reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MS Code § 37-23-123 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 37 - Education|Chapter 23 - Exceptional Children|Learning Resources System|§ 37-23-123. Legislative intent

 The intent of the legislature of the State of Mississippi, by passage of Sections 37-23-123 through 37-23-131, is to develop and make available to children of this state who are being considered for possible or continued placement in the exceptional child program of diagnostic and evaluation and related services that will raise the quality of education for all such children in the State of Mississippi who are in need of such services.   The intent of the legislature is to provide an overall system to give direction in developing diagnostic and evaluation and related services required for the exceptional child program, to coordinate existing resources in the state for such services, and to provide such services, within the limitation of staff availability, on a statewide basis with priority being given to areas of the state where such services are not available. This service is intended to complement the services presently available from the state department of education and other agencies.
MS Code § 37-23-125 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 37 - Education|Chapter 23 - Exceptional Children|Learning Resources System|§ 37-23-125. Establishment of system; rules and regulations; employment of personnel; acceptance of funds

  The Department of Education is directed to establish a learning resources system to be implemented and administered by the department.   The state board of education shall adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary to implement and administer this system.   The department is authorized to employ and train such professional and clerical assistance as is necessary to implement and administer the system.   The department is authorized to accept any federal, state or other governmental funds and any funds from private sources or gifts, grants or donations.
MS Code § 37-23-127 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 37 - Education|Chapter 23 - Exceptional Children|Learning Resources System|§ 37-23-127. Advisory committee

  The state superintendent of education shall appoint a learning resources advisory committee for each center not to exceed ten (10) members as the superintendent, in his discretion, deems proper from each of the following groups:   Professional educators actively engaged in the education of exceptional children or youth or in the administration of programs for exceptional youth and children.   Professional educators in higher education dealing with the exceptional children and youth, and closely related areas.   Parents of exceptional children or youth.     The committee shall meet quarterly or upon call of the superintendent, and its functions shall be purely advisory in nature and effect. No compensation or per diem shall be provided committee members, but each member shall be entitled to receive all actual, necessary expenses incurred in discharging official responsibilities, including mileage as authorized by law.
MS Code § 37-23-129 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 37 - Education|Chapter 23 - Exceptional Children|Learning Resources System|§ 37-23-129. Services provided

 The department shall determine the services to be provided by the system, however, at least the following services will be provided:   Provision of diagnostic and evaluation services to children who are being considered for possible or continued placement in educational programs for exceptional children.   Provision, to personnel providing educational programs for exceptional children, of inservice activities and consultation on the diagnosis and evaluation of exceptional children and on the development of individualized educational programs.   Provision of regional screening team services to schools and agencies providing educational services to exceptional children as required in the "competent professional persons" portion of Section 37-23-3.   Collection and maintenance, for demonstration and loan purposes, of instructional materials, professional literature, and evaluation materials which are appropriate for the exceptional child program.
MS Code § 37-23-131 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 37 - Education|Chapter 23 - Exceptional Children|Learning Resources System|§ 37-23-131. General duties of department

 The department, in implementing the provisions of Sections 37-23-121 through 37-23-131, shall have the following duties:   To establish in various areas of the state, the location and size of which shall be determined by the department, a team of full-time, qualified professional persons trained, individually or collectively, in such disciplines as psychology, speech and hearing, special education, educational evaluation, and social work. One team shall be provided for each area, and shall render diagnostic evaluation, and related services to all children who are being considered for possible or continued placement in educational programs for exceptional children.   To contract for or purchase services of clinical and medical specialists, including, but not limited to, pediatricians, neurologists and psychiatrists, when such services of specialists are needed and not available from members of a team.   To provide for consultation with school personnel, parents and agencies concerned with exceptional children and to serve as resource personnel to which such persons and agencies may consult for assistance in solving problems related to diagnosis and evaluation of exceptional children.   To provide personnel to serve as a resource in programs of preservice and inservice training of teachers.   To disseminate information to the public with regard to exceptional children.
MS Code § 37-23-139 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 37 - Education|Chapter 23 - Exceptional Children|Standards and Procedures for the Education of Exceptional Children|§ 37-23-139. Complaint procedures

  The State Department of Education shall establish the necessary rules and regulations in accordance with IDEA to provide for an organization or individual to file a signed written complaint with respect to a violation of federal or state regulations by a local educational agency relating to the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of the child, or the provision of a free appropriate public education to such child.   Procedures that require the parent of a child with a disability, or the attorney representing the child, to provide notice to the State Department of Education shall include:   The name of the child, the address of the residence of the child, and the name of the school the child is attending;   A description of the nature of the problem of the child relating to such proposed initiation or change, including facts relating to such problem; and   A proposed resolution of the problem to the extent known and available to the parents at the time.     State Department of Education shall develop a model form to assist parents in filing a complaint in accordance with the requirements under IDEA.   All complaints shall remain protected by the confidentiality requirements under IDEA.
MS Code § 37-23-141 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 37 - Education|Chapter 23 - Exceptional Children|Standards and Procedures for the Education of Exceptional Children|§ 37-23-141. Mediation; promulgation of rules and regulations; confidentiality

  The State Department of Education shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to establish a mediation system which, at a minimum, shall be available whenever a due process hearing under IDEA is requested. The mediation system shall allow parties the opportunity to resolve such disputes involving any matter relating to the identification, evaluation or educational placement of the child, or the provision of a free appropriate public education to such child.   The State Department of Education shall ensure that the mediation process is:   Voluntary on the part of the parties;   Not used to deny or delay a parent's right to a due process hearing under IDEA or to deny any other rights afforded under IDEA; and   Conducted by a qualified and impartial mediator who is trained in effective mediation techniques.     The State Department of Education may establish procedures to require parents who choose not to use the mediation process to meet, at a time and location convenient to the parents, with a disinterested party who is under contract with a parent training and information center or community parent resource center in the state established under IDEA, or an appropriate alternative dispute resolution entity. The purpose of the meeting is to encourage the use, and explain the benefits, of the mediation process to the parents.   The State Department of Education shall maintain a list of individuals who are qualified mediators and knowledgeable in laws and regulations relating to the provision of special education and related services.   The state shall bear the cost of the mediation process, including the costs of all meetings described in this section.   Each session in the mediation process shall be scheduled in a timely manner and shall be held in a location that is convenient to the parties in dispute.   An agreement reached by the parties to the dispute in the mediation process shall be set forth in a written mediation agreement.   Discussions that occur during the mediation process shall be confidential and may not be used as evidence in any subsequent due process hearings or civil proceedings and the parties to the mediation process may be required to sign a confidentiality pledge prior to the commencement of such process.
MS Code § 37-23-143 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 37 - Education|Chapter 23 - Exceptional Children|Standards and Procedures for the Education of Exceptional Children|§ 37-23-143. Due process hearing

  When any public agency directly responsible for the education of children with disabilities initiates or refuses to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of the child or the provision of a free appropriate public education to the child, the parent of a child with a disability or the agency shall have the opportunity to request a state-level impartial due process hearing.   The State Department of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations consistent with the requirements under IDEA to establish a system for the provision of state-level impartial due process hearings. Such provisions shall include:   At least five (5) business days prior to a hearing being conducted, each party shall disclose to all other parties all evaluations completed by that date and recommendations based on the offering party's evaluations that the party intends to use at the hearing. A hearing officer may bar any party that fails to comply with this requirement from introducing the relevant evaluation or recommendation at the hearing without the consent of the other party.   A hearing may not be conducted by an employee of the State Department of Education or the local educational agency involved in the education or care of the child.   The right of either party to be accompanied and advised by counsel and by individuals with special knowledge or training with respect to the problems of children with disabilities.   The right of either party to present evidence and confront and cross-examine witnesses.   The right, at the option of parents, to a written or electronic verbatim record of such hearing.   The right, at the option of parents, to electronic findings of fact and decisions.   Findings and facts shall be made available to the public and transmitted to the advisory panel consistent with the requirements under IDEA.     The decision made by the hearing officer shall be final, except that any party aggrieved by the findings and decision made by the hearing officer shall have the right to bring a civil action with respect to the issues of the due process hearing. Such civil action may be brought in any court of competent jurisdiction within ninety (90) days from the date of the decision of the impartial due process hearing officer.   Except as provided under IDEA, during the pendency of any proceedings conducted pursuant to this section, unless the local educational agency and the parents otherwise agree, the child will remain in the then-current educational placement of such child, or, if applying for initial admission to a public school, shall, with the consent of the parents, be placed in the public school program until all such proceedings have been completed. This requirement does not limit the local educational agency from obtaining a temporary restraining order from any court of competent jurisdiction, as deemed necessary by the agency.
MS Code § 37-23-145 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 37 - Education|Chapter 23 - Exceptional Children|Standards and Procedures for the Education of Exceptional Children|§ 37-23-145. Advisory panel on special education; membership; duties

  The State Board of Education shall establish and maintain an advisory panel for the purpose of providing policy guidance with respect to special education and related services for children with disabilities in the State.   The advisory panel shall consist of members appointed by the State Superintendent of Education who are representative of the state's population and who are composed of individuals involved in, or concerned with, the education of children with disabilities, including:   Parents of children with disabilities;   Individuals with disabilities;   Teachers;   Representatives of institutions of higher education that prepare special education and related services personnel;   State and local education officials;   Administrators of programs for children with disabilities;   Representatives of other state agencies involved in the financing or delivery of related services to children with disabilities;   Representatives of private schools and public charter schools;   At least one (1) representative of a vocational, community, or business organization concerned with the provision of transition services to children with disabilities; and   Representatives from the State juvenile and adult correction agencies.     A majority of the members of the panel shall be individuals with disabilities or parents of children with disabilities.   The duties of the advisory panel shall include:   Advise the State Department of Education of unmet needs within the State in the education of children with disabilities;   Comment publicly on any rules or regulations proposed by the State Department of Education regarding the education of children with disabilities;   Advise the State Department of Education in developing evaluations and reporting on data to the secretary in accordance with the requirements under IDEA;   Advise the State Department of Education in developing and implementing policies relating to the coordination of services for children with disabilities; and   Advise the State Department of Education in developing corrective action plans to address findings identified in federal monitoring reports under IDEA.     The advisory panel shall be provided the opportunity to provide comments to the State Board of Education on rules or regulations proposed by the State Department of Education relating to the implementation of the IDEA 1997 Amendments.
MS Code § 37-23-147 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 37 - Education|Chapter 23 - Exceptional Children|Standards and Procedures for the Education of Exceptional Children|§ 37-23-147. State performance goals for children with disabilities; special recognition of schools providing full inclusion of children with disabilities

  The State Department of Education shall establish goals for the performance of students with disabilities that will promote the purpose of IDEA and are consistent, to the maximum extent appropriate, with other goals and standards for students established by the State Department of Education. Performance indicators used to assess progress toward achieving those goals that, at a minimum, address the performance of students with disabilities on assessments, drop-out rates, and graduation rates shall be developed. Every two (2) years, the progress toward meeting the established performance goals shall be reported to the public.   To encourage the full inclusion of students with disabilities in all aspects of academic and extracurricular activities, the State Department of Education may provide special recognition to the schools receiving such designation and their school districts. Examples of such recognition may include, but not be limited to: public announcements and events, certificates of recognition and plaques for teachers, principals, superintendents and parents, and media announcements utilizing the services of Mississippi Educational Television. This special recognition may be awarded to elementary, middle or high schools, based on entries submitted to the Mississippi Special Education Advisory Panel by the deadline to be determined annually by the panel. These entries shall be in the form of a report, listing the name, address and telephone number of the school district/school; teacher or staff responsible for administering the program; type of position held by each of these employees including credentials; description of the program; number of students with disabilities included; type and level of severity of disabilities; number of students without disabilities involved in the program; how long the program has been in operation; benefit of program to all students; and a description of how this program could be replicated by other school districts. Winners of the Exemplary Inclusion Program contest shall be chosen annually by the Mississippi Special Education Advisory Panel at a date determined by the panel.  Recognition may be given to these schools during a meeting of the Mississippi State Board of Education at a date determined by the board. Information on these exemplary programs shall be provided to other school districts and the general public through news releases, the state department website, and other similar avenues.
MS Code § 37-23-148 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 37 - Education|Chapter 23 - Exceptional Children|Standards and Procedures for the Education of Exceptional Children|§ 37-23-148. Participation in assessment programs by children with disabilities; Department of Education to report on results of assessment of disabled children

  Children with disabilities shall be included in general statewide and district-wide assessments programs, with appropriate accommodations, where necessary. As appropriate, the State Department of Education and the local educational agency shall:   Develop policies and procedures for the participation of children with disabilities in alternate assessments for those children who cannot participate in statewide and district-wide assessment programs; and   Develop and, beginning not later than July 1, 2000, conduct those alternate assessments.     The State Department of Education shall make available to the public, and report to the public with the same frequency and in the same detail as it reports on the assessment of nondisabled children, the following:   The number of children with disabilities participating in regular assessments;   The number of children participating in alternate assessments;   The performance of those children on regular assessments, beginning not later than July 1, 1998, and on alternate assessments, not later than July 1, 2000, if doing so would be statistically sound and would not result in the disclosure of performance results identifiable to individual children; and   Data relating to the performance of children with disabilities shall be disaggregated for assessments conducted after July 1, 1998.
MS Code § 37-23-149 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 37 - Education|Chapter 23 - Exceptional Children|Standards and Procedures for the Education of Exceptional Children|§ 37-23-149. Special Education, Special Services Fund

 There is hereby created in the State Treasury a special fund to be designated as the "Special Education, Special Services Fund" which shall be used to distribute any funds specifically appropriated by the Legislature to such fund. This Special Education, Special Services Fund will be used solely for the provision of direct services to individual children with disabilities. Any funds remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall not lapse into the State General Fund, but shall carryover to subsequent fiscal years. Any interest accruing on any unexpended balance in the Special Education, Special Services Fund shall be invested by the State Treasurer and shall remain in the fund.
MS Code § 37-23-150 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 37 - Education|Chapter 23 - Exceptional Children|Standards and Procedures for the Education of Exceptional Children|§ 37-23-150. Legislative intent

 It is the intent of the Legislature that none of the provisions of Sections 37-16-9, 37-23-1 through 37-23-9 and 37-23-133 through 37-23-149 shall create mandates that impose financial or legal requirements upon local school districts that are greater or more restrictive upon local school districts as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 and any later amendments or regulations thereunder, or any other relevant federal legislation. Furthermore, it is not the intent of the Legislature to impose any additional state unfunded mandates for the implementation of Sections 37-16-9, 37-23-1 through 37-23-9 and 37-23-133 through 37-23-149. Any provisions of Sections 37-16-9, 37-23-1 through 37-23-9 and 37-23-133 through 37-23-149 that are inconsistent, create additional unfunded state mandates, or that are more restrictive upon school districts than federal requirements shall be expressly unenforceable and have no effect.
MS Code § 37-23-171 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 37 - Education|Chapter 23 - Exceptional Children|Gifted Education|§ 37-23-171. Short title

 Sections 37-23-171 through 37-23-181 shall be known and may be cited as the "Mississippi Gifted Education Act of 1989."
MS Code § 37-23-173 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 37 - Education|Chapter 23 - Exceptional Children|Gifted Education|§ 37-23-173. Legislative findings and declarations; purpose

 The Legislature finds and declares that there are many children in the State of Mississippi who are intellectually, academically, creatively and/or artistically gifted and who require additional opportunities to allow them to develop their capabilities to their fullest potential.   Consequently, it is the purpose of Sections 37-23-171 through 37-23-181 to provide for a uniform system of education for gifted children in the public schools of Mississippi, to provide for a nondiscriminatory process of identification of these children, to provide for periodic evaluation of the program and its benefit to the gifted children, and to insure that gifted children are identified and offered an appropriate education.   Further, it is the intent of the Legislature that local districts be given as much flexibility as possible in the operation of their programs and that there be parental involvement in the development and conduct of their programs.