Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 28-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-5
Status: in_force

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

(a) “ Applicant ” means any person or group that develops and submits an application for a charter school to the authorizer.

(b) “ Application ” means a proposal from an applicant to the authorizer to enter into a charter contract whereby the proposed school obtains charter school status.

(c) “ Authorizer ” means the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board established under Section 37-28-7 to review applications, decide whether to approve or reject applications, enter into charter contracts with applicants, oversee charter schools, and decide whether to renew, not renew, or revoke charter contracts.

(d) “ Charter contract ” means a fixed-term, renewable contract between a charter school and the authorizer which outlines the roles, powers, responsibilities and performance expectations for each party to the contract.

(e) “ Charter school ” means a public school that is established and operating under the terms of charter contract between the school's governing board and the authorizer. The term “ charter school ” includes a conversion charter school and start-up charter school.

(f) “ Conversion charter school ” means a charter school that existed as a noncharter public school before becoming a charter school.

(g) “ Education service provider ” means a charter management organization, school design provider or any other partner entity with which a charter school intends to contract for educational design, implementation or comprehensive management.

(h) “ Governing board ” means the independent board of a charter school which is party to the charter contract with the authorizer and whose members have been elected or selected pursuant to the school's application.

(i) “ Noncharter public school ” means a public school that is under the direct management, governance and control of a school board or the state.

(j) “ Parent ” means a parent, guardian or other person or entity having legal custody of a child.

(k) “ School board ” means a school board exercising management and control over a local school district and the schools of that district pursuant to the State Constitution and state statutes.

(l) “ School district ” means a governmental entity that establishes and supervises one or more public schools within its geographical limits pursuant to state statutes.

(m) “ Start-up charter school ” means a charter school that did not exist as a noncharter public school before becoming a charter school.

(n) “ Student ” means any child who is eligible for attendance in a public school in the state.

(o) “ Underserved students ” means students qualifying as low-income or qualifying for a special education program under Section 37-151-201 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-51 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 45-51
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-51
Status: in_force

Any school board of a school district aggrieved by any final rule, regulation or order of the commission shall have the right of appeal to the chancery court of the county in which said school district or any part thereof may be located or situated, which appeal shall be taken and perfected as hereinafter provided within thirty (30) days from the date of such final rule, regulation or order. The said chancery court may modify or affirm such rule, regulation or order or reverse or remand the same for further proceedings as justice may require. All such appeals shall be taken and perfected, heard and determined, either in term time or in vacation, on the record, including a transcript of any evidence, pleadings or testimony filed and heard before said commission. Such appeal shall be heard and disposed of promptly by the chancery court as a preference cause. In perfecting any appeal provided by this chapter, the provisions of law respecting notice to the reporter and the allowance of bills of exception, now or hereafter in force respecting appeals from the chancery court to the Supreme Court shall be applicable. The reporter shall transcribe his notes and file the transcript of the record with the commission within thirty (30) days after approval of the appeal bond.

Upon the filing with the commission of a petition for appeal to the chancery court, it shall be the duty of the commission, as promptly as possible and in any event within sixty (60) days after approval of the appeal bond, to file with the clerk of the chancery court a copy of the petition for appeal and of the rule, regulation or order appealed from, and a transcript of the record of the pleadings and evidence before the commission. After the filing of said petition, the appeal shall be perfected by the filing of bond in the sum of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) with two (2) sufficient sureties or with a surety company qualified to do business in Mississippi as the surety, conditioned to pay the cost of such appeal. Said bond shall be approved by the clerk of the court. The perfection of an appeal shall not stay or suspend the operation of any rule, regulation or order of the commission, but the judge of the said chancery court may award a writ of supersedeas to any rule, regulation or order of the commission after five (5) days' notice to the commission and after hearing. Any order or judgment staying the operation of any rule, regulation or order of the commission shall contain a specific finding, based upon evidence submitted to the chancellor and identified by reference thereto, that great or irreparable damage would result to the appellant if he is denied relief, and the stay shall not become effective until a supersedeas bond shall have been executed and filed with and approved by the clerk of the court or the chancellor, payable to the state. The bond shall be in an amount fixed by the chancellor and conditioned as said chancellor may direct in the order granting the supersedeas.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-59-17 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 59-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-59-17
Status: in_force

When the results of the election on the question of the issuance of such bonds shall have been canvassed by the election commissioners of such county or municipality, and certified by them to the school board of the school district, it shall be the duty of such school board to determine and adjudicate whether or not three-fifths ( 3 / 5 ) of the qualified electors who voted in such election voted in favor of the issuance of such bonds. Unless three-fifths ( 3 / 5 ) of the qualified electors who voted in such election shall have voted in favor of the issuance of such bonds, then such bonds shall not be issued. Should three-fifths ( 3 / 5 ) of the qualified electors who vote in such election vote in favor of the issuance of such bonds, then the school board of such school district shall issue such bonds, either in whole or in part, within two (2) years from the date of such election, or within two (2) years after the final favorable termination of any litigation affecting the issuance of such bonds, as such school board shall deem best.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-195 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 13-195
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-195
Status: in_force

(1) There is created the Mississippi Civil Rights Education Commission. The commission shall be assigned to the Office of the Secretary of State for administrative purposes only. The commission shall provide or assist education officials and other organizations with information, coordination and modification of courses or programs that include the Civil Rights Movement, and will carry out the specific responsibilities set forth in Section 37-13-193 . In completing this task, the commission may act as a liaison with various bodies, including the United States Congress, the State Legislature, Teaching for Change, the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation, as well as other national and international agencies. The commission shall consist of no more than fifteen (15) members, eleven (11) positions of which will be voluntary, to serve with a term of three (3) years on a rotating basis. These positions will be filled by application submitted to a joint committee formed by the William Winter Institute at the University of Mississippi, Tougaloo College, the Oral History Project at the University of Southern Mississippi and Jackson State University. Each of these four (4) entities shall remain permanent members of this commission, with representatives to be appointed by the President or Chancellor of the appropriate institution.

(2) The members of the commission shall be residents of this state and shall be appointed with due regard for broad geographic representation.

(3) The commission shall have a chairperson who shall be designated by the State Superintendent of Education from the commission membership for a term of four (4) years and eight (8) members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business of the commission.

(4) The Mississippi Commission on Civil Rights Education shall adopt rules and regulations and set standards and policies for the organization, operation, management, budgeting and programs of the commission.

(5) The commission may apply for and receive gifts, grants and donations from any public or private sources, including federal and private foundation grants. Members of the commission may not be compensated for the performance of their duties except from nonstate funds that are specifically available therefor.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-54 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 33-54
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-54
Status: in_force

The State Department of Rehabilitation Services, through the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind, shall administer the Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind Law as prescribed in Sections 37-33-53 through 37-33-75 , Sections 43-3-3 through 43-3-15 and Section 43-3-93 . The executive director of the department shall assign to the office such powers and duties deemed appropriate to carry out the lawful functions of this law and any federal law or regulation.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-302 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 7-302
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-302
Status: in_force

The board of trustees of any school district shall be authorized to borrow such funds as may be reasonable and necessary from the federal government, the State of Mississippi or any political subdivision or entity thereof, or any other governmental agency, from any individual, partnership, nonprofit corporation or private for-profit corporation, to aid such school districts in asbestos removal, to be repaid out of any funds other than the total funding formula funds provided for in Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 ; provided, however, that the grant of authority shall in no way be construed to require said boards of trustees to remove asbestos material or substances from any facilities under their control, nor shall there be any liability to said school districts or boards for the failure to so remove such asbestos materials. All indebtedness incurred under the provisions of this section shall be evidenced by the negotiable notes or certificates of indebtedness of the school district on whose behalf the money is borrowed. Said notes or certificates of indebtedness of the school district on whose behalf the money is borrowed shall be signed by the president of the school board and superintendent of schools of such school district. Such notes or certificates of indebtedness shall not bear a greater overall maximum interest rate to maturity than the rates now or hereafter authorized under the provisions of Section 19-9-19 . No such notes or certificates of indebtedness shall be issued and sold for less than par and accrued interest. All notes or certificates of indebtedness shall mature in approximately equal installments of principal and interest over a period not to exceed twenty (20) years from the dates of the issuance thereof. Principal and interest shall be payable in such manner as may be determined by the school board. Such notes or certificates of indebtedness shall be issued in such form and in such denominations as may be determined by the school board and same may be made payable at the office of any bank or trust company selected by the school board and, in such case, funds for the payment of principal and interest due thereon shall be provided in the same manner provided by law for the payment of the principal and interest due on bonds issued by the taxing districts of this state.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-65-11 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 65-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-65-11
Status: in_force

Upon or during any period of closure in accordance with the provisions of this article, any teacher or other employee affected thereby may be, by the board of trustees of such school district, college or institution of higher learning, placed in any other school within the district or any other junior college or institution of higher learning, as the case may be, or may be employed in such other school or junior college or institution of higher learning.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-177-11 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 177-11
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-177-11
Status: in_force

(1) A Third-Grade student who does not meet the academic requirements for promotion to the Fourth Grade may be promoted by the school district only for good cause. Good cause exemptions for promotion are limited to the following students:

(a) Limited English proficient students who have had less than two (2) years of instruction in an English Language Learner program;

(b) Students with disabilities whose individual education plan (IEP) indicates that participation in the statewide accountability assessment program is not appropriate, as authorized under state law;

(c) Students with a disability who participate in the state annual accountability assessment and who have an IEP or a Section 504 plan that reflects that the individual student has received intensive remediation in reading for more than two (2) years but still demonstrates a deficiency in reading or previously was retained in Kindergarten or First, Second or Third Grade;

(d) Students who demonstrate an acceptable level of reading proficiency on an alternative standardized assessment approved by the State Board of Education; and

(e) Students who have received intensive intervention in reading for two (2) or more years but still demonstrate a deficiency in reading and who previously were retained in Kindergarten or First, Second or Third Grade for a total of two (2) years and have not met exceptional education criteria. A student who is promoted to Fourth Grade with a good cause exemption shall be provided an individual reading plan as described in Section 37-177-1(2) , which outlines intensive reading instruction and intervention informed by specialized diagnostic information and delivered through specific reading strategies to meet the needs of each student so promoted. The school district shall assist schools and teachers in implementing reading strategies that research has shown to be successful in improving reading among students with persistent reading difficulties.

(2) A request for good cause exemptions for a Third-Grade student from the academic requirements established for promotion to Fourth Grade must be made consistent with the following:

(a) Documentation must be submitted from the student's teacher to the school principal which indicates that the promotion of the student is appropriate and is based upon the student's record. The documentation must consist of the good cause exemption being requested and must clearly prove that the student is covered by one (1) of the good cause exemptions listed in subsection (1)(a) through (e) of this section.

(b) The principal shall review and discuss the recommendations with the teacher and parents and make a determination as to whether or not the student should be promoted based on requirements set forth in this chapter. If the principal determines that the student should be promoted, based on the documentation provided, the principal must make the recommendation in writing to the school district superintendent, who, in writing, may accept or reject the principal's recommendation. The parents of any student promoted may choose that the student be retained for one (1) year, even if the principal and district superintendent determines otherwise.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-161-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 161-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-161-3
Status: in_force

(1) The Legislature finds and declares the following:

(a) Meeting the educational needs of children in our state's schools is of the greatest importance to the future welfare of the State of Mississippi;

(b) Closing the achievement gap between high-performing students, including the achievement gap among at-risk students, is a significant and present challenge;

(c) Providing a broader range of educational options to parents and utilizing existing resources, along with technology, may help students in the state improve their academic achievement; and

(d) Many of the state's school districts currently lack the capacity to provide other public school choices for students whose schools are low performing.

(2) There is created the Mississippi Virtual Public School Program, which is the responsibility of the State Department of Education. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Mississippi Virtual Public School established under this section provides Mississippi families with an alternative choice to access additional educational resources in an effort to improve academic achievement. The Mississippi Virtual Public School must be recognized as a public school and provide equitable treatment and resources as are other public schools in the state. Private providers, overseen by the State Department of Education, may be selected by the State Board of Education to administer, manage or operate virtual school programs in this state, including the total operation of the Mississippi Virtual Public School Program. Any private provider chosen to provide services under the provisions of this subsection shall be chosen through the Mississippi Online Course Application Process.

(3) Nothing in this section may be interpreted as precluding the use of computer- and Internet-based instruction for students in a virtual or remote setting utilizing the Mississippi Virtual Public School.

(4) As used in this section, the following words and phrases have the meanings respectively ascribed unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(a) “ Mississippi Virtual Public School ” means a public school in which the state uses technology in order to deliver instruction to students via the Internet in a virtual or remote setting.

(b) “ Sponsor ” means the public school district is responsible for the academic process for each student, including, but not limited to, enrollment, awarding of credit and monitoring progress.

(5)(a) The State Board of Education shall establish the Mississippi Virtual Public School beginning in school year 2006-2007.

(b) Students who enroll in the Mississippi Virtual Public School may reside anywhere in the State of Mississippi.

(6) Subject to appropriation, the Mississippi Virtual Public School shall provide to each student enrolled in the school all necessary instructional materials. Subject to appropriation, the sponsored school must ensure that each student is provided access to the necessary technology, such as a computer and printer, and to an Internet connection for schoolwork purposes.

(7) The Mississippi Department of Education shall have approval authority for all coursework and policy of the Mississippi Virtual Public School.

(8) Each teacher employed by or participating in the delivery of instruction through the Mississippi Virtual Public School must meet all qualifications for licensure in the State of Mississippi.

(9) Any student who meets state residency requirements may enroll in the Mississippi Virtual Public School.

(10) Enrollment in the Mississippi Virtual Public School shall be free of charge to students. The costs associated with the operations of the virtual school must be shared by the State Department of Education, subject to appropriation, and/or the local school districts. Once the State Department of Education appropriation and the local school district budgeted funds for Mississippi Virtual Public School have been expended and students choose to enroll in online courses, the costs of the online courses may be the responsibility of the students' parents or guardians.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-451 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 29-451
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-451
Status: in_force

There is hereby created the Copiah-Lincoln Junior College District comprised of the territory lying within Adams, Copiah, Franklin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lincoln and Simpson Counties and having boundaries coinciding with the external boundaries thereof. The said district shall be and is hereby constituted a legal political governmental subdivision and a body corporate. The board of trustees of said district, with the consent of the Mississippi Community College Board, is hereby empowered to change the name of the district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 113-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-3
Status: in_force

The state institution of higher learning, as incorporated by an act of the legislature, approved February 28, 1878, by the name of the “Agricultural and Mechanical College of Mississippi,” and established in pursuance of that act, shall continue to exist as a body-politic and corporate, by the name of the “Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science,” with all its property and the franchises, rights, powers, and privileges heretofore conferred on it by law, or properly incident to such a body and necessary to accomplish the purpose of its creation; said university may receive and hold all real and personal property conveyed to it for such purpose.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-195 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 23-195
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-195
Status: in_force

(1) Each appropriate educational entity shall provide for the development of an IEP or 504 Plan for each blind or visually impaired student eligible for educational services or equipment, or both, under Sections 37-23-1 through 37-23-157 . In developing the written IEP or 504 Plan for each blind or visually impaired student, there shall be a presumption that proficiency in Braille reading and writing is essential for the student to achieve satisfactory educational progress.

(2) Each appropriate educational entity, in compliance with 20 USCS Section 1414(d)(3)(B)(iii) , the Individuals with Disability Education Act, as reauthorized in 2004, shall provide for instruction in Braille and the use of Braille unless the IEP Committee determines, after an evaluation of the child's reading and writing skills, needs, and appropriate reading and writing media, including an evaluation of the child's future needs for instruction in Braille or the use of Braille, that instruction in Braille or the use of Braille is not appropriate for the child.

(3) The assessment required for each student shall be conducted by a TVI and shall include, at a minimum, a research based learning media assessment and functional vision assessment, and if necessary in the determination of the IEP Committee, a comprehensive assistive technology evaluation. The assessment shall include a statement of the student's academic and functional strengths, deficits and future needs. If, in the course of developing a student's IEP or 504 Plan or in the review of the research based assessment and consideration of a student's future needs, the majority of the members of the team concur that the student's visual impairment and future needs do not affect reading and writing performance commensurate with ability, then Braille instruction and its use shall not be required by this section for that student. Nothing in this section shall require the exclusive use of Braille when other specialized educational services and assistive technology devices are determined more appropriate by the IEP Committee for the student's educational needs.

(4) No student shall be denied the opportunity for instruction in Braille reading and writing only because the student has some residual vision.

(5) The parent or guardian or local educational agency shall have the right to audio record the proceedings of individualized education program team meetings. The parent or guardian or local educational agency shall notify the members of the individualized education program team of his, her, or its intent to audio record a meeting at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the meeting.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-111-9 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 111-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-111-9
Status: in_force

The board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning is hereby authorized and empowered, in its discretion, to lease to social fraternities, sororities, or other social organizations, upon such conditions as it may prescribe, for a term not exceeding ninety-nine years, any land at any state-supported institution of higher learning for the purpose of erecting fraternity houses, sorority houses, or other facilities for recreation thereon.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-21-6 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 21-6
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-21-6
Status: in_force

The Mississippi Early Childhood Education Program shall be the kindergarten program implemented by local school districts.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-119-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 119-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-119-7
Status: in_force

The University of Southern Mississippi (herein sometimes referred to as the “university”) is authorized and empowered to require the state building commission to issue bonds in an amount not exceeding the sum of seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000.00), bearing interest at a rate not exceeding six per cent per annum, for the purpose of and to be expended in extending, adding to and improving the athletic stadium on its campus; to impose student athletic fees; to impose charges, in addition to and distinguished from the established price of admission, upon persons, other than students, for the privilege of attending events held in such stadium, which such charges shall be exempt from any amusement tax now levied and collected in the State of Mississippi, and to immediately commence, prior to the issuance and sale of the bonds herein authorized and to continue, the collection of such charges; and to apply to the satisfaction and retirement, as and when due, of the principal of and interest on such bonds, said athletic fees and said charges, and also, rental income from the dormitory facilities now in the stadium, and income, not otherwise appropriated or allocated, from any other sources. Such bonds shall be authorized by the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning in the manner now provided by Sections 37-101-91 through 37-101-103 , and all of the provisions of said sections (except as herein otherwise provided and as are not in conflict with the provisions hereof) shall be applicable to the authorization and issuance of such bonds. Reference in Sections 37-101-95 , 37-101-101 , to “dormitories, dwellings or apartments” shall be understood to apply also to all other projects authorized to be financed under the provisions of Section 37-101-99 .

Upon request of the university, acting through its president and financial secretary, authorization having been first obtained from the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning, the state building commission shall issue and sell bonds of the university at not less than par and accrued interest in the manner provided by Section 21-27-45, Mississippi Code of 1972 , for the sale of bonds of municipalities issued thereunder and upon terms and at interest rates, not to exceed the maximum therein authorized, to be fixed by the state building commission. The state building commission is hereby authorized to supervise the contracting for, and the erection of, all buildings erected, extended, added to, or improved under the provisions of this section. The board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning is hereby authorized and empowered to specify the nature of such extensions, additions, improvements or new construction, and shall approve the plans and specifications therefor prior to the letting of any new contract for any such work. All contracts let under the supervision of the state building commission shall be let as provided by law for other contracts let by said commission.

The board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning, in the resolution authorizing such bonds, may provide for the imposition of such student athletic fees, such charges for the privilege of attending events held in such stadium (as hereinabove distinguished from the price of admission), such rental charges for use of the dormitories facilities now in the stadium and for application to the retirement of such bonds of such other sources of income, not otherwise appropriated or allocated, as it may consider desirable. Said board may provide for the collection and the allocation of such fees and charges. Such fees and charges or other income shall always be in such amounts as will assure the prompt payment of principal of and interest on such bonds and the carrying out of all of the covenants and agreements contained in such resolution authorizing such bonds.

All bonds so issued shall constitute negotiable instruments within the meaning of the Uniform Commercial Code of Mississippi.

Any bonds authorized under authority of this section may be validated in the chancery court of first judicial district, Hinds County in the manner and with the force and effect now or hereafter provided by general law for the validation of municipal bonds.

This section, without reference to any other statute or law of Mississippi other than the portions of Sections 37-101-91 through 37-101-103 , not in conflict herewith, and Section 31-19-25 , shall constitute full authority for the extension, adding to and improvement of the aforesaid stadium and the authorization and issuance of bonds hereunder and no other provisions of the statutes pertinent thereto, except as herein expressly provided, shall be construed as applying to any proceedings had hereunder or any acts done pursuant hereto.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-105 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 7-105
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-105
Status: in_force

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

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

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

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

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

Each school board shall be responsible for establishing the contracts for teachers and principals for the next school year with the consultation of the successor school board if they have been selected at the time such decisions are to be made. The selection of administrator in the central administration office shall be the responsibility of the successor school board. No existing dates for renewal of contracts shall invalidate the responsibility of the successor school board in taking such action. The successor school board may enter into these contracts at any time following their election, but no later than July 1 of that year. It shall also be the responsibility of the successor school board to prepare and approve the budget of the new district. The successor school board may use staff from the existing districts to prepare the budget. The school board shall have authority to approve the budget prior to the July 1 date and shall follow the time line established for budget preparation under the law. Should either district at the time of consolidation have more liabilities than assets, then the successor school board shall be authorized to levy an ad valorem tax upon the taxable property in the territory of the district where the deficit exists, a tax not to exceed five percent (5%) of the existing tax levy for the sole purpose of reducing the deficit. When the deficit is eliminated, then such tax levy shall be terminated. Any taxes levied to bring about the equalization of funding, to equalize pay scales or levied in the territory of a newly created district where a deficit exists, shall constitute a “new program” for the purposes of ad valorem tax limitations as prescribed in Sections 27-39-321 and 37-57-107, Mississippi Code of 1972 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-23 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 145-23
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-145-23
Status: in_force

The State Bond Commission shall have the power and is hereby authorized, at one (1) time or from time to time, to issue negotiable general obligation bonds of the State of Mississippi to initially fund the Mississippi Opportunity Loan Fund. The total amount of bonds which may be issued pursuant to Sections 37-145-23 through 37-145-43 shall not exceed Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000.00).
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-425 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 29-425
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-425
Status: in_force

The board of trustees of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College District may borrow money in anticipation of taxes not to exceed fifty percent (50%) of the previous year's ad valorem tax receipts for the purpose of paying any expenses authorized by law for the operation, maintenance and support of the colleges. The loan shall be evidenced by note or notes bearing the signature of the president and of the secretary of the board of trustees and the seal of the college shall be thereon impressed. Said notes shall mature not later than the first day of April next thereafter and the same shall not bear interest in excess of that allowed in Section 75-17-105, Mississippi Code of 1972 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-63 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 45-63
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-63
Status: in_force

The provisions of this chapter are and shall be construed to be in addition to and supplemental of the provisions of any other statutes of this state pertaining to the matters herein referred to.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-123 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 33-123
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-123
Status: in_force

For the purposes of Sections 37-33-121 through 37-33-131 , a community rehabilitation program means a program that provides directly or facilitates the provision of services to individuals with disabilities to enable them to maximize their opportunities for employment. These specialized programs provide paid, time-limited work experiences to clients with disabilities through the manufacture of goods or provision of services sold to industry or other parties as the primary means in rendering realistic work based evaluation and training services designed to enable clients with disabilities to attain the necessary work skills, habits, behaviors, and experience required to successfully obtain and maintain competitive employment. Additional services provided by the community rehabilitation program to enhance and facilitate the employability of clients with disabilities include, but are not limited to, vocational evaluation/career exploration and planning, counseling and guidance, job readiness and job seeking skills training, on the job evaluation and other therapeutic or work training services that support or contribute to the ultimate employment of clients with disabilities.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-69 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 23-69
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-69
Status: in_force

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Any monies provided an applicant under Sections 37-23-61 through 37-23-75 shall be applied by the receiving educational institution as a reduction in the amount of the educational costs paid by the applicant, and the total educational costs paid by the applicant shall not exceed the total educational costs paid by any other child in similar circumstances enrolled in the same program in that institution. However, this limitation shall not prohibit the waiving of all or part of the educational costs for a limited number of children based upon demonstrated financial need, and the State Department of Education may adopt and enforce reasonable rules and regulations to carry out the intent of these provisions.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-148-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 148-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-148-5
Status: in_force

(1) The SMART Business Act shall include the SMART Business Rebate to promote research partnerships between colleges and investors and the SMART Business Accelerate Initiative to promote the development of state-owned intellectual property.

(2) The SMART Business Rebate shall be implemented as follows:

(a) Subject to the provisions of this chapter, an investor incurring qualified research costs subject to a research agreement is eligible for a rebate equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of the investor's qualified research costs.

(b) An investor incurring research costs may not claim a rebate pursuant to this chapter greater than One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) in any fiscal year.

(c) The total amount of rebates issued under the SMART Business Rebate by the state in any fiscal year may not exceed Three Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($3,500,000.00).

(d) Investors desiring to apply for the SMART Business rebate authorized by this chapter shall submit an application to IHL which must contain, at a minimum, the following:

(i) A description of the qualified research to be conducted by the college or research corporation;

(ii) A proposed budget;

(iii) An estimated date for completion of the qualified research; and

(iv) Such additional information as may be requested by IHL.

(e) IHL shall review each application to determine if the investor has satisfied all of the requirements of this section.

(f) Within sixty (60) days of receiving an application, IHL shall issue or refuse to issue a SMART Business Rebate certificate. The SMART Business Rebate certificate must include the amount of the rebate the investor is eligible to claim, subject to subsection (1) of this section. IHL must notify the Department of Revenue when a SMART Business Rebate certificate is issued.

(g) To claim a rebate, the investor must submit a rebate allocation claim to the Department of Revenue. The rebate allocation claim must include, at a minimum, the SMART Business Rebate certificate issued by IHL and proof of payment to the college or research corporation for qualified research conducted according to the research agreement.

(h) The Department of Revenue may request an audit from the investor submitting a rebate allocation claim, at the investor's expense, to verify the investor has satisfied the requirements of this chapter.

(i) The Department of Revenue shall issue rebates available under this subsection from current income tax collections.

(j) Rebates must be allocated to investors by the Department of Revenue in the order that SMART Business Rebate certificates are issued by IHL.

(3) The SMART Business Accelerate Initiative shall be implemented as follows:

(a) Subject to the provisions of this chapter, an applicant performing research validation pursuant to a research agreement is eligible for a disbursement of up to One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00) for the applicant's qualified validation expenses.

(b) The total amount of disbursements issued by the state under the SMART Business Accelerate Initiative in any fiscal year may not exceed One Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000.00).

(c) Applicants desiring to apply for a SMART Business Accelerate Initiative disbursement authorized by this chapter shall submit an application to IHL which must contain, at a minimum, the following:

(i) A description of the research validation to be conducted by the college or research corporation using funds from the disbursement;

(ii) A proposed budget of qualified validation expenses;

(iii) A certified determination from the applicant that the proposed research validation is necessary to develop state-owned intellectual property into products and services; and

(iv) Such additional information as may be requested by IHL.

(d) IHL shall review each application to determine if the applicant has satisfied all of the requirements of this section.

(e) Within sixty (60) days of receiving an application, IHL shall issue or refuse to issue a SMART Business Accelerate Initiative disbursement certificate. The SMART Business Accelerate Initiative disbursement certificate must include the amount of the disbursement the applicant is eligible to receive, subject to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection. IHL must notify the Department of Revenue when a SMART Business Accelerate Initiative disbursement certificate is issued.

(f) IHL shall develop a process for accepting, reviewing and selecting proposals for SMART Business Accelerate Initiative disbursements and notifying the Department of Revenue when applicants have been selected to receive disbursements.

(g) The Department of Revenue shall issue disbursements available under this subsection from current income tax collections.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-35-9 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 35-9
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-35-9
Status: in_force

The Mississippi Community College Board is authorized to develop and establish general educational development preparatory classes in secondary schools and community/junior colleges and to provide financial assistance from the state for the specific purpose of preparing persons sixteen (16) years of age and older, not enrolled in school or required to be enrolled in school by the Compulsory School Attendance Law ( Section 37-13-91 ) to successfully write the general educational development test and earn a certificate of equivalency which is equivalent to the high school diploma.

The Mississippi Community College Board is authorized to administer the High School Equivalency Diploma Testing Program in accordance with the policies and guidelines of the High School Equivalency Diploma Testing Service of the American Council on Education. Such administration shall include the approval of rules and regulations for the administration, scoring, issuing of transcripts and awarding of diplomas for the High School Equivalency Diploma Testing Program. The Mississippi Community College Board is hereby authorized to assess a fee in an amount not to exceed Five Dollars ($5.00) for issuing an additional copy of a High School Equivalency Diploma transcript.

This program shall be administered by the Mississippi Community College Board through the secondary schools and community/junior colleges as the local needs indicate and are practical.

Full and general supervision over the program by the Mississippi Community College Board shall insure that duplication of effort by secondary schools and community/junior colleges will be eliminated; however, nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a school district from implementing a program of High School Equivalency Diploma preparatory instruction.

Adult students for general educational development preparatory classes may be accepted by schools and junior colleges from any area of the state provided students are bona fide residents of Mississippi.

Instructors, counselors and supervisors utilized in the teaching of general educational development preparatory classes shall be licensed in the appropriate area as required by the Mississippi Community College Board.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-61-17 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 61-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-61-17
Status: in_force

It shall be the duty of the State Auditor to prescribe the forms for the budgets provided for in this chapter. It shall be the duty of such superintendents of schools and school boards to use such forms in preparing said budgets. No distribution of school funds shall be made to any school district until the budgets required by this chapter shall be filed.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-105 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / 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. § 37-29-427 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 29-427
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-427
Status: in_force

In the event that bonds shall have been authorized for projects determined by the board of trustees of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College District and such bonds validated, the board of trustees is authorized to utilize any available funds for the immediate commencement of such project and to reimburse the funds from which any such expenditures are made from the proceeds of the bonds when the same are received.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-55 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 27-55
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-55
Status: in_force

When any pupils shall attend any agricultural high school or community or junior college under the provisions of Section 37-27-51 , such pupils shall be reported and accounted for the allocation of total funding formula funds provided in Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215 and building funds just as though such pupils were attending the regular schools of the district in which they reside. For this purpose reports shall be made to the board of trustees of the school district involved by the agricultural high school or community or junior college of the number of children in net enrollment, and the net enrollment of such pupils shall thereupon be included in reports made to the county or school district. The allocation of total funding formula funds and state public school building funds shall be made for such children just as though such children were attending the regular schools of the district. However, all total funding formula funds which accrue to any district as a result of the pupils who are in attendance at such agricultural high school or community or junior college shall be paid by the board of trustees of the municipal separate school district or the county board of education, as the case may be, to the agricultural high school or community or junior college at which the pupils are in attendance, and shall be expended by said agricultural high school or community or junior college for the instruction of said pupils. Funds allotted to the school district for building purposes under Chapter 47 of this title, shall, however, be retained by the school district entitled thereto. The term “ school district ” as used in Sections 37-27-51 through 37-27-59 shall be defined as including all public school districts in this state and also all agricultural high schools not located on the campus of a community or junior college.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-73 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 33-73
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-73
Status: in_force

Budget estimates of the amount of appropriations needed each fiscal year for vocational rehabilitation services for the blind and for the administration of said program shall be submitted in such manner as may be provided by law, and sufficient funds for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind Law shall be appropriated by the Legislature. In the event federal funds are available to the State of Mississippi for vocational rehabilitation purposes, the department is authorized to comply with such requirements as may be necessary to obtain said federal funds in the maximum amount and most advantageous proportion possible insofar as this may be done without violating other provisions of the state law and constitution. In the event the national Congress fails in any year to appropriate funds for grants-in-aid to the state for vocational rehabilitation purposes, the State Legislature shall appropriate such funds as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of said law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-65-117 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / 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. § 37-151-87 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / 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. § 37-140-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 140-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-140-5
Status: in_force

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(6) Effective July 1, 2020, all administrative, instructional and noninstructional employees of the Mississippi School of the Arts shall be transferred from state service and the authority of the State Personnel Board to employment status as employees of the Mississippi School of the Arts. All administrative and instructional employees at the said school shall enter into written contracts of employment to indicate and cover the period for which they are respectively employed. All such contracts for administrative and instructional employees shall be exempt from the requirements of the Public Procurement Review Board for state agency employment contracts. The State Board of Education may set and determine qualifications necessary for such employees and may appoint a subcommittee of the board for the purpose of authorizing the execution of such employment contracts on a timely basis. Such administrators and employees shall be offered contracts by the Superintendent/Executive Director of the MSA and all such contracts and employment rights prescribed thereunder shall be awarded and governed in accordance with Sections 37-9-1 et seq. , as applicable, and Section 37-7-307 . Any and all references within Section 37-9-1 et seq. , to a “local school district” shall apply to MSA and any and all references to a “local school board” shall apply to the State Board of Education's role as defined in Section 37-140-1 . The MSA may renew employment or nonrenew employment with such administrative and instructional employees in accordance with the provisions of said sections relating to school district employment. Noninstructional employees of the MSA shall be full-time employees of the MSA and shall serve at the will and pleasure of the Superintendent of the MSA. All salaries and contracts shall be subject to the approval of the State Board of Education, and the MSA may continue to use the teacher salary scale for its instructional employees which is in effect on January 1, 2019. Any unused leave accumulated at the Mississippi School of the Arts shall be transferred in accordance with the provisions of Section 37-7-307 . There shall be no interruption of service with the Public Employees' Retirement System and the State and School Employees' Health Insurance Plan for administrative, instructional and noninstructional employees due to an employee's employment status under this subsection. The MSA shall not be considered a local educational agency for the same purposes and to the same extent that all other school districts in the state are deemed local educational agencies under applicable federal law. The MSA may receive donations or grants from any public or private source, including any federal funding that may be available to the schools within the MSA.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-153-217 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 153-217
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-153-217
Status: in_force

Grant funds shall be available under this article through December 31, 2026, or on the date of the fund expenditure deadline provided by the federal government, whichever occurs later. Each grant recipient shall certify, for any project for which a grant is awarded, that if the project is not completed by December 31, 2026, and the United States Congress does not enact an extension of the deadline on the availability of ARPA funds, then the grant recipient will complete the project through other funds.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-4 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 9-4
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-4
Status: in_force

The compensation of any attorney employed by a school board who is a member of the Legislature shall be paid only from funds available to the school district that are not appropriated by the Legislature.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-153-237 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 153-237
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-153-237
Status: in_force

The office shall enter into a grant contract agreement with each recipient of a grant under the program that incorporates the following obligations and conditions:

(a) The recipient of a grant shall commit to serving as a paramedic for three (3) continuous years in the State of Mississippi;

(b) If any recipient of a grant under the program does not engage in serving as a paramedic in accordance with the terms of this article, the recipient shall be obligated to repay the grant amounts received, together with interest thereon at the maximum rate allowed by Mississippi law or the federal discount rate plus five percent (5%) per year, whichever is less, the interest to accrue from the date that each payment of funds was received by the recipient;

(c) No interest shall accrue and there shall be no obligation to repay the principal sums accrued during any one (1) period of time that the recipient involuntarily serves on active duty in the United States Armed Forces; and

(d) Repayment of the principal with interest shall be due and payable in full immediately on the occurrence of either of the following events:

(i) Failure to remain in the State of Mississippi for three (3) continuous years for any reason other than temporary personal illness; or

(ii) Failure to serve as a paramedic on a regularly sustained basis as provided in the eligibility requirements of Section 37-153-235 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-57-113 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 57-113
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-57-113
Status: in_force

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

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

Said tax shall not apply to such family units purchased or constructed by or for any religious, charitable, educational or nonprofit corporation or institution, nor shall it apply to demonstration of model homes.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 113-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-7
Status: in_force

(1) The board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning is hereby authorized, in its discretion, to acquire by purchase, gift, or otherwise, any real property required by and for the use of Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, and said university is authorized to hold, use and operate such real property in conducting its authorized and necessary program of work. This section is designed to make it possible for said university and its subdivisions to acquire, hold and operate real property needed in its program of operations without the benefit of state funds specifically appropriated for the purchase of such properties. Such properties shall be acquired or purchased on the recommendation of the Director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experimental Station made to the president of said university and approved by the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning.

(2) The board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning is hereby authorized, in its discretion, to sell any such real property purchased or otherwise acquired under the authority of subsection (1) for the use of Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science or its subdivisions when such property is not needed in the university's programs of operations. Such properties shall be sold on the recommendation of the Director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experimental Station made to the president of the university and approved by the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning. The proceeds from the sale of such properties may be used to purchase other real properties for the use of the university under the provisions of subsection (1), or may be retained by the university for its operations. Consideration for the sale of real property hereunder shall not be less than the fair market price thereof as determined by a professional property appraiser selected and approved by the state building commission. Said appraisal shall be filed with the state building commission as least thirty (30) days prior to the proposed sale of said property. Appraisal fees shall be shared equally by the university and the purchaser.

(3) The board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning is hereby authorized and empowered to sell the following described property owned by Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, to-wit: Commence at the Northeast corner of the Southeast Quarter of Section 15, Township 19 North, Range 15 East, Oktibbeha County, Mississippi and use as the point of beginning. Thence run West along the North boundary of the South Half of Section 15 a distance of 3,997 feet to the East right-of-way of Macon-Aberdeen Road; thence run South along said right-of-way a distance of 20 feet; thence run East a distance of 800 feet; thence run South 78 degrees 41' East a distance of 102 feet; thence run East a distance of 410 feet; thence run South a distance of 1,107 feet; thence run East a distance of 2,687 feet to the East boundary of Section 15; thence run North along said East boundary of Section 15 a distance of 1,147 feet to the point of beginning. Being 71.56 acres located in the East Three Quarter of the South Half of Section 15, Township 19 North, Range 15 East, Oktibbeha County, Mississippi.

The proceeds from the sale of said property shall be used by the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning to purchase other real property adjacent or in close proximity to the Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, or its subdivisions, suitable for use in the university's programs of operation. Consideration for the sale and purchase of said property shall be for the fair market price thereof as determined by a professional property appraiser selected and approved by the state building commission. Said appraisals shall be filed with the state building commission at least thirty (30) days prior to the proposed sale or purchase of said property. Appraisal fees shall be shared equally by the university and the purchaser in the case of the sale herein authorized, and by the university and the seller(s) in the case of the purchase herein authorized.

(4) The board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning is hereby authorized and empowered to sell the following described property owned by Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science in George County, Mississippi, to-wit: The South West Quarter of the North West Quarter of Section Twenty, in Township One South of Range Six West, of the St. Stephens Meridian, Mississippi, containing Forty and Thirty One Hundredths of an acre.

The proceeds from the sale of said property shall be used by the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning to purchase other real property adjacent or in close proximity to the Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, or its subdivisions, suitable for use in the university's programs of operation. Consideration for the sale and purchase of said property shall be for the fair market price thereof as determined by a professional property appraiser selected and approved by the state building commission. Said appraisals shall be filed with the state building commission at least thirty (30) days prior to the proposed sale or purchase of said property. Appraisal fees shall be shared equally by the university and the purchaser in the case of the sale herein authorized, and by the university and the seller(s) in the case of the purchase herein authorized.

(5) The board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning is hereby authorized and empowered to sell the following described property owned by Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, to-wit: The Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter of Section 2, in Township 6, Range 16 East, plus applicable easements and mineral rights thereto.

The proceeds from the sale of said property shall be used by the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning to purchase other real property adjacent or in close proximity to the Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, or its subdivisions, suitable for use in the university's programs of operation. Consideration for the sale and purchase of said property shall be for the fair market price thereof as determined by a professional property appraiser selected and approved by the state building commission. Said appraisals shall be filed with the state building commission at least thirty (30) days prior to the proposed sale or purchase of said property. Appraisal fees shall be shared equally by the university and the purchaser in the case of the sale herein authorized, and by the university and the seller(s) in the case of the purchase herein authorized.

(6) When any property is sold by the board of trustees of state institutions of higher learning pursuant to this section, the board shall retain for the State of Mississippi any mineral rights which the board or the university has in such land.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-169-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 169-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-169-3
Status: in_force

Members of the advisory committee shall be composed of the following:

(a) Five (5) persons who are the parents of children with autism or ASD, with one (1) such person to be appointed by the Governor, two (2) to be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, and two (2) to be appointed by the Speaker of the House;

(b) One (1) person who is a member of the governing body of a school district, to be appointed by the State Superintendent of Public Education;

(c) The State Superintendent of Public Education or the Associate Superintendent of the Office of Special Education;

(d) One (1) person who is the director of special education services in a school district, to be appointed by the State Superintendent of Public Education;

(e) Two (2) members of the Mississippi Special Education Advisory Committee, to be selected by the committee;

(f) Two (2) educators or behavioral specialists who work directly with students with ASD, to be appointed by the State Superintendent of Public Education;

(g) Two (2) Mississippi licensed psychologists who perform evaluation or consultation with Mississippi schools, to be appointed by the Mississippi Association of Psychology in the Schools;

(h) The project director of the Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center;

(i) Two (2) persons who are representatives of autism advocacy groups or professionals who work with the advocacy groups and provide services to individuals with autism or ASD, to be appointed by the Executive Director of the Department of Mental Health;

(j) One (1) person who is a representative of the State Department of Mental Health, to be appointed by the executive director of the department;

(k) One (1) person who is a representative of a private mental health facility who provides services to youth with ASD, to be appointed by the Executive Director of the State Department of Mental Health;

(l) One (1) person who is a representative of the University of Mississippi Medical Center and who provides medical or other services to individuals with autism or ASD, to be appointed by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Mississippi Medical Center;

(m) Two (2) persons who are working in private industry whose business has the potential to employ individuals with autism, to be appointed by the Governor;

(n) One (1) person who is a Transition Specialist, to be appointed by the State Superintendent of Public Education;

(o) One (1) representative of the T.K. Martin Center, to be appointed by the Director of the T.K. Martin Center;

(p) One (1) representative of the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services;

(q) Two (2) persons who are licensed therapists, to be appointed by the President of the Mississippi Speech Language and Hearing Association;

(r) One (1) person who is a representative of the Mississippi Department of Insurance, to be appointed by the commissioner; and

(s) One (1) person who is a representative of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, to be appointed by the director of the department.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-111 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 29-111
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-111
Status: in_force

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

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

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

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

(d) When, in connection with the issuance of any additional bonds under the provisions of Section 37-29-109 for the purpose of financing any additional construction authorized under the provisions of Section 37-29-107 , any such board shall determine to combine such new issue of bonds with any issue or issues of bonds of the same board then outstanding, for the purpose of unifying such indebtedness and utilizing the income and revenues derived from all projects or facilities operated by such board to the payment of such indebtedness, and such board shall determine that such outstanding bonds are by their terms then callable for redemption or are obtainable by and through the voluntary surrender thereof by the holder or holders thereof.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-104.7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 7-104.7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-104.7
Status: in_force

(1) In Holmes County, Mississippi, in which are located, as of January 1, 2016, two (2) school districts, there shall be an administrative consolidation of all of those school districts in the county into one (1) new countywide school district to be designated as Holmes County Consolidated School District which shall consist of the territory of the former Holmes County School District and the Durant Public School District, effective on July 1, 2018. At such time that the administrative consolidation becomes effective, the central administrative office of the Holmes County Consolidated School District shall be located in Lexington, Mississippi.

(2) Within two (2) years prior to the date of consolidation, or as soon as practicable after July 1, 2016, a financial advisor and/or other facilitator with school district experience may be assigned by the Mississippi Department of Education to oversee the budgeting and financial matters relating to the consolidation of the districts slated for consolidation. The financial advisor and/or facilitator may, at the discretion of the Mississippi Department of Education, continue duties for one (1) year after the consolidation to ensure that all financial matters are in place. All financial expenditures of districts that are closing must be approved by the financial advisor and/or facilitator. If the superintendent and/or school board approves expenditures outside of this approval, they shall be personally liable for the excess expenditures. The State Board of Education shall determine the compensation to be paid to the financial advisor and/or facilitator which shall be paid by the local school district to which the financial advisor and/or facilitator is assigned.

(3)(a) On or before July 1, 2017, the State Board of Education shall serve the local school boards of the Holmes County School District and the Durant Public School District with notice and instructions regarding the timetable for action to be taken to comply with the administrative consolidation required in this section. The State Board of Education shall provide for the administrative consolidation of Holmes County School District and the Durant Public School District on or before July 1, 2018. In the new Holmes County Consolidated School District, there shall be a new county board of education elected in a November 2017 special election, which shall be called by the Governor for that purpose. The new county board of education shall be elected and the terms of office established as provided in Section 37-5-7(3) . The State Board of Education shall declare that the territory embraced by Holmes County, Mississippi, shall be the boundary lines for the territory of the new Holmes County Consolidated School District and shall spread a legal description of the new school district on the minutes of its August 2017 meeting and shall serve the applicable school boards and the board of supervisors with an adequate legal description of these new boundaries. It shall be the responsibility of the board of supervisors of such county to apportion the newly consolidated school district into five (5) new single member board of education election districts, which shall be consistent with the supervisors district lines in the county. The board of supervisors of the county shall thereafter publish the same in some newspaper of general circulation in the county for at least three (3) consecutive weeks and after having given notice of publication and recording the same upon the minutes of the school boards of each appropriate school district in the county, the new district lines will thereafter be effective for the November 2017 special election.

(b) Any school district affected by the required administrative consolidation in Holmes County that does not voluntarily consolidate as ordered by the State Board of Education shall be administratively consolidated by the State Board of Education, to be effective on July 1 following the November 2017 special election of the new school board members. The State Board of Education shall promptly move on its own motion to administratively consolidate a school district which does not voluntarily consolidate in order to enable the affected school districts to reasonably accomplish the resulting administrative consolidation into the Holmes County Consolidated School District by July 1, 2018, following the election of the new board of trustees. The affected school districts shall comply with any consolidation order issued by the State Board of Education on or before July 1 following the election of the new board of trustees.

(4)(a) On July 1, 2018, following the election of the new board of trustees of the Holmes County Consolidated School District, the former county board of education for Holmes County and the former board of trustees of the Durant Public School Districts shall be abolished. All real and personal property which is owned or titled in the name of the school district located in such former school districts shall be transferred to the new Holmes County Consolidated School District.

(b) The new board of trustees of the Holmes County Consolidated School District shall be responsible for establishing the contracts for teachers, principals, clerical and administrative staff personnel for the 2018-2019 school year and each school year thereafter.

(c) The new board of trustees for the Holmes County Consolidated School District shall appoint the superintendent of schools for the school district. The superintendent of schools for the Holmes County Consolidated School District may appoint an assistant superintendent of schools for the district, but in no instance shall the administrative leadership of the Holmes County Consolidated School District have more than one (1) assistant superintendent of education. The subsequent superintendent of schools of the consolidated school district shall not be elected, but shall thereafter be appointed by the successor board of trustees in the manner provided in Section 37-9-25 . It shall be the responsibility of the successor board of trustees to prepare and approve the budget of the new consolidated district, and the successor board of trustees may use staff from the former school districts to prepare the budget. Any proposed order of the State Board of Education directing the transfer of the assets, real or personal property of an affected school district in the county, shall be final and conclusive for the purposes of the transfer of property required by such administrative consolidation.

(d) Any person or school district aggrieved by an order of the successor newly selected board of trustees of the Holmes County Consolidated School District pursuant to the required administrative consolidation may appeal therefrom within ten (10) days from the date of the adjournment of the meeting at which such order is entered. The appeal shall be taken in the same manner as appeals are taken from judgments or decisions of the board of supervisors as provided in Section 11-51-75 , the provisions of which shall be fully applicable to appeals taken hereunder. The board of trustees of the Holmes County Consolidated School District shall not pass upon or approve or disapprove any such order until the time for an appeal therefrom has expired, nor shall the board pass upon or approve or disapprove any such order from which an appeal is taken until said appeal has been finally determined.

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

(6) The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations to facilitate the administrative consolidation of the school districts in Holmes County pursuant to this section. The consolidated districts shall make an election within one (1) year of consolidation concerning the group term life insurance described in subsection (6) of Section 25-15-9 .

(7) The County Board of Education and the Superintendent of Education of the former Holmes County School District and the local school board and Superintendent of Schools of the Durant Public School District shall cooperate with the State Department of Education, as soon as practicable after July 1, 2016, for the planning and transition of programs, services and alignment of curriculum for the administratively consolidated school districts.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-267 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / 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. § 37-155-25 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 155-25
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-25
Status: in_force

The state shall agree to meet the obligations of the board to beneficiaries if monies in the fund fail to offset the obligations of the board. If there is not enough money in the fund to pay the tuition and required fees of the institution of higher education in which a beneficiary enrolls as provided by the prepaid tuition contract, the Legislature shall appropriate to the fund the amount necessary for the board to pay the applicable amount of tuition and required fees of the institution.

In the event that the board determines the program to be financially infeasible, the board may discontinue the program. Any qualified beneficiary who has been accepted by and is enrolled or is within five (5) years of enrollment in an institution of higher learning or 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 shall be entitled to exercise the complete benefits for which he has contracted. All other contract holders shall receive a refund, pursuant to Section 37-155-9, of 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.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-511 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 7-511
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-511
Status: in_force

The school boards of the respective school districts in whom title to such property may be vested are hereby empowered and authorized to execute proper conveyances of such property in order to carry out the purposes of Sections 37-7-501 through 37-7-511 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-135 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / 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. § 37-63-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 63-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-63-3
Status: in_force

The Authority for Educational Television shall consist of the State Superintendent of Public Education, or his designee, and six (6) members appointed, with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Governor shall appoint four (4) members, one (1) of whom shall be actively engaged as a teacher or principal in a secondary school system in the State of Mississippi and one (1) of whom shall be actively engaged as a teacher or principal in an elementary school system in the State of Mississippi. Beginning July 1, 1994, the appointee actively engaged as a teacher or principal in a secondary school shall be appointed for an initial term of three (3) years. The member actively engaged as a teacher or principal in an elementary school shall be appointed for an initial term of four (4) years. The remaining two (2) gubernatorial appointees shall serve until July 1, 1996. Beginning July 1, 1996, the Governor shall appoint two (2) members for initial terms of three (3) and four (4) years, with the Governor specifically designating which member shall be appointed for three (3) years and which shall be appointed for four (4) years. The Mississippi Community College Board shall appoint one (1) member, and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall appoint one (1) member. After the expiration of the initial terms, all members shall serve for terms of four (4) years. An appointment to fill a vacancy among the gubernatorial appointees, other than by expiration of a term of office, shall be made by the Governor for the balance of the unexpired term.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-69 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 33-69
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-69
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful, except for purposes directly connected with the administration of the vocational rehabilitation program for individuals who are blind, and in accordance with regulations, for any person or persons to solicit, disclose, receive, or make use of, or authorize, knowingly permit, participate in, or acquiesce in the use of any list of, or names of, or any information concerning persons applying for or receiving vocational rehabilitation services, directly or indirectly derived from the records, papers, files, or communications of the state or subdivisions or agencies thereof, or acquired in the course of the performance of official duties, except in response to summons, subpoena or other order of a court. Any violation of this section shall be a misdemeanor and punishable accordingly.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-8 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 11-8
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-8
Status: in_force

(1) The Office of Healthy Schools of the State Department of Education shall develop and implement the Healthier School Initiative, consistent with the HealthierUS School Challenge developed by the United States Department of Agriculture and administered through its Food and Nutrition Service, to facilitate healthy choices and practices by local school districts through the promotion of healthier school environments. The office shall establish standard procedures to be adhered to by schools electing to participate in the program and shall establish a deadline for the submission of applications for participation in the initiative.

(2) Subject to the availability of funds whether appropriated by the Legislature, in an amount not to exceed Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00), or received as gifts, bequests, endowments or grants from any public or private source, the Office of Healthy Schools shall provide financial incentives to schools receiving recognition through the HealthierUS School Challenge for purposes of funding the resources and staff training needed to meet healthy eating, nutrition education and physical education guidelines. The department shall allocate the funds to schools receiving recognition in the following amounts:

(a) Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) shall be awarded to schools receiving the Bronze Award level of recognition;

(b) Four Thousand Dollars ($4,000.00) shall be awarded to schools receiving Silver Award level of recognition;

(c) Six Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00) shall be awarded to schools receiving Gold Award level of recognition; and

(d) Eight Thousand Dollars ($8,000.00) shall be awarded to schools receiving Gold Award of Distinction level of recognition.

(3) The Office of Healthy Schools shall require local school districts to include information relevant to the HealthierUS School Challenge on their district Web sites and shall provide technical assistance to schools that elect to participate in the challenge to become a HealthierUS School. The office shall require participating schools to:

(a) Enroll as a Team Nutrition School;

(b) Offer reimbursable lunches that demonstrate healthy menu planning practices and principles of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and that meet United States Department of Agriculture nutrition standards;

(c) Provide nutrition education to students;

(d) Provide students with physical education and the opportunity for physical activity;

(e) Maintain an average daily participation of school enrollment for reimbursable lunches; and

(f) Adhere to guidelines established by Food and Nutrition Service for foods served and/or sold in schools outside the National School Lunch Program.

(4) To be eligible for participation, a school must:

(a) Be a public elementary or secondary school;

(b) Participate in the National School Lunch Program;

(c) Be enrolled in United States Department of Agriculture Team Nutrition; and

(d) Submit an application to the United States Department of Agriculture.

(5) Application for certification as a HealthierUS School must be submitted to the State Department of Education for review by the Office of Healthy Schools, which, upon its approval, shall forward the applications to the United States Department of Agriculture for consideration. Any application that is not approved based on standards for submission established by the Office of Healthy Schools shall be returned with instructions for modification and resubmission by the submitting school.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-31 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 43-31
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-31
Status: in_force

(1) The State Board of Education shall adopt and furnish textbooks only for use in those courses set up in the state course of study as recommended by the State Accreditation Commission and adopted by such board, or courses established by acts of the Legislature. In all subjects the board, in its discretion, may adopt textbooks and/or series from those recommended by the textbook rating committees. The board may adopt a plan which permits the local school districts to choose the book or books to be requisitioned from those adopted, provided:

(a) That, when a book is furnished by the state, it shall remain in use during the period of its adoption;

(b) That the average per pupil cost of textbooks so furnished any unit shall not exceed that allowed for all other units in the state;

(c) That nothing herein provided shall be construed as giving any school the authority to discard or replace usable copies of textbooks now being furnished by the state;

(d) That the State Department of Education is authorized to disburse the annual textbook appropriation directly to the public school districts in accordance with paragraph (b) of this subsection. The textbooks procured through this chapter, as well as textbooks which are on hand on June 30, 1994, which were previously purchased through the provisions of this statute, shall become the property of the public school district which purchased them, unless the State Department of Education authorizes the transfer of unneeded textbooks to another location in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education;

(e) That textbooks which are on loan to other than public schools as referenced in Section 37-43-1 , shall remain the property of the State of Mississippi. All requisitions for textbooks from these schools shall be submitted to the State Department of Education to be processed and subsequently shipped to the requesting school. No funds shall be disbursed directly from the State Department of Education to the schools in this category for the purpose of procuring textbooks; and

(f) That funds made available through this chapter may be used to purchase any state-adopted textbook from any board-approved depository, directly from the publisher, or in accordance with the provisions of Sections 37-43-21(5) and 37-43-31(3) . For purchases made directly from the publisher, the public school district, or the State Department of Education when purchasing for other than public schools, shall not pay a higher price for a textbook than that listed on the current state-adopted list.

(2) Whenever any book under contract is displaced by a new adoption, the board may continue to require the schools to use the recently purchased books from any previous adoption; however, such period of use shall not exceed four (4) years.

(3) If five (5) or more school boards petition the State Board of Education to add a book, or a series of books, to the approved list of state adoptions in a given subject area, then the State Superintendent of Public Education shall have sixty (60) days to show cause to the State Board of Education why the books in question should or should not be purchased with state funds. If the petition is not acted upon within the sixty-day period, the petition shall be deemed to be approved. Once a textbook has been approved through the petition process, any public school district or eligible other school may procure the said textbook utilizing funds appropriated through this chapter.

(4) If new and innovative textbooks that would improve a particular course of study become available between adoption cycles, a school board may petition the State Board of Education for permission to purchase these books out of sequence to be paid for with state textbook funds.

(5) The State Board of Education shall not allow previously rejected textbooks to be used if such textbooks were rejected for any of the following reasons:

(a) Obscene, lewd, sexist or vulgar material;

(b) Advocating prejudicial behavior or actions; or

(c) Encouraging acts determined to be derogatory to any race, sex or religion.

(6) All books or series of books adopted under the petition procedures of this chapter shall be purchased under the provisions for bidding, pricing and distribution as prescribed in Section 37-43-23 .

(7) Petition procedure books or series of books adopted under this section shall be considered only until the date of the next regular adoption series in the applicable subject area. Petition procedure books shall be submitted for formal adoption at the next applicable regular textbook adoption as prescribed under the provisions of Chapter 43, Title 37, Mississippi Code of 1972; otherwise, such books adopted under the petition procedures which do not receive formal adoption approval as recommended by the textbook rating committee shall be dropped from the state textbook petition adoption list. Provided, however, this provision shall in no way prohibit a school district from using other funds, federal or local, for the purchase of such books.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-259 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 33-259
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-259
Status: in_force

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

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

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

(4) The council shall provide advice and expertise to the department in the preparation, implementation and periodic review of the coordinated rehabilitation program as set forth in Sections 37-33-251 through 37-33-263 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-35 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 33-35
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-35
Status: in_force

The legislature reserves the right to amend or repeal all or any part of the Vocational Rehabilitation Law at any time, and there shall be no vested private right of any kind against such amendment or repeal. All the rights, privileges, or immunities conferred by said law or by acts done pursuant thereto shall exist subject to the power of the legislature to amend or repeal said law at any time.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-201 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 33-201
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-201
Status: in_force

All powers, duties and functions of the Department of Human Services and the Board of Human Services that are being exercised or performed by the Division of Rehabilitation Services and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind of the Department of Human Services on June 30, 1991, are transferred to the State Department of Rehabilitation Services and the State Board of Rehabilitation Services on July 1, 1991. All records, property and contractual rights and obligations of, and unexpended balances of appropriations and any other allocations to, the Department of Human Services and the Board of Human Services that relate to the powers, duties and functions exercised or performed by the Division of Rehabilitation Services and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind of the Department of Human Services on June 30, 1991, shall be transferred to the State Department of Rehabilitation Services and the State Board of Rehabilitation Services on or before July 1, 1991. The State Fiscal Officer shall transfer to the State Department of Rehabilitation Services all funds that are allocated to the Division of Rehabilitation Services and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind of the Department of Human Services in House Bill 1536, 1991 Regular Session [ Laws 1991, Ch. 47 ], and such funds shall be used by the State Department of Rehabilitation Services during fiscal year 1992 under the same terms and conditions as specified for those funds in House Bill 1536, 1991 Regular Session [ Laws 1991, Ch. 47 ]. Any positions of the former State Department of Rehabilitation Services and the former Rehabilitation Agency for the Blind that were transferred to the Department of Human Services on July 1, 1989, whose duties primarily involved the providing of rehabilitation services or the providing of related administrative or support services shall be transferred to the State Department of Rehabilitation Services on July 1, 1991, at a level commensurate with the level of each respective position on June 30, 1989. The Department of Human Services and the Board of Human Services shall assist the State Department of Rehabilitation Services and the State Board of Rehabilitation Services with the greatest degree of cooperation to carry out the intent and purpose of this act and to accomplish an orderly transition. The Department of Human Services shall comply with all of the provisions of Section 5 of House Bill 1536, 1991 Regular Session [ Laws 1991, Ch. 47 ], even though this act [Laws 1991, Ch. 608] was introduced under the authority of a different resolution than the one cited in Section 5 of House Bill 1536, 1991 Regular Session [ Laws 1991, Ch. 47 ].
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-21 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 13-21
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-21
Status: in_force

The State Board of Health and the various county health departments are hereby authorized and empowered to establish and provide for health education programs in the public school districts of this state and to employ county health educators for such purpose. In order to effectuate such programs the county superintendents of education of counties in which such programs have been established, with the approval of the county board of education, and the board of trustees of the municipal separate school districts are authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to cooperate and join with the said State Board of Health and the county health departments in such program. For such purposes the said county superintendents of education, with the approval of the county board of education, are hereby authorized and empowered to expend such funds as may be necessary from the common school funds of the county, and the board of trustees of municipal separate school districts are hereby authorized and empowered to expend such funds as may be necessary from the maintenance funds of such districts for the purpose of defraying the expenses of such cooperative health education programs. Those students whose parents or guardians shall make written application to the proper authorities on the ground that such program is inconsistent with the tenets and practices of the known religious organization with which they are affiliated shall not be required to participate in the program.

The State Board of Health and various county health departments shall have the power and authority to enter into such agreements and joint programs with the said county superintendents of education and boards of trustees of municipal separate school districts as may be necessary, proper and desirable in carrying out the purposes of this section, and in establishing and carrying on health education programs in the public school districts of this state, and the said county superintendents of education, with the approval and consent of the county board of education, and the board of trustees of municipal separate school districts shall have the power and authority to enter into such agreements and joint programs with each other and with the State Board of Health and county health departments as may be necessary for such purpose.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-47 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 11-47
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-47
Status: in_force

(1) There is hereby created the Mississippi Stonewall Jackson Memorial Board, which shall have as its purpose the memorializing of that great American and Confederate General, Stonewall Jackson, through a program of education initiated by Stonewall Jackson Memorial, Inc. The Mississippi Stonewall Jackson Memorial Board shall be governed by a board of trustees, who shall serve without compensation. The board of trustees shall be composed of three (3) members, the Mississippi State Superintendent of Public Education, the Director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, and the President of Stonewall Jackson Memorial, Inc. The board of trustees shall be vested with the power to administer this section in its entirety and to establish the Mississippi Stonewall Jackson Memorial Fund.

(2) From and after March 13, 1990, the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Board shall be abolished by operation of law, and any monies appropriated or donated to or deposited in the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Fund shall be received, invested and administered by the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History as it deems advisable in line with sound business procedure. The Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History may spend the interest derived from the Mississippi Stonewall Jackson Memorial Fund to support the programs and activities of the Junior Historical Society of Mississippi and thereby promote the study of Mississippi history. No part of the principal of such fund shall be disbursed for any purpose, and all grants to the Junior Historical Society shall be taken from the interest derived from investments only.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-213 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 33-213
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-213
Status: in_force

The department, through the office, shall cooperate, under agreements with the federal government, in carrying out the purposes of any federal statutes pertaining to special disability programs, and may adopt such methods of administration as are found by the federal government to be necessary for the proper and efficient operation of those agreements or plans for special disability programs and comply with such conditions as may be necessary to secure the full benefits of those federal statutes and appropriations, administer any legislation under federal statutes and appropriations that is enacted by the State of Mississippi, direct the disbursement and administer the use of all funds provided by the federal government or this state for the persons of this state, and do all things necessary to ensure the provision of services to the person served by the special disability programs.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-15 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 31-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-15
Status: in_force

The school board may, in its discretion, cooperate with the State Board of Education in the establishment and maintenance of vocational and technical schools or classes giving instruction in vocational and technical training which does not terminate in a bachelors degree to persons in need of such instruction, and may use for paying the cost of such cooperation any monies raised by public taxation in the same manner as monies for other school purposes are used for the maintenance and support of public schools.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-179 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 23-179
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-179
Status: in_force

(1) The board shall specifically promulgate rules, regulations and guidelines which establish model programs of gifted education and also establish minimum criteria for gifted education programs. In providing programs of gifted education, the local district may use the model programs prepared by the board or may itself develop programs of gifted education which, prior to being implemented, shall be approved by the board, provided, that no such plan or program shall be approved or continued unless it meets the minimum criteria established by the board.

(2) There is hereby created within the department an office for gifted education which shall be staffed by such professional, support and clerical personnel as may be necessary to implement the provisions of Sections 37-23-171 through 37-23-181 .

(3) All local school districts may have programs of gifted education for intellectually, creatively and/or artistically gifted students in Grades 2 through 12 and for academically gifted students in Grades 9 through 12 approved by the board. Beginning with the 1993-1994 school year, all local school districts shall have programs of gifted education for intellectually gifted students in Grade 2, subject to the approval of the State Board of Education and the availability of funds appropriated therefor by line-item. Beginning with the 1994-1995 school year, all local school districts shall have programs of gifted education for intellectually gifted students in Grades 2 and 3, subject to the approval of the State Board of Education. Beginning with the 1995-1996 school year, all local school districts shall have programs of gifted education for intellectually gifted students in Grades 2, 3 and 4 subject to the approval of the State Board of Education. Beginning with the 1996-1997 school year, all local school districts shall have programs of gifted education for intellectually gifted students in Grades 2, 3, 4 and 5, subject to the approval of the State Board of Education. Beginning with the 1997-1998 school year, all local school districts shall have programs of gifted education for intellectually gifted students in Grades 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, subject to the approval of the State Board of Education. Each local school district shall include as a part of its five-year plan a description of any proposed gifted education programs of the district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-17 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 28-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-28-17
Status: in_force

(1) The following are the purposes of a charter application:

(a) To present the proposed charter school's academic and operational vision and plans;

(b) To demonstrate the applicant's capacities to execute the proposed vision and plans; and

(c) To provide the authorizer a clear basis for assessing the applicant's plans and capacities.

(2) An approved charter application may not serve as the school's charter contract.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-104-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 104-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-104-3
Status: in_force

It is hereby declared as a matter of express legislative determination that, for the benefit of the people of the State of Mississippi and for the increase of their commerce, welfare and prosperity and for the improvement of their health and living conditions, it is essential that this and future generations of youth be given the fullest opportunity to learn and to develop their intellectual and mental capacities; that it is essential that institutions of higher learning within the State of Mississippi be provided with appropriate additional means to assist such youth in achieving the required levels of learning and development of their intellectual and mental capacities; and that it is the public purpose of this chapter to provide a measure of assistance and an alternative method to enable institutions of higher learning in the State of Mississippi to provide the educational facilities and structures which are sorely needed to assist the youth of this state in achieving the required levels of learning and development of their intellectual and mental capacities, to the benefit of all of the people of the State of Mississippi.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-81 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 33-81
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-33-81
Status: in_force

(1) The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation of the State Department of Rehabilitation Services may enter into contracts with appropriate post-secondary educational institutions in the state for the purpose of implementing and maintaining programs of services for hearing-impaired students.

(2) Those programs shall be funded from funds appropriated to the office by the Legislature or from any other resource identified and accessed by the office. The office shall continue to administer those programs for each year deemed suitable by the office.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-133-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 133-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-133-3
Status: in_force

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

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

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

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

(d) That the accomplishment of the things herein authorized will stimulate and provide ready and attractive employment for skilled engineering technician residents of the State of Mississippi through the proper increase of the skilled engineering technician labor force available, which will further develop the engineering, agricultural, commercial, industrial and other resources of the State of Mississippi for the general welfare.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-61-17 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 61-17
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-61-17
Status: in_force

It shall be the duty of the State Auditor to prescribe the forms for the budgets provided for in this chapter. It shall be the duty of such superintendents of schools and school boards to use such forms in preparing said budgets. No distribution of school funds shall be made to any school district until the budgets required by this chapter shall be filed.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-181-23 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 181-23
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-181-23
Status: repealed

Sections 37-181-1 through 37-181-23, Mississippi Code of 1972 , shall stand repealed on July 1, 2028.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-107 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 15 / Section 31-107
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-107
Status: in_force

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

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

Students will not be eligible if they have dropped out of regular school for the specific purpose of enrolling in the manpower programs.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-31 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 31-31
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-31
Status: in_force

The intention of Sections 37-31-31 through 37-31-41 is to enable the State of Mississippi, by and through the state board of education to secure the benefits of the federal social security act pertaining to services for crippled children, and said sections shall be liberally construed in order to effectuate such intention.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-487 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 7-487
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-487
Status: in_force

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a school district may estimate the amount of revenues, as defined herein, to be generated from any parcel or parcels of any type of property within the school district and may irrevocably pledge such revenues to the repayment of any debt or other obligation which the district may issue or incur under Sections 31-7-13(e) , 31-7-14 , 37-7-351 et seq. , 37-7-471 et seq. , 37-7-485 et seq. , 37-59-1 et seq. and 37-59-101 et. seq.

(2) Any district that pledges revenues under the provisions of this section shall annually appropriate an amount of such revenues, other than the avails of any special tax otherwise levied to pay debt service on bonds or notes of the district, to pay the debt or other obligations for which the revenues are pledged. Any debt or obligation secured by a pledge of revenues under this section shall not be subject to any debt limit or annual appropriation limitation imposed by any other statute. To further secure the school district's pledge, the district may irrevocably instruct the appropriate tax assessor or collector to irrevocably transfer on behalf of the district the pledged amount from any ad valorem tax collections, other than any special tax levy specifically imposed to pay debt service on any bonds or notes of the district, directly to a paying agent, trustee or other third party responsible for paying the debt or obligation of the district. Upon receipt of such written instructions, the appropriate tax assessor or collector shall transfer the pledged revenues as directed in writing by the school district.

(3) The term revenues , as used in this section shall mean revenues of all types, including ad valorem tax collections, other than collections from special levies specifically levied to pay debt service on any bonds or notes of the school district, lease or development revenues, and any special development fees imposed by a developer of property within the school district as provided herein.

(4) Any school district may enter into an agreement with a developer pursuant to which the developer agrees to impose a development fee, in the amount and in the manner agreed to by the district and the developer, on property being developed within the district by the developer. The term of any such agreement shall not exceed fifty (50) years. Upon the agreement being recorded in the land records of the chancery clerk of the county in which the property is located, the development fee shall become a lien on the property subject to the agreement between the developer and the district and shall be payable by all owners of the subject property at the same time and in the same manner, and the payment of such fee shall be enforced by the taxing authority in the same manner as other ad valorem taxes levied on the property.

(5) Nothing in this section shall be construed as giving school districts additional debt or to levy any additional taxes other than as allowed by this section or as otherwise provided by law.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-25 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 45-25
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-25
Status: in_force

Subject to the provisions of any applicable statute, the commission shall supervise and approve or disapprove all surveys of educational needs made by any school board or board of education. The commission may assist such boards in making such surveys, and it may make supplemental surveys of such needs.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-49 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 45-49
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-45-49
Status: in_force

Any cost or fees provided by this chapter to be paid by any county board of education or board of trustees of a municipal separate school district may be paid by the county board of education from any school funds of the district other than total funding formula funds, and by the municipal separate school district from the maintenance funds of the district, other than total funding formula funds. Any fees or costs provided by this chapter to be paid by the department may be paid from the funds appropriated for its operation.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-37 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 47-37
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-37
Status: in_force

If it shall appear to the satisfaction of the state bond commission from the request provided for in Section 37-47-35 :

(a) That the estimate of the needs for the then current fiscal year as shown pursuant to the requirement of Section 37-47-35 , requires bonds to be issued in the amount requested; and

(b) That the issue will be within the limitations prescribed by Section 37-47-33 ;

then it shall be the duty of the state bond commission to issue state school bonds in accordance with said request.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-455 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 29-455
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-455
Status: in_force

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

The president shall have the authority, subject to the provisions of Sections 37-29-451 through 37-29-471 and the approval of the trustees, to arrange and survey courses of study, fix schedules, and establish and enforce rules and discipline for the governing of teachers and students. He shall be the general custodian of the property of the district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-107 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / 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. § 37-21-53 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / Section 21-53
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-21-53
Status: in_force

(1) The State Early Childhood Advisory Council (SECAC), located in the Office of the Governor, is (a) to assist the State Department of Education with the implementation of the Early Learning Collaborative Act of 2013, (b) to ensure coordination among the various agencies and programs serving preschool children in order to support school district's efforts to achieve the goal of readiness to start school, (c) to facilitate communication, cooperation and maximum use of resources and to promote high standards for all programs serving preschool children and their families in Mississippi, (d) to serve as the designated council for early childhood education and care pursuant to federal Public Law 110-134 , and (e) to carry out any responsibilities assigned to SECAC by the Governor and/or by applicable federal law.

(2) The membership of the State Early Childhood Advisory Council (SECAC) in accordance with Public Law 110-134 , shall include the following members to be appointed by the Governor:

(a) A representative of the Mississippi Department of Human Services;

(b) A representative of the Mississippi Department of Education;

(c) A representative of local educational agencies;

(d) A representative of Mississippi Institutions of Higher Education;

(e) A representative of local providers of early childhood education and care services from each congressional district;

(f) A representative from Head Start agencies located in the state, including Indian Head Start programs and migrant and seasonal Head Start programs as available;

(g) The State Director of Head Start Collaboration;

(h) The Part C Coordinator and/or the Section 619 Coordinator of programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ( 20 USC 1419 , 1431 et seq. );

(i) A representative of the Mississippi Department of Health;

(j) A representative of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health; and

(k) Representatives of other entities deemed relevant by the Governor.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-20 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 113-20
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-20
Status: in_force

(1) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section unless the context otherwise clearly requires:

(a) “ Wireless communication device ” means any handheld, portable or mobile electronic device capable of transmitting or exchanging data in the form of multimedia, graphics, text, or voice that meets all the following criteria:

(i) The device has a wireless communication capability and is mobile;

(ii) The device requires an upfront or periodic charge or fee to utilize the wireless communications capability; and

(iii) The wireless communication capability that requires an upfront or periodic fee is activated.

For purposes of this section, a notebook or laptop computer is not considered a wireless communication device.

(b) “ Director ” means the Mississippi State University Extension Service Director, the Mississippi State University Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Director, the Mississippi State University Forestry and Wildlife Research Center Director or the Dean of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

(2) The director or his designee may, at his discretion, assign or otherwise make available for usage one or more wireless communications devices to a faculty member or an agent of the Mississippi State University Extension Service under his direct or indirect supervision after the director, or his designee, signs a statement certifying the need or purpose for issuing the device. No faculty member or extension service agent to whom has been assigned a wireless communication device under this paragraph shall use the assigned device for personal use except in those cases where the personal use does not incur additional charges or fees as a result of the personal use. A detailed billing of wireless services for devices referred to in this paragraph shall be obtained on a periodic basis and reviewed by the director, or his designee, to audit usage and verify compliance with this section.

(3) No state-appropriated funds shall be used to pay for the acquisition or use of a wireless communication device issued under this section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-15-39 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 15-39
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-15-39
Status: in_force

(1) The purpose of this section is to ensure that each student has a sufficient education for success after high school and that all students have equal access to a substantive and rigorous curriculum that is designed to challenge their minds and enhance their knowledge skill.

(2) The following words and phrases have the meanings ascribed in this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(a) “ Advanced placement course ” means any high school level preparatory course for a college advanced placement test that incorporates all topics specified by recognized advanced placement authorities on standards for a given subject area and is approved by recognized advanced placement authorities.

(b) “ Pre-advanced placement course ” means a middle, junior high or high school level course that specifically prepares students to enroll and participate in an advanced placement course.

(c) “ Vertical team ” means a group of educators from different grade levels in a given discipline working cooperatively to develop and implement a vertically aligned program aimed at helping students from diverse backgrounds acquire the academic skills necessary for success in the advanced placement program and other challenging course work.

(d) “ High concentration of low-income students ” means, when used with respect to a public school or school district, a public school or school district that serves a student population with fifty percent (50%) or more being low-income individuals ages five (5) through seventeen (17) years from a low-income family on the basis of: data on children eligible for the free or reduced price lunches under the National School Lunch Act; data on children in families receiving assistance under Part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act; data on children eligible to receive medical assistance under the Medicaid program under Title XIX of the Social Security Act; or an alternate method of identifying such children which combines or extrapolates that data.

(3) The State Board of Education shall establish clear, specific and challenging training guidelines that require teachers of advanced placement courses and teachers of pre-advanced placement courses to obtain a recognized advanced placement authority endorsed training. A teacher of an advanced placement or pre-advanced placement course, or both, must obtain the appropriate training.

(4)(a) In order to ensure that each student has a sufficient education for success after high school and that all students have equal access to a substantive and rigorous curriculum that is designed to challenge their minds and enhance their knowledge skill, school districts shall offer pre-advanced placement courses to prepare students for advanced placement course work.

(b) Subject to appropriation, funding shall be made available for the 2007-2008 school year so that all sophomores in Mississippi's public schools may take an examination that measures the students' ability to succeed in an advanced placement course. The State Department of Education shall seek federal funding through the Advanced Placement Incentive Grant Program and other available funding for this purpose. Funding efforts must be focused with an intent to carry out advanced placement and pre-advanced placement activities in school districts targeted as serving a high concentration of low-income students.

(c) The State Department of Education shall develop rules necessary for the implementation of advanced placement courses.

(5) Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, all school districts must offer at least one (1) advanced placement course in each of the four (4) core areas of math, English, science and social studies, for a total offering of no less than four (4) advanced placement courses. The use of the state's online Advanced Placement Instructional Program is an appropriate alternative for the delivery of advanced placement courses.

Any public high school offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program is exempt from the requirements of this subsection. However, the school may participate in teacher training and program funding on the same basis as any high school offering advanced placement courses.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-173-22 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 173-22
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-173-22
Status: in_force

If the individual meets the requirements of Section 37-173-1(g) and is otherwise licensed by their state's respective department or agency that licenses such occupations, then the Department of Education shall issue the individual a license through reciprocity.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-139-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 139-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-139-7
Status: in_force

The board shall be authorized to solicit and utilize the staff of the State Department of Education, staff of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and other state agencies as required for the implementation of this chapter. In addition, the board shall be authorized to contract or enter into agreements with other agencies and/or private research centers that it may deem necessary to carry out its duties and functions.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-121-15 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 121-15
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-121-15
Status: in_force

The Mississippi Small Farm Development Center (MSFDC) on the campus of Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi, shall be renamed the Mississippi Small Farm and Agribusiness Center (MSFAC).
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-57-108 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 57-108
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-57-108
Status: in_force

In the event that the amount of revenue collected or estimated to be collected from local sources, on behalf of a school district during a fiscal year, is less than the amount provided for in the duly adopted budget of said school district for the fiscal year, then the school district may issue promissory notes in an amount and in the manner set forth in Section 27-39-333 , not to exceed the estimated shortfall of revenue from local sources, but in no event to exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of its budget anticipated to be funded from the sources of the shortfall for the fiscal year. A school district issuing notes under the provisions of this section shall not be required to publish notice of its intention to do so or to secure the consent of the qualified electors or the tax levying authority of such school district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-25 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 155-25
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-25
Status: in_force

The state shall agree to meet the obligations of the board to beneficiaries if monies in the fund fail to offset the obligations of the board. If there is not enough money in the fund to pay the tuition and required fees of the institution of higher education in which a beneficiary enrolls as provided by the prepaid tuition contract, the Legislature shall appropriate to the fund the amount necessary for the board to pay the applicable amount of tuition and required fees of the institution.

In the event that the board determines the program to be financially infeasible, the board may discontinue the program. Any qualified beneficiary who has been accepted by and is enrolled or is within five (5) years of enrollment in an institution of higher learning or 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 shall be entitled to exercise the complete benefits for which he has contracted. All other contract holders shall receive a refund, pursuant to Section 37-155-9, of 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.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-21-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 21-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-21-1
Status: in_force

It shall be the policy of this state that any person acting in the capacity of teacher, assistant teacher or teacher's aide shall possess certain educational qualifications in order to perform any of the functions, duties or powers of the same in early childhood education programs.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-71-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 71-5
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-71-5
Status: in_force

The State Board of Education, in conjunction with the Department of Employment Security, the State Workforce Investment Board, the Mississippi Community College Board, and any relevant licensing authority shall identify high-school-to-work apprenticeships and other student internship programs that may be eligible for exemptions from those federal and state labor laws and regulations for which exemptions are available for student apprenticeship programs. The State Board of Education, the Department of Employment Security, the State Workforce Investment Board and the Mississippi Community College Board shall also establish procedures by which such exemptions may be obtained for high-school-to-work apprenticeships and other student internship programs.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-148-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 148-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-148-1
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Strengthening Mississippi Academic Research Through Business Act.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-513 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 29-513
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-513
Status: in_force

After the annual budget has been prepared, the board of trustees of the Meridian Junior College District shall certify the same in writing to the city council of the City of Meridian and shall certify to the number of mills of ad valorem taxation required to make provisions for the revenue required in said budget. It shall thereupon become the duty of the City of Meridian to levy taxes upon the Meridian Junior College District in the amount specified by the board of trustees. The tax levy for maintenance and operation of the Meridian Junior College District shall not exceed three (3) mills nor shall the levy for construction exceed an additional three (3) mills.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-109-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 109-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-109-1
Status: in_force

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Mississippi Dual Enrollment/Dual Credit Scholarship Program Act of 2023.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-102-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 102-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-102-3
Status: in_force

The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall not permit its universities to offer courses for college credit at the lower undergraduate level at an off-campus site unless approved by the Mississippi Community College Board. The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, in cooperation with the Mississippi Community College Board, shall study the need and advisability of offering (a) courses for college credit at the lower undergraduate level, and (b) advanced centers for technology partnerships for industrial training and professional development for credit and noncredit courses, at the following off-campus sites by four-year public state institutions of higher learning: the Mississippi Gulf Coast counties; Greenville, Mississippi; Columbus, Mississippi; McComb, Mississippi; Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Meridian, Mississippi; Laurel, Mississippi; and any other proposed area of the state. Any such study shall take into account the ongoing programs of the community and junior colleges in the State of Mississippi when said board authorizes off-campus programs created under this chapter. It is the intent of the Legislature to meet the educational needs of students who do not have ready access to the educational opportunities that they desire. It is the further intent of this chapter that university off-campus programs established hereunder will in no way usurp the responsibilities of the public junior colleges of the State of Mississippi. The board shall establish such rules and regulations as it deems necessary and proper to carry out the purposes and intent of this chapter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-103 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 115-103
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-103
Status: in_force

The object and purpose of the establishment of a school of dentistry at the University of Mississippi Medical Center shall be the encouragement of the study of dentistry toward the doctor of dental medicine degree, as well as the continued education of the state's dental health professions; and the encouragement of dental research and the improvement of dental health.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-146-5 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 3 / 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. § 37-153-1 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 153-1
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-153-1
Status: in_force

This article shall be known and may be cited as the “Mississippi Comprehensive Workforce Training and Education Consolidation Act of 2004.”
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-317 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 101-317
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-317
Status: in_force

The State Treasurer is hereby authorized, without further process of law, to certify to the Fiscal Management Board the necessity for warrants, and the board is hereby authorized and directed to issue such warrants payable out of any funds authorized by Sections 37-101-301 through 37-101-331 for such purpose, in such amounts as may be necessary to pay when due the principal of and interest on all bonds issued under the provisions of Sections 37-101-301 through 37-101-331 ; and the State Treasurer shall forward the necessary amount to the designated place or places of payment of such bonds in ample time to discharge such bonds, or the interest thereon, on the due dates thereof.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-140-7 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 140-7
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-140-7
Status: in_force

Subject to the availability of funding appropriated therefor, the board may hire a director of the school, who shall serve at the will and pleasure of the board. The director shall be the chief administrative officer of the school and shall administer the school in accordance with the policies established by the board. The director shall be responsible for those administrative duties and functions prescribed by the board, and the board, in its discretion, may delegate to the director such powers and duties as it deems appropriate.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-50 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 115-50
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-50
Status: in_force

For purposes of Sections 37-115-50 through 37-115-50.3 , the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(a) “ Academic medical center ” means the teaching, research, and clinical facilities and services provided, established, or operated by a public university under Chapter 115, Title 37, Mississippi Code of 1972 .

(b) “ Health sciences school ” means any school of medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy and any other health care-related educational program operated or provided by an academic medical center in this state.

(c) “ Health care collaborative ” means any consolidation or collaboration involving the academic medical center and any other public, private, for-profit or nonprofit health care facilities and providers.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-104 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 7-104
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-104
Status: in_force

(1) In any Mississippi county in which are located, as of February 8, 2012, three (3) school districts and only three (3) school districts, all of which are under conservatorship as defined by the Mississippi Department of Education as of February 8, 2012, there shall be an administrative consolidation of all of the school districts in the county into one (1) countywide school district with one (1) county board of education. The State Board of Education shall determine the school district(s) applicable to the provisions of this section and spread this finding on the minutes of its August 2012 meeting. On or before September 1, 2012, the State Board of Education shall serve the local school boards applicable to the provisions of this section, or the Mississippi Department of Education Conservator for each of the three (3) school districts, with notice and instruction regarding the action to be taken to comply with this section. In such county, there shall be a new county board of education elected in a November 2013 special election which shall be called for that purpose and the new county board members shall be elected as provided in Section 37-5-7, Mississippi Code of 1972 . No previous board member shall be eligible to serve on the newly elected board. Provided, however, that it shall be the responsibility of the board of supervisors of such county to apportion the countywide school district into five (5) new single member board of education districts which shall be consistent with the supervisors district lines in said county. The board of supervisors of said county shall thereafter publish the same in some newspaper of general circulation within said county for at least three (3) consecutive weeks and after having given notice of publication and recording the same upon the minutes of the board of supervisors of said county, said new district lines will thereafter be effective for the November 2013 special election. If necessary, the county board of education of said county shall reapportion the board of education districts in accordance with applicable law as soon as practicable after the results of the 2020 decennial census are published and as soon as practicable after every decennial census thereafter. The new county board of education, with the written approval of the Mississippi Department of Education Conservator and the State Board of Education, shall provide for the administrative consolidation of all school districts in the county into one (1) countywide school district on or before July 1 next following the November 2013 election. The new county board of education shall serve as the school board for the county. Any school district affected by the required administrative consolidation that does not voluntarily consolidate with the new school district ordered by the county board of education shall be administratively consolidated by the State Board of Education with the countywide school district, to be effective on July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. The State Board of Education shall promptly move on its own motion to administratively consolidate any school district which does not voluntarily consolidate in order to enable the affected school districts to reasonably accomplish the resulting administrative consolidation into one (1) countywide district by July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. All affected school districts shall comply with any consolidation order issued by the county board of education or the State Board of Education, as the case may be, on or before July 1 following the election of the new county board of education.

(2) On July 1 following the election of the new county board of education, the former county board of education and the former board of trustees of any municipal separate, or special municipal separate school district located in such county shall be abolished. All real and personal property which is owned or titled in the name of a school district located in such county shall be transferred to the new reorganized school district of the county in which such school district is located. The Mississippi Department of Education Conservator and the State Board of Education shall be responsible for establishing the contracts for teachers and principals for the next school year following the required administrative consolidation with the consultation of the newly elected successor county board of education. The successor county board of education shall appoint the new county superintendent of education for the reorganized school district. The county superintendent of education of said reorganized school district shall not be elected but shall thereafter be appointed by the successor county board of education in the manner provided in Section 37-9-25 . The superintendents of the former under-performing school districts located in the county shall not be eligible for appointment as the new superintendent. The selection of the appointed county superintendent of education and the assistant superintendent of education in the central administration office of the successor countywide school district shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education with the approval of the Mississippi Department of Education Conservator and the State Board of Education. No such administratively consolidated school district shall have more than one (1) assistant superintendent of education. It shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education, with approval of the Mississippi Department of Education Conservator and the State Board of Education, to prepare and approve the budget of the new reorganized districts, and the county board of education may use staff from the former school districts to prepare the budget. Any proposed order of the successor county board of education directing the transfer of the assets, real or personal property of an affected school district in the county, shall be submitted and approved by the State Board of Education. The finding of the State Board of Education shall be final and conclusive for the purposes of the transfer of property required by such administrative consolidation. Any person or school district aggrieved by an order of the successor county school board of education pursuant to the required administrative consolidation may appeal therefrom to the State Board of Education within ten (10) days from the date of the adjournment of the meeting at which such order is entered. Such appeal shall be de novo, and the finding of the State Board of Education upon such question shall be final and conclusive for the purpose of the approval or disapproval of the action by said county board of education.

(3) When any school district in such county is abolished under the provisions of this section, the abolition thereof shall not impair or release the property of such former school district from liability for the payment of the bonds or other indebtedness of such district and it shall be the duty of the board of supervisors of said county to levy taxes on the property of said district so abolished from year to year according to the terms of such indebtedness until same shall be fully paid.

(4) In the administratively consolidated countywide school district created under this section, the ad valorem tax rate shall be determined as set forth under Section 37-57-1 et seq.

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

(6) The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations to facilitate the administrative consolidation of the school districts in a county pursuant to this section. When the orders of the successor county board of education adopting the boundaries of the successor countywide school district have been entered and are final, as approved by the State Board of Education, the new district lines shall be submitted by the State Board of Education with the assistance of the Attorney General to the Attorney General of the United States for preclearance or to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for a declaratory judgment in accordance with the provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended and extended. In the event the change in the school district lines are precleared or approved, the State Board of Education shall formally declare the new lines as the new boundaries of the consolidated countywide school district.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-31 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 27-31
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-27-31
Status: in_force

The board of trustees of any agricultural high school is hereby authorized to lease the buildings and equipment thereof to any responsible individual for the purpose of carrying on a private school when there are no funds available for running said institution, and to lease the lands of said institution to some responsible person for agricultural purposes. Said leases shall not extend for any greater length of time than a period of three years from date of granting said lease.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-29 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / Section 43-29
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-29
Status: in_force

Any person, firm or corporation with whom a contract has been entered into, under the provisions of this chapter, shall designate the Secretary of State of Mississippi as its agent, upon whom citation and all other writs and processes may be served, in case any suit shall be brought against such person, firm or corporation.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-99 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 41-99
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-99
Status: in_force

The principal of and interest upon all notes or bonds issued under the authority of Section 37-41-89 shall be paid out of such transportation funds of the school district as may be available for such purpose. It shall be the duty of the school board to set aside each year out of such transportation funds a sufficient amount to pay the principal of and interest upon said notes or bonds as and when the same shall respectively mature and accrue. It shall be the duty of the superintendent of schools to include in the school budget each year separate items showing the amount required for the payment of the principal of and the interest upon all notes or bonds issued under the authority of said section.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-355 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / Section 101-355
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-355
Status: in_force

State agencies, political subdivisions and local governmental entities of the State of Mississippi are authorized to pay from available funds reasonable fees and tuition for their executives, officials and employees to attend an authorized executive institute pursuant to Section 37-101-351 .
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-138-25 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 13 / 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. § 37-7-217 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 7-217
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-217
Status: in_force

(1) The county election commissioners shall indicate on the ballot which of the persons whose names appear thereon are candidates for a full term, and which of such persons, if any, are candidates for an unexpired term or terms.

(2) The qualified electors of each school district operating under Section 37-7-215 shall vote on the date specified in that section and at the special trustee election districts.

(3) A person elected shall assume the duties of his office for the full term on the first day of January if the election is for the full term. A person elected to an unexpired term shall assume office immediately.

(4) The county election commissioners shall forthwith certify the results of the election to the superintendent of the municipal separate or special municipal separate school district, as the case may be, which certificate shall be delivered to such superintendent within five (5) days following the first election.

(5) If a person does not receive a majority of the votes cast at the election, a runoff shall be held between the two (2) persons receiving the highest number of votes at the first election. In the event a runoff is necessary, the runoff shall be held four (4) weeks thereafter.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-457 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 9 / Section 29-457
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-457
Status: in_force

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (g) of this subsection (1), persons who are currently serving as members of the board of trustees of the Copiah-Lincoln Junior College District shall complete their terms without interruption.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-16 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 23-16
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-23-16
Status: in_force

(1)(a) The State Department of Education shall select early literacy and numeracy screening assessment instrument or instruments to be used throughout the state in the screening of students in Kindergarten through Grade 3.

(b) All school districts shall use the literacy and numeracy screening instrument or instruments selected by the department; however, no literacy or numeracy screening instrument or instruments shall be used by school districts for the purpose of determining whether or not a student will be promoted to the next grade level. For the purposes of this section, “ literacy ” means ability to read and write and “ numeracy ” means fluency in understanding numbers and mathematical operations.

(2) In addition to those funds that are appropriated by the Legislature, the State Department of Education may receive and expend funds made available to the department from any source, including any federal or other governmental agency, private business, industry, foundation or other organization, to screen students for literacy and numeracy difficulties.

(3) The State Department of Education shall establish a reporting system for school districts in order to monitor the effectiveness of the literacy or numeracy screening assessment instruments. The department shall require school districts to annually submit data requested by the department which may be utilized to determine whether or not the assessment instruments are accurately identifying students in need.

(4) The requirements of this section shall be effective beginning with the 2008-2009 school year and compliance with the mandates of this section shall be subject to appropriation by the Legislature.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-149-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 1 / 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. § 37-113-79 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 113-79
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-113-79
Status: in_force

(1) The Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine is authorized to accept gifts, donations, bequests, trusts, grants, endowments, transfers of money or securities, repayments and any other monies from any source whatsoever to be used for the purposes of administering the Dr. Elton Mac Huddleston Rural Veterinarians Scholarship Program.

(2) The dean shall prepare and submit an annual report to the Legislature not later than December 1 of each year, which shall include, but not be limited to, information about who received scholarships under the program and how much each person received, and the amount of any funds received under subsection (1) of this section and how those funds were used for the purpose of the program.

(3) The appropriation request of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine and the program shall be reduced if a saturation point is achieved and the shortage of veterinary services in rural Mississippi is adequately addressed.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-51 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 47-51
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-47-51
Status: in_force

All bonds issued under the provisions of this chapter and all interim certificates issued under the provisions of this chapter, except those fully registered, shall be fully negotiable within the meaning and for all the purposes of the Uniform Commercial Code.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-131 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 115-131
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-115-131
Status: in_force

A special fund, to be designated as the “2023 Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom Fund”, is created within the State Treasury. The fund shall be maintained by the State Treasurer as a separate and special fund, separate and apart from the General Fund of the state. Unexpended amounts remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, and any interest earned or investment earnings on amounts in the fund shall be deposited into such fund. Monies deposited into the fund shall be expended by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to support the operations of the Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom (“Center”) at the University of Mississippi, subject to the conditions that the Center shall:

(a) Promote scholarly research and civic education by exploring the principles of freedom expressed in our country's founding documents;

(b) Support individual faculty members at institutions of higher learning who have been named Declaration Fellows and who actively participate in the Center's network of scholars and further the mission and principles of the Center;

(c) Support classes, activities, and internships that advance students' understanding of American freedom at both the secondary and post-secondary level of education, including support for the operation of any Freedom Studies minor that may be available for academic credit at the University of Mississippi, as well as support for all Freedom Studies courses belonging to this minor; and

(d) Continue to be governed and advised in accordance with the Center governing structure described in the last paragraph of the Center mission statement signed by the Chancellor, Provost and founding Director of the Center and received in the Office of the Chancellor on March 1, 2023.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-177-3 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 177-3
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-177-3
Status: in_force

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

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

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

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

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

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

(f) That while the state annual accountability assessment for reading in Third Grade is the initial determinant, it is not the sole determiner of promotion and that approved alternative standardized assessments are available to assist the school district in knowing when a child is reading at or above grade level and ready for promotion to the next grade.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-127 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 12 / Section 29-127
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-29-127
Status: in_force

Sections 37-29-121 through 37-29-125 shall be construed as cumulative and no restriction, limitation or prohibition of the general laws shall operate to curtail the authority or prescribe the procedure by which the purposes of said sections shall be effected.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-37-21 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 14 / Section 37-21
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-37-21
Status: in_force

When, as a result of any audits performed under the terms of this chapter, the State Auditor has reason to believe that any false or erroneous report or violation of law presents ample evidence therefor, he shall report the same to the Attorney General. The Attorney General shall thereupon institute suit in the name of the State of Mississippi and prosecute to a conclusion such actions as may be necessary to make recovery from any and all persons civilly liable. The Attorney General shall also refer the matter to the proper district attorney for the institution of any appropriate criminal proceedings. Any funds recovered by such suits shall be paid into the appropriate school district fund in accordance with the loss such fund or funds may have sustained.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-47 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 4 / Section 11-47
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-47
Status: in_force

(1) There is hereby created the Mississippi Stonewall Jackson Memorial Board, which shall have as its purpose the memorializing of that great American and Confederate General, Stonewall Jackson, through a program of education initiated by Stonewall Jackson Memorial, Inc. The Mississippi Stonewall Jackson Memorial Board shall be governed by a board of trustees, who shall serve without compensation. The board of trustees shall be composed of three (3) members, the Mississippi State Superintendent of Public Education, the Director of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, and the President of Stonewall Jackson Memorial, Inc. The board of trustees shall be vested with the power to administer this section in its entirety and to establish the Mississippi Stonewall Jackson Memorial Fund.

(2) From and after March 13, 1990, the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Board shall be abolished by operation of law, and any monies appropriated or donated to or deposited in the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Fund shall be received, invested and administered by the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History as it deems advisable in line with sound business procedure. The Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History may spend the interest derived from the Mississippi Stonewall Jackson Memorial Fund to support the programs and activities of the Junior Historical Society of Mississippi and thereby promote the study of Mississippi history. No part of the principal of such fund shall be disbursed for any purpose, and all grants to the Junior Historical Society shall be taken from the interest derived from investments only.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-113 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 11 / Section 155-113
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-155-113
Status: in_force

(1) All property and income of the MACS Trust Fund, as an instrumentality of the state, is exempt from all taxation by the state and by its political subdivisions.

(2) Any contributor or payor to a MACS Program account may deduct from their Mississippi taxable income any contributions or payments to an account or accounts in the MACS Trust Fund up to a maximum annual amount of Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000.00) for joint filers and Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) for single and other filers. Contributions or payments for such tax years may be made after such calendar years but before the deadline for making contributions to an individual retirement account under federal law for such years. The earnings portion of any withdrawals from an account that are not qualified withdrawals, as well as any amounts included in such nonqualified withdrawals previously deducted from taxable income under this section, shall be included in the gross income of the resident recipient of the withdrawal for purposes of the Mississippi Income Tax Law in the year of such withdrawal.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-25 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 5 / Section 101-25
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-25
Status: in_force

The Mississippi Small Farm Development Center shall develop a plan to foster and encourage the development in this state of small enterprises which process “cash crops,” timber, or food and fiber products produced in Mississippi. The plan shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) Means to identify small entrepreneurs who are in the business of processing, or are interested in starting a business to process, “cash crops,” timber, or food and fiber products;

(b) Means to encourage participation by such small entrepreneurs in available business management and technical assistance programs; and

(c) Any appropriate financial assistance to assist such small entrepreneurs in financing their business, such as interest-free state loans similar to existing Department of Economic and Community Development programs administered out of the Emerging Crops Fund.
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-413 — MS Code / Title 37 / Chapter 6 / Section 101-413
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-101-413
Status: in_force

(1) As used in this section, the term “ state institutions of higher learning ” means those institutions identified in Section 37-101-1 and the University Research Center.

(2) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning may establish an equipment leasing and purchase program for the use of the state institutions of higher learning. In establishing and administering the program, the board may perform the following actions:

(a) Adopt policies and procedures to implement the program;

(b) Establish offices or subordinate units as may be necessary for the administration of the program;

(c) Adopt rules and regulations pertaining to the program;

(d) Acquire by purchase, lease or lease-purchase contract and retain or transfer ownership or possession of instructional and other equipment;

(e) Contract for the leasing of such properties and for the financing of leases and purchases;

(f) Enter into contracts with others to provide any services deemed necessary and advisable by the board;

(g) Make purchases and enter into leases according to the requirements of the state public purchasing laws and the requirements of those laws establishing the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services;

(h) Enter into lease financing agreements in connection with purchases made under the authority of this section;

(i) Require the transfer of appropriations of general funds or self-generated funds from the state institutions to those funds that the board may determine are required in connection with any lease financing agreements;

(j) Develop administrative methods for determining age, useful life, replacement value, current use, condition and other characteristics of instructional and research equipment at the state institutions and research facilities;

(k) Determine obsolescence of the equipment and establish priorities for replacement or provision of the equipment or its transfer to another state institution that can continue to utilize it; and

(l) Develop long-range plans for the orderly and systematic acquisition and utilization of the instructional and research equipment in order to eliminate waste and duplication, provide the maximum efficiency of use for expenditures, and achieve equitable allocations of equipment funds to the state institutions consistent with the roles of the institutions and disciplines served.

(3) All institutions of higher learning desiring to purchase, lease or lease-purchase equipment involving an expenditure or expenditures of more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) must procure that equipment under the equipment leasing and purchase program unless funds for the procurement of the equipment under the program are unavailable or the equipment can be procured elsewhere at an overall cost lower than that for which the equipment can be procured under the program.