Miss. Code Ann. § 37-148-9 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 148-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-148-9
Status: in_force

Before December 1 of each year, IHL shall file a report with the Governor, Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House of Representatives on the implementation of the Strengthening Mississippi Academic Research Through Business Act. For each research agreement where an investor was issued a SMART Business certificate during that year, the report must include, but not necessarily be limited to, the name of the investor and the rebate amount the investor was eligible to claim. For each SMART Business Accelerate Initiative disbursement certificate issued during that year, the report must include, but not necessarily be limited to, the name of the applicant, a description of the research validation and the amount of the disbursement.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 41-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-3
Status: in_force

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

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

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

Children enrolled in special or alternative programs approved by school boards may be provided transportation even though such children are not otherwise entitled to transportation under the provisions of this chapter. No additional funds shall be allocated or expended for such purpose, and such children shall not be included in transportation reports.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-104-9 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 104-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-104-9
Status: in_force

The purpose of the Authority shall be to assist private institutions of higher learning in the financing and refinancing of educational facility projects, and for this purpose the Authority is authorized and empowered:

(a) To adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of its affairs and business;

(b) To adopt an official seal and alter the same at its pleasure;

(c) To maintain an office at such place or places as it may designate;

(d) To sue and be sued in its own name;

(e) To borrow money for any of the purposes of this chapter, and to issue revenue bonds therefor, and to provide for the rights of the holders of such bonds, all as hereinafter more particularly provided;

(f) To enter into bond loan agreements with participating private institutions of higher learning;

(g) To receive and accept loans, grants, aid or contributions from any source of either money, property, labor or other things of value to be held, used and applied only for the purposes for which such loans, grants, aid and contributions are made, provided that the purposes of such loans, grants, aid and contributions are not in conflict with any of the provisions of this chapter;

(h) To charge to and apportion among participating private institutions of higher learning its administrative costs and expenses incurred in the exercise of the powers and duties conferred by this chapter;

(i) To do all things necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes of this chapter; and

(j) To physically inspect the educational facilities which are financed or refinanced under the provisions of this chapter, in order to determine whether the participating private institutions of higher learning, or any of their voluntary grantees, are using the educational facilities, or any parts thereof, for sectarian instruction or as places of religious worship or in connection with any parts of the programs of schools or departments of divinity of any religious denominations or sects.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-107 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 23-107
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-107
Status: in_force

All funds provided for in Sections 37-23-91 through 37-23-111 shall be kept in a separate fund and shall be used exclusively for the construction, operation, furnishings and maintenance of any such center so established. Any funds accumulated which are not used in any fiscal year shall remain in said separate fund for that use in the succeeding year or years. Such funds shall be expended upon order of the county board of education, and by warrant issued by the county superintendent of education.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-106-81 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 106-81
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-106-81
Status: in_force

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

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

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

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

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

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

(e) “ Eligible student ” means:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(d) Restrict any approved postsecondary educational institution, the Mississippi Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board, or the Department of Child Protection Services from accessing other sources of financial assistance, except loans, that may be available to an eligible student.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 175-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-1
Status: in_force

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

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

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

(c) “ Speech-language impairment ,” as defined under IDEA, means a communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment or a voice impairment, that adversely affects a child's educational performance, which include:

(i) Articulation disorders: difficulties producing sounds in syllables or saying words incorrectly to the point that listeners cannot understand what is being said;

(ii) Fluency disorders: problems in which the flow of speech is interrupted by abnormal stoppages, repetitions, prolonged sounds and syllables or avoided, and where there may be silent blocks or inappropriate inhalation, exhalation or phonation patterns;

(iii) Resonance or voice disorders: problems with abnormal pitch, volume, resonance or quality of the voice, which may also cause pain or discomfort when speaking;

(iv) Receptive language disorders: difficulties understanding or processing language; and

(v) Expressive language disorders: difficulty putting words together, limited vocabulary or inability to use language in a socially appropriate manner.

(d) “ Speech-language therapy ” means an appropriate specialized speech-language instructional program that is delivered by a speech-language pathologist which is scientific and research-based. These components shall be taught using instructional approaches that include explicit, direct instruction which is systematic, sequential and cumulative, individualized to meet the specific learning needs of each individual student.

(e) “ Speech-language pathologist ” means a professional who has met the requirements and acquired a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, or who has completed training in a department approved American Speech-Language-Hearing Association based speech-language pathology training program attaining a AA license in speech-language pathology.

(f) “ Mississippi Speech-Language Therapy Scholarship for Students with Speech-Language Impairments Program ” means a scholarship to provide the option to provide a scholarship to a nonpublic school of choice, for students in kindergarten through Grade 6 or its equivalent with an eligibility ruling of a speech-language impairment in order to receive comprehensive multimodality speech-language therapy delivered by holders of an appropriate license and clinical certification in speech-language pathology issued by the department and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

(g) “ School ” means any state accredited nonpublic special purpose school that is organized to provide and emphasizes instruction in speech-language therapy and intervention as the primary purpose of the school and provides a specific learning environment that provides comprehensive speech-language therapy instruction delivered by speech-language pathologists licensed by the department providing highly qualified education and intervention services to children with a primary eligibility ruling of speech-language impairment.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-103 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 23-103
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-103
Status: in_force

The board of supervisors of any such county is hereby authorized, in its discretion, to levy an ad valorem tax on all taxable property within the county not to exceed two mills, the avails of which shall be used for the construction, operation, furnishings and maintenance of any such center so established. The tax levy herein authorized shall not be reimbursable under the homestead exemption laws of this state.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-59-115 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 59-115
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-59-115
Status: in_force

The indebtedness incurred under the authority of this article shall not be included in computing the statutory limitation upon the indebtedness which may be incurred by school districts as provided in Article 1 of this chapter, or any other statute, but shall be in addition thereto. The only limitation upon the amount of indebtedness which may be incurred under the provisions of this article shall be that provided in Section 37-59-107 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-11 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 145-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-11
Status: in_force

The board of trustees shall serve as the direct lender of the non-subsidized student loans authorized under this chapter and in such capacity shall:

(a) Accept and review each loan application;

(b) Determine the applicant's eligibility and continued eligibility;

(c) Collect any balance which may become due as a result of default on any loan, for which purpose the board of trustees shall have all the same authority as they have for the guaranteed student loan program; and

(d) Provide by rule for:

(i) A mechanism for informing students of the availability of the loans;

(ii) The creation of all applications, forms, promissory notes and other instruments necessary for the administration of the program; and

(iii) Any other items necessary for the administration of the program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-106-64 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 106-64
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-106-64
Status: repealed

(1) There is established the “Skilled Nursing Home and Hospital Nurses Retention Loan Repayment Program” for nursing graduates to be administered by the Mississippi Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board.

(2) Subject to the availability of funds, an eligible applicant for an initial award must have:

(a) Legal residency in the State of Mississippi;

(b) Gained employment as a full-time licensed practical nurse or licensed registered nurse at a skilled nursing home in the State of Mississippi or a general acute care hospital in the State of Mississippi that is licensed by the Mississippi State Department of Health;

(c) A current relevant Mississippi professional license; and

(d) Outstanding qualifying educational loans, received at any point during the recipients postsecondary education career, which may include the principal, interest and related expenses such as the required interest premium on the unpaid balances of government and commercial loans obtained by the recipient for educational expense.

(3) Persons who have received funds from state-forgivable loan programs established under Mississippi law, or who are in default or delinquent on any federal, state, local or commercial qualifying educational loan, shall not be eligible for this program.

(4) Recipients in the program shall be selected on a first-come, first-served basis from all eligible applicants. The Mississippi Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board shall renew eligible applicants approved in prior years only if the renewal applicant continues to meet the standards set forth in this section, and the renewal applicant has not received full funding provided by this subsection (4).

(5) Awards for recipients who are employed at a skilled nursing home or a licensed general acute care hospital in the state may be a maximum of Six Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00) for each year of employment up to three (3) years.

(6) A recipient shall not be penalized for ending employment at a skilled nursing home or a licensed general acute care hospital in the State of Mississippi if the recipient begins working for another skilled nursing home or licensed general acute care hospital in the State of Mississippi during the year on which the award is based.

(7) Awards shall be granted on a year-to-year basis, and recipients have no obligation to seek a subsequent award.

(8) Awards shall be paid annually, after the expiration of the year of employment for which the award was granted, to the recipient's lender or loan service provider, to be applied to the outstanding balance. Monies paid by the recipient or on the recipient's behalf toward qualifying educational loans before payment of the award shall not be eligible for reimbursement through the program.

(9) During the employment year for which the award is granted, a recipient shall at all times keep the State Financial Aid Board informed of any changes to the recipient's current, correct and complete employment information and status.

(10) Recipients, who fail to maintain a relevant Mississippi professional license or fail to fulfill the year of employment on which the award was based, forfeit any right to the award.

(11) The Mississippi Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board, in collaboration with the State Board of Nursing and any other applicable state agency as determined by the Mississippi Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board, shall attempt to track award recipients under this program through their third employment year, unless the recipient leaves employment at a skilled nursing home or a licensed general acute care hospital in the state at an earlier date. Data collected shall include each recipients' place of employment and any other pertinent information necessary to determine the efficacy of the program in retaining nurses in skilled nursing homes or licensed general acute care hospitals in the State of Mississippi.

(12) The Mississippi Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board shall promulgate regulations necessary for the proper administration of this section, including setting a fiscal year policy for the program and application dates and deadlines.

(13) This section shall stand repealed on July 1, 2027.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-267 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 29-267
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-267
Status: in_force

Any municipality, county or counties, acting alone or jointly with other counties or municipalities, which have organized or shall hereafter organize a junior college under the provisions of Sections 37-29-1 through 37-29-273 , shall be authorized to purchase lands or buildings for such college for cash or upon the installment plan. The deferred balance shall not bear interest in excess of that allowed for tax anticipation notes in Section 75-17-105, Mississippi Code of 1972 , and any deferred balance may be secured by a vendor's lien or by promissory notes and a deed of trust to be executed by the designated representative of the trustees of the junior college district. Title to such property shall be taken in the name of the trustees of such junior college district and their successors in office.

The board of supervisors of such county or counties, or in the case of a multiple county district the county or location acting alone or with one or more of the other counties, and the mayor and board of aldermen or other governing authority of such municipalities, are hereby authorized to levy annually a sufficient ad valorem tax to pay the down payment or yearly installments provided in the deed or deed of trust, or may use the three (3) mills provided in subsection (2) of Section 37-29-141 , allowed for enlargement and improvements.

At the time of the purchase of said lands or buildings there shall be entered on the minutes of the board of supervisors of each county or board of aldermen or other governing authority of each municipality participating, an order specifying the amount to be paid for such property and providing for the annual installments, and obligating the governing authorities of such county, counties, or municipalities to levy annually a sufficient ad valorem tax to pay such installment. The funds collected by such tax levy shall be paid into the hands of the county superintendent of the county in which such junior college is located, and disbursed by him as said installments become due.

In the event there is, at the time of the purchase of said property, an indebtedness due secured by a lien on such property, then the board of trustees of such junior college district shall have the authority to assume such indebtedness and pay same as a part of the purchase price of said property.

The junior college district shall have the privilege of prepaying all or a portion of the deferred balance at any time without penalty, and for this purpose may use any appropriate available funds.

Unneeded land or buildings or facilities located on property so acquired may be leased, or the buildings may be sold and removed.

By the authority given in this section for the home county of a junior college district to purchase land for junior college purposes, such indebtedness incurred or funds expended cannot become a binding obligation on other counties in the junior college district unless the boards of supervisors of such counties expressly consent thereto.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-77 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 31-77
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-77
Status: in_force

It is expressly provided that any payment from the funds of one (1) governmental authority into the funds of any other governmental authority made in compliance with provisions of Sections 37-31-71 through 37-31-79 , shall not be charged against homestead exemption reimbursements under the provisions of Section 27-33-41, Mississippi Code of 1972, or any other similar statute.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-27 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 115-27
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-27
Status: in_force

The medical school and teaching hospital shall be built and equipped together, in connection with each other, or as nearly together or connected as may promote the most efficient operation of both of them in proper coordination one with the other. The medical school and teaching hospital shall be located and built upon part of the lands owned by the State of Mississippi in or near the City of Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi, and commonly known as the old asylum lands, to be selected by the State Building Commission. The medical school and teaching hospital may have other locations as determined to be reasonable and necessary by the University of Mississippi Medical Center. All University of Mississippi Medical Center locations shall provide in the aggregate not less than fifty percent (50%) of their services to indigent persons including qualified beneficiaries of the State Medicaid Program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-59-22 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 59-22
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-59-22
Status: in_force

Whenever a school district lies in two (2) or more counties of the State of Mississippi before any money shall be borrowed under the provisions of this chapter, the school board of the school district shall adopt a resolution declaring the necessity for borrowing such money, declaring its intention to borrow such money and to issue the negotiable bonds of the school district as evidence of same, specifying the approximate amount to be so borrowed, and how such indebtedness is to be evidenced. Such resolution shall also set forth the nature and approximate cost of the alterations, additions and repairs to be made, and shall declare in said resolution that no funds are available in the school funds of the district or from any other source with which to make such repairs, alterations, additions, purchases, erections or improvements.

Whenever a resolution is adopted by the school board as provided in this paragraph, or a petition signed by not less than ten percent (10%) of the qualified electors of a school district, fixing the maximum amount of such school bonds and the purpose or purposes for which they are to be issued, the school board shall adopt a resolution calling an election to be held within such school district for the purpose of submitting to the qualified electors thereof the question of the issuance of bonds in the amount and for the purpose or purposes as set forth in such resolution or petition. The resolution calling such election shall designate the date upon which the election shall be held and the place or places within such district at which such election shall be held, which place or places may or may not be the schoolhouse or schoolhouses in such district.

The board of supervisors of the county which authorizes the issuance of the bonds shall annually levy upon all the taxable property within such district, without regard to county lines, a special tax, which shall be sufficient to provide for the payment of the principal of and interest on such bonds according to the terms thereof. Such board shall annually certify to the board of supervisors of the other county or counties in which a portion of the district is situated, the rate of taxation so fixed, and it shall be the duty of such other board or boards to cause such rate of taxation to be levied upon all the taxable property within the boundaries of such district situated within their respective counties. The taxes shall be collected and deposited as other taxes are collected and deposited in such county or counties, and the board of supervisors thereof shall thereupon cause such taxes to be remitted to the county depository for the county in which the bonds were issued.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-203 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 7-203
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-203
Status: in_force

(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (3), (4) and (5) of this section, the boards of trustees of all municipal separate school districts created under this chapter, either with or without added territory, shall consist of five (5) members, each to be chosen for a term of five (5) years, but so chosen that the term of office of one (1) member shall expire each year. In the event the added territory of a municipal separate school district furnishes fifteen percent (15%) or more of the pupils enrolled in the schools of such district, then at least one (1) member of the board of trustees of such school district shall be a resident of the added territory outside the corporate limits. In the event the added territory of a municipal separate school district furnishes thirty percent (30%) or more of the pupils enrolled in the schools of such district, then not more than two (2) members of the board of trustees of such school district shall be residents of the added territory outside the corporate limits. In the event the added territory of a municipal separate school district in a county in which Mississippi Highways 8 and 15 intersect furnishes thirty percent (30%) or more of the pupils enrolled in the schools of such district, then the five (5) members of the board of trustees of such school district shall be elected at large from such school district for a term of five (5) years each except that the two (2) elected trustees presently serving on such board shall continue to serve for their respective terms of office. The three (3) appointed trustees presently serving on such board shall continue to serve until their successors are elected in March of 1975 in the manner provided for in Section 37-7-215 . At such election, one (1) trustee shall be elected for a term of two (2) years, one (1) for a term of three (3) years and one (1) for a term of five (5) years. Subsequent terms for each successor trustee shall be for five (5) years. In the event one (1) of two (2) municipal separate school districts located in any county with two (2) judicial districts, District 1 being comprised of Supervisors Districts 1, 2, 4 and 5, and District 2 being comprised of Supervisors District 3, with added territory embraces three (3) full supervisors districts of a county, one (1) trustee shall be elected from each of the three (3) supervisors districts outside the corporate limits of the municipality. In the further event that the territory of a municipal separate school district located in any county with two (2) judicial districts, District 1 being comprised of Supervisors Districts 1, 2, 4 and 5, and District 2 being comprised of Supervisors District 3, with added territory embraces four (4) full supervisors districts in the county, and in any county in which a municipal separate school district embraces the entire county in which Highways 14 and 15 intersect, one (1) trustee shall be elected from each supervisors district.

Except as otherwise provided herein, the trustees of such a municipal separate school district shall be elected by a majority of the governing authorities of the municipality at the first meeting of the governing authorities held in the month of February of each year, and the term of office of the member so elected shall commence on the first Saturday of March following. In the case of a member of the board of trustees who is required to come from the added territory outside the corporate limits as is above provided, such member of the board of trustees shall be elected by the qualified electors of the school district residing in such added territory outside the corporate limits at the same time and in the same manner as is otherwise provided in this article for the election of trustees of school districts other than municipal separate school districts.

In the event that a portion of a county school district is reconstituted, in the manner provided by law, into a municipal separate school district with added territory and in the event that the trustees to be elected from the added territory are requested to be elected from separate election districts within the added territory, instead of elected at large, by the Attorney General of the United States as a result of and pursuant to preclearance under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended, and in the event the added territory of a municipal separate school district of a municipality furnishes thirty percent (30%) or more of the pupils enrolled in the schools of such district, then two (2) members of the board of trustees shall be residents of the added territory outside the corporate limits of such municipality and shall be elected from special trustee election districts by the qualified electors thereof as herein provided. The board of trustees of the school district shall apportion the added territory into two (2) special trustee election districts as nearly as possible according to population and other factors heretofore pronounced by the courts. The board of trustees of the school district shall thereafter publish the same in a newspaper of general circulation within that school district for at least two (2) consecutive weeks; and after having given notice of publication and recording the same upon the minutes of the board of trustees of the school district, the new district lines shall thereafter be effective. Any person elected from the new trustee election districts constituted herein shall be elected in the manner provided for in Section 37-7-215 for a term of five (5) years. Any vacancy in the office of a trustee elected from such trustee election district, whether occasioned by redistricting or by other cause, shall be filled by appointment of the governing authorities of the municipality, provided that the person so appointed shall serve only until the next general election following his appointment, at which time a person shall be elected for the remainder of the unexpired term in the manner provided in Section 37-7-215 .

In any county organizing a countywide municipal separate school district after January 1, 1965, the trustees thereof to be elected from outside the municipality, such trustees shall be elected by the board of supervisors of such county, and the superintendent of such school district shall have authority to pay out and distribute the funds of the district. In the event a municipal separate school district should occupy territory in a county other than that in which the municipality is located and fifteen percent (15%) or more of the pupils enrolled in the schools of such district shall come from the territory of the district in the county other than that in which the municipality is located, the territory of such county in which the municipality is not located shall be entitled to one (1) member on the board of trustees of such school district. The trustee shall be a resident of the territory of that part of the district lying in the county in which the municipality is not located and shall be elected by the qualified electors of the territory of such county at the same time and in the same manner as is provided for the election of trustees of school districts other than municipal separate school districts having territory in two (2) or more counties.

All vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired terms by appointment of the governing authorities of the municipality; except that in the case of the trustees coming from the added territory outside the corporate limits, the person so appointed shall serve only until the next general election following his appointment, at which time a person shall be elected for the remainder of the unexpired term in the manner otherwise provided herein.

No person who is a member of such governing body, or who is an employee of the municipality, or who is a member of the county board of education, or who is a trustee of any public, private or sectarian school or college located in the county, inclusive of the municipal separate school district, or who is a teacher in or a trustee of the school district, shall be eligible for appointment to the board of trustees.

(2) In counties of less than fifteen thousand (15,000) people having a municipal separate school district with added territory which embraces all the territory of a county, one or more trustees of the school district shall be nominated from each supervisors district upon petition of fifty (50) qualified electors of that supervisors district, or twenty percent (20%) of the qualified electors of such district, whichever number shall be smaller. One (1) trustee must be elected from each supervisors district of the county. In such counties embraced entirely by a municipal separate school district, there shall be no county board of education after the formation of such district, and the county superintendent of education shall act as superintendent of schools of the district and shall be appointed by the board of trustees of that district, and the provisions of subsection (1) of this section and the first paragraph of Section 37-7-211 shall not apply to such districts.

(3) In municipalities designated as having a mayor-council form of government under Chapter 8, Title 21, Mississippi Code of 1972 , and having a population in excess of one hundred thousand (100,000) according to the 2000 federal decennial census, the boards of trustees of the municipal separate school district located in the municipality may, if authorized by ordinance of the municipal governing authority, consist of seven (7) members residing in each of the seven (7) wards in the municipality, to be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the city council as follows: (a) each board member shall reside in the ward from which he is appointed; (b) members serving on March 31, 2010, shall continue to serve until a new term commences and new members shall be selected from wards not currently represented on the board; (c) one (1) of the two (2) additional appointments shall serve a term of five (5) years and one (1) for a term of four (4) years, with all subsequent appointments for a five-year term; and (d) each new appointment shall be made by the mayor and confirmed by the city council of the municipality at the first meeting of the governing authorities held in the month of June following March 31, 2010, and thereafter each year, and the term of office of each member so selected shall commence on the first Saturday of July following.

(4)(a) Beginning in 2017, in any municipal separate school district that is traversed by the Escatawpa River and in which Interstate Highway 10 and Mississippi Highway 63 intersect, the board of trustees of the municipal separate school district shall consist of five (5) members, each to be elected for a term of four (4) years in the manner provided in this subsection. Within forty-five (45) days after July 1, 2017, the municipal governing authority shall apportion the municipal separate school district, including any added territory outside the corporate limits, into five (5) special trustee election districts as nearly equal as possible according to population, incumbency and other factors pronounced by the courts before August 8, 2017. The municipal governing authority shall place upon its minutes the boundaries determined for the new five (5) trustee election districts and shall publish the same in a newspaper of general circulation within the school district for at least three (3) consecutive weeks. After having given notice of publication and recording the same upon the minutes of the municipal governing authority, the new district lines shall be effective.

(b) On the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2017, and every four (4) years thereafter, an election shall be held in the municipal separate school district for local school board members from trustee election districts 1, 3 and 5 in the same manner and at the same time as the general municipal election is held and conducted, for the purpose of electing the board of trustees of the municipal separate school district. All members of the board of trustees elected pursuant to this paragraph (b) shall take office on the first Monday of January immediately following the date of their election. However, in order to provide for an orderly transition, the term of each member of the board of trustees serving on July 1, 2017, which otherwise would expire after the first Monday in July 2018, shall expire on the first Monday of January 2018. If no individual qualifies for the elective office of school district trustee, the trustee for that specific trustee district shall be filled by appointment of the municipal governing authority; however, the person so appointed to fill the vacancy may serve only until the first Monday in January 2019, at which time the trustee elected pursuant to this subsection shall take office for the remainder of the unexpired initial term.

From and after January 1, 2018, any vacancy on the board of trustees shall be filled by appointment by the remaining members of the board of trustees within sixty (60) days after the vacancy occurs. The appointee must be selected from the qualified electors of the trustee election district in which the vacancy occurs. The appointee shall serve until the first Monday of January succeeding the next general municipal election, at which election a member from that trustee election district shall be elected for a full term.

(c) On the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2018, and every four (4) years thereafter, an election shall be held in the municipal separate school district for local school board members from trustee election districts 2 and 4 in the same manner and at the same time as the Congressional mid-term election is held and conducted, for the purpose of electing the board of trustees of the municipal separate school district. All members of the board of trustees elected pursuant to this paragraph (c) shall take office on the first Monday of January immediately following the date of their election. However, in order to provide for an orderly transition, the term of each member of the board of trustees serving on July 1, 2018, which otherwise would expire after the first Monday in July 2018, shall expire on the first Monday of January 2019. If no individual qualifies for the elective office of school district trustee, the trustee for that specific trustee district shall be filled by appointment of the municipal governing authority; however, the person so appointed to fill the vacancy may serve only until the first Monday in January 2020, at which time the trustee elected pursuant to this subsection shall take office for the remainder of the unexpired initial term.

From and after July 1, 2020, any vacancy on the board of trustees shall be filled by appointment by the remaining members of the board of trustees within sixty (60) days after the vacancy occurs. The appointee must be selected from the qualified electors of the trustee election district in which the vacancy occurs. The appointee shall serve until the first Monday of July succeeding the next general municipal election, at which election a member from that trustee election district shall be elected for a full term.

(5)(a) Beginning in 2024, in any municipal separate school district in which Interstate Highway 20 and Mississippi Highway 15 intersect, the board of trustees of the municipal separate school district shall consist of five (5) members, each to be elected for a term of four (4) years in the manner provided in this subsection. Within forty-five (45) days after July 1, 2024, the municipal governing authority shall apportion the municipal separate school district, including any added territory outside the corporate limits, into five (5) special trustee election districts as nearly equal as possible according to population, incumbency and other factors pronounced by the courts before January 1, 2024. The municipal governing authority shall place upon its minutes the boundaries determined for the new five (5) trustee election districts and shall publish the same in a newspaper of general circulation within the school district for at least three (3) consecutive weeks. After having given notice of publication and recording the same upon the minutes of the municipal governing authority, the new district lines shall be effective. Candidates for such positions shall file the intent to be a candidate not later than 5:00 p.m. on September 1, 2024, and shall qualify as otherwise provided by law.

(b) On the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2024, an election shall be held in the municipal separate school district for local school board members in the same manner and at the same time as the presidential election is held and conducted, for the purpose of electing the board of trustees of the municipal separate school district. All members of the board of trustees elected pursuant to this paragraph (b) shall take office on the first Monday of January immediately following the date of their election, and may serve until the first Monday in January 2028, at which time the trustee elected pursuant to paragraph (c) of this subsection shall take office. If no individual qualifies for the elective office of school district trustee, the trustee for that specific trustee district shall be filled by appointment of the municipal governing authority; however, the person so appointed to fill the vacancy may serve only until the first Monday in January 2028, at which time the trustee elected pursuant to paragraph (c) of this subsection shall take office.

From and after January 1, 2028, any vacancy on the board of trustees shall be filled by appointment by the remaining members of the board of trustees within sixty (60) days after the vacancy occurs. The appointee must be selected from the qualified electors of the trustee election district in which the vacancy occurs. The appointee shall serve until the first Monday of January succeeding the next general election, at which election a member from that trustee election district shall be elected for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(c) On the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2027, and every four (4) years thereafter, an election shall be held in the municipal separate school district for local school board members in the same manner and at the same time as the general elections are held and conducted in accordance with Section 23-15-193 , for the purpose of electing the board of trustees of the municipal separate school district. All members of the board of trustees elected pursuant to this paragraph (c) shall take office on the first Monday of January immediately following the date of their election.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-79 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 9-79
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-79
Status: in_force

(1) Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, the assignment of K-12 Professional School Counselors to the particular schools within the district shall be at the discretion of the local school board with the following restrictions:

(a) No individual shall be employed as a professional school counselor without a minimum of a Master's Degree in Guidance and Counseling, or in an emergency situation, an appropriate certification as determined by the Commission on Teacher and Administrator Education, Certification and Licensure and Development; and

(b) Professional school counselors shall provide the following comprehensive counseling services:

(i) Academic and personal/social counseling;

(ii) Use multiple student data sources to help students make informed academic and career choices;

(iii) Career and educational counseling;

(iv) Individual and group counseling (large/small);

(v) Crisis intervention and preventive counseling;

(vi) Referrals to community agencies;

(vii) Educational consultations and collaboration with teachers, administrators, parents and community leaders;

(viii) Educational and career placement services;

(ix) Follow-up counseling services;

(x) Conflict resolution; and

(xi) Professional school counselors must spend a minimum of eighty percent (80%) of their contractual time to the delivery of services to students as outlined by the American School Counselor Association. Delivery of services is the direct service provided to students, parents, school staff and the community which are interaction between professional school counselors and students. These direct services may include the delivery of the following:

1. School counseling core curriculum: This curriculum is designed to help students attain the desired competencies and to provide all students with the knowledge, attitudes and skills appropriate for their developmental level. The school counseling core curriculum is delivered throughout the school's overall curriculum and may be presented by professional school counselors in collaboration with other professional educators and other resources. Collaborative efforts may be implemented to enhance the services provided.

2. Individual student planning: Professional school counselors coordinate ongoing systemic activities or individual/group sessions designed to assist students in establishing personal/social goals and developing future career plans.

3. Responsive services: Responsive services are designed to meet students' immediate needs and concerns in regard to social/personal issues. Responsive services may include counseling in individual, small-group settings, or crisis responses.

4. Indirect Student Services: Indirect services are provided on behalf of students as a result of the school counselors' interactions with others including referrals for additional assistance, consultation and collaboration with parents, teachers, other educators and community organizations.

(2) Professional school counselors shall abide by the American School Counselor Association Code of Ethics.

(3) The State Department of Education may adopt regulations regarding the activities of the professional school counselor as are not inconsistent with this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-138-25 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 138-25
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-138-25
Status: in_force

(1) The commission is authorized to assess and collect fees for the issuance and annual renewal of certificates for management planner, project designer, air monitor, contractor, supervisor, inspector and worker pursuant to Sections 37-138-11 through 37-138-21 in amounts sufficient to fully administer this chapter. The fees assessed pursuant to this section are conditions precedent to the issuance and renewal of the certificates set forth in Sections 37-138-11 through 37-138-21 .

(2) There is hereby established a special revenue fund to be known as the Asbestos Abatement Accreditation and Certification Act Fund (the fund) to be deposited in an approved state depository and expended by appropriation approval by the Legislature for the administration of this chapter as provided by law. The interest obtained from any investment or deposit of monies in the fund shall be deposited by the State Treasurer to such fund. Furthermore, all monies collected as fees for certificates provided by this chapter shall, not later than sixty (60) days next succeeding the month in which collections were made, be paid over to the fund.

(3) If the total of monies deposited into the fund exceeds the appropriation by the Legislature for the administration of this chapter, the monies shall be retained in the depository for the fund to be expended by appropriation approval by the Legislature for the administration of this chapter as provided by law in the next succeeding fiscal year.

(4) The commission shall have authority to promulgate rules and regulations for the administration of and expenditures from the fund.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-43 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 115-43
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-43
Status: in_force

(1) The University of Mississippi Medical Center, in collaboration with the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services and the Office of the Attorney General, is authorized and empowered to establish a Center of Excellence (Center) to provide care for abused and neglected children at the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children located in Jackson, Mississippi, where suspected victims of child maltreatment referred by the Department of Child Protection Services or law enforcement will receive comprehensive physical examinations conducted by medical professionals who specialize in child maltreatment. The University of Mississippi Medical Center shall promulgate such policies as may be necessary and desirable to carry out the programs of the Center. The Center shall serve as a resource for the assessment, investigation and prosecution of child maltreatment. The Center shall work in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General, the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services, and other such state agencies and entities that provide services to children to ensure that CARE Clinic services are provided in a uniform fashion throughout the state.

(2) The Department of Pediatrics may use the Center for educational and outreach programs, telemedicine consultations, to develop satellite clinics in other locations in the state in cooperation with the local community or private hospital when applicable, and to conduct major research initiatives in child maltreatment.

(3) The Center of Excellence shall provide services to maltreated children and comply with national certification standards as necessary to provide services to the Department of Child Protection Services, the youth courts, state child advocacy centers, district attorney's offices and law enforcement agencies.

(4) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the Children's Safe Center Fund. The University of Mississippi Medical Center shall expend funds pursuant to appropriation therefor by the Legislature for the support and maintenance of the Children's Safe Center. The University of Mississippi Medical Center is authorized to accept any and all grants, donations or matching funds from private, public or federal sources in order to add to, improve and enlarge the physical facilities of the Center and to expend any such funds for the support and maintenance of the Center. Assessments from Section 99-19-73 designated for the Children's Safe Center Fund shall be deposited into the fund. Monies remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned from the investment of monies in the fund shall be deposited to the credit of the fund.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-149-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 149-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-149-3
Status: in_force

(1) The center shall place a priority on its function as a teacher recruitment center. In addition to its other duties, it shall publicize the importance of the teaching profession, operate a teacher placement service, and create and manage a teacher renewal institute.

(2) The center shall be authorized to phase into operation its designated functions. Full operation of all the functions of the center shall be in place and operating by July 1, 1996.

(3) The center shall develop in-service training materials and shall provide for the establishment of a corps of trainers.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-17 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 16-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-17
Status: in_force

(1) Purpose.(a) The purpose of this section is to create a quality option in Mississippi's high schools for students not wishing to pursue a baccalaureate degree, which shall consist of challenging academic courses and modern career-technical studies. The goal for students pursuing the career technical education pathways is to graduate from high school with a standard diploma and credit toward a community college certification in a career-technical field. These students also shall be encouraged to take the national assessment in the career-technical field in which they become certified.

(b) The State Board of Education shall develop and adopt course and curriculum requirements for career technical education pathways offered by local public school boards in accordance with this section. The Mississippi Community College Board and the State Board of Education jointly shall determine course and curriculum requirements for the career technical education pathways. The State Board of Education shall require school districts to provide notice to all incoming middle school students and junior high students of the career technical education pathways offered by local school boards. Such notice shall include the career technical education pathways available, the course requirements of each pathway, how to enroll in the pathway and any other necessary information as determined by the State Board of Education.

(2) Career technical education pathway; description; curriculum.(a) A career technical education pathway shall provide a student with greater technical skill and a strong academic core and shall be offered to each high school student enrolled in a public school district. The career technical education pathway shall be linked to postsecondary options and shall prepare students to pursue either a degree or certification from a postsecondary institution, an industry-based training or certification, an apprenticeship, the military, or immediate entrance into a career field. The career technical education pathway shall provide students with alternatives to entrance into a four-year university or college after high school graduation.

(b) Students pursuing a career technical education pathway shall be afforded the opportunity to dually enroll in a community or technical college or to participate in a business internship or work-study program, when such opportunities are available and appropriate.

(c) Each public school district shall offer a career technical education pathway approved by the State Board of Education.

(d) Students in a career technical education pathway shall complete an academic core of courses and a career and technical sequence of courses.

(e) Students pursuing a career technical education pathway must complete the twenty-four (24) course unit requirements for a regular high school diploma, which may include, but not be limited to the following course content:

(i) English I;

(ii) English II;

(iii) Technical writing;

(iv) Computer programming;

(v) Algebra I;

(vi) Personal Finance;

(vii) Advanced technical mathematics;

(viii) Computer Science;

(ix) Biology;

(x) Earth and Space Science;

(xi) U.S. History;

(xii) Mississippi Studies/U.S. Government;

(xiii) Health;

(xiv) Physical Education;

(xv) Soft skills, which include, but are not limited to, communication ability, language skills, time management, teamwork and leadership traits;

(xvi) Career technical education pathway courses; and

(xvii) Integrated technology.

Academic courses within the career technical education pathway of the standard diploma shall provide the knowledge and skill necessary for proficiency on the state subject area tests.

(f) The courses provided in paragraph (e) of this subsection may be tailored to the individual needs of the school district as long as the amendments align with the basic course requirements of paragraph (e).

(3) Nothing in this section shall disallow the development of a dual enrollment program with a technical college so long as an individual school district, with approval from the State Department of Education, agrees to implement such a program in connection with a technical college and the agreement is also approved by the proprietary school's commission.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / 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. § 37-33-11 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 33-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-11
Status: in_force

Sections 37-33-11 through 37-33-35 shall be known as the “Vocational Rehabilitation Law of Mississippi.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-26-11 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 26-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-26-11
Status: in_force

(1) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the Children's Advocacy Centers Fund, which shall be administered by the Office of the Attorney General. The purpose of the fund shall be for training forensic interviewers in child abuse and child sexual abuse cases, training law enforcement officers and prosecutors about child abuse cases, expanding the number of Children's Advocacy Centers of Mississippi to underserved areas, and other related purposes. Monies in the fund shall be expended by the Attorney General, upon appropriation by the Legislature. The fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal-year limitations, and shall consist of:

(a) Monies appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of funding the Children's Advocacy Centers of Mississippi;

(b) The interest accruing to the fund;

(c) Monies received under the provisions of Section 99-19-73 ;

(d) Monies received from the federal government;

(e) Donations; and

(f) Monies received from such other sources as may be provided by law.

(2) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the Mississippi Foster Care Fund, which shall be administered by the Administrative Office of Courts. The purpose of the fund shall be for supporting the services directly provided to foster families and foster children by programs, persons or entities pursuant to contracts and grants that comply with Mississippi law, and for other related purposes. Monies in the fund shall be expended by the office, upon appropriation by the Legislature, only for the purposes stated in this subsection, and only in such amounts as then exist in the fund. The fund shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal-year limitations, and shall consist of:

(a) Monies appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of funding the Mississippi Foster Care Fund;

(b) The interest accruing to the fund;

(c) Monies received under the provisions of Section 99-19-73 for the Mississippi Foster Care Fund, ninety percent (90%) of which shall be used directly for supporting the services directly provided to foster families and foster children by programs, persons or entities pursuant to contracts and grants that comply with Mississippi law, and no more than ten percent (10%) of which shall be used for administrative purposes;

(d) Monies received from the federal government;

(e) Donations; and

(f) Monies received from such other sources as may be provided by law.

(3) From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of the Children's Advocacy Centers Fund Program shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law and as determined by the State Fiscal Officer.

(4) From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-109-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 109-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-109-5
Status: in_force

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meaning ascribed in this section, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

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

(b) “ Student ” means a high school student in a public school or charter school program in Mississippi.

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

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

(e) “ Dual enrolled student ” means a student who is enrolled in a community or junior college or state institution of higher learning while enrolled in high school, as defined in Section 37-15-37(1)(a) .

(f) “ Dual credit student ” means a student who is enrolled in a community or junior college or state institution of higher learning while enrolled in high school and who is receiving high school and college credit for postsecondary coursework, as defined in Section 37-15-38(1)(b) .

(g) “ Manual ” means the procedures manual for the State of Mississippi Dual Enrollment and Accelerated Programs of which the contents of the manual are evaluated and approved by the academic officers of both the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges and the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning.

(h) “ Program ” means the Mississippi Dual Enrollment/Dual Credit Scholarship Program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-559 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 29-559
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-559
Status: in_force

The President and the Board of Trustees of the Coahoma Community College District shall have the powers to do all things necessary for the successful operation of the district and the campuses located therein.

The college of the district shall be under the direction of the board of trustees and the president. The board of trustees shall, by resolution or order, provide for the government, maintenance and operation of the campus of the district.

The President and the Board of Trustees of the Coahoma Community College District shall have the same powers as the presidents and trustees of other community colleges in the State of Mississippi.

The delineation and enumeration of the powers and purposes set out in Sections 37-29-551 through 37-29-569 shall be deemed to be supplemental and additional and shall not be construed to restrict the powers of the governing authorities of the district or of any college or campus located therein so as to deny any of the rights, privileges and powers enjoyed by other community/junior colleges and community/junior college districts in the State of Mississippi.

The Coahoma Community College District shall remain subject to the jurisdiction of the Mississippi Community College Board as now established or as the same may be hereafter changed by law, and shall be subject to all rules and regulations and all statutory limitations which are now in effect or may hereafter be imposed, except as the same may be in direct conflict with the provisions of Sections 37-29-551 through 37-29-569 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-207 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 31-207
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-207
Status: in_force

The State Board of Education shall have the following duties:

(a) To seek the best available projections of employment and occupations for Mississippians;

(b) To utilize these projections and other considerations to set vocational and technical education priorities;

(c) To utilize the services of all state agencies having information regarding the purposes of this chapter;

(d) To cooperate with the governor's office of job development and training and the board of economic development to prevent duplication and provide continuity of employment and training services;

(e) To conduct evaluations of the success or failure of vocational-technical programs, including the extent to which training actually leads to jobs in the field in which the student was trained;

(f) Obtain and publish data and information on program performance from those vocational-technical programs receiving state funds; and

(g) To notify local school districts and public community/junior colleges prior to March 1 annually of any discontinuation of ongoing vocational programs which would affect the renewing of contracts with vocational personnel.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-131-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 131-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-131-5
Status: in_force

When any educable children of any school district are attending a demonstration or practice school under a contract, as authorized by Section 37-131-3 , who would otherwise be entitled to transportation at public expense under any applicable statute, such children shall remain entitled to such transportation and shall be reported for the allotment of transportation funds by the county or municipal separate school district in which they reside and, when so reported, transportation funds shall be allotted to the county or municipal separate school district therefor just as though such pupil were attending a regular school of the county or municipal separate school district, and transportation therefor shall be furnished by the county board of education or board of trustees of the municipal separate school district, as the case may be, as is otherwise provided by law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-87 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 151-87
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-87
Status: in_force

No school district shall pay any teacher less than the state minimum salary. However, school districts are authorized to reduce the state minimum salary by a pro rata daily amount in order to comply with the school district employee furlough provisions of Section 37-7-308 . From and after July 1, 2012, no school district shall receive any funds under the provisions of this chapter for any school year during which the aggregate amount of local supplement is reduced below such amount for the previous year. However, (a) where there has been a reduction in total funding formula allocations for such district in such year, (b) where there has been a reduction in the amount of federal funds to such district below the previous year, or (c) where there has been a reduction in ad valorem taxes to such school district for the 1986-1987 school year below the amount for the previous year due to the exemption of nuclear generating plants from ad valorem taxation pursuant to Section 27-35-309 , the aggregate amount of local supplement in such district may be reduced in the discretion of the local school board without loss of funds under this chapter. No school district may receive any funds under the provisions of this chapter for any school year if the aggregate amount of support from ad valorem taxation shall be reduced during such school year below such amount for the previous year; however, where there is a loss in total funding formula allocations, or where there is or heretofore has been a decrease in the total assessed value of taxable property within a school district, the aggregate amount of such support may be reduced proportionately. Nothing herein contained shall prohibit any school district from adopting or continuing a program or plan whereby teachers are paid varying salaries according to the teaching ability, classroom performance and other similar standards.

For purposes of this section, the term “ local supplement ” means the additional amount paid to an individual teacher over and above the salary schedule prescribed in Section 37-19-7 for the performance of regular teaching duties by that teacher.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-49 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 28-49
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-49
Status: in_force

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

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

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

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

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

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

(c) Failure to report sexual involvement of a charter school employee with a student as required by Section 97-5-24 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-123 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 23-123
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-123
Status: in_force

The intent of the legislature of the State of Mississippi, by passage of Sections 37-23-123 through 37-23-131 , is to develop and make available to children of this state who are being considered for possible or continued placement in the exceptional child program of diagnostic and evaluation and related services that will raise the quality of education for all such children in the State of Mississippi who are in need of such services.

The intent of the legislature is to provide an overall system to give direction in developing diagnostic and evaluation and related services required for the exceptional child program, to coordinate existing resources in the state for such services, and to provide such services, within the limitation of staff availability, on a statewide basis with priority being given to areas of the state where such services are not available. This service is intended to complement the services presently available from the state department of education and other agencies.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-13 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 145-13
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-13
Status: in_force

The annual and aggregate loan limits for each eligible student borrower shall be in accordance with those limits established for the Stafford Loan Program authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. The board of trustees has established an agency to carry out the functions of providing guarantees to student loans in accordance with the Stafford Loan Program. This agency, entitled the Mississippi Guarantee Student Loan Agency, guarantees payment of loans qualifying under federal law which are thereby eligible for reinsurance from the federal Department of Education. The board is authorized to operate the Mississippi Opportunity Loan Program as a guaranteed program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-105 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 151-105
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-105
Status: in_force

The State Board of Education shall have the authority to make such regulations not inconsistent with law which it deems necessary for the administration of this chapter. The State Board of Education, if it deems such practice necessary, may use reports of the first six (6) months of school for the purpose of determining net enrollment.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-37 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 28-37
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-37
Status: in_force

(1) Before October 1 of each year, beginning in the year that the state has had at least one (1) charter school operating for a full school year, the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board shall issue to the Governor, Legislature, State Board of Education and the public an annual report on the state's charter schools for the preceding school year. The report must include a comparison of the performance of charter school students with the performance of academically, ethnically and economically comparable groups of students in the school district in which a charter school is located. In addition, the report must include the authorizer's assessment of the successes, challenges and areas for improvement in meeting the purposes of this chapter. The report also must include an assessment on whether the number and size of operating charter schools are sufficient to meet demand, as calculated according to admissions data and the number of students denied enrollment based on lottery results. The report due from the authorizer under this section must be coordinated with reports due from charter school governing boards, as near as possible, to decrease or eliminate duplication.

(2) The Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) shall prepare an annual report assessing the sufficiency of funding for charter schools, the efficacy of the state formula for authorizer funding, and any suggested changes in state law or policy necessary to strengthen the state's charter schools.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-183 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 13-183
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-183
Status: in_force

Assessment of the students' understanding of the character traits chosen to be taught in public school shall be limited to and must reflect the material taught in the classroom. Students shall not be evaluated in any way as to whether or not the students evidence a specific character trait in their own lives.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-45 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 28-45
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-45
Status: in_force

(1) Charter schools are subject to the same civil rights, health and safety requirements applicable to noncharter public schools in the state, except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter.

(2) Charter schools are subject to the student assessment and accountability requirements applicable to noncharter public schools in the state; however, this requirement does not preclude a charter school from establishing additional student assessment measures that go beyond state requirements if the authorizer approves those measures.

(3) Although a charter school is geographically located within the boundaries of a particular school district and enrolls students who reside within the school district, the charter school may not be considered a school within that district under the purview of the school district's school board. The rules, regulations, policies and procedures established by the school board for the noncharter public schools that are in the school district in which the charter school is geographically located do not apply to the charter school unless otherwise required under the charter contract or any contract entered into between the charter school governing board and the local school board.

(4) Whenever the provisions of Title 37, Mississippi Code of 1972 , relating to the elementary and secondary education of public school students establish a requirement for or grant authority to local school districts, their school boards and the schools within the respective school districts, the language “school districts,” “school boards,” “boards of trustees,” “the schools within a school district,” or any other similar phraseology does not include a charter school and the governing board of a charter school unless the statute specifically is made applicable to charter schools as well as noncharter public schools.

(5) A charter school is not subject to any rule, regulation, policy or procedure adopted by the State Board of Education or the State Department of Education unless otherwise required by the authorizer or in the charter contract.

(6) Charter schools are not exempt from the following statutes:

(a) Chapter 41, Title 25, Mississippi Code of 1972 , which relate to open meetings of public bodies.

(b) Chapter 61, Title 25, Mississippi Code of 1972 , which relate to public access to public records.

(c) Section 37-3-51 , which requires notice by the district attorney of licensed school employees who are convicted of certain sex offenses.

(d) Section 37-3-53 , which requires publication of the Mississippi Report Card by the State Board of Education.

(e) Section 37-11-18 , which requires the automatic expulsion of a student possessing a weapon or controlled substance on educational property.

(f) Section 37-11-18.1 , which requires expulsion of certain habitually disruptive students.

(g) Section 37-11-19 , which requires suspension or expulsion of a student who damages school property.

(h) Section 37-11-20 , which prohibits acts of intimidation intended to keep a student from attending school.

(i) Section 37-11-21 , which prohibits parental abuse of school staff.

(j) Section 37-11-23 , which prohibits the willful disruption of school and school meetings.

(k) Sections 37-11-29 and 37-11-31 , which relate to reporting requirements regarding unlawful or violent acts on school property.

(l) Section 37-11-67 , which prohibits bullying or harassing behavior in public schools.

(m) Section 37-13-3 , which prohibits doctrinal, sectarian or denominational teaching in public schools.

(n) Sections 37-13-5 and 37-13-6 , which require the flags of the United States and the State of Mississippi to be displayed near the school building.

(o) Section 37-13-63(1) , which prescribes the minimum number of days which public schools must be kept in session during a scholastic year.

(p) Section 37-13-91 , which is the Mississippi Compulsory School Attendance Law.

(q) Section 37-13-171(2) and (4) , which requires any course containing sex-related education to include instruction in abstinence-only or abstinence-plus education.

(r) Section 37-13-173 , which requires notice to parents before instruction on human sexuality is provided in public classrooms.

(s) Section 37-13-193 , which relates to civil rights and human rights education in the public schools.

(t) Sections 37-15-1 and 37-15-3 , which relate to the maintenance and transfer of permanent student records in public schools.

(u) Section 37-15-6 , which requires the State Department of Education to maintain a record of expulsions from the public schools.

(v) Section 37-15-9 , which establishes minimum age requirements for kindergarten and first grade enrollment in public schools.

(w) Section 37-15-11 , which requires a parent, legal guardian or custodian to accompany a child seeking enrollment in a public school.

(x) Sections 37-16-1 , 37-16-3 , 37-16-4 and 37-16-9 , which relate to the statewide assessment testing program.

(y) Section 37-18-1 , which establishes the Superior-Performing Schools Program and Exemplary Schools Program to recognize public schools that improve.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-77 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 31-77
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-77
Status: in_force

It is expressly provided that any payment from the funds of one (1) governmental authority into the funds of any other governmental authority made in compliance with provisions of Sections 37-31-71 through 37-31-79 , shall not be charged against homestead exemption reimbursements under the provisions of Section 27-33-41, Mississippi Code of 1972, or any other similar statute.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-61 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 13-61
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-61
Status: in_force

The local school board shall have the power and authority to fix the date for the opening and closing of the school term, subject to the minimum number of days which schools must be in session during a scholastic year, as prescribed under Section 37-13-63 . However, local school boards are authorized to keep school in session in excess of the minimum number of days prescribed in Section 37-13-63 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-131-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 131-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-131-1
Status: in_force

The president or executive head of any state-supported institution of higher learning of the State of Mississippi, subject to the approval of the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning, is hereby authorized and empowered to establish, operate, maintain, and conduct teachers demonstration and practice schools in connection with the operation of such institution of higher learning. The president or executive head of any such institution, subject to the approval of the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning, shall have full power and authority to regulate and conduct the affairs of such schools and to establish rules and regulations for their government.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-23 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 28-23
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-23
Status: in_force

(1) A charter school must be open to:

(a) Any student residing in the geographical boundaries of the school district in which the charter school is located; and

(b) Any student who resides in the geographical boundaries of a school district that was rated “C,” “D” or “F” at the time the charter school was approved by the authorizer board, or who resides in the geographical boundaries of a school district rated “C,” or “D” or “F” at the time the student enrolls.

(2) A school district may not require any student enrolled in the school district to attend a charter school.

(3) Except as otherwise provided under subsection (8)(d) of this section, a charter school may not limit admission based on ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, income level, disabling condition, proficiency in the English language, or academic or athletic ability.

(4) A charter school may limit admission to students within a given age group or grade level, including pre-kindergarten students, and may be organized around a special emphasis, theme or concept as stated in the school's application.

(5) The underserved student composition of a charter school's enrollment collectively must reflect that of students of all ages attending the school district in which the charter school is located, to be defined for the purposes of this chapter as being at least eighty percent (80%) of that population. If the underserved student composition of an applicant's or charter school's enrollment is less than eighty percent (80%) of the enrollment of students of all ages in the school district in which the charter school is located, despite the school's best efforts, the authorizer must consider the applicant's or charter school's recruitment efforts and the underserved student composition of the applicant pool in determining whether the applicant or charter school is operating in a nondiscriminatory manner. A finding by the authorizer that a charter school is operating in a discriminatory manner justifies the revocation of a charter.

(6) A charter school must enroll all students who wish to attend the school unless the number of students exceeds the capacity of a program, class, grade level or building.

(7) If capacity is insufficient to enroll all students who wish to attend the school based on initial application, the charter school must select students through a lottery.

(8)(a) Any noncharter public school or part of a noncharter public school converting to a charter school shall adopt and maintain a policy giving an enrollment preference to students who reside within the former attendance area of that public school. If the charter school has excess capacity after enrolling students residing within the former attendance area of the school, students outside of the former attendance area of the school, but within the geographical boundaries of the school district in which the charter school is located, are eligible for enrollment. If the number of students applying for admission exceeds the capacity of a program, class, grade level or building of the charter school, the charter school must admit students on the basis of a lottery.

(b) A charter school must give an enrollment preference to students enrolled in the charter school during the preceding school year and to siblings of students already enrolled in the charter school. An enrollment preference for returning students excludes those students from entering into a lottery.

(c) A charter school may give an enrollment preference to children of the charter school's applicant, governing board members and full-time employees, so long as those children constitute no more than ten percent (10%) of the charter school's total student population.

(d) A charter school shall give an enrollment preference to underserved children as defined in Section 37-28-5 to ensure the charter school meets its required underserved student composition.

(e) This section does not preclude the formation of a charter school whose mission is focused on serving students with disabilities, students of the same gender, students who pose such severe disciplinary problems that they warrant a specific educational program, or students who are at risk of academic failure. If capacity is insufficient to enroll all students who wish to attend the school, the charter school must select students through a lottery.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-613 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 29-613
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-613
Status: in_force

The educational building corporations authorized under Sections 37-29-601 through 37-29-613 , in connection with the issuance of the bonds in order to secure the payment of such bonds and interest thereon, shall have power by resolutions:

(a) To fix and maintain fees, rentals and other charges to be paid by students, faculty members and others using or being served by facilities for which bonds are issued under Sections 37-29-601 through 37-29-613 ; however, in fixing such fees, rentals and other charges, there may be allowed reasonable differentials based on the condition, type, location and relative convenience of the facilities in question, but the differentials shall be uniform as to all such students or faculty members and others similarly accommodated;

(b) To provide that bonds issued shall be secured by a first, exclusive and closed lien on, and shall be payable from, all or any part of the income and revenues derived from fees, rentals and other charges to be paid by students, faculty members or others using or being served by any facilities operated at the community or junior college, and erected, repaired, remodeled, maintained, added to, extended, improved or acquired under Sections 37-29-601 through 37-29-613 , or any other law, or otherwise, and not theretofore so pledged;

(c) To pledge and assign to, or in trust for the benefit of the holder or holders of any bond or bonds, coupon or coupons so issued, an amount of the income and revenues derived from fees, rentals and other charges to be paid by students, faculty members, or others using or being served by any facilities operated at any community or junior college, and erected, repaired, remodeled, maintained, added to, extended, improved or acquired under Sections 37-29-601 through 37-29-613 , or any other law, or otherwise, and not theretofore so pledged, and the rentals, fees and charges imposed and pledged pursuant to the terms of this section shall be sufficient to pay when due the bonds so issued and interest thereon, to create and maintain a reasonable reserve therefor, and to operate and maintain the project so constructed, and to create and at all times maintain an adequate reserve for contingencies and for major repairs and replacements;

(d) To covenant with or for the benefit of the holder or holders of any bond or bonds, coupon or coupons so issued to erect, repair, remodel, maintain, add to, extend, improve or acquire any facilities, that so long as any of the bonds shall remain outstanding and unpaid, the institution shall fix, maintain and collect, in installments as may be agreed upon, an amount of fees, rentals or other charges from students, faculty members and others using or being served by any facilities operated at any community or junior college and erected, repaired, remodeled, maintained, added to, extended, improved or acquired under Sections 37-29-601 through 37-29-613 , or any other law, or otherwise, which shall be sufficient to pay when due any bond or bonds, coupons or coupons so issued, and to create and maintain a reasonable reserve therefor, and to pay the cost of operation and maintenance of the facilities against loss or damage by fire and windstorm or other calamities, in such sum as may be acceptable to the purchaser or purchasers of the bonds. The rentals, fees and other charges shall at all times be sufficient to maintain an adequate bond sinking fund to provide for the payment of interest on and principal of the bonds as and when they accrue and mature, to create a reasonable reserve therein and to pay the cost of operation and maintenance and insurance as herein provided and to create and at all times maintain an adequate reserve for contingencies and for major repairs and replacements;

(e) To make and enforce and agree to make and enforce parietal rules that shall insure the use of the facility by all students in attendance at the community or junior college, and faculty members of the community or junior college, to the maximum extent the facilities are capable of serving students and faculty, so long as it does not interfere with any existing contract;

(f) To covenant that as long as any of the bonds so issued shall remain outstanding and unpaid, it will not, except upon such terms and conditions as may be determined by the resolution issuing such bonds:

(i) Voluntarily create, or cause to be created, any debt, lien, pledge, assignment, encumbrance or other charge having priority to or being on a parity with the lien of the bonds so issued upon any of the income and revenues derived from fees, rentals and other charges to be paid by students, faculty members and others using or being served by the facilities operated at any such institution and erected, repaired, remodeled, maintained, added to, extended, improved or acquired under Sections 37-29-601 through 37-29-613 , or any other law, or otherwise;

(ii) Convey or otherwise alienate the facilities, or the real estate upon which the same shall be located, except at a price sufficient to pay all the bonds then outstanding payable from the revenues derived therefrom and interest accrued on such bonds, and then only in accordance with any agreements with the holder or holders of such bonds; or

(iii) Mortgage or otherwise voluntarily create, or cause to be created, any encumbrance on the facility, or the real estate upon which it shall be located;

(g) To covenant as to the proceedings by which the terms of any contract with a holder or holders of such bonds may be amended or rescinded, the amount or percentage of bonds the holder or holders of which must consent thereto and the manner in which consent may be given;

(h) To vest in a trustee or trustees the right to receive all or any part of the income and revenue and proceeds of insurance pledged and assigned to, or for the benefit of, the holder or holders of such bonds, and to hold, apply and dispose of the income and revenue and proceeds of insurance and the right to enforce any covenant made to secure or pay or in relation to the bonds;

(i) To execute and deliver, in the name of the community or junior college for which such bonds are being issued, a trust agreement or agreements which may set forth the powers and duties of such trustee or trustees, and limiting the liabilities of the trustee or trustees, and describing what occurrences shall constitute events of default and prescribing the terms and conditions upon which such trustee or trustees or the holder or holders of bonds of any specified amount or percentage of such bonds may exercise such right and enforce any and all such covenants and resort to any remedies as may be appropriate; and

(j) To vest in a trustee or trustees or the holder or holders of any specified amount or percentage of bonds the right to apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for and have granted the appointment of a receiver or receivers of the income and revenue pledged and assigned to or for the benefit of the holder or holders of such bonds, which receiver or receivers may have and be granted powers and duties as are usually granted under the laws of the State of Mississippi to a receiver or receivers appointed in connection with the foreclosure of a mortgage made by a private corporation.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-55 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 33-55
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-55
Status: in_force

The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind established by Section 37-33-153 shall be administered by the director under supervision of the executive director and the state board, in conformity with federal policies adopted by the department. The director shall be selected by the executive director in accordance with established personnel standards and on the basis of his or her education, training, experience and administrative ability. The director shall devote his or her full time to the administration of vocational rehabilitation. In carrying out his or her duties under the Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind Law, the director:

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

(b) Shall, with the approval of the executive director, establish appropriate subordinate administrative units within the office for providing vocational rehabilitation, independent living, supported employment, rehabilitation engineering and other services to children, adolescents and adults under federal and state regulatory guidelines;

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

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

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

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

(g) May, with the approval of the executive director and the state board, delegate to any officer or employee of the office such of his or her powers and duties, except the making of regulations and the making of recommendations for appointment of personnel, as he or she finds necessary to carry out the purposes of the Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind Law;

(h) Shall, with the approval of the executive director and the state board, appoint committees to serve as the governing authority for independent living centers or other entities as required by federal law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-63 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 115-63
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-63
Status: in_force

Any such county as is provided for in Section 37-115-61 is hereby authorized and empowered to issue and sell its bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness for the purpose of providing funds with which to make the contribution or donation authorized under the provisions of said section. Such bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness shall not be issued in an amount which will exceed the limit of indebtedness of said county as such limit is prescribed by Laws, 1932, ch. 235 as now or hereafter amended. Before issuing any such bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness, the board of supervisors, acting for such county, shall adopt a resolution declaring its intention to issue the same, stating the amount and purpose thereof and fixing the date upon which an election will be held on the proposition. The full text of such resolution shall be published once a week for at least three consecutive weeks in at least one newspaper published in said county. The first publication of such notice shall be made not less than twenty-one days prior to the date fixed in such resolution as aforesaid and the last publication shall be made not more than seven days prior to such date. The bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness authorized herein shall not be issued unless authorized by the affirmative vote of a majority of the qualified voters of said county who vote on the proposition at such election. Such election shall be conducted and the returns thereof made, canvassed and declared as nearly as may be in like manner as is now or may hereafter be provided by law in the case of general elections in counties. In the event that the question of the issuance of such bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness be not authorized at such election, such question shall not again be submitted to a vote until the expiration of a period of six months from and after the date of such election.

Such bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness shall bear such date or dates, shall be of such denomination or denominations, shall be payable at such place or places, shall bear such rate or rates of interest and shall mature in such amounts and at such times as may be provided and directed by the board of supervisors of said county. Such bonds shall bear interest at a rate or rates not exceeding six per cent per annum and shall mature in not more than twenty-five years from the date thereof and shall be sold for not less than par and accrued interest.

All bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued hereunder shall be secured by a pledge of the full faith, credit and resources of such county. There shall annually be levied upon all taxable property within said county an ad valorem tax in addition to all other taxes, sufficient to provide for the payment of the principal of and the interest on said bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness as the same respectively mature and accrue.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-571 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 29-571
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-571
Status: in_force

All counties located within the Coahoma Community College District shall allocate fifty percent (50%) of any millage levied for the support and maintenance of community colleges by such county under Section 37-29-141, Mississippi Code of 1972 , to the Coahoma Community College District and the remaining fifty percent (50%) of such millage to the other community college district in which such county is located. Provided, however, that Coahoma County shall allocate one hundred percent (100%) of the millage levied for the support and maintenance of community colleges to the Coahoma Community College District. Provided further, however, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1995, Tunica County's allocation of any millage shall be prorated with thirty-five percent (35%) being allocated to the Coahoma Community College District and the remaining sixty-five percent (65%) being allocated to the Northwest Community College District. From and after July 1, 1996, the Tunica County millage shall be divided equally between the Coahoma Community College District and the Northwest Community College District.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-57 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 33-57
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-57
Status: in_force

The director, with the approval of the executive director and the state board, may accept and use gifts and donations made unconditionally or otherwise for carrying out the purposes of the Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind Law, from either public or private sources. Gifts made under such conditions as in the judgment of the state board are proper and consistent with the provisions of that law may be so accepted and shall be held, invested, reinvested and used in accordance with the conditions of the gift. All monies received as gifts or donations, except conditional gifts requiring other treatment, shall be deposited in the State Treasury and shall constitute a permanent fund to be called the “Special Fund for the Vocational Rehabilitation of Individuals who are Blind,” and to be used by the state board for those purposes. The state board shall report annually to the State Legislature, setting forth the condition of vocational rehabilitation of individuals who are blind in Mississippi, the expenditures made from state and federal funds in carrying out the provisions of that law or its purpose, and a detailed statement of all gifts and donations offered and accepted, together with the names of donors and the respective amounts prescribed by each and all the disbursements made therefrom.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-21-51 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 21-51
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-21-51
Status: in_force

(1) As used in this section:

(a) “ Preschool or prekindergarten children ” means any children who have not entered kindergarten but will have obtained four (4) years of age on or before September 1 of a school year.

(b) An “ early learning collaborative ” is a district or countywide council that writes and submits an application to participate in the voluntary prekindergarten program. An early learning collaborative is comprised, at a minimum, of a public school district and/or a local Head Start affiliate if in existence, private or parochial schools, or one or more licensed child care centers. Agencies or other organizations that work with young children and their families may also participate in the collaborative to provide resources and coordination even if those agencies or organizations are not prekindergarten providers.

(c) A “ prekindergarten provider ” is a public, private or parochial school, licensed child care center or Head Start center that serves prekindergarten children and participates in the voluntary prekindergarten program.

(d) A “ lead partner ” is a public school district or other nonprofit entity with the instructional expertise and operational capacity to manage the early learning collaborative's prekindergarten program as described in the collaborative's approved application for funds. The lead partner serves as the fiscal agent for the collaborative and shall disburse awarded funds in accordance with the collaborative's approved application. The lead partner must facilitate a professional learning community for the teachers in the prekindergarten program and lead the collaborative. The lead partner ensures that the collaborative adopts and implements curriculum and assessments that align with the comprehensive early learning standards. The public school district shall be the lead partner if no other qualifying lead partner is selected.

(e) “ Comprehensive early learning standards ” are standards adopted by the State Board of Education that address the highest level of fundamental domains of early learning to include, but not be limited to, physical well-being and motor development, social/emotional development, approaches toward learning, language development and cognition and general knowledge. The comprehensive early learning standards shall also include standards for emergent literacy skills, including oral communication, knowledge of print and letters, phonological and phonemic awareness, and vocabulary and comprehension development.

(f) An “ evidence-based curriculum ” is an age-appropriate curriculum that demonstrates a statistically significant effect on improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes based on:

(i) Strong evidence from at least one (1) well-designed and well-implemented experimental study;

(ii) Moderate evidence from at least one (1) well-designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study; or

(iii) Promising evidence from at least one (1) well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias.

(2) To ensure that all children have access to quality early childhood education and development services, the Legislature finds and declares the following:

(a) Parents have the primary duty to educate their young preschool children;

(b) The State of Mississippi can assist and educate parents in their role as the primary caregivers and educators of young preschool children;

(c) There is a need to explore innovative approaches and strategies for aiding parents and families in the education and development of young preschool children; and

(d) There exists a patchwork of prekindergarten entities but no coordination of services and there needs to be a coordination of these services.

(3)(a) This subsection shall be known and may be cited as the “Early Learning Collaborative Act of 2013.”

(b) Effective with the 2013-2014 school year, the Mississippi State Department of Education shall establish a voluntary prekindergarten program, which shall be a collaboration among the entities providing prekindergarten programs including Head Start, licensed child care facilities and licensed public, parochial and private school prekindergarten programs. This program shall be implemented no later than the 2014-2015 school year. Enrollment in the prekindergarten program shall be coordinated with the Head Start agencies in the local areas and shall not be permitted to cause a reduction in children served by the Head Start program. Under this program, eligible entities may submit an application for funds to (i) defray the cost of additional and/or more qualified teaching staff, appropriate educational materials and equipment and to improve the quality of educational experiences offered to four-year-old children in early care and education programs, and/or to (ii) extend developmentally appropriate education services at such programs currently serving four-year-old children to include practices of high quality instruction, and to (iii) administer, implement, monitor and evaluate the programs, and to (iv) defray the cost of professional development and age-appropriate child assessment.

(c) Subject to the availability of funds appropriated therefor, the State Department of Education shall administer the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the voluntary prekindergarten program, including awards and the application process.

(i) The department shall establish a rigorous and transparent application process for the awarding of funds. Lead partners shall submit the applications on behalf of their early learning collaborative.

(ii) The department will establish monitoring policies and procedures that, at a minimum, will include at least one (1) site visit a year.

(iii) The department will provide technical assistance to collaboratives and their providers to improve the quality of prekindergarten programs. Technical assistance may include classroom-embedded support for teachers and assistant teachers.

(iv) The department will evaluate the effectiveness of each early childhood collaborative and each prekindergarten provider. If the State Department of Education adopts a statewide kindergarten screening that assesses the readiness of each student for kindergarten, the State Department of Education shall adopt a minimum rate of readiness that each prekindergarten provider must meet in order to remain eligible for prekindergarten program funds. Each parent who enrolls his or her child in the prekindergarten program must submit the child for the statewide kindergarten screening, regardless of whether the child is admitted to kindergarten in a public school.

(d) Prekindergarten program funds shall be awarded to early childhood collaboratives whose proposed programs meet the program criteria. The criteria shall include:

(i) Voluntary enrollment of children;

(ii) Collaboration among prekindergarten providers and other early childhood programs through the establishment of an early learning collaborative;

(iii) Qualifications of master teachers, teachers and assistants, which must conform to guidelines in Section 37-21-3 ;

(iv) At least fifteen (15) hours of annual professional development for program instructional staff, including professional development in early literacy, and individualized professional development plans for all teachers and teaching assistants supplemented by classroom-embedded support on an as-needed basis;

(v) The use of state-adopted comprehensive early learning standards;

(vi) The use of a curriculum based on strong evidence as defined in subsection (1)(f)(i) of this section and aligned with the comprehensive early learning standards;

(vii) The use of a curriculum based on moderate evidence as defined in subsection (1)(f)(ii) of this section and aligned with the comprehensive early learning standards if no strong-evidence curriculum is available;

(viii) The use of a curriculum based on promising evidence as defined in subsection (1)(f)(iii) of this section and aligned with the comprehensive early learning standards if no strong-evidence curriculum or moderate-evidence curriculum is available;

(ix) The use of age-appropriate assessments aligned to the comprehensive early learning standards;

(x) Teacher/child ratios of one (1) adult for every ten (10) children with a maximum of twenty (20) children per classroom and a minimum of five (5) children per classroom;

(xi) The provision of at least one (1) meal meeting state and federal nutrition guidelines for young children;

(xii) Plans to screen and/or refer children for vision, hearing and other health issues;

(xiii) Family engagement opportunities;

(xiv) Plans to serve children with disabilities as indicated under IDEA;

(xv) The number of instructional hours to be provided, which shall equal no less than five hundred forty (540) instructional hours per school year for half-day programs and one thousand eighty (1,080) instructional hours per school year for full-day programs; and

(xvi) A budget detailing the use of funds for allowed expenses.

Participating child care centers shall: (a) meet state child care facility licensure requirements unless exempted under Section 43-20-5, Mississippi Code of 1972 , and (b) select and utilize a nationally recognized assessment tool, approved by the State Department of Education, designed to document classroom quality, which must be in place not later than July 1, 2016, as certified by the State Department of Education.

Within the prekindergarten program, a prekindergarten provider must comply with the antidiscrimination requirements applicable to public schools. A prekindergarten provider may not discriminate against a parent or child, including the refusal to admit a child for enrollment in the prekindergarten program, in violation of these antidiscrimination requirements. However, a prekindergarten provider may refuse to admit a child based on the provider's standard eligibility guidelines, provided that these guidelines do not violate the antidiscrimination requirements. Consistent with the Legislature's recognition of the primacy of a parent's role in the education of a preschool-age child and the related recognition of the state in assisting and educating parents in that role, if the State Department of Education adopts a statewide kindergarten screening that assesses the readiness of each student for kindergarten, the State Department of Education shall recognize each child's unique pattern of development when adopting a minimum rate of readiness that prekindergarten providers must meet in order to remain eligible for prekindergarten program funds. Each parent who enrolls his or her child in the prekindergarten program may submit the child for the statewide kindergarten screening, regardless of whether the child is admitted to kindergarten in a public school.

The State Department of Education may add program criteria not inconsistent with these requirements and shall develop policies and procedures to implement and enforce these criteria.

(e) The State Department of Education shall ensure that early learning collaboratives provide each parent enrolling a child in the voluntary prekindergarten program with a profile of every prekindergarten provider participating in the collaborative's geographic catchment area. The State Department of Education shall prescribe the information to be included in each profile as well as the format of the profiles. At a minimum, the profiles must include the prekindergarten provider's services, curriculum, instructor credentials and instructor-to-student ratio.

(f) A teacher, assistant teacher or other employee whose salary and fringe benefits are paid from state funds under this act shall only be classified as a state or local school district employee eligible for state health insurance benefits or membership in the Public Employees' Retirement System, if the person's employer is already an agency or instrumentality of the state, such as a school district, and the employee would be eligible for such benefits in the normal course of business.

(g) Funding shall be provided for this program beginning with the 2014 fiscal year subject to appropriation by the Legislature as provided in paragraph (h) of this subsection. The department shall make an annual report to the Legislature and the Governor regarding program operations and outcomes. Every three (3) years, with the first report due July 1, 2023, the department shall provide to the Legislature and the Governor a rigorous evaluation of program effectiveness using longitudinal data to measure short-term and long-term effects, including both achievement and nonachievement effects. After each three-year report, the PEER Committee shall review the three-year report and the intervening annual reports and submit an independent summary of its findings prior to the next legislative session. The short-term and long-term effects shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(i) Kindergarten readiness;

(ii) English Language arts proficiency in grades 3 through 8;

(iii) Math proficiency in grades 3 through 8;

(iv) Science proficiency in grades 5 and 8;

(v) Disciplinary incidents;

(vi) Chronic absenteeism;

(vii) On-time graduation rate;

(viii) College enrollment;

(ix) Grade retention; and

(x) Special education services/exits.

(h)(i) The Legislature shall appropriate funds to implement the Early Education Collaborative Act of 2013 on a phased-in basis as follows:

1. The first phase shall be based on an annual state appropriation of not more than Eight Million Dollars ($8,000,000.00) and shall serve approximately three thousand five hundred (3,500) children through five (5) to eight (8) early learning collaboratives and their prekindergarten providers;

2. The second phase shall be based on an annual state appropriation of not more than Sixteen Million Dollars ($16,000,000.00) and shall serve approximately seven thousand (7,000) children through ten (10) to fifteen (15) early learning collaboratives and their prekindergarten providers;

3. The third phase shall be based on an annual state appropriation of not more than Thirty-three Million Nine Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($33,950,000.00) and shall serve approximately fifteen thousand (15,000) children through twenty (20) to twenty-five (25) early learning collaboratives and their prekindergarten providers.

(ii) Future phases shall be based on interest in the program and the effectiveness of the program as determined by the school readiness of participants. Each phase shall last for at least three (3) years, but no more than five (5) years. The State Department of Education shall determine when to move to a new phase of the program, within the timeline provided herein.

(iii) Funding shall be provided to early learning collaboratives on the basis of a minimum of Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00) per student in a full-day program and a minimum of One Thousand Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($1,250.00) per student in a half-day program proposed in the collaborative's approved application. Once an early learning collaborative's plan is approved and funded, the collaborative and/or its prekindergarten providers shall receive funds on an ongoing basis unless the collaborative and/or its prekindergarten providers no longer meet the criteria to participate in the program.

(iv) Early learning collaboratives shall match state funds on a 1:1 basis. Local matching funds may include local tax dollars, federal dollars as allowed, parent tuition, philanthropic contributions, or in-kind donations of facilities, equipment and services required as part of the program such as food service or health screenings.

(v) The State Department of Education shall reserve no more than five percent (5%) of the appropriation in any year for administrative costs.

(vi) In the initial phase of implementation, the State Department of Education shall award state funds under the Early Learning Collaborative Act of 2013 based on a community's capacity, commitment and need. To determine capacity, commitment and need, the State Department of Education shall require evidence of existing strong local collaborations of early education stakeholders. Such evidence shall include, but not be limited to, collaborations resulting from any of the following:

1. Participation in Excel By 5;

2. Participation in Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids (SPARK);

3. Participation in the Gilmore Early Learning Initiative (GELI); or

4. Participation in the Mississippi Building Blocks.

In determining community need, the department shall consider low academic achievement within the public school districts participating in an applicant early learning collaborative and the number and percentage of children without quality prekindergarten options.

(vii) All authority granted to the State Department of Education to establish program rules is subject to the public processes established in the provisions of the Mississippi Administrative Procedures Law, including, but not limited to, filing notice of the proposed rules, public hearings and any economic impact statement with the Office of the Secretary of State before presenting such information to the State Board of Education for final approval.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-14-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 14-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-14-5
Status: in_force

The Division of Medicaid shall cooperate with the State Department of Education to develop and seek approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for a waiver or grant to cover the services of public school nurses, as allowed by federal law. The division is also authorized to explore other options for administering and providing services under this program, including, but not limited to, matching any available federal funds. The Department of Education shall place particular emphasis on reducing unnecessary paperwork by public school nurses.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-9 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 155-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-9
Status: in_force

In addition to the powers granted by any other provision of this article, the board of directors shall have the powers necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes and provisions of this article, the purposes and objectives of the trust fund and the powers delegated by any other law of the state or any executive order thereof, including, but not limited to, the following express powers:

(a) To adopt and amend bylaws;

(b) To adopt such rules and regulations as are necessary to implement the provisions of this article;

(c) To invest any funds of the trust fund in any instrument, obligation, security or property that constitutes legal investments for public funds in the state and to name and use depositories for its investments and holdings;

(d) To execute contracts and other necessary instruments;

(e) To impose reasonable requirements for residency for beneficiaries at the time of purchase of the contract and to establish rules to govern purchase of contracts for beneficiaries who are nonresidents at the time the purchaser enters into the prepaid tuition contract;

(f) To impose reasonable limits on the number of contract participants in the trust fund at any given period of time;

(g) To contract for necessary goods and services, to employ necessary personnel, and to engage the services of consultants for administrative and technical assistance in carrying out the responsibilities of the trust fund;

(h) To solicit and accept gifts, including bequeathments or other testamentary gifts made by will, trust or other disposition, grants, loans and other aids from any personal source or to participate in any other way in any federal, state or local governmental programs in carrying out the purposes of this article. Any gifts made to the board under this subsection shall be deductible from taxable income of the state in the tax year;

(i) To define the terms and conditions under which payments may be withdrawn or refunded from the trust fund, including, but not limited to, the amount paid in and an additional amount in the nature of interest at a rate that corresponds, at a minimum, to the prevailing interest rates for savings accounts provided by banks and savings and loan associations and impose reasonable charges for such withdrawal or refund;

(j) To ensure applicability to private and out-of-state tuitions:

(i) Under the program, a state purchaser may enter into a prepaid tuition contract with the board under which the purchaser agrees to attend a public institution of higher education in Mississippi;

(ii) If the beneficiary of a plan described by Section 37-155-11 enrolls in any in-state or out-of-state regionally accredited private four- or two-year college or an out-of-state regionally accredited, state-supported, nonprofit four- or two-year college or university, or any in-state or out-of-state regionally accredited graduate institution, the board shall pay to the institution an amount up to, but not greater than, the undergraduate tuition and required fees that the board would have paid had the beneficiary enrolled in an institution of higher education covered by the plan selected in the prepaid tuition contract. The beneficiary is responsible for paying a private undergraduate or graduate institution or an out-of-state public undergraduate or graduate institution the amount by which the tuition and required fees of the institution exceed the tuition and required fees paid by the board;

(k) To impose reasonable time limits on the use of the tuition benefits provided by the program;

(l) To provide for the receipt of contributions to the trust fund in lump sums or installment payments;

(m) To adopt an official seal and rules;

(n) To sue and be sued;

(o) To establish agreements or other transactions with federal, state and local agencies, including state universities and community colleges;

(p) To appear in its own behalf before boards, commissions or other governmental agencies;

(q) To segregate contributions and payments to the fund into various accounts and funds;

(r) To require and collect administrative fees and charges in connection with any transaction and impose reasonable penalties, including default, for delinquent payments or for entering into an advance payment contract on a fraudulent basis;

(s) To procure insurance against any loss in connection with the property, assets and activities of the fund or the board;

(t) To require that purchasers of advance payment contracts verify, under oath, any requests for contract conversions, substitutions, transfers, cancellations, refund requests or contract changes of any nature;

(u) To administer the fund in a manner that is sufficiently actuarially sound to meet the obligations of the program. The board shall annually evaluate or cause to be evaluated the actuarial soundness of the fund. If the board perceives a need for additional assets in order to preserve actuarial soundness, the board may adjust the terms of subsequent advance payment contracts to ensure such soundness;

(v) To establish a comprehensive investment plan for the purposes of this section. The comprehensive investment plan shall specify the investment policies to be utilized by the board in its administration of the fund. The board may authorize investments in:

(i) Bonds, notes, certificates and other valid general obligations of the State of Mississippi, or of any county, or of any city, or of any supervisors district of any county of the State of Mississippi, or of any school district bonds of the State of Mississippi; notes or certificates of indebtedness issued by the Veterans' Home Purchase Board of Mississippi, provided such notes or certificates of indebtedness are secured by the pledge of collateral equal to two hundred percent (200%) of the amount of the loan, which collateral is also guaranteed at least for fifty percent (50%) of the face value by the United States government, and provided that not more than five percent (5%) of the total investment holdings of the system shall be in Veterans' Home Purchase Board notes or certificates at any time; real estate mortgage loans one hundred percent (100%) insured by the Federal Housing Administration on single-family homes located in the State of Mississippi, where monthly collections and all servicing matters are handled by Federal Housing Administration approved mortgagees authorized to make such loans in the State of Mississippi;

(ii) State of Mississippi highway bonds;

(iii) Funds may be deposited in any institution insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation that maintains a facility that takes deposits in the State of Mississippi which appears on the State of Mississippi Treasury Department's approved depository list and/or safekeeper list or a custodial bank;

(iv) Corporate bonds and taxable municipal bonds of investment grade as rated by Standard & Poor's, by Fitch Ratings, Ltd., or by Moody's Investment Service; or corporate short-term obligations of corporations or of wholly owned subsidiaries of corporations, whose short-term obligations are rated A-2 or better by Standard & Poor's, rated P-2 or better by Moody's Investment Service, or F-2 or better by Fitch Ratings, Ltd., or the equivalent of these ratings if assigned by another United States Securities and Exchange Commission designated Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization;

(v) Agency and nonagency residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations;

(vi) Convertible bonds;

(vii) Bonds of the Tennessee Valley Authority;

(viii) Bonds, notes, certificates and other valid obligations of the United States, and other valid obligations of any federal instrumentality that issues securities under authority of an act of Congress and are exempt from registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission;

(ix) Bonds, notes, debentures and other securities issued by any federal instrumentality and fully guaranteed by the United States. Direct obligations issued by the United States of America shall be deemed to include securities of, or other interests in, any open-end or closed-end management type investment company or investment trust registered under the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, provided that the portfolio of such investment company or investment trust is limited to direct obligations issued by the United States of America, United States government agencies, United States government instrumentalities or United States government sponsored enterprises, and to repurchase agreements fully collateralized by direct obligations of the United States of America, United States government agencies, United States government instrumentalities or United States government sponsored enterprises, and the investment company or investment trust takes delivery of such collateral for the repurchase agreement, either directly or through an authorized custodian;

(x) Interest-bearing revenue bonds or notes or bonds or notes which are general obligations of any state in the United States or of any city or county therein, provided that the bonds or notes are of investment grade as rated by Standard & Poor's, by Fitch Ratings, Ltd., or by Moody's Investment Service;

(xi) 1. Shares of stocks, common and/or preferred, of corporations created by or existing under the laws of the United States or any state, district or territory thereof and shares of stocks, common and/or preferred and convertible securities of non-United States companies; provided:

a. The maximum investments in stocks shall not exceed seventy percent (70%) of the market value of the total investment fund;

b. The stock of such corporation shall:

A. Be listed on a national stock exchange; or

B. Be traded in the over-the-counter market, provided price quotations for such over-the-counter stocks are quoted by the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System (NASDAQ);

c. The outstanding shares of such corporation shall have a total market value of not less than Fifty Million Dollars ($50,000,000.00);

d. The amount of investment in any one (1) corporation shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the book value of the assets of the fund; and

e. The shares of any one (1) corporation owned by the fund shall not exceed five percent (5%) of that corporation's outstanding stock;

2. The board may take requisite action to effectuate or hedge such transactions for shares of stock and convertible securities of non-United States companies through foreign or domestic banks, including the purchase and sale, transfer, exchange or otherwise disposal of, and generally deal in foreign exchange through the use of foreign currency, interbank forward contracts, futures contracts, options contracts, swaps and other related derivative instruments, notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary;

(xii) Bonds of investment grade, stocks and convertible securities of established non-United States companies and foreign government securities of investment grade rated by a recognized rating agency, which companies are listed on only primary national stock exchanges of foreign nations; provided that the total market value of investments under this paragraph shall at no time exceed thirty percent (30%) of the total market value of all investments of the fund. The board may take requisite action to effectuate or hedge such transactions through foreign or domestic banks, including the purchase and sale, transfer, exchange or otherwise disposal of, and generally deal in foreign exchange through the use of foreign currency, interbank forward contracts, futures contracts, options contracts, swaps and other related derivative instruments, notwithstanding any other provisions of this article to the contrary;

(xiii) Covered call and put options on securities or indices traded on one or more of the regulated exchanges;

(xiv) Institutional investment trusts managed by a corporate trustee or by a Securities and Exchange Commission registered investment advisory firm retained as an investment manager by the board of directors, and institutional class shares of investment companies and unit investment trusts registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 where such funds or shares are comprised of common or preferred stocks, bonds, money market instruments or other investments authorized under this section. Any investment manager or managers approved by the board of directors shall invest such funds or shares as a fiduciary;

(xv) Pooled or commingled real estate funds or real estate securities managed by a corporate trustee or by a Securities and Exchange Commission registered investment advisory firm retained as an investment manager by the board of directors. Such investment in commingled funds or shares shall be held in trust; provided that the total market value of investments under this paragraph shall at no time exceed ten percent (10%) of the total market value of all investments of the fund. Any investment manager approved by the board of directors shall invest such commingled funds or shares as a fiduciary;

(xvi) Types of investments not specifically authorized by this paragraph if the investments are in the form of a separate account managed by a Securities and Exchange Commission registered investment advisory firm retained as an investment manager by the board; or a limited partnership or commingled fund approved by the board; provided that the total market value of investments under this paragraph shall at no time exceed ten percent (10%) of the total market value of all investments of the fund. Any person or entity who exercises any discretionary authority or discretionary control respecting management of the separate account, limited partnership or commingled fund, or who exercises any authority or control respecting management or disposition of the assets of the separate account, limited partnership or commingled fund shall exercise such authority or control as a fiduciary;

(w) All investments shall be acquired at prices not exceeding the prevailing market values for such investments;

(x) Any limitations herein set forth shall be applicable only at the time of purchase and shall not require the liquidation of any investment at any time. All investments shall be clearly marked to indicate ownership by the fund and to the extent possible shall be registered in the name of the fund;

(y) Subject to the above terms, conditions, limitations and restrictions, the board shall have power to sell, assign, transfer and dispose of any of the securities and investments of the fund, provided that the sale, assignment or transfer has the majority approval of the entire board. The board may employ or contract with investment managers, evaluation services or other such services as determined by the board to be necessary for the effective and efficient operation of the fund;

(z) Except as otherwise provided herein, no trustee and no employee of the board shall have any direct or indirect interest in the income, gains or profits of any investment made by the board, nor shall any such person receive any pay or emolument for his services in connection with any investment made by the board. No trustee or employee of the board shall become an endorser or surety, or in any manner an obligor for money loaned by or borrowed from the fund;

(aa) All interest derived from investments and any gains from the sale or exchange of investments shall be credited by the board to the account of the fund;

(bb) To delegate responsibility for administration of the comprehensive investment plan to a consultant the board determines to be qualified. Such consultant shall be compensated by the board. Directly or through such consultant, the board may contract to provide such services as may be a part of the comprehensive investment plan or as may be deemed necessary or proper by the board or such consultant, including, but not limited to, providing consolidated billing, individual and collective record keeping and accounting, and asset purchase, control and safekeeping;

(cc) To annually prepare or cause to be prepared a report setting forth in appropriate detail an accounting of the fund and a description of the financial condition of the program at the close of each fiscal year. Such report shall be submitted to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and members of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, the Mississippi Community College Board and the State Board of Education on or before March 31 each year. In addition, the board shall make the report available to purchasers of advance payment contracts. The board shall provide to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the Mississippi Community College Board by March 31 each year complete advance payment contract sales information including projected postsecondary enrollments of beneficiaries. The accounts of the fund shall be subject to annual audits by the State Auditor or his designee;

(dd) To solicit proposals for the marketing of the Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition Program. The entity designated pursuant to this paragraph shall serve as a centralized marketing agent for the program and shall solely be responsible for the marketing of the program. Any materials produced for the purpose of marketing the programs shall be submitted to the board for review. No such materials shall be made available to the public before the materials are approved by the board. Any educational institution may distribute marketing materials produced for the program; however, all such materials shall have been approved by the board prior to distribution. Neither the state nor the board shall be liable for misrepresentation of the program by a marketing agent; and

(ee) To establish other policies, procedures and criteria necessary to implement and administer the provisions of this article.

For efficient and effective administration of the program and trust fund, the board may authorize the State of Mississippi Treasury Department and/or the State Treasurer to carry out any or all of the powers and duties enumerated above.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-421 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 29-421
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-421
Status: in_force

The Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College District is charged with the responsibility for providing pre-professional courses, liberal arts, technical, vocational, and adult education courses and shall undertake to provide the same as conveniently as is possible to the residents of the district and to this end the board of trustees is authorized and empowered to transport such students as, in its discretion, should be transported in the best interest of the district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-39 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 9-39
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-39
Status: in_force

(1) All school districts shall process a single monthly or a bimonthly payroll for employees, in the discretion of the local school board, consistent with the provisions of Section 37-157-103(1), except for December, when salaries or wages shall be paid by the last working day. Salaries or wages shall be paid at a minimum on a monthly basis. The standard contract for school district employees prescribed by the State Board of Education shall provide that school district employees shall earn a salary payable in equal monthly or bimonthly installments beginning in the first month of employment, regardless of the number of days worked in any particular month by the employee. Any employee failing to complete the contractual obligation of service, and who receives payment in excess of the installment for the period which such employee ceases employment with the school district, shall become liable immediately to the school board of the employing district for the sum of all amounts received in payment less the corresponding amount of any compensation paid for which service has been rendered, plus interest accruing at the current Stafford Loan rate at the time the person discontinues his or her service.

(2) Any school employee whose employment ends during a school term, regardless of the reason(s) the employment ended, shall be paid salary or wages only for that portion of the school term that employee actually worked. Nothing in this subsection (2) shall be construed to entitle any employee to payment of salary or wages when no work has been performed.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-135 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 23-135
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-135
Status: in_force

(1) For the purposes of this section, each local educational agency is eligible for assistance under IDEA Part B for a fiscal year if, in providing for the education of children with disabilities within its jurisdiction, policies, procedures and programs are in effect that are consistent with the regulations established by the State Department of Education.

(2) The local educational agency shall have in effect policies and procedures, and programs that are consistent with the State Department of Education's policies and procedures to ensure:

(a) A free appropriate public education is available to all children with disabilities residing in the state between the ages of three (3) and twenty (20), inclusive. Educational services for children with disabilities who have been suspended or expelled from school shall be provided based on the requirements of IDEA, applicable federal regulations and state regulations;

(b) The full educational opportunity goal established by the state is implemented;

(c) All children with disabilities, who are in need of special education and related services, including children with disabilities attending private school, regardless of the severity of their disabilities, are identified, located, and evaluated;

(d) An individualized education program is developed, reviewed and revised for each child with a disability;

(e) Children with disabilities are provided services within their least restrictive environment;

(f) Children with disabilities and their parents are afforded the procedural safeguards required under IDEA;

(g) Children with disabilities are evaluated as required under IDEA;

(h) The State Department of Education and local education agencies will assure the protection of the confidentiality of any personally identifiable data, information and records collected or maintained as required under IDEA and the Family Rights and Privacy Act.

(i) Children with disabilities participating in early intervention programs assisted under IDEA Part C who will participate in preschool programs assisted under IDEA Part B shall experience a smooth transition. An individualized educational program shall be developed and implemented by the child's third birthday;

(j) Children with disabilities enrolled in private schools by their parents shall be provided special education and related services to the extent required under IDEA;

(k) Children with disabilities who are placed in private schools or facilities by the local educational agency shall be provided special education and related services, in accordance with an individualized education program, at no cost to their parents;

(l) A comprehensive system of personnel development has been developed to ensure appropriately qualified personnel are available and personnel are trained in accordance with the requirements of the State Department of Education and IDEA;

(m) Personnel providing educational services to children with disabilities meet the personnel standards of the State Department of Education;

(n) The performance goals and indicators shall be implemented as established by the State Board of Education; and

(o) Children with disabilities are included in statewide and district-wide assessment programs, with appropriate accommodations, in accordance with regulations established by the State Board of Education.

(3) The local educational agency shall make available to parents of children with disabilities and to the general public all documents relating to the agency's eligibility under IDEA.

(4) If the State Department of Education determines that a local educational agency is not eligible to receive federal funds due to compliance violations not being resolved within a specified timeline, the local educational agency shall be notified of that determination and shall be provided with reasonable notice and an opportunity for a hearing. The local educational agency in receipt of such notice, shall, by means of public notice, take such measures as may be necessary to bring the pendency of an action to withhold funds to the attention of the public within the jurisdiction of such agency.

(5) The State Department of Education, after reasonable notice and an opportunity for a hearing, shall reduce or shall not provide any further payments to the local educational agency until the department is satisfied that the violations have been corrected.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-131-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 131-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-131-5
Status: in_force

When any educable children of any school district are attending a demonstration or practice school under a contract, as authorized by Section 37-131-3 , who would otherwise be entitled to transportation at public expense under any applicable statute, such children shall remain entitled to such transportation and shall be reported for the allotment of transportation funds by the county or municipal separate school district in which they reside and, when so reported, transportation funds shall be allotted to the county or municipal separate school district therefor just as though such pupil were attending a regular school of the county or municipal separate school district, and transportation therefor shall be furnished by the county board of education or board of trustees of the municipal separate school district, as the case may be, as is otherwise provided by law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-251 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 33-251
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-251
Status: in_force

It is the intent of the Legislature to provide for the development of a coordinated rehabilitation program for those persons severely disabled by spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injuries. Further, it is intended that permanent paralysis and brain damage be prevented whenever possible through early identification of spinal cord/brain injuries, skilled emergency evaluation procedures, and proper medical and rehabilitative treatment. The goal of this program shall be to enable individuals severely disabled by spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury to resume the activities of daily living and reintegrate with the community with as much dignity and independence as possible. For those persons who cannot achieve complete independence, supportive services are needed in order for them to live as normally as possible.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-146-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 146-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-146-5
Status: in_force

The Mississippi Rural Dentists Scholarship Commission shall have the following powers and duties:

(a) Developing the administrative policy for the commission and the Mississippi Rural Dentists Scholarship Program;

(b) Promulgating rules and regulations, with the advice and consent of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, pertaining to the implementation and operation of the Rural Dentists Scholarship Program;

(c) Developing and implementing strategies and activities for the identification and recruitment of students and for marketing the program and for the implementation of the program. In developing these strategies, the board shall seek the input of various organizations and entities;

(d) Establishing a budget, with the advice and consent of the University of Mississippi Medical Center, to support the activities of the program and periodically reviewing and if appropriate, revising, the scholarship and other stipends offered through the program;

(e) Advising the University of Mississippi Medical Center regarding hiring appropriate staff necessary to work in conjunction with the Executive Director of the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship Program;

(f) Reviewing participants' progress in the program and mentoring students and dentists participating in the program;

(g) The commission shall have the authority through use of generally applicable definitions, to designate an area of the state as underserved or rural. The method by which these designations shall be made shall be contained in rules and regulations promulgated by the commission;

(h) The commission shall produce an annual report to the Legislature showing certain information relating to the program for the previous fiscal year, including the following:

(i) Budget, including funds provided in addition to legislative appropriations;

(ii) The number of participants enrolled in dental school along with their matriculation status;

(iii) The status of, to include location or practice, participants who have entered a dental residency program;

(iv) The number and cause of participants who breached their obligation(s) to the program; and

(v) The status of, to include location of practice, participants who have entered into the practice of dentistry in a rural or medically underserved area in Mississippi.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-24-9 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 24-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-24-9
Status: in_force

This chapter does not create any liability for, or create a cause of action against, a school or its officers or employees, a health care provider, an organization or association of which a school or school district is a member, a private or public school, a private club, a public recreation facility, or an athletic league when such person or entity has complied with the provisions of this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-25 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 145-25
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-25
Status: in_force

Upon the adoption of a resolution by the board of directors of the company declaring the necessity for the issuance of any part or all of the general obligation bonds authorized by Sections 37-145-23 through 37-145-43 , the board shall deliver a certified copy of its resolution to the State Bond Commission. Upon the receipt of same, the State Bond Commission shall issue and sell bonds in an amount requested, and do any and all things necessary and advisable in connection with the issuance and sale of such bonds. For the payment of such bonds and the interest thereon, the full faith, credit and taxing power of the State of Mississippi are hereby irrevocably pledged. If the Legislature shall find that there are funds available in the General Fund of the Treasury of the State of Mississippi in amounts sufficient to pay maturity, principal and accruing interest of such general obligation bonds and if the Legislature shall appropriate such available funds for the purpose of paying such maturity, principal and accruing interest, then the principal, maturity and accruing interest of such bonds shall be paid from appropriations made from the General Fund of the Treasury of the State of Mississippi by the Legislature thereof; but if there are not available sufficient funds in the General Fund of the Treasury of the State of Mississippi to pay the maturity, principal and accruing interest of such bonds, or if such funds are available and the Legislature should fail to appropriate a sufficient amount thereof to pay such principal and accruing interest as the same becomes due, then, and in that event, there shall annually be levied upon all taxable property within the State of Mississippi an ad valorem tax at a rate sufficient to provide the funds required to pay the bonds at maturity and the interest thereon as the same accrues. Such bonds shall bear such date or dates, be in such denomination or denominations, bear interest at such rate or rates (not to exceed that rate established in Section 75-17-101 ), be payable at such place or places within or without the State of Mississippi, shall mature absolutely at such time or times, be redeemable prior to maturity at such time or times and upon such terms, with or without premium, shall bear such registration privileges, and shall be substantially in such form, all as shall be determined by resolution of the State Bond Commission. Such bonds shall be signed by the Chairman of the State Bond Commission or by his facsimile signature, and the official seal of the State Bond Commission shall be affixed thereto, attested by the Secretary of the State Bond Commission. The interest coupons to be attached to such bonds may be executed by the facsimile signatures of such officers. Whenever any such bonds shall have been signed by the officials herein designated to sign the bonds who were in office at the time of such signing but who may have ceased to be such officers prior to the sale and delivery of such bonds, or who may not have been in office on the date such bonds may bear, the signatures of such officers upon such bonds and coupons shall nevertheless be valid and sufficient for all purposes and have the same effect as if the person so officially signing such bonds had remained in office until the delivery of the same to the purchaser or had been in office on the date such bonds may bear.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-55 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 11-55
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-55
Status: in_force

The local school board shall adopt and make available to all teachers, school personnel, students and parents or guardians, at the beginning of each school year, a code of student conduct developed in consultation with teachers, school personnel, students and parents or guardians. The code shall be based on the rules governing student conduct and discipline adopted by the school board and shall be made available at the school level in the student handbook or similar publication. The code shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) Specific grounds for disciplinary action under the school district's discipline plan;

(b) Procedures to be followed for acts requiring discipline, including suspensions and expulsion, which comply with due process requirements;

(c) An explanation of the responsibilities and rights of students with regard to: attendance; respect for persons and property; knowledge and observation of rules of conduct; free speech and student publications; assembly; privacy; and participation in school programs and activities;

(d) Policies and procedures recognizing the teacher as the authority in classroom matters, and supporting that teacher in any decision in compliance with the written discipline code of conduct. Such recognition shall include the right of the teacher to remove from the classroom any student who, in the professional judgment of the teacher, is disrupting the learning environment, to the office of the principal or assistant principal. The principal or assistant principal shall determine the proper placement for the student, who may not be returned to the classroom until a conference of some kind has been held with the parent, guardian or custodian during which the disrupting behavior is discussed and agreements are reached that no further disruption will be tolerated. If the principal does not approve of the determination of the teacher to remove the student from the classroom, the student may not be removed from the classroom, and the principal, upon request from the teacher, must provide justification for his disapproval;

(e) Policies and procedures for dealing with a student who causes a disruption in the classroom, on school property or vehicles, or at school-related activities;

(f) Procedures for the development of behavior modification plans by the school principal, reporting teacher and student's parent for a student who causes a disruption in the classroom, on school property or vehicles, or at school-related activities for a second time during the school year; and

(g) Policies and procedures specifically concerning gang-related activities in the school, on school property or vehicles, or at school-related activities.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-47 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 27-47
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-47
Status: reserved

All such land, buildings or other property to be sold pursuant to the authority granted in Section 37-27-43 , shall be sold only after the receipt of sealed bids therefor after the time and place of making such sale shall have been duly advertised in some newspaper having a general circulation in the county in which the property is located once each week for three consecutive weeks with the first publication to be made not less than fifteen days prior to the date upon which such bids are to be received and opened. The property shall be sold to the highest and best bidder for cash, but the board of trustees shall have the right to reject any and all bids. If the property be not sold pursuant to such advertisement, the board of trustees may, by resolution, set a date for an open meeting of said board of trustees to be held within sixty days after the date upon which the bids were opened. At the meeting held pursuant to such resolution the board of trustees may sell by auction the said property for a consideration not less than the highest sealed bid previously received pursuant to said advertisement. At the meeting called pursuant to said resolution any interested party may bid for cash and the property shall be sold to the highest and best bidder for cash, but the board of trustees shall have the right to reject any and all bids. The board of trustees may require a written confirmation of bids received at such called meeting before selling the property at auction, but it shall not be necessary that sealed bids be received before conducting the auction. When the sale of such property shall be authorized and approved by the board of trustees the president of the board of trustees shall be authorized and empowered to execute a conveyance of said property upon the terms and for the consideration fixed by the board. Said board of trustees shall reserve unto said agricultural high school at least an undivided one-half nonparticipating royalty interest in all oil, gas and minerals in, on or under said land, and all proceeds derived from royalties upon said reserved mineral interests shall be used as provided by Section 37-27-49 . If the mineral interests of the school shall be less than the full and undivided ownership, the undivided royalty interest reserved shall be reduced proportionately.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-65-117 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 65-117
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-65-117
Status: in_force

The period of time which may elapse during any closure of any school in accordance with the terms of this article, shall not be deducted or counted as a deduction from any period of time which by any other law of this state such school is required to be operated in any scholastic year. The provisions of any other law of this state setting a minimum time or number of days which any such school is required to be operated in any scholastic year shall not prevent the closure provided for in this article, and, in the event of any conflict between the terms of this article and any such other law, the provisions of this article shall control.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-83 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 101-83
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-83
Status: in_force

(a)(i) A special fund, to be designated as the “2022 IHL 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.

(ii) Monies deposited into the fund shall be disbursed, in the discretion of the Department of Finance and Administration, with the approval of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning on those projects related to the universities under its management and control to pay the costs of capital improvements, renovation and/or repair of existing facilities, furnishings and/or equipping facilities for public facilities as hereinafter described:

AMOUNT

NAME

PROJECT

ALLOCATED

Alcorn State University․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

․․․․$ 5,040,000.00

Preplanning for repair, renovation, and expansion of and upgrades and improvements to the David L. Whitney Complex and Wellness Center; campus safety and security project, including open space development, sprinkler systems for dormitories, security camera installation, card access systems, street lighting, and emergency kiosks; and repair, renovation and upgrading of campus infrastructure

․․․․$ 1,040,000.00

Repair and renovation of and upgrades and improvements to the Math and Science Building

․․․․$ 4,000,000.00

Delta State University․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

․․․․$ 5,640,000.00

Repair, renovation and replacement of and upgrades and improvements to HVAC systems and related equipment and infrastructure

․․․․$ 3,937,500.00

Repair and renovation for ADA compliance for the Bologna Performing Arts Center

․․․․$ 1,702,500.00

Jackson State University․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

․․․$ 12,000,000.00

Construction, furnishing and equipping of a new dining facility and related facilities

․․․$ 12,000,000.00

Mississippi State University․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

․․․$ 14,680,000.00

Repair, renovation, construction, acquisition of property, furnishing and equipping of related facilities to house the College of Architecture, Art and Design

․․․$ 14,680,000.00

Mississippi State University/Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine

․․․․$ 9,610,000.00

Repair and renovation of and upgrades and improvements to Dorman Hall and related facilities

․․․․$ 9,610,000.00

Mississippi University for Women․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

․․․․$ 2,500,000.00

Repair, renovation, and upgrading of campus buildings and facilities

․․․․$ 2,500,000.00

Mississippi Valley State University․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

․․․$ 10,200,000.00

Repair, renovation, expansion of and improvements to existing buildings and facilities on the main campus

․․․$ 10,200,000.00

University of Mississippi․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

․․․․$ 5,500,000.00

Construction, furnishing and equipping of a new mechanical and power plant building and related facilities

․․․․$ 4,500,000.00

Preplanning for construction, furnishing and equipping of a new building and related facilities to house the School of Accountancy

․․․․$ 1,000,000.00

University of Mississippi Medical Center․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

․․․․$ 8,000,000.00

Repair, renovation, and upgrading of campus buildings and facilities

․․․․$ 8,000,000.00

University of Southern Mississippi․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

․․․$ 11,000,000.00

Construction, furnishing and equipping of a new science research facility

․․․$ 11,000,000.00

IHL Education and Research Center․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

․․․․$ 1,400,000.00

Repair and replacement of chillers and related equipment for the campus air conditioning and heating system

․․․․$ 1,400,000.00

TOTAL ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

․․ $ 85,570,000.00

(b)(i) 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 1 of Chapter 510, Laws of 2022 from the Capital Expense Fund created in Section 27-103-303, Mississippi Code of 1972 , into the special fund, then the institution of higher learning for which any unused monies are allocated under paragraph (a) of this section shall provide an accounting of such unused monies to the Department of Finance and Administration.

(ii) Monies in the special fund may be used to reimburse reasonable actual and necessary costs incurred by the Department of Finance and Administration, acting through the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management, in administering or providing assistance directly related to a project described in paragraph (a) of this section. An accounting of actual costs incurred for which reimbursement is sought shall be maintained for each project by the Department of Finance and Administration, Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management. Reimbursement of reasonable actual and necessary costs for a project shall not exceed two percent (2%) of the monies in the special fund used for such project. Monies authorized for a particular project may not be used to reimburse administrative costs for unrelated projects.

(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.

(d) Any amounts allocated to an institution of higher learning that are in excess of that needed to complete the projects at such institution of higher learning that are described in paragraph (a) of this section may be used for general repairs and renovations at the institution of higher learning.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-35-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 35-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-35-5
Status: in_force

For the purpose of supporting the adult education program authorized in this chapter, the Mississippi Community College Board is authorized to accept for and on behalf of the State of Mississippi, federal funds made available to the state for the purpose of adult education. Such funds shall be used by the Mississippi Community College Board for the administration of the program and to supplement the local funds made available by any school district, provided such program is conducted under the rules and regulations established by the Mississippi Community College Board. All programs of adult basic education administered by the State Department of Education on July 1, 1992, shall be continued with at least the same level of funding, until July 1, 1995, provided that such programs are financially and programmatically sound and meet the requirements of federal rules and regulations. Nothing in Sections 37-35-1 through 37-35-11 shall be interpreted in a manner to prevent or interfere with the independent operation or administration of adult education under the Department of Human Services, including, but not limited to, those programs administered by the Governor's Office of Literacy and Workplace Enhancement, or of any general educational development preparatory instruction and testing administered by a school district in an alternative school program.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 145-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-5
Status: in_force

There is hereby created the Mississippi Opportunity Loan Program to assist students in meeting the rising costs of higher education and to increase the educational opportunities of such students by providing low interest rate student loans to assist Mississippi students in furthering their higher education goals.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-173 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 33-173
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-173
Status: in_force

(1) As used in this section:

(a) “ Certification ” means the credentials that has been granted or recognized, or both, by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), or any other national certifying body that is recognized by the Mississippi Office on Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH), including, but not limited to: RID/NAD National Interpreter Certification (NIC)(NIC, NIC Advanced, NIC Master), NAD (III, IV or V), Comprehensive Skills Certificate (CSC), Certificate of Interpretation (CI), Certificate of Transliteration (CT), Ed:K-12 (Educational Interpreter Performance Appraisal [EIPA] Level 4 or 5), Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI). It further includes the documentation that supports the certification level the interpreter has achieved.

(b) “ Deaf or hard of hearing person ” means a person who has either no hearing or who has significant hearing loss so as to need the services of an interpreter to communicate. “ Deafblind person ” means a person who has either the dual loss of hearing and sight or who has significant hearing and vision losses so as to need the services of an interpreter to communicate.

(c) “ Interpreter training program ” means a postsecondary degree program of at least two (2) years in duration that is accredited by the Mississippi Community College Board, the Mississippi institutions of higher learning or a comparable agency in another state.

(d) “ Interpreter ” means an individual who is certified or credentialed by the National Association of the Deaf, the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, any other national certifying organization which is recognized by the Mississippi Office on Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ODHH), or an individual who holds a valid ODHH-approved quality assurance screening level. Registered interpreters are required to adhere to professional standards and a Code of Ethics as established by the National Association of the Deaf and the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.

(e) “ Interpreting ” is the process of providing accessible communication between and among consumers who are deaf or hard of hearing and those who are hearing. This process includes, but is not limited to, communication between persons who use American Sign Language, English, cued speech and oral communication. It may also include various other modalities that involve visual, gestural and tactile methods.

(f) “ Quality assurance level (QA level) ” means the level granted through an ODHH-approved quality assurance screening evaluation. It further includes the documentation that supports the QA level the interpreter has achieved.

(g) “ Register ” means the process whereby the certification and quality assurance level of qualified interpreters are documented and maintained so as to permit those individuals to act as an interpreter for pay in the State of Mississippi.

(h) “ Registering authority ” means the agency that registers the credentials an interpreter holds, issues the registration documentation to do business in the State of Mississippi, and maintains the records to support the registration. The registering authority is the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services, Office on Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

(i) “ EIPA ” means the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment.

(2)(a) Commencing on July 1, 2005, no person, except as noted in subsection (2)(f), shall do any of the following with respect to providing interpreting services for consumers who are deaf or hard of hearing for a fee or other remuneration unless the person is registered with the registering authority:

(i) Engage in the practice of, or offer to engage in the practice of, interpreting for a fee.

(ii) Use the title of interpreter in connection with the person's name.

(iii) Assume the identity of an interpreter.

(iv) Use the title of interpreter in advertisements or descriptions.

(v) Perform the function of or convey the impression that the person is an interpreter.

(b) On or after July 1, 2010, no person shall provide interpreting services and/or represent himself or herself as an interpreter for deaf or hard of hearing consumers for compensation unless such person is registered with the registering authority according to the provisions of this section. To register as an interpreter, one must satisfy one (1) of the following requirements: (i) hold certification recognized by the National Association of the Deaf or the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, (ii) hold a quality assurance screening level that is accepted by the Registering Authority, or (iii) score 3.0 or higher on the EIPA.

(c) In situations where there is extreme hardship or where deaf and hard of hearing consumers would be left with no interpreting services, a provisional permit may be granted on an annual basis, provided that documentation of improved interpreting skills is shown.

(d) The registering authority shall be charged with the responsibility for keeping all records and verifying the accuracy of the credentials of each applicant.

(e) Registration shall be for a period of two (2) years, and is renewable.

(f) The following shall be exceptions to paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this subsection (2):

(i) A person may engage in the practice of interpreting for religious services without being registered under the provisions of this section.

(ii) Students enrolled in an approved Interpreter Training Program (ITP) are granted a student level registration provided the ITP has an instructor who also is registered under the provisions of this section and the student pays the appropriate fees.

(iii) A graduate of an approved Interpreter Training Program (ITP) can continue to utilize their student level for two (2) years without registering provided they are supervised by an interpreter who is registered under the provisions of this section and the graduate pays the appropriate fees.

(g) The registering authority shall establish an Advisory Council to assist in writing the rules and setting the fees for registering. The Advisory Council shall have three (3) members. One (1) member shall be a deaf consumer; one (1) member shall be a registered interpreter who is actively engaged in the interpreting business; and one (1) member shall be at large. The Advisory Council may ask additional persons who are knowledgeable about the process and business of interpreting to assist them with the business of the council as needed.

(3) The deaf, hard of hearing, or deafblind consumer(s) and the hearing person(s) who employ, contract or otherwise engage the services of an interpreter are the principal parties in the interpreted communication or conversation, and as such hold exclusive rights to any information conveyed therein. Interpreters may not disclose or be compelled to disclose, through reporting or testimony or by subpoena, the contents of the conversations, except an interpreter working in conjunction with and paid by a state agency, private organization or primary or secondary school for the therapeutic, educational or rehabilitation purposes. This communication remains confidential, but may be shared with the appropriate agency or educational staff working to assist the deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind person.

(4) The registering authority shall develop forms and assist in referring grievances to the appropriate professional organization and/or authorities.

(5) The registering authority shall have oversight authority regarding in-state quality assurance evaluations to ensure that proper assessment tools, methods and procedures are followed and that evaluators are trained and qualified, as well as the authority to employ personnel as necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

(6) Whoever is in violation of subsection (2) or (3) is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) nor more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), and may be imprisoned for not more than six (6) months.

(7) Mississippi shall recognize interpreters who are licensed and/or certified in other states with equal or higher certification than the interpreting levels prescribed by the rules and regulations incumbent in this section. A nonresident interpreter may work up to fifteen (15) days per year without seeking a valid permit from the registering authority. The person who utilizes a nonresident interpreter is charged with the responsibility of verifying the credentials and type of interpreting the interpreter is qualified to do. If a nonresident interpreter works more than fifteen (15) calendar days per year in the State of Mississippi for compensation or other remuneration, the interpreter must become registered under the provisions of this section and pay the appropriate fees.

(8) The registering authority shall establish fair and equitable rules and a fee schedule, not to exceed One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) per annual registration, to cover the cost of administering this section. The rules and fee schedule will be published for the general public.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-125 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 29-125
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-125
Status: in_force

The board of trustees of any such junior college district borrowing money pursuant to the authority granted in Section 37-29-121 , is hereby authorized and empowered to fix, maintain and collect fees, rentals and other charges to be paid by students, faculty members and others using, housed in or being served by any building or other housing facility erected or established under the terms and provisions of said section. All such fees, rentals and other charges shall likewise be paid into the debt retirement fund specified in Section 37-29-123 , and shall be pledged for the prompt repayment of any and all indebtedness, whether of principal or interest, incurred under the provisions of said section. Nothing in Sections 37-29-121 through 37-29-127 shall be construed to authorize the levying or imposition of any taxes in excess of the limits and amounts which are now or may hereafter be provided by law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-27 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 27-27
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-27
Status: in_force

The board of trustees of any vocational-agricultural high school located within a municipality having a population of less than seven hundred, and not having a municipal water system, may, in its discretion, enter into a contract and agreement with the governing authority to supply said municipality with water from the water system owned by such vocational-agricultural high school.

Such contract or agreement shall be entered into by and between the board of trustees of such vocational-agricultural high school and the governing authority of such municipality. The same shall be made a matter of record on the minutes of each, and shall be upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon by and between the said board of trustees and the governing authority of such municipality.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-243 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 29-243
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-243
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for any person not enrolled in any such public junior college to solicit any pupil enrolled in any such public junior college, to join or pledge himself or herself to become a member of any such public junior college fraternity, sorority, or secret society, or to solicit any such pupil to attend a meeting thereof or any meeting where the joining of any such public junior college fraternity, sorority, or secret organization shall be encouraged.

Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each and every offense.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-241 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 29-241
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-241
Status: in_force

All boards of trustees of public junior college districts shall prohibit fraternities, sororities, or secret societies in all junior colleges under their respective jurisdiction. It shall be the duty of said boards of trustees to suspend or expel from said junior colleges under their control, any pupil or pupils who shall be or remain a member of, or shall join or promise to join, or who shall become pledged to become a member, or who shall solicit or encourage any other person to join, promise to join, or be pledged to become a member of, any such public junior college fraternity, sorority or secret society, as defined in Section 37-29-235 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-409 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 7-409
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-409
Status: in_force

(1) When any school districts shall be authorized to unite, join and cooperate in the construction, erecting and equipping of a joint school building or school facility or in the joint operation of a school erected, constructed and equipped entirely by one of such districts, any school district so authorized may, with the prior consent and approval of the State Board of Education, expend in the construction, erecting and equipping of such joint school building or the school building which is to be jointly operated any available state public school building funds, or any available funds derived from bonds issued by such school district for such purpose, or any other funds which are otherwise available to such school district for such purpose, as is set forth and stipulated in the agreement entered into between the school districts involved. Except as is herein specifically provided all provisions of law relative to the construction, erecting and equipping of school buildings, the acquisition of land therefor, and the expenditure of funds for such purposes, shall be fully applicable to any joint school building which has been or is to be constructed, erected and equipped or which is to be operated jointly pursuant to an agreement entered into under the provisions of Section 37-7-405 .

(2) When a contract is made and entered into for the construction, erecting and equipping of joint school facilities or the joint operation of school facilities erected, constructed and equipped entirely by one of such districts, as provided in Section 37-7-405 , and where such contract has been approved by the State Board of Education, then any funds which are available for the lawful operating and incidental expenses of a school district may be expended by such school district as provided and stipulated in the agreement entered into between the school districts involved (including, but not limited to, funds for payment of tuition, funds payable as a rental upon the use of the building and equipment, and funds for maintenance and incidental costs of operation). The levying authority for the school district, as defined in Section 37-57-1 , upon receipt of a certified copy of an order adopted by the school board of the school district in the county requesting same, shall at the same time and in the same manner as other ad valorem taxes are levied, levy an annual tax in the amount fixed in such order as may be required to meet any monetary obligation incurred under such contract. Notwithstanding any statute to the contrary, such number of mills as is necessary to defray any such contractual obligation shall be levied. However, this provision shall in no way be construed to increase the number of mills now reimbursable under the homestead exemption laws of the State of Mississippi.

(3) Before levying any taxes under the provisions of this section, which levy would exceed the limitations otherwise provided for school purposes, the levying authority for the school district, as defined in Section 37-57-1 , shall adopt a resolution declaring its intention so to do, stating the amount of millage to be levied and the purpose for which the proceeds are to be used, and the date upon which it proposes to make such levy. Such resolution shall be published once a week for not less than three (3) consecutive weeks, in at least one (1) newspaper having general circulation in the school district. The first publication of such resolution shall be made not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the date fixed in such resolution for the levying of taxes, and the last publication shall be made not more than seven (7) days prior to such date. If within fifteen (15) days after the final publication of said resolution, a petition signed by the lesser of fifteen hundred (1500) or twenty percent (20%) of the qualified electors of said school district, requesting an election on the proposition of levying such additional taxes for school purposes is filed with the clerk of the board of supervisors or the clerk of the municipality, as the case may be, such levy shall not be made until an election shall be held to determine whether or not three-fifths ( 3 / 5 ) of qualified electors of said school district shall favor the additional levy for school purposes. If three-fifths ( 3 / 5 ) of the qualified electors of said school district voting in such election approves the levying of the additional taxes, then the levy shall be made within the manner, form and time as required by law. If no such petition is filed with the clerk as herein provided, then said levy shall be made by the levying authority in the manner, form and time as required by law. If any election is held under the provisions of this section, said election shall be under the supervision of the county or municipal election commission, as the case may be, in the manner, form and time as required by law for conducting general elections in this state.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-21 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 175-21
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-175-21
Status: in_force

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

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

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

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

(2) The qualified personnel to provide speech-language services for children with speech-language impairment who attend the nonpublic special purpose schools shall consist of speech-language pathologists.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-55 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / 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. § 37-41-89 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 41-89
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-89
Status: in_force

The school board of any school district may borrow money for the purchase of school transportation equipment or to establish, erect and equip school bus shops or garages, and purchase land therefor, and issue the negotiable notes or bonds of the school district as evidence of the indebtedness so incurred.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-47 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 101-47
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-47
Status: in_force

Any leases executed under the provisions of Section 37-101-41 shall be legal investments for trustees and other fiduciaries, and for banks, trust companies, and insurance companies authorized to do business in the State of Mississippi.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-144-21 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 144-21
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-144-21
Status: in_force

This chapter may not be construed as granting the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship Program or its governing commission any governing or administrative authority over any program administered by any college, university, medical school or residency program in this state or any other program established by state law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-125-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 125-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-125-5
Status: in_force

The Jackson State College shall be located on the property situated near the city of Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi, and containing forty-nine acres more or less north of the Y. & M. V. railroad, west of Dalton street, section 9, township 6, range 1, east, and otherwise known as Jackson College.