Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 37 - EDUCATION (§§ 37-NEW-001 — 37-NEW01-004) › Chapter 23 - EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN (§§ 37-23-1 — 37-23-205) › STATE-SUPPORTED COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR SPECIAL CHILDREN (§§ 37-23-31 — 37-23-35) › Section 37-23-33 - Powers and duties of board and department of education; who may serve as lead teacher for children enrolled in university- or college-based program

(1)
Such program of education, instruction and training as is provided for in Section
37-23-31
shall be furnished in such manner as shall be provided by rules and regulations adopted by the State Board of Education, which for such purposes shall have the full power to adopt such rules, regulations, policies and standards as it may deem necessary to carry out the purpose of Sections
37-23-31
through
37-23-35
, including the establishment of qualifications consistent with the requirements of subsection (2) of this section for any teachers employed under the provisions thereof. It is expressly provided, however, that no program of education, instruction and training shall be furnished except in a university or college supported by the State of Mississippi and only in cases where such university or college shall consent thereto and shall provide any classroom space, furniture and facilities which may be deemed necessary in carrying out the provisions of those sections.
(2)
Speech-language pathologists, educational audiologists, and special and early childhood educators are qualified and authorized to serve as the lead teacher for children enrolled in a university or college-based program through the IDEA-Part C and IDEA-Part B eligibility and placement process. Whenever communication is a primary area of concern on a child's Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or Individualized Education Program (IEP), a speech-language pathologist or educational audiologist may serve as the lead instructor with an educator serving as a related service provider as necessary to meet the educational needs of the child. Speech-language pathologists and educational audiologists must undergo extensive college coursework in communication-based disorders impacting multiple areas of development, including cognition. The content of the college coursework must include typical and atypical development for ages birth through death. In addition to completing the college coursework, these instructional providers must meet all instructional licensure requirements as set forth by the State Department of Education for the purpose of funding MAEP special education teacher units.
(3)
The State Department of Education through its general supervision responsibilities set forth by the Office of Special Education Programs at the United States Department of Education, shall require that the program of education, instruction and training be designed to provide individualized appropriate special education and related services that enable a child to reach his or her appropriate and uniquely designed goals for success.
(4)
A university- or college-based program must submit all reports and data required by the State Department of Education on the same or similar time schedule and in the same or similar manner that same or similar reports and data must be submitted to the department by local educational agencies.
Codes, 1942, § 6631-22; Laws, 1966, ch. 430, § 2; Laws, 1995, ch. 572, § 3, eff. 7/1/1995.
Amended by Laws, 2022, ch. 404, HB 881,§ 2, eff. 7/1/2022.