by the community colleges for tax credits and partnership funding for corporate training;

(f) To create and maintain an evaluation team that examines which kinds of curricula and programs and what forms of quality control of training are most productive so that the knowledge developed at one (1) institution of education can be transferred to others;

(g) To develop internal capacity to provide services and to contract for services from universities and other providers directly to local institutions;

(h) To develop and administer an incentive certification program;

(i) To develop and hire staff and purchase equipment necessary to accomplish the goals set forth in this section; and

(j) To collaborate, partner and contract for services with community-based organizations and disadvantaged businesses in the delivery of workforce training and career information especially to youth, as defined by the federal Workforce Investment Act, and to those adults who are in low income jobs or whose individual skill levels are so low as to be unable initially to be aided by a workforce development center. Community-based organizations and disadvantaged businesses must meet performance-based certification requirements set by the Mississippi Community College Board, in collaboration with the Office of Workforce Development.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-57-117 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 57-117
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-57-117
Status: in_force

All funds derived from such taxation under Sections 37-57-111 through 37-57-119 shall be collected by the tax assessors and/or tax collectors of the county prior to or simultaneous with the sale of the new family unit and shall be deposited into a county trust fund entitled “county school building and repair fund” to be utilized by the county board of education for capital improvements only in compacted areas. However, the board of supervisors of such county shall be authorized to utilize the proceeds of taxation toward paying the principal and interest on full faith and credit bonds of the county which may be issued to provide immediate funds for acquiring sites and constructing public school facilities.

All funds levied and collected under authority of Sections 37-57-111 through 37-57-119 shall be expended for the purposes set forth in said sections and in the manner now provided by law for making such expenditures in counties having a countywide school district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 45-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-1
Status: in_force

The legislature hereby recognizes that in order to exercise the constitutional power, set forth in Section 201 of Article 8, that the legislature may, in its discretion, “provide for the maintenance and establishment of free public schools for all children between the ages of six and twenty-one years, by taxation or otherwise,” equality of educational opportunity with respect to instructional personnel, school buildings and facilities, transportation facilities, curriculum and all other school facilities should be provided for all such children, that the burden of providing such equality of educational opportunity can no longer be borne entirely by the local taxing units, and, therefore, that a program of state aid therefor should be instituted. The legislature, therefore, declares and determines that the maintenance of the uniform system of free public schools to insure and provide substantial equality of educational opportunity is the joint responsibility of the State of Mississippi and the local taxing units thereof.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-35 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / 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. § 37-41-25 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 41-25
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-25
Status: in_force

Any superintendent of schools, member of the school board, superintendent, principal or carrier, or bus driver, who shall knowingly make any false report, list or record, or who shall knowingly make use of any false report, list or record concerning the number of school children being transported or entitled to be transported in any county or school district shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days, or by a fine of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) nor more than Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court. In addition, any such person shall be civilly liable for all amounts of public funds which are illegally, unlawfully or wrongfully expended or paid out by virtue of or pursuant to such false report, list or record, and upon conviction or adjudication of civil liability hereunder such person shall forfeit his license to teach for a period of three (3) years, if such person is the holder of such a license. Any suit to recover such funds illegally, unlawfully, or wrongfully expended or paid out may be brought in the name of the State of Mississippi by the Attorney General or the proper district attorney or county attorney. In the event such suit be brought against a person who is under bond, the sureties upon such bond shall likewise be liable for such amount illegally, unlawfully or wrongfully expended or paid out.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-29 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 115-29
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-29
Status: in_force

The state building commission shall construct the buildings and all other related facilities for said medical school and teaching hospital. When such buildings shall have been constructed and made ready for occupancy, the lands so selected by the state building commission for the use of said medical school and teaching hospital, together with the buildings and other improvements erected thereon, shall be conveyed by the state building commission to the University of Mississippi, and title to said property shall be vested in the University of Mississippi. Said medical school and teaching hospital shall be operated as departments of the University of Mississippi.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-65-119 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 65-119
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-65-119
Status: in_force

If a petition or petitions be filed with the secretary or president of the board of trustees, signed in person in accord with the provisions of this article by three-fifths of the persons who are qualified electors in or of the school district in which any one or more schools have been closed and three-fifths of the qualified electors who reside in the territory comprising the attendance area, if any has been designated, served by any school which may be closed, requesting the opening of a school or schools which have been closed and specifying the school or schools the re-opening of which is requested by the petition they signed, then it shall be the mandatory duty of such board of trustees to forthwith determine whether said petition or petitions are signed by the said requisite number of said qualified electors. In order to facilitate the determination by the board of whether the petition or petitions have been signed by the requisite number of said qualified electors and so that the board of trustees may have the completed petitions before it upon which its determination shall be made, all petitions requesting the opening of the same school or schools shall be filed not later than seven days after the filing of the first petition addressed to the re-opening of the same school or schools; in computing such period of time the day of filing the said first petition shall be excluded.

The board of trustees with whom any such petition or petitions are filed shall check and verify every petition or petitions filed with it to determine whether it be properly signed or executed by the required number of qualified electors. Such board of trustees is fully authorized to employ such person or persons, including counsel, as it may deem necessary in order to expeditiously make such investigation, and it is also authorized to hold such hearing or hearings as it may deem necessary in and about its said investigation and determination. All persons purporting to have signed said petition or petitions shall cooperate with said board of trustees in and about such investigation and determination.

The said board of trustees shall diligently proceed with and complete its investigation and determination of whether said petition or petitions are signed by the requisite number of qualified electors so as to avoid unnecessary delay and in any event shall complete same within not more than forty-five days after the last day upon which, in accord with this section, any petition or petitions may be filed as above provided for. The verification by the board of trustees of the signatures to said petition or petitions shall include an examination of the records on file in the office of the circuit clerk or registrar of the county or counties in which the school district involved may be situated. If it be apparent upon the face of the petition or petitions that same are not signed by the requisite number of qualified electors, when all petitions are considered together which may have been filed within such period of time above provided for, the said board of trustees may make its determination upon the sufficiency of said petition without making the detailed investigation or incurring the expense which would otherwise be incurred by such investigation and check of the records.

Within three days after the board of trustees shall have determined whether said petition or petitions do or do not contain the requisite number of signatures to re-open any school or schools therein designated, it shall hold a regular or special meeting at the place where its regular meetings are held, if the building containing same be then in existence, or, otherwise, in some other public place within the district to be selected by the president of said board of trustees, and there make the official announcement and determination of the sufficiency or insufficiency of the said petition or petitions to cause a re-opening of any school or schools which have been closed in accord with the terms of this article and enter an order evidencing its determination. If it finds that said petition or petitions are insufficient to cause such a re-opening of any such school, it shall so state in its order, but if it finds that the petition or petitions are sufficient in accord with the terms of this article to cause a re-opening of any school or schools previously closed, it shall order that the school or schools be re-opened and go into operation within one week from the date of such meeting; the day of the entry of such order shall be included in such computation of time. Upon the entry of such order all students which have been transferred to other schools and all employees who have been working in other schools and all other employees and all other students who were enrolled in any school or schools which were closed shall, on the day appointed for the re-opening of said school or schools, report for classes and duty in the school or schools where they were attending or working when such school or schools were closed, and such order shall automatically be a re-transfer of such students and employees.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-49 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 41-49
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-49
Status: in_force

In case of any violation by a school district bus driver or carrier of the safety regulations established by the State Board of Education, such violation shall be deemed a misdemeanor and such offender may be punished as provided in Section 37-41-47 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 47-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-5
Status: in_force

For the purposes of this chapter, the term “capital improvement” shall mean the cost of (1) erecting, repairing, equipping, remodeling and enlarging school buildings and related facilities, including, but not being limited to, gymnasiums, auditoriums, lunch rooms, vocational training buildings, libraries, teachers' homes, school barns, garages for transportation vehicles, and (2) providing necessary water, lights, heating, air conditioning and sewerage facilities for school buildings. Such term shall not include the cost of the acquisition of land whereon to construct or establish any of the facilities named above.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-159-9 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 159-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-159-9
Status: in_force

(1) There is established the University Assisted Teacher Recruitment and Retention Grant Program within the State Department of Education. The purposes of the program shall be to attract additional qualified teachers to those geographical areas of the state where there exists a critical shortage of teachers and to retain the qualified teachers already serving as licensed teachers in geographical critical teacher shortage areas by making available scholarships to persons working towards a Master of Education degree or an Educational Specialist degree at an institution of higher learning whose teacher education program is approved by the State Board of Education.

(2) Any institution of higher learning in the State of Mississippi which offers a Master of Education degree or an Educational Specialist degree may apply to the department for participation in the program. As part of the program, participating institutions shall collaborate with the Mississippi Teacher Center to identify, recruit and place teacher education graduates, from both within the state and out of state, in school districts situated within those areas of the state where there exists a critical shortage of teachers, as designated by the State Board of Education.

(3) The State Department of Education shall provide funds to participating institutions of higher learning for the purpose of awarding scholarships to qualified persons pursuing a Master of Education degree or an Educational Specialist degree at such institutions while rendering service to the state as a licensed teacher in a school district in a geographical area of the state where there exists a critical shortage of teachers, as approved by the State Board of Education. The financial scholarship shall be applied to the total cost for tuition, books, materials and fees at the institution in which the student is enrolled, not to exceed an amount equal to the highest total cost of tuition, books, materials and fees assessed by a state institution of higher learning during that school year. Teachers who relocate within Mississippi from out of state in order to participate in the program shall be classified as residents of the state for tuition purposes.

(4) Students awarded financial scholarships under the University Assisted Teacher Recruitment and Retention Grant Program may receive such awards for a maximum of four (4) school years; however, the maximum number of awards which may be made shall not exceed the length of time required to complete the number of academic hours necessary to obtain a Master of Education degree or an Educational Specialist degree. Financial scholarships under the program shall not be based upon an applicant's eligibility for financial aid.

(5) Persons relocating to a geographical area of the state where there exists a critical shortage of teachers, as approved by the State Board of Education, to participate in the University Assisted Teacher Recruitment and Retention Grant Program shall be eligible for reimbursement for their moving expenses to the critical teacher shortage area from the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the administration of the relocation expense reimbursement component of the University Assisted Teacher Recruitment and Retention Grant Program.

(6) Subject to the availability of funds, the State Board of Education may provide for professional development and support services as may be necessary for the retention of teachers participating in the program in those geographical areas of the state where there exists a critical shortage of teachers.

(7) Any person participating in the program who fails to complete a program of study that will enable that person to obtain a Master of Education degree or Educational Specialist degree shall become liable immediately to the State Board of Education for the sum of all awards made to that person under the program, plus interest accruing at the current Stafford Loan rate at the time the person abrogates his participation in the program.

(8) As a condition for participation in the program, a teacher shall agree to employment as a licensed teacher in a school district located in a geographical area of the state where there exists a critical shortage of teachers, as designated by the State Board of Education, for a period of not less than three (3) years, which shall include those years of service rendered while obtaining the Master of Education degree or Educational Specialist degree. However, for any person who obtained a Baccalaureate degree in education with a financial scholarship under the Critical Needs Teacher Scholarship Program and who entered the University Assisted Teacher Recruitment and Retention Grant Program before rendering service as a teacher, the period of employment for the purposes of this subsection shall be two (2) years, in addition to the employment commitment required under the Critical Needs Teacher Scholarship Program. Service rendered by a participant as a licensed teacher in a school district in a geographical critical teacher shortage area before that teacher becomes a participant in the program may not be considered to fulfill the employment commitment required under this subsection. Any person failing to comply with this employment commitment in any required school year shall immediately be in breach of contract and become liable immediately to the State Department of Education for the sum of all scholarships awarded and relocation expenses granted to that person, less one-third ( 1 / 3 ) of the amount of that sum for each year that service was rendered, or for those persons whose required period of employment is two (2) years, less one-half ( 1 / 2 ) of the amount of that sum for each year that service was rendered, plus interest accruing at the current Stafford Loan rate at the time the breach occurs, except in the case of a deferral for cause by the State Board of Education when there is no employment position immediately available upon the teacher's obtaining of the Master of Education degree or Educational Specialist degree. After the period of such deferral, the person shall begin or resume the required teaching duties or shall become liable to the board under this subsection. If a claim for repayment under this subsection is placed in the hands of an attorney for collection after default, then the obligor shall be liable for an additional amount equal to a reasonable attorney's fee.

(9) All funds received by the State Department of Education from the repayment of scholarship awards and relocation expenses by program participants shall be deposited in the Mississippi Critical Teacher Shortage Fund.

(10) The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the proper administration of the University Assisted Teacher Recruitment and Retention Grant Program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-125-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 125-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-125-7
Status: in_force

The executive head of the Jackson State College shall be held as the professional adviser of the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning on all matters pertaining to the inside arrangements of buildings, selection of faculty, and course of study. He shall have the immediate supervision and management of said college in all its departments, subject however, to the general supervision, management, and direction of the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-140-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 140-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-140-5
Status: in_force

(1) The school shall be governed by the State Board of Education. The board shall develop a plan relating to the opening, operation and funding of the school to be presented to the Legislature during the 2000 Regular Session. The plan shall include an equitable and reasonable plan for student recruitment without regard to race, creed or color.

(2) The State Superintendent of Public Education shall appoint an advisory panel to assist the board in developing the plan relating to the school. The advisory panel shall consist of the following twelve (12) appointed or designated members:

(a) Three (3) licensed school teachers or administrators, one (1) to be appointed from each of the three (3) Mississippi Supreme Court Districts;

(b) Three (3) citizens or professionals representing the areas of dance, creative writing, literature, music, theater arts or visual arts, one (1) to be appointed from each of the three (3) Mississippi Supreme Court Districts;

(c) Three (3) citizens knowledgeable in business, personnel management or public administration, with at least three (3) years' actual experience therein, one (1) to be appointed from each of the three (3) Mississippi Supreme Court Districts.

(d) One (1) member shall be a representative of the Mississippi Arts Commission to be designated by the commission, one (1) member shall be a representative of the Mississippi Humanities Council to be designated by the council, and one (1) member shall be a representative of the state institutions of higher learning in Mississippi which offer degrees in visual, fine and performing arts, to be designated by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning.

Appointments to the advisory panel shall be made within ninety (90) days of April 23, 1999. The advisory panel shall meet upon the call of the State Superintendent of Public Education and shall organize for business by selecting a chairman and vice chairman/secretary for keeping records of the panel. Members of the advisory panel shall receive no compensation but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses and mileage for attending meetings and necessary business of the panel, in the amount authorized for state employees under Section 25-3-41 .

(3) The board may utilize the staff of the State Department of Education and other state agencies as may be required for the implementation of this chapter. The department may employ any personnel deemed necessary by the board for assisting in the development and implementation of the plan relating to the opening, operation and funding of the school. The board also may contract or enter into agreements with other agencies or private entities which it deems necessary to carry out its duties and functions relating to the opening and operation of the school.

(4) To the extent possible, the board shall enter into agreements with the Board of Trustees of the Brookhaven Municipal Separate School District for the dual enrollment of students for the purpose of teaching academic courses to students attending the school, and the local school board shall be fully authorized to offer any such courses to students attending the school. The State Board of Education may develop and issue necessary regulations for the coordination of such courses for these students, the preparation and transfer of transcripts, and the reimbursement of any costs incurred by the school district for providing such services.

(5) The board may enter into agreements with public school districts to authorize students enrolled in such school districts to participate in the fine arts programs at the school to the extent that adequate space is available. The parent or guardian of any student participating in fine arts programs at the school under this subsection shall be responsible for transporting the student to and from the school.

(6) Effective July 1, 2020, all administrative, instructional and noninstructional employees of the Mississippi School of the Arts shall be transferred from state service and the authority of the State Personnel Board to employment status as employees of the Mississippi School of the Arts. All administrative and instructional employees at the said school shall enter into written contracts of employment to indicate and cover the period for which they are respectively employed. All such contracts for administrative and instructional employees shall be exempt from the requirements of the Public Procurement Review Board for state agency employment contracts. The State Board of Education may set and determine qualifications necessary for such employees and may appoint a subcommittee of the board for the purpose of authorizing the execution of such employment contracts on a timely basis. Such administrators and employees shall be offered contracts by the Superintendent/Executive Director of the MSA and all such contracts and employment rights prescribed thereunder shall be awarded and governed in accordance with Sections 37-9-1 et seq. , as applicable, and Section 37-7-307 . Any and all references within Section 37-9-1 et seq. , to a “local school district” shall apply to MSA and any and all references to a “local school board” shall apply to the State Board of Education's role as defined in Section 37-140-1 . The MSA may renew employment or nonrenew employment with such administrative and instructional employees in accordance with the provisions of said sections relating to school district employment. Noninstructional employees of the MSA shall be full-time employees of the MSA and shall serve at the will and pleasure of the Superintendent of the MSA. All salaries and contracts shall be subject to the approval of the State Board of Education, and the MSA may continue to use the teacher salary scale for its instructional employees which is in effect on January 1, 2019. Any unused leave accumulated at the Mississippi School of the Arts shall be transferred in accordance with the provisions of Section 37-7-307 . There shall be no interruption of service with the Public Employees' Retirement System and the State and School Employees' Health Insurance Plan for administrative, instructional and noninstructional employees due to an employee's employment status under this subsection. The MSA shall not 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 law. The MSA may receive donations or grants from any public or private source, including any federal funding that may be available to the schools within the MSA.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-177-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 177-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-177-3
Status: in_force

Immediately upon the determination of a reading deficiency, and subsequently with each quarterly progress report until the deficiency is remediated, the parent or legal guardian of a Kindergarten or First-, Second- or Third-Grade student who exhibits a substantial deficiency in reading must be notified in writing by the student's teacher of the following:

(a) That the student has been identified as having a substantial deficiency in reading;

(b) A description of the services that the school district currently is providing to the student;

(c) A description of the proposed supplemental instructional services and supports that are designed to remediate the identified area of reading deficiency which the school district plans to provide the student, as outlined in the student's individual reading plan;

(d) That if the student's reading deficiency is not remediated before the end of the student's Third-Grade year, the student will not be promoted to Fourth Grade unless a good cause exemption specified under Section 37-177-11 is met;

(e) Strategies for parents and guardians to use in helping the student to succeed in reading proficiency; and

(f) That while the state annual accountability assessment for reading in Third Grade is the initial determinant, it is not the sole determiner of promotion and that approved alternative standardized assessments are available to assist the school district in knowing when a child is reading at or above grade level and ready for promotion to the next grade.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-105 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 155-105
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-105
Status: in_force

As used in this article, the following words and phrases have the meanings ascribed in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(a) “ MACS Program ” means the Mississippi Affordable College Savings Program established under this article.

(b) “ MACS Trust Fund ” means a special fund in the State Treasury established under Section 37-155-111 , and administered by the Treasury Department.

(c) “ Account owner ” means a resident or nonresident person, corporation, trust, charitable organization or other entity which contributes to or invests money in a savings trust account under the MACS Program on behalf of a beneficiary and which is listed as the owner of the savings trust account.

(d) “ Beneficiary ” means a resident or nonresident beneficiary of a savings trust agreement who meets the requirements of Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 , as amended, or other applicable federal law, and any regulations established by the board.

(e) “ Institution of higher education ” means an eligible educational institution as defined in Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 , as amended, or any other applicable federal law.

(f) “ Tuition ” means the quarter, semester or term charges and all required fees imposed by an institution of higher education as a condition of enrollment by all students.

(g) “ Board ” means the Board of Directors of the College Savings Plans of Mississippi Trust Funds established under Section 37-155-7 .

(h) “ Payor ” means a person, corporation, trust, charitable organization or other such entity which contributes money or makes a payment to either a savings trust account established pursuant to this article or a prepaid tuition account established under Sections 37-155-1 through 37-155-27 on behalf of a beneficiary.

(i) “ Savings trust account ” means an account established by an account owner pursuant to this article on behalf of a beneficiary in order to apply distributions from the account toward qualified higher education expenses at eligible educational institutions, as defined in Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 , as amended, or other applicable federal law.

(j) “ Savings trust agreement ” means the agreement entered into between the board and the account owner establishing a savings trust account.

(k) “ Qualified higher education expense ” means any higher education expense, as defined in Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 , as amended, or other applicable federal law.

( l ) “ Qualified withdrawal ” means a withdrawal by an account owner or beneficiary for qualified higher education expenses or as otherwise permitted under Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 , as amended, without a penalty required under the Internal Revenue Code.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-154-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / 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. § 37-23-133 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 23-133
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-133
Status: in_force

Words and terms, unless otherwise defined below, when used in Sections 37-23-1 through 37-23-159 shall be defined in the same manner as those words and terms used in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 1997 Amendments (IDEA), Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, applicable federal regulations and relevant court cases:

(a) “ Assistive technology device ” means any item, piece of equipment or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified or customized, that is used to increase, maintain or improve the functional capabilities of children with disabilities.

(b) “ Assistive technology service ” means any service that directly assists a student with a disability in the selection, acquisition or use of an assistive technology device. The term includes:

(i) The evaluation of the needs of a student with a disability, including a functional evaluation of the student in his or her customary environment;

(ii) Purchasing, leasing or otherwise providing for the acquisition of assistive technology devices by students with disabilities;

(iii) Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining, repairing or replacing assistive devices;

(iv) Coordinating and using other therapies, interventions or services with assistive technology devices, such as those associated with existing education and rehabilitation plans and programs;

(v) Training or technical assistance for a student with a disability or, if appropriate, that student's family; and

(vi) Training or technical assistance for professionals (including individuals providing education or rehabilitation services), employers or other individuals who may provide services to, employ, or are otherwise substantially involved in the major life functions of students with disabilities.

(c) “ Consent ” means agreement in writing from the parent of a child with a disability pertaining to the activities as required under IDEA and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Local educational agencies shall ensure that the parent:

(i) Has been fully informed of all information relevant to the activity for which consent is required;

(ii) Understands the activity for which consent is requested; and

(iii) Understands that the granting of consent is voluntary and may be revoked at any time prior to the time the activity is conducted.

(d) “ Free appropriate public education ” means special education and related services provided by local educational agencies that:

(i) Have been provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without charge;

(ii) Meet the standards of the State Department of Education;

(iii) Include an appropriate preschool, elementary, or secondary school education; and

(iv) Are provided in conformity with the individualized education program required under IDEA, applicable federal and state regulations and relevant court cases.

(e) “ Individualized education program ” or “ IEP ” means a written statement for each child with a disability that is developed, reviewed, and revised in accordance with the requirements under IDEA, applicable federal and state regulations and relevant court cases.

(f) “ Least restrictive environment ” means to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, are educated with children who are not disabled, and special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature or severity of the disability of a child is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.

(g) “ Parent ” means a person who is legally responsible for a child's welfare or acting for the child in the absence of the legally responsible person. Parent may also mean a natural parent, a guardian, or a surrogate parent.

(h) “ Related services ” means transportation, and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services (including speech-language pathology and audiology services, psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, recreation, including therapeutic recreation, social work services, counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling, orientation and mobility services, and medical services, except that such medical services shall be for diagnostic and evaluation purposes only) as may be required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education, and includes the early identification and assessment of disabling conditions in children.

(i) “ Special education ” means specially designed instruction provided by local educational agencies, at no cost to parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability, including instruction conducted in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and institutions, and in other settings. This term also includes instruction in physical education.

(j) “ Supplementary aids and services ” means aids, services, and other supports that are provided in regular education classes or other education-related settings to enable children with disabilities to be educated with nondisabled children to the maximum extent appropriate in accordance with the least restrictive environment requirements under IDEA, applicable federal regulations and relevant court cases.

(k) “ Transition services ” means a coordinated set of activities for a student with a disability that:

(i) Is designed within an outcome-oriented process, which promotes movement from school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational training, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation;

(ii) Is based upon the individual student's needs, taking into account the student's preferences and interests;

(iii) Includes instruction, related services, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-63 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 29-63
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-63
Status: in_force

(1) The president of any community college, or such other person designated or authorized by the board of trustees, shall have the power to recommend to the board of trustees all teachers to be employed in the district.

(2) The president may remove or suspend any member of the faculty subject to the approval of the trustees. He shall be the general manager of all fiscal and administrative affairs of the district with full authority to select, direct, employ and discharge any and all employees other than teachers; however, the board may make provisions and establish policies for leave for faculty members and other key personnel.

(3) The president shall have the authority, subject to the provisions of Section 75-76-34 and Sections 37-29-1 through 37-29-273 and the approval of the trustees, to arrange and survey courses of study, fix schedules, and establish and enforce rules and discipline for the governing of teachers and students. He shall be the general custodian of the property of the district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-138-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 138-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-138-5
Status: in_force

(a) “Abatement” means removal, encapsulation, enclosure or repair of or an operations and maintenance program for asbestos-containing materials.

(b) “Air monitor” means person who collects airborne samples for analysis of asbestos fibers during an abatement project including baseline, area, personal and clearance samples.

(c) “Asbestos-containing materials” (ACM) means any material or product which contains more than one percent (1%) asbestos.

(d) “Asbestos project” means a project for the abatement of ACM in school buildings, public buildings and commercial buildings except for exclusions adopted by the commission in accordance with Section 37-138-9(a) and except for abatement of asbestos-containing resilient floor tile, sheet vinyl flooring and associated adhesives, provided there is a two-working-day advance notification to the commission of the abatement of asbestos-containing floor tile, sheet vinyl flooring and associated adhesives, unless sanding, grinding, burning or sawing occurs or such abatement is otherwise considered a “response action” or would cause the material to become “friable” as both those terms are defined under 40 C.F.R. Section 763.83 .

(e) “Certificate” means a document authorizing a person to perform certain specific activities related to the identification, evaluation or abatement of ACM in school buildings, public buildings and commercial buildings as described in this chapter.

(f) “Commercial building” means any privately owned building in which the public is invited or allowed access and any other privately owned building so located that the conduct of any asbestos abatement activities therein could reasonably expose any person or persons to ACM hazards, except that a commercial building shall not include any residence.

(g) “Commission” means the Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality.

(h) “Contractor” means a person who enters into a contract for the performance of an asbestos project.

(i) “Director” means the Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.

(j) “Inspector” means a person employed to inspect or reinspect for presence of ACM, collect samples of ACM confirmation and provide written assessment of ACM.

(k) “Management plan” is a plan for abatement of ACM.

(l) “Management planner” means a person employed to develop a management plan.

(m) “Model plan” means the Model Accreditation Plan for states promulgated at Section I of Appendix C to Title 40, Part 763 , Subpart E of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(n) “Operations and maintenance program” means a program of work practices to maintain ACM in good condition, ensure cleanup of asbestos fibers previously released, and prevent further release by minimizing and controlling ACM disturbance or damage.

(o) “Person” means the state or other agency or institution thereof, any municipality, political subdivision, public or private corporation, individual, partnership, association or other entity, and includes any officer or governing or managing body of any municipality, political subdivision, or public or private corporation, or the United States or any officer or employee thereof.

(p) “Project designer” means a person who specifies engineering methods and work practices to be used during asbestos projects.

(q) “Public building” means any building owned by the state, counties, municipalities, institutions of higher learning, community colleges or any political subdivision.

(r) “School” means any elementary or secondary school as defined in Section 198 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C.S. 2854 ).

(s) “School building” means:

(i) Any structure suitable for use as a classroom, including a school facility such as a laboratory, library, school eating facility, or facility used for the preparation of food.

(ii) Any gymnasium or other facility which is specially designed for athletic or recreational activities or for an academic course in physical education.

(iii) Any other facility used for the instruction or housing of students or for the administration of educational or research programs.

(iv) Any maintenance, storage or utility facility, including any hallway, essential to the operation of any facility described in this definition of “school building” under paragraphs (i), (ii) or (iii).

(v) Any portico or covered exterior hallway or walkway.

(vi) Any exterior portion of a mechanical system used to condition interior space.

(t) “Supervisor” means a person designated by a contractor to be responsible for direction of day-to-day activities of an asbestos project.

(u) “Worker” means a person who works on an asbestos project other than a project designer, contractor, supervisor or management planner.

(v) The commission is authorized to adopt by promulgated regulation any or all additional definitions necessary to carry out the intent of this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-11 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 17-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-11
Status: in_force

The State Board of Education, in its discretion, may exempt any school district meeting the highest levels of state accreditation standards, as defined by the State Board of Education, from any compulsory standard of accreditation. However, if the standard of accreditation is an educational policy required by statute, any such exemption shall only be made if specifically authorized by law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-61 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 41-61
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-61
Status: in_force

To the extent that state, federal or other funds are available or appropriated, the Department of Transportation and the Department of Education shall cooperate to conduct an information campaign to educate drivers concerning the provisions of Chapter 481, Laws of 2011, and the importance of school bus safety.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-47 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 145-47
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-47
Status: in_force

The bonds issued pursuant to Sections 37-145-43 through 37-145-73 shall be authorized by a resolution of the company, shall bear such date or dates, and shall mature at such time or times as such resolution may provide, except that no bond shall mature more than thirty (30) years from the date of issue. Bonds which are not subject to taxation shall bear interest at such rate or rates not exceeding that authorized by Section 75-17-103 , including variations of such rates, be in such denominations, be in such form, carry such registration privileges, be executed in such manner, be payable in such medium of payment, at such place or places, and be subject to such terms of redemption, including redemption prior to maturity, as such resolution may provide. Except as expressly provided otherwise in Sections 37-145-43 through 37-145-73 , the provisions of other laws of the state relating to the issuance of revenue bonds shall not apply to bonds issued by the company. As to bonds issued hereunder and designated as taxable bonds by the company, any immunity to taxation by the United States government of interest on such bonds or notes is hereby waived. Bonds of the company may be sold by the company at public or private sale, from time to time, and at such price or prices as the company shall determine.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-51-11 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 51-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-51-11
Status: in_force

In addition to the requirements set out in Section 37-51-7 , to be eligible for a loan an applicant must:

(a) Be a bona fide actual resident of the State of Mississippi; and

(b) Attend any bona fide approved nonfree elementary or secondary school.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-17 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / 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. § 37-113-75 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 113-75
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-75
Status: in_force

The Dean of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine shall have the following powers and duties:

(a) Develop the administrative policy for the Dr. Elton Mac Huddleston Rural Veterinarians Scholarship Program;

(b) Promulgating rules and regulations, with the advice and consent of the President of Mississippi State University of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, pertaining to the implementation and operation of the Dr. Elton Mac Huddleston Rural Veterinarians Scholarship Program;

(c) Annually establish a selection committee, composed of faculty of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, rural mixed animal veterinarians and large animal veterinarians, which shall conduct a process, independent from the university's Admissions Committee, to review applications, conduct virtual or in-person interviews and select recipients;

(d) Establish a budget, with the advice and consent of the President of Mississippi State University of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, to support the activities of the program and periodically review, and if appropriate, revise the scholarship and other stipends offered through the program;

(e) Review scholarship recipients' progress in the program and mentor students and veterinarians participating in the program; and

(f) Develop and participate in programs that provide initial practice support in collaboration with other interested professional organizations;

(h) 1 Give preference for approving communities for purposes of Section 37-113-77(2)(d) to communities located in areas designated by the American Veterinary Medical Association or the United States Department of Agriculture as veterinary shortage areas.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-181-11 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 181-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-181-11
Status: in_force

(1) To ensure that funds are spent appropriately, the State Department of Education shall adopt rules and policies necessary for the administration of the ESA program, including the auditing of Education Scholarship Accounts, and shall conduct or contract for random audits throughout the year.

(2)(a) The department shall develop a system for payment of benefits, including, but not limited to, allowing educational service providers to invoice the department for qualified expenses consistent with Section 37-181-5(2) , or allowing the parent or guardian who submitted the ESA program application to seek reimbursement for qualified expenses consistent with Section 37-181-5(2) .

(b) The department may make payments to educational service providers or reimbursement to the parent or guardian who submitted the ESA program application via check or warrant or electronic funds transfer or any other means of payment deemed to be commercially viable or cost-effective.

(c) The department may also establish by rule that some payments to educational service providers will be made on a quarterly basis, rather than an annual basis, if the educational services will be rendered over an extended period of time.

(3) The department shall adopt a process for removing educational service providers that defraud parents and for referring cases of fraud to law enforcement.

(4) The department shall establish or contract for the establishment of an online anonymous fraud reporting service.

(5) The department shall establish or contract for the establishment of an anonymous telephone hotline for fraud reporting.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-265 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 29-265
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-265
Status: in_force

The municipalities of Mississippi and the municipal separate school districts in Mississippi are hereby authorized and empowered to issue municipal bonds or municipal separate school district bonds to aid in procuring the establishment, location, and maintenance of junior colleges which have been or may hereafter be established. Said bonds shall be issued as provided by law. The proceeds of the sale of said bonds may be used for the purchase of lands, buildings or for erecting buildings, or in any way to aid in the establishment and maintenance of junior colleges.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 31-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-1
Status: in_force

The State of Mississippi hereby accepts all the provisions and benefits of an act passed by the senate and house of representatives of the United States of America, in congress assembled, entitled: “An act to provide for the promotion of vocational education; to provide for co-operation with the state in the promotion of such education in agriculture, trades and industries, home economics and distributive education; to provide for co-operation with the states in the preparation of teachers of vocational subjects, and to appropriate money and regulate its expenditure,” approved February 23, nineteen hundred seventeen, and known as the “Smith-Hughes Act.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-141-17 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 141-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-141-17
Status: in_force

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The annual report shall be submitted to the Governor and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee not later than July 1 of each year.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-169-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 169-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-169-1
Status: in_force

The Mississippi Autism Advisory Committee is created to study, make recommendations and develop a strategic plan on how best to educate and train students with autism or ASD to maximize their potential productivity with the workforce. The committee shall meet at least six (6) times annually, and shall develop an annual plan. The report and plan of the committee, which shall be due annually on July 1, to the Mississippi Legislature, shall detail the progress and problems in creating meaningful progress in the areas of mental health, education, medical and employment for individuals with autism or ASD and their families.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-151 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 13-151
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-151
Status: in_force

Before July 1, 1997, all local school districts shall provide programs of education in home economics, in Grade 10, 11 or 12, which include course work in responsible parenting and family living skills. These programs shall contain instruction to prepare students to understand children's physical, mental, emotional and social growth and development as well as to assume responsibility for their care and guidance, with emphasis on nutrition, emotional health and physical health. All such programs shall be subject to the approval of the State Board of Education pursuant to Section 37-31-205(1)(d) .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-3-4 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 3-4
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-3-4
Status: in_force

(1) There is established within the State Department of Education, the School Executive Management Institute. The director shall be appointed by the State Board of Education upon recommendation by the State Superintendent of Public Education. The State Superintendent of Public Education, with the approval of the State Board of Education, shall assign sufficient staff members from the State Department of Education to the institute.

(2) It shall be the purpose and duty of the institute to conduct thorough empirical studies and analyses of the school management needs of the local school districts throughout the state, to make recommendations to the State Board of Education regarding standards and programs of training that aid in the development of administrative and management skills of local school administrators, and to conduct such programs related to these purposes as they are implemented under guidelines established by the State Board of Education.

(3) The State Board of Education shall develop and implement through the School Executive Management Institute a program for the development of administrative and management skills of local school administrators under which all local school administrators employed by a school district shall be required to participate. Subject to the extent of appropriations available for such purpose, the School Executive Management Institute or the Mississippi School Boards Association shall be required to offer courses at least twice a year on the uses of technology to school district principals, superintendents and other administrative personnel. These courses shall relate to the application of technology to learning, as well as administrative problems.

(4)(a) The institute shall have an advisory board composed of ten (10) qualified members appointed by the State Board of Education after consultation with the State Superintendent of Public Education. This advisory board will offer recommendations to the institute on the types of training to be instituted and supported. The membership of the advisory board shall be composed of the following members, two (2) to be appointed from each congressional district: three (3) school administrators; one (1) representative of public community/junior colleges within the state; one (1) representative of a school of education in an institution of higher learning within the state; two (2) local school board members; one (1) classroom teacher; and two (2) laypersons. In making the initial appointments, three (3) members shall be appointed for a term of one (1) year, three (3) members shall be appointed for a term of two (2) years, two (2) members shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years, and two (2) members shall be appointed for a term of four (4) years. Thereafter, all members shall be appointed for a term of four (4) years. The advisory board shall meet when called by the director, but in no event fewer than three (3) times per year. The members of the advisory board shall be compensated at the per diem rate authorized by Section 25-3-69 and reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses as authorized by Section 25-3-41 .

(b) Board members of the Oxford-Lafayette Business and Industrial Complex shall be paid per diem and reimbursed for expenses and mileage from local funds in accordance with Section 37-6-13 .

(5)(a) Basic Education Course. The Mississippi School Boards Association shall be responsible for preparing and conducting a course of training for basic education for the local school board members of this state, in order for board members to carry out their duties more effectively and be exposed to new ideas involving school restructuring. The basic course shall be known as the “School Board Member Training Course” and shall consist of at least twelve (12) hours of training. The Mississippi School Boards Association shall issue certificates of completion to those school board members who complete the basic education course.

(b) Continuing Education Course. The Mississippi School Boards Association shall be responsible for preparing and conducting a course of training for continuing education for the local school board members of this state, in order for board members to carry out their duties more effectively and be exposed to new ideas involving school restructuring. The continuing education course shall be known as the “Continuing Education Course for School Board Members” and shall consist of at least six (6) hours of training.

(c) Additional Required Training. Effective July 1, 2009, local school board members and the local superintendent that serve in a district with one or more failing schools as determined by the Mississippi Board of Education accountability system as provided for in Section 37-17-6 , or serving in a school district that has a serious financial condition as determined by the State Auditor as provided for in Section 37-9-18 , shall annually attend additional training provided by the Mississippi School Boards Association.

The Mississippi School Boards Association shall, subject to appropriation, develop and conduct training specific to the local boards' role in improving learning outcomes and effective financial management. Such training shall be known as “Improving Student Outcomes and Academic Success” which shall consist of not less than six (6) hours of training and “Effective Financial Management In Local School Districts” which shall consist of not less than six (6) hours of training. Any local board members and the local superintendent that serve in a school district that meets the criteria for both of the training modules shall annually attend both training sessions for a total of not less than twelve (12) hours of training. At such time the school district is determined to no longer have failing schools; or no longer has a serious financial condition, such board member and the local superintendent shall no longer be required to attend the training as provided herein. The training as required under subsection (c) shall not replace, but is in addition to, the training required for new school board members and continuing board members as required under Section 37-7-306 .

The Mississippi School Boards Association shall issue certificates of completion to those school board members who complete the continuing education course. All costs and expenses for preparing and conducting the basic education course and the continuing education course provided for in this paragraph shall be paid out of any funds which are made available to the Mississippi School Boards Association upon authorization and appropriation by the Legislature to the State Department of Education.

(6) The Mississippi School Boards Association shall prepare and submit a report each year to the State Board of Education and to the respective Chairs of the House and Senate Education Committees describing the activities and providing an evaluation of the continuing education programs offered by the association each year.

(7) The School Executive Management Institute of the State Department of Education, or the Mississippi School Boards Association with the oversight of the State Board of Education, at least twice a year, shall prepare and conduct required courses of training for continuing education for the elementary and secondary school principals employed by the school districts of this state, in order for those principals to carry out their duties more effectively and be exposed to new ideas involving school management. The continuing education course shall be known as the “Continuing Education Course for Principals” and shall consist of at least six (6) hours of training. The content of the continuing education courses and the time and place such courses are to be conducted shall be determined by the School Executive Management Institute or the Mississippi School Boards Association; however, to the extent practicable, such training sessions shall be held within geographical proximity of local districts in order that travel times and costs shall not be prohibitive.

The institute shall issue certificates of completion to those principals who complete such courses. All costs and expenses for preparing and conducting the basic and continuing education courses provided for in this subsection shall be paid out of any funds which are made available to the institute upon authorization and appropriation by the Legislature.

(8) School district principals and other administrators with career level certifications at schools meeting the highest levels of accreditation standards, as defined by the State Board of Education, are exempt from the requirements of this section, subject to approval of the local school district superintendent.