Education; institute initiatives to promote literacy in math, reading, finance, computer science, and civics., the official text

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2026 Regular Session

To: Education

By: Senator(s) Johnson, Simmons (13th)

Senate Bill 2294

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO ENACT THE "MISSISSIPPI MATH ACT"
ESTABLISHING THE MOVING MATHEMATICS IN MISSISSIPPI (M3) PROGRAM
WITHIN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION; TO SET FORTH FINDINGS, PURPOSES,
DEFINITIONS AND PROGRAM COMPONENTS; TO AUTHORIZE K-12 MATHEMATICS COACHING AND
SUPPORT, K-5 MATHEMATICS SCREENING AND INTERVENTIONS, AN ALGEBRA-READINESS
INDICATOR BASED ON THE GRADE 5 STATEWIDE MATHEMATICS ASSESSMENT SCALE SCORE,
AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR GRADES K-1, 2-6 AND 7-12; TO PROVIDE FOR
ADMINISTRATION, RULEMAKING, DATA PROTECTIONS, REPORTING, EVALUATION AND
DISTRICT PARTICIPATION; TO CREATE THE MOVING MATHEMATICS IN MISSISSIPPI FUND;
TO REQUIRE ANNUAL REPORTING TO THE LEGISLATURE; TO PROVIDE CERTAIN INTERVENTION
AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES FOR LITERACY PROFICIENCY AMONG STUDENTS IN GRADES
4-8; TO DEFINE TERMINOLOGY; TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO
PROVIDE A SYSTEM OF SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL AND DISTRICT INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERS,
CONTENT-AREA TEACHERS, LITERACY COACHES, DYSLEXIA THERAPISTS, INTERVENTIONISTS,
TUTORS, AND OTHER IDENTIFIED PERSONNEL TO ENSURE THEY HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND
SKILLS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN GRADES 4-8 WITH READING DIFFICULTIES; TO
PRESCRIBE WHAT THE SYSTEM OF SUPPORT SHALL ENTAIL; TO REQUIRE THAT ANY STUDENT
IN GRADES 4-8 EXHIBITING DEFICIENCIES IN READING SHALL RECEIVE AN INDIVIDUAL
READING PLAN (IRP) NO LATER THAN 30 DAYS AFTER THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE
READING DEFICIENCY; TO SPECIFY THAT THE IRP SHALL BE CREATED BY THE TEACHER,
INTERVENTIONIST, PRINCIPAL, OTHER PERTINENT SCHOOL PERSONNEL, AND PARENT AND
SHALL DESCRIBE THE SCIENTIFICALLY RESEARCHED AND EVIDENCED-BASED READING
INTERVENTION SERVICES THE STUDENT SHALL RECEIVE TO REMEDY THE READING DEFICIT;
TO REQUIRE WRITTEN NOTIFICATION OF THE PARENT OF ANY STUDENT IN GRADES 4-8
WITHIN 10 BUSINESS DAYS OF THE IDENTIFICATION OF A READING DEFICIENCY; TO
REQUIRE THAT ANY INCOMING STUDENT IN GRADES 4-8 IDENTIFIED WITH A READING
DEFICIENCY BE PROVIDED WITH SUPPLEMENTAL OR INTENSIVE INTERVENTIONS DEPENDENT
UPON THE SEVERITY OF THE DEFICIT SKILLS TO ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC DEFICIENCY; TO
PROVIDE FOR REMEDIATION FOR STUDENTS WHOSE READING DEFICIENCY IS NOT REMEDIED
BEFORE THE END OF EIGHTH GRADE; TO SET OUT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF SCHOOL
DISTRICTS, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND EDUCATOR PREPARATION
PROGRAMS; TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION SHALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY
TO ENFORCE, AND MAY PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS AS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT,
THE PROVISIONS PROMOTING LITERACY PROFICIENCY AMONG STUDENTS IN GRADES 4-8; TO
ENACT THE "J.P. WILEMON, JR., FINANCIAL LITERACY ACT"; TO REQUIRE THE
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO INCORPORATE FINANCIAL LITERACY COMPONENTS WITHIN
THE EXISTING CURRICULUM TO BE TAUGHT IN GRADES 6-8 BEGINNING IN THE 2027-2028
SCHOOL YEAR; TO REQUIRE SUCCESSFUL PASSAGE OF THE STAND-ALONE ONE-HALF CARNEGIE
UNIT PERSONAL FINANCE COURSE OR A FULL CARNEGIE UNIT COURSE WHERE AT LEAST ONE-HALF
OF THE COURSE STANDARDS CONCERN FINANCIAL LITERACY AS A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT;
TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-16-7, 37-7-301 AND 37-28-45, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO
CONFORM, AND TO SET CERTAIN TOPICS THAT SHALL BE REQUIRED FOR THE FINANCIAL
LITERACY PROGRAM; TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI FUTURE INNOVATORS ACT; TO CREATE
NEW SECTION 37-13-215, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT, BEGINNING
WITH THE ENTERING NINTH-GRADE CLASS OF 2029-2030, A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
SHALL, BEFORE GRADUATION, BE REQUIRED TO EARN ONE UNIT OF CREDIT IN A HIGH
SCHOOL COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSE, OR ONE UNIT OF CREDIT IN AN INDUSTRY-ALIGNED
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE) WITH EMBEDDED COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSE; TO
PROVIDE THE STATE GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS THAT MAY BE SATISFIED BY EITHER OF
THESE COURSES; TO REQUIRE THAT SUCH COURSES INCLUDE INSTRUCTION ON THE
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF EMERGING COMPUTER SCIENCE TECHNOLOGIES, SUCH AS
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE; TO AMEND SECTION 37-13-205, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972,
TO DEFINE "CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION WITH EMBEDDED COMPUTER SCIENCE
COURSE" FOR PURPOSES OF THE MISSISSIPPI COMPUTER SCIENCE AND CYBER
EDUCATION EQUALITY ACT; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 37-13-56, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF
1972, TO PROVIDE THAT, BEGINNING IN THE 2027-2028 SCHOOL YEAR, EVERY PUBLIC AND
CHARTER SCHOOL WITHIN THE STATE SHALL TEACH CIVICS COURSES STARTING IN THE 8TH
GRADE AND BEFORE THE COMPLETION OF 12TH GRADE; TO PROVIDE THE AIM AND CONTENT
OF SUCH COURSES; TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL
PRESCRIBE THE COURSE OF STUDY AND SHALL UPDATE COURSE STANDARDS TO ALIGN WITH
CURRENT CIVICS SCHOLARSHIP; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1.
(1)  Sections 1 through 12 of this act shall be known and may be cited as the
"Mississippi Math Act."

(2)  The Legislature finds
that:

(a)  Early numeracy and
fluency with whole-number operations, decimals and fractions are foundational
to secondary mathematics;

(b)  Sustained, job-embedded
mathematics coaching improves teacher practice and student outcomes;

(c)  Systematic
screening and targeted interventions in the elementary grades reduce later
remediation; and

(d)  Ensuring algebra
readiness before middle school coursework strengthens the state's workforce
pipeline.

(3)  Sections 1 through 12
of this act establish a statewide framework, Moving Mathematics in Mississippi
(M3), to:

(a)  Expand mathematics
coaching;

(b)  Implement
Kindergarten through Grade 5 (K-5) mathematics screening with aligned
interventions;

(c)  Establish an
Algebra-Readiness Indicator using the Grade 5 Statewide Mathematics Assessment
cut score;

(d)  Provide grade-based
professional development aligned to Mississippi's College- and Career-Readiness
Standards and assessments; and

(e)  Require that all
mathematics coaching, professional development, and implementation supports
funded, provided, or approved by the department under M3 be aligned
to and emphasize:

(i)  The Standards
for Mathematical Practice (SMPSs);

(ii)  Effective
Mathematics Teaching and Practices (EMTPs), meaning evidence-based
instructional practices that support high-quality mathematics instruction and
student learning; and

(iii)  Instruction
that reflects the focus, coherence, and rigor required by the Mississippi
College- and Career-Readiness Standards (MS-CCRS) for Mathematics.

SECTION 2.  As
used in Sections 1 through 12 of this act:

(a)  "Board"
means the State Board of Education.

(b)
"Department" means the State Department of Education.

(c)  "M3"
means the Moving Mathematics in Mississippi Program established in Sections 1
through 12 of this act.

(d)  "Coach"
means a mathematics instructional coach employed or contracted by the
department or a participating school district, trained in the department's
coaching model.

(e)  "High-quality
instructional materials" or "HQIMs" means standards-aligned,
evidence-based mathematics curricula and assessments approved by the
department.

(f)  "K–5
Mathematics Screener" means a universal screening system for Kindergarten
through Grade 5 addressing grade-appropriate mathematics domains and skill
progressions, as determined by the department.

(g)  "Algebra-Readiness
Indicator" or "indicator" means a cut score on the Grade 5
Statewide Mathematics Assessment established by the department that suggests
student readiness for Algebra I and is used to guide supports and placement.

(h)
"Individualized Math Plan" or "IMP" means a written plan
for a student identified by a screener as at risk of not meeting grade-level
expectations, and which specifies interventions, progress monitoring and exit
criteria.

(i)  "MIOP"
means the Mathematics Instructional Observation Protocol adopted by the
department for classroom observation and administrator calibration.

(j)  "Professional
learning community" or "PLC" means educational stakeholders who
meet regularly to share expertise, analyze data, plan instruction and
collaborate to improve teaching capacity and student performance.

SECTION 3.
(1)  There is created within the department the Moving Mathematics in
Mississippi (M3) Program.

(2)  In order to administer M3,
the department, through the board, may promulgate rules and regulations, enter
into contracts, and partner with institutions of higher learning, school
districts and nonprofit entities for implementation, evaluation and
professional learning.

(3)  The department may
issue guidance for school district participation, including model schedules,
PLC structures, intervention blocks and family engagement resources.

SECTION 4.
(1)  Statewide coaching expansion (Grades K-12).  The department shall
place coaches in Grades K-12, with priority in Grades 2 through 6 to provide on-site
and virtual coaching cycles, modeling, PLC facilitation, data meetings,
administrator walk-throughs using MIOP, and family math resources.  Coaching
shall be organized by grade band to include elementary (K–6) and secondary
(7–12) and may include college- and career-readiness coaches to align
mathematics with workforce pathways and statewide assessments.

(2)  K–5 Mathematics
screening and intervention protocol.  The department shall develop and
adopt a K–5 Mathematics Screener with well-defined scores and skill maps, in
order to assist with implementing IMPs for students below benchmark, training
teachers and administrators, and implementing periodic progress monitoring.

(3)  Grade 5 Algebra-Readiness
Indicator.  The Grade 5 Statewide Mathematics Assessment cut score
designated by the department shall be used for the Algebra-Readiness
Indicator.  The district shall develop IMPs for students below the indicator
prior to middle school mathematics.  The department may develop crosswalks and
training to support intervention pathways based on students' Grade 5 results.

(4)  Professional
development system.  The department shall implement ongoing regional
training, virtual courses and school-based professional development cycles
providing lesson guides, teacher-facing supports and assessment references
aligned to HQIMs and effective mathematics teaching practices.

SECTION 5.
(1)  Coaches shall meet qualifications set by the department, including:

(a)  Demonstrated
content knowledge;

(b)  Training in the
department's coaching model; and

(c)  Experience
facilitating adult learning.

(2)  The department may
employ coaches as state personnel or educators-in-residence, or through
personal service or professional contracts, and may authorize participating
districts to host coaches via agreements with the department.

(3)  The department shall
establish coach playbooks, dosage targets and fidelity expectations, may
prioritize placements based on student need, vacancies and regional access, and
shall provide administrator calibration using MIOP.

SECTION 6.
(1)  Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, participating districts shall
administer the K–5 Mathematics Screener at least three (3) times annually on a
schedule set by the department.

(2)  For each student
identified below benchmark, the school district shall develop an IMP specifying
evidence-based interventions, frequency and duration, a progress-monitoring
schedule, and exit criteria established by the department.  The IMP shall be
shared with the student's parent or guardian in a timely manner and in parent-centered
language, both as established by the department.

(3)  The department shall
provide model IMP templates, intervention menus and progress-monitoring tools,
and may provide additional support for students with persistent risk.

(4)  The district shall
implement the Algebra Readiness Indicator and required interventions through a
Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) for mathematics that includes:

(a)  Tier 1 core
instruction using department-adopted HQIM with fidelity;

(b)  Tier 2 targeted
interventions; and

(c)  Tier 3 intensive
interventions.

(5)  Students scoring below
the Algebra Readiness Indicator shall receive Tier 2 or Tier 3 mathematics
interventions, as appropriate, prior to middle-school coursework.  The district
shall develop an IMP for each student, and the IMP shall serve as the student's
MTSS mathematics intervention plan, specifying the intervention pathway,
schedule/dosage and progress-monitoring measures.

(6)  Progress monitoring.
The district shall monitor student progress at regular intervals and adjust the
intensity or type of intervention when data indicates insufficient growth.  The
department may provide MTSS guidance, crosswalks, templates, and training to
support consistent implementation.

SECTION 7.
(1)  Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, the department shall designate
and publish an Algebra-Readiness Indicator cut score for the Grade 5 Statewide
Mathematics Assessment under a standard-setting process approved by the board.

(2)  Districts shall use the
indicator to inform placement, acceleration and IMP development for students
scoring below the indicator prior to entry into middle-school mathematics.

(3)  The indicator shall be
used as an indicator of readiness, not as a criterion for student promotion or
retention.  In determining such criteria, districts shall consider multiple
measures, consistent with department guidance.

(4)  The department shall recommend
the indicator cut score, ensure alignment to content standards, and establish
validity and reliability evidence.  The department shall review the indicator
at least every three (3) years.  Exit criteria for students receiving
interventions informed by the indicator shall be set by the department and may
include sustained proficiency on subsequent mathematics assessments.

SECTION 8.
(1)  The department shall invite districts to participate and shall prioritize
high-need districts based on achievement gaps, vacancies, rural access and
other equity factors, while ensuring regional coverage.

(2)  The department shall
require a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between itself and the district
specifying roles, data sharing consistent with federal and state law, coaching
schedules, fidelity expectations, and the obligatory use of HQIMs.

SECTION 9.
(1)  All student-level data collected under Sections 1 through 12 of this act shall
be maintained in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
(FERPA) and applicable state law.

(2)  The department may
develop a public dashboard with district-level results and implementation
indicators.  Student-level data shall not be publicly released.

SECTION 10.
(1)  There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the
"Moving Mathematics in Mississippi Fund."  The fund shall consist of
money appropriated by the Legislature, grants, gifts and other monies as
authorized by law.

(2)  Monies in the fund
shall be used by the department solely for the purposes of Sections 1 through
12 of this act, including, but not limited to:

(a)  Personnel or
contracts for mathematics coaches;

(b)  Adoption,
licensing or development of the K–5 Mathematics Screener and technical work to
set, report and maintain the Grade 5 Statewide Assessment Algebra-Readiness
Indicator and related data systems;

(c)  Professional
development content and delivery;

(d)  Regional trainings
and travel;

(e)  Evaluation and
reporting; and

(f)  Program management
and operations.

(3)  Of the monies
appropriated in the fund for any fiscal year, any unexpended balances as of
June 30 of that fiscal year, not otherwise obligated, shall lapse into the
State General Fund at the end of the fiscal year.

SECTION 11.
The department shall submit an annual report to the Lieutenant Governor, the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Chairs of the Senate and House
Education Committees detailing the implementation of the Mississippi Math Act.
The report shall be submitted no later than October 1 of each year, beginning
in 2027 for the 2026-2027 school year.  At a minimum, the report shall include:

(a)  A comprehensive
description of how the Mississippi Math Act is being implemented statewide and
within each local school district;

(b)  Identification of
any administrative rules, regulations, or policies adopted by the department to
carry out the Mississippi Math Act, including the date of adoption and a
summary of each policy;

(c)  A detailed
description of all math intervention strategies and programs being utilized
under the Mississippi Math Act, including tiered supports;

(d)  Criteria used for
identifying students in need of intervention;

(e)  The number and
percentage of students receiving interventions, disaggregated by grade level,
subgroup, and school district;

(f)  Evidence-based
justification for selected intervention strategies;

(g)  Statewide and
district-level data on student math proficiency, growth, and readiness
indicators, including, but not limited to, early numeracy benchmarks, third-grade
math proficiency rates, algebra readiness indicators and enrollment data, and
longitudinal comparisons demonstrating trends over time;

(h)  Identification of
shortages in qualified math educators, interventionists, or instructional
coaches;

(i)  Efforts undertaken
to recruit, train, and retain qualified personnel;

(j)  A list of approved
or recommended math curricula and instructional materials aligned to the goals
of the Mississippi Math Act, and an explanation of how such materials align
with evidence-based practices in mathematics instruction;

(k)  An assessment of
the extent to which school districts are implementing the requirements of the
Mississippi Math Act with fidelity;

(l)  Identification of
districts requiring additional support or intervention from the department;

(m)  Identification of
any challenges or barriers to effective implementation, including statutory,
regulatory, funding, or workforce limitations, and specific legislative or
administrative recommendations to improve outcomes and strengthen
implementation; and

(n)  A detailed
accounting of all funds appropriated or expended in furtherance of the
Mississippi Math Act, including how funds are allocated across districts and programs.

SECTION 12.
(1)  The department may adopt emergency and permanent rules necessary to
implement Sections 1 through 11 of this act, including establishing cut scores,
benchmarking windows, intervention guidance and reporting templates.

(2)  The department shall
publish an initial implementation timeline not later than the start of the 2026-2027
school year, including recruitment and placement of coaches, screener
procurement, training calendars, and establishment of the Grade 5 Statewide
Mathematics Assessment Algebra-Readiness Indicator cut score no later than
December 1, 2026.

SECTION 13.  Definitions.
As used in Sections 13 through 24 of this act:

(a)
"Accommodations" means measures taken to allow a student to complete
the same assignment or test as other students, but with a change in the timing,
formatting, setting, scheduling, response, or presentation.  Accommodation is
provided for both testing and instruction and changes the way students access
information and demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and abilities without
lowering learning or performance expectations and without changing academic
standards or what is being measured.  The purpose is to ensure equal access to
the full school experience for students with dyslexia or other learning
disabilities.  Accommodation does not change the content of instruction, give
students an unfair advantage, or change the skills or knowledge that a test
measures.

(b)
"Comprehensive dyslexia evaluation" is the process of gathering
information to identify factors contributing to a student's difficulty learning
to read and spell.  An evaluation encompasses identification, screening,
testing, diagnosis, and all the other information-gathering involved when the
student, his or her family, and a team of professionals work together to
determine why the student is having difficulty.

(c)  "Content-area
teacher" includes all subject-area teachers.

(d)
"Department" means the State Department of Education.

(e)
"Dyslexia" means a specific learning disability that is
neurobiological in origin.  Dyslexia is characterized by difficulties with
accurate and/or fluent word recognition and poor spelling and decoding
abilities.  These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the
phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to
other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom
instruction.  Secondary consequences may include problems in reading
comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of
vocabulary and background knowledge.

(f)  "Dyslexia
diagnosis" means a clear diagnostic statement included in a written
evaluation report to document the presence of dyslexia.  The evaluation is
conducted by a professional psychologist, psychometrist, or speech-language
pathologist.

(g)  "Dyslexia
screening" is a brief assessment measuring critical skills and identifying
potential risks and is a predictor of future reading success.

(h)  "Educator
preparation program" or "EPPs" means any program that prepares
individuals for certification as educators, school administrators, or other
school personnel.

(i)  "Evidence-based"
references instructional strategies or practices with clear and convincing
proof from scientifically based research studies which have been peer-reviewed.

(j)  "High-quality
instructional materials" or "HQIMs" means instructional
curricula and intervention programs, including, but not limited to, textbooks,
teacher guides, and supplemental materials, that are grounded in the science of
reading and evidenced-based research approaches that help all students achieve
grade-level learning goals.  HQIMs incorporate best practices for building
skills essential to reading, follow a sequential order of lessons that are
explicit, systematic, and cumulative, contain challenging texts that build
student background knowledge, support academic language development and
critical thinking skills across core content areas, and are aligned to a
state's academic standards.  These materials are rigorous, comprehensive, and
regularly reviewed and updated to align to research and best practices.  They
also provide curriculum-specific professional development that prepares
teachers to effectively plan and prepare lessons and assessments, differentiate
instruction, and monitor student progress.

(k)  "Individual
reading plan" or "IRP" means an individually designed reading
intervention for a student required under Section 16 of this act.

(l)  "English
Language Learner" or "ELL" means a student identified in
accordance with federal law as entitled to English as a second language or
bilingual services on the basis of the student's English language proficiency.

(m)  "Multi-tiered
system of support" or "MTSS" means a framework for supporting
and increasing academic, behavioral, and social-emotional outcomes for all
students.

(n)  "Reading
intervention" includes evidence-based strategies from scientifically based
reading research frequently used to improve reading where deficiencies exist
and includes, but is not limited to, individual instruction, multisensory
approaches, dyslexia therapy, tutoring, mentoring, or the use of technology
that targets specific reading skills and abilities.

(o)  "Science of
reading" means the large body of evidence that informs how proficient
reading and writing develop, why some students have difficulty, and how
educators can most effectively assess, teach, and improve student outcomes
through prevention of and intervention for reading difficulties.

(p)
"Scientifically based reading research" applies rigorous, systematic,
and objective methods to gain knowledge from multiple disciplines to understand
how children learn to read, together with strategies and methods that can be
used to teach children to read and how they can overcome reading difficulties.

(q)  "Structured
literacy" is an evidence-based approach to teaching oral and written
language aligned to the science of reading.  It is based on the science of how
kids learn to read and is characterized by direct, explicit, systematic,
sequential, cumulative, and diagnostic instruction in phonology, phonemic
awareness, sound-symbol association, syllable instruction, morphology, syntax,
and semantics.

(r)  "System of
assessments" means a comprehensive system for use in a school district or
charter school that provides screening, diagnostic, and summative assessments
of key indicators of reading success, including word recognition, vocabulary,
fluency, and comprehension.

(s)  "Three-cueing
system" means a largely antiquated and ineffective style of teaching
students to read based on "MSV":  meaning, structure and syntax, and
visual cues.

(t)  "Universal
screener" means an assessment that is administered three (3) times per
year (beginning, middle, and end) to identify or predict students who may be at
risk for reading failure and is typically brief and conducted with all students
at a particular grade level.

SECTION 14.  System
of support for educators.  The department shall provide a system of support
for school and district instructional leaders, content-area teachers, literacy
coaches, dyslexia therapists, interventionists, tutors, and other identified
personnel across content areas in Grades 4 through 8 to ensure that they have
the knowledge and skills to support students with reading difficulties.  The
system of support shall include:

(a)  Professional
learning for district instructional leaders, principals, school-level literacy
leaders, content-area teachers, special-education teachers, literacy coaches,
dyslexia therapists, interventionists, tutors, ELL teachers, and other
identified personnel across content areas of students in Grades 4 through 8 on
the following:

(i)  Comprehensive
training grounded in the science of reading to ensure all teachers have the
knowledge and skills to support a range of students with diverse needs,
students with reading difficulties, English Language Learners, and students
with characteristics of or diagnosis of dyslexia, including:

1.  Explicit,
systematic, developmentally and age-appropriate instruction in phonological
awareness, the alphabetic principle, oral language development, decoding,
encoding, fluency (including accuracy), morphology (including morphological
awareness and etymology), vocabulary, syntax, comprehension, and building
content knowledge;

2.  Strategies
to increase educator knowledge of reading and writing basics for students in
Grades 4 through 8;

3.  Evidence-based
strategies for motivating and engaging adolescent learners;

4.
Scientifically researched and evidenced-based reading strategies for
accommodations and scaffolding instruction for struggling readers and writers;
and

5.  Approaches
to assist educators in determining causes of reading difficulties, including
dyslexia, and other learning differences, for students in Grades 4 through 8
and how word reading, vocabulary, content knowledge, comprehension, and writing
are affected; and

(ii)  The
department-approved assessment system(s) selected by school districts to ensure
teachers have the knowledge and skills to administer the assessment and use
assessment data to inform instruction based on student needs.

(b)  Job-embedded
coaching support for teachers of Grades 4 through 8 that shall include the
following:

(i)  Provide on-site
teacher training on evidence-based reading strategies and data-based decision-making;

(ii)  Demonstrate
lessons;

(iii)  Co-teach
and/or observe teaching;

(iv)  Provide
immediate feedback for improvement; and

(v)  Provide
support to teachers and administrators in data-based decision-making.

(c)  Educator
preparation programs that equip candidates seeking certification for
elementary, special education, and secondary education with training and
instruction to:

(i)  Effectively
teach reading aligned to scientifically researched and evidenced-based reading
instruction, including explicit and systematic instruction in phonological
awareness, the alphabetic principle, decoding, encoding, fluency, morphology
(including etymology), syntax, vocabulary, comprehension, and building content
knowledge;

(ii)  Implement
reading instruction using high-quality instructional materials;

(iii)  Provide
training on the identification of students not reading on grade level, the
selection of appropriate interventions, and effective instruction and
interventions for a range of students with diverse needs, including English
Language Learners and students with characteristics of dyslexia or diagnosed
with dyslexia;

(iv)  Understand
and use student data to make instructional decisions; and

(v)  Incorporate
literacy instruction across content areas.

SECTION 15.  Reading
instruction and intervention.  (1)  State standards for literacy in Grades
K through 8 shall align with evidence-based strategies and scientifically based
reading research, and all students shall have access to high-quality Tier 1
core instruction that is differentiated to meet students' diverse needs.
Evidence-based reading instruction has been proven to accelerate the progress
of all students, including those exhibiting a reading deficiency.

(2)  The department shall:

(a)  Develop a list of
HQIM core literacy curricula, interventions, and supplemental materials aligned
with scientifically researched and evidence-based reading instruction and state
standards for use in districts for students in Grades 4 through 8.  Standards
as well as HQIM should address word recognition and language comprehension
skills, build background knowledge and expand students' knowledge across
content areas.  Balanced literacy, including, but not limited to, the three-cueing
systems model, which research shows is inconsistent with scientifically based
reading instruction and the science of reading, shall not be used to teach
reading in Mississippi public schools or state agencies or by anyone who
receives state funding.  The list shall be approved by the State Board of
Education; and

(b)  Provide an
approved list of one or more reliable and valid reading assessment systems for
school district use for screening and monitoring student progress toward
becoming a skilled reader.  The reading assessment system shall:

(i)  Provide a
screener to be administered three (3) times per year (beginning, middle, and
end) with progress monitoring capabilities and a diagnostic tool to support
teachers with targeting instruction based on student needs;

(ii)  Measure, at a
minimum, fluency and comprehension; and

(iii)  For students
who demonstrate difficulty with these skills, provide additional diagnostic
screening in foundational skills (phonological awareness and phonics) to
identify specific skill deficits.

(c)  Consider, at a
minimum, the following factors in determining which assessment systems to
approve for use by school districts:

(i)  The time
required to conduct the assessment, with the intention of minimizing the impact
on instructional time;

(ii)  The
availability of accommodation for students with specialized plans;

(iii)  The
timeliness in reporting assessment results to teachers, administrators, and
parents; and

(iv)  The
integration of assessment and instruction the system provides.

(3)  School districts shall
offer reading intervention services to each student in Grades 4 through 8 who
exhibits deficiencies in reading based upon the approved literacy screener
administered within the first thirty (30) days of school, middle of the year,
and end of the year and subsequently administered diagnostics to inform
targeted interventions.  Determination for the need for intervention will be
made by the examination of multiple data points, including a diagnostic
assessment, within the first thirty (30) days of school.  Reading intervention
shall be provided to struggling students, in addition to core reading
instruction that is provided to all students in the general education
classroom.  School districts shall adhere to the MTSS guidance process for
Mississippi and shall consider multiple data points.  These services shall:

(a)  Provide
appropriate interventions to all students in Grades 4 through 8 who are identified
with reading deficiencies, as determined by the department, including students
who meet the approved assessments system cut scores, Fourth-Grade students
promoted from Third Grade with a good-cause exemption, students receiving
special education services, students diagnosed with or showing characteristics
of dyslexia, and English Language Learners;

(b)  Provide explicit
and systematic instruction in age and developmentally appropriate phonological
awareness, phonics (including decoding and encoding), fluency, vocabulary,
morphology, and comprehension, as applicable;

(c)  Utilize explicit
and systematic reading strategies to develop phonemic awareness, phonics,
fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, with more extensive opportunities for
guided practice, error correction, and feedback;

(d)  Monitor the
reading progress of each student's reading skills throughout the school year
and provide differentiated instruction based on screening, diagnostic, and
progress monitoring to adjust instruction to meet students' specific needs;

(e)  Be implemented
during regular school hours in addition to any offerings provided before,
during, or after school with a trained educator;

(f)  Be implemented by
a reading specialist, dyslexia therapist or interventionist, or school-based
coach who shall have training in scientifically researched and evidenced-based
reading instruction, fidelity to the selected intervention, and evidence-based
literacy instruction practices; and

(g)  Be delivered
primarily by a trained educator using age and developmentally appropriate
interventions, with any technology used to serve as supplemental support.

(4)  Local school boards, in
collaboration with district literacy leaders, shall develop and implement
programs of prevention, intervention, or remediation for students who are
educationally at risk, including, but not limited to, those who fail to achieve
a passing score on the English - Language Arts State Summative Assessment in
Grades 3 through 8, English Language Learners, and students who show
characteristics of or who are diagnosed with dyslexia in middle grades.  Such
programs shall include strategies and methods that are proven through
scientifically researched and evidence-based instruction.  Local school boards
shall also implement programs in Grades 4 through 8 to enhance success.

(5)  Each school board shall
employ at least one (1) reading specialist, interventionist, or dyslexia
therapist in any school serving students in Grades 4 through 8.  Each such
reading specialist shall be required to participate in professional learning
grounded in the science of reading, to include:

(a)  Training in the
identification and use of appropriate interventions, accommodations, and
teaching techniques for students with dyslexia or a related reading disorder;

(b)  Service as an
advisor on dyslexia and related reading disorders; and

(c)  State-approved
training on the definition of dyslexia and knowledge of:

(i)  Techniques to
help a student with dyslexia on the continuum of skills;

(ii)  Dyslexia
characteristics that may manifest at different ages and grade levels;

(iii)  The basic
foundational keys to reading, including direct, explicit, sequential,
systematic, and multisensory/multimodal reading instruction; and

(iv)  Appropriate
interventions, accommodations, and assistive technology support for students
with dyslexia.

SECTION 16.  Individual
reading plan.  (1)  Any student in Grades 4 through 8 who exhibits
deficiencies in reading at any time, based upon the vetted and approved
assessment system, shall receive an individual reading plan (IRP) no later than
thirty (30) days after the identification of the reading deficiency.  The IRP
shall be created by the teacher, interventionist, principal, other pertinent
school personnel, and parent(s) and shall describe the scientifically
researched and evidenced-based reading intervention services the student shall
receive to remedy the reading deficit.  If possible, students and parents
should have a voice in scheduling decisions, especially when changes affect
classes or electives the student values.  Each student shall receive intensive
reading intervention until the student no longer has a deficiency in reading,
as determined by multiple data points, including an approved literacy screener,
diagnostic assessment, and the state's summative assessment.

(2)  The IRP shall follow
the template provided by the department and include documentation of reading
intervention services and strategies outlined within the MTSS guidance document,
at a minimum:

(a)  The student's
specific deficiencies in reading as determined or identified by diagnostic
assessment data or the literacy screener provided or approved by the
department;

(b)  The goals and
benchmark cut scores for student growth in reading;

(c)  A description of
the specific measures that will be used to evaluate and monitor the student's
reading progress;

(d)  The alignment to
an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) under the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act for students who receive special education services;

(e)  The specific
evidence-based literacy instruction the student will receive;

(f)  The strategies,
resources, and materials that will be provided to the student's parent or
guardian to support the student at home in making reading progress; and

(g)  Any additional
services the teacher deems available and appropriate to accelerate the
student's reading development.     (3)  The IRP may include the following
services for the student:

(i)  Instruction from a
reading specialist, dyslexia therapist, trained paraprofessional, or classroom
teacher with support from an aide; and

(ii)  Extended
instructional time in the school day or school year or, for students in Grades
6 through 8, a literacy course, in addition to the required core English -
Language Arts course, that provides the specific evidence-based literacy
instruction identified in the student's reading plan.

SECTION 17.  Parent
notification.  The parent of any student in Grades 4 through 8 who exhibits
deficiencies in reading at any time during the school year shall be notified in
writing within ten (10) calendar days after the identification of the reading
deficiency, and the written notification shall be made available in the
parent's home language, follow the template provided by the department, and
include the following:

(a)  That his or her
child has been identified as having deficiencies in reading, and an IRP will be
developed by the teacher(s), interventionist, dyslexia therapist, principal,
other pertinent school personnel, and parent(s);

(b)  A description of
the current services that are provided to the student;

(c)  A description of
the proposed interventions and supplemental instructional services or dyslexia
therapy that are from scientifically researched and evidenced-based reading
instruction, and supports that will be provided to the child that are designed
to remedy the identified area(s) of reading deficiency;

(d)  Notification that
the parents will be informed in writing of their child's progress towards
becoming a skilled reader with each progress report; and

(e)  Strategies for
parents to use at home to help their child succeed in reading.

SECTION 18.  Successful
progression of students in Grades 4 through 8 identified with a reading
deficiency.  (1)  Any student in Grades 4 through 8 identified with a
deficiency in reading shall be provided with supplemental or intensive
interventions dependent upon the severity of the deficit skills to address his
or her specific deficiency.  Intervention services shall include effective
instructional strategies to accelerate student progress and shall be delivered
by a reading teacher, reading specialist, dyslexia therapist, or
interventionist who has received intensive training in remediation of reading
difficulties and fidelity to the selected intervention curriculum.  The
district shall provide the following:

(a)  Access to a
reading teacher, reading specialist, dyslexia therapist, or interventionist who
has received intensive training in remediation of reading difficulties; and

(b)  Reading
intervention services and supports from a vetted and approved list to address
the identified areas of reading deficiency, including, but not limited to:

(i)  Use of reading
strategies or programs that are verified by scientifically and evidenced-based
research and have proven results in accelerating student reading achievement
within the same school year;

(ii)  Prescribed
targeted small-group reading intervention or dyslexia therapy based on student
needs, including explicit and systematic instruction with detailed
explanations, extensive opportunities for guided practice, and opportunities
for error correction and feedback; and

(iii)  Scheduled
progress monitoring throughout the time in which the student is in intervention
to adjust instruction according to student needs.

(2)  Summer school
remediation programs, or other forms of remediation appropriate to the academic
needs of the students,  shall not be used to promote a student who failed the
grade level prior to summer school.  Summer school remediation may be offered
to students based on the results of the universal screener, diagnostic
assessment, intervention progress monitoring data, or ELA State Summative
Assessment.

(3)  A read-at-home plan
shall be provided in the family's home language by the district and shall
include strategies for parents to use at home to help their child succeed in
reading.

SECTION 19.  Eighth-grade
reading assessment.  Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, if a student's
reading deficiency is not remedied by the end of the student's eighth-grade
year, as demonstrated by the student scoring at the lowest achievement level in
reading on the state annual accountability assessment or on an approved alternative
standardized assessment for eighth grade, the student shall be enrolled in an
appropriate remediation program.

SECTION 20.  District
responsibilities.  (1)  The school district shall conduct an annual review
of IRPs during the first twenty (20) days of school for students who had a plan
from the last school year.  The review shall assess the effectiveness of prior
interventions and any additional support and services needed to address the
identified areas of reading deficiency.  This may include supplemental,
scientifically researched, and evidence-based reading interventions provided
before and/or after school by a teacher or tutor with specialized reading
training.  Current screener and diagnostic data shall be used to determine
continued reading intervention support.

(2)  Each district school
board shall annually report in writing to the department and on its website by
October 1 of each year, the following information on the prior school year:

(a)  By grade, the
number and percentage of all students in Grades 4 through 8 performing below
grade level on local or statewide assessments.

(b)  By grade, the
number and percentage of students in Grades 4 through 8 who received
supplemental or intensive reading intervention the previous year.

(c)  By grade, the
number and percentage of students who had an IRP no longer qualify for them.

(d)  By grade, the
number and percentage of students retained in Kindergarten through Grade 8.

(e)  By grade, the
number and percentage of students retained in Grades 4 through 8 who have an
IRP.

SECTION 21.  Department
responsibilities.  The department shall provide, to each school district no
later than ninety (90) days before the annual due date, a uniform format for
districts to report the required information.  The department shall provide
guidance and technical assistance to aid school districts in implementing
Sections 13 through 24 of this act.

SECTION 22.  Educator
preparation program responsibilities.  All candidates graduating from
educator preparation programs (EPPs) in Mississippi in the areas of social
studies, science, and English - Language Arts Education for Grades 4 through 8
shall be required to successfully complete a reading training program approved
by the department, or an equivalent reading training program approved by the
department before certification.

SECTION 23.  State
Board of Education authority.  The State Board of Education shall have the
authority to enforce, and may promulgate rules and regulations as necessary for
the implementation of, Sections 13 through 22 of this act.

SECTION 24.  Funding.
The Legislature shall provide sufficient funding for the implementation of
Sections 13 through 23 of this act.

SECTION 25.
(1)  This section shall be known and may be cited as the "J.P. Wilemon,
Jr., Financial Literacy Act."

(2)  Beginning in the 2027-2028
school year, the State Board of Education shall incorporate financial literacy
components within the existing curriculum offered in Grades 6-8.  This section
shall apply to all schools accredited by the State Department of Education,
including public charter schools.

(3)  Beginning with the
graduating class of 2032, each student, during Grade 9, 10, 11 or 12, shall
take and pass a one-half (1/2) Carnegie Unit course in personal finance or a
full Carnegie Unit course where at least one-half (1/2) of the course standards
concern financial literacy in order to earn a high school diploma.

SECTION 26.  Section
37-16-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

[Until
July 1, 2027, this section shall read as follows:]

37-16-7.  (1)  Each district
school board shall establish standards for graduation from its schools which
shall include as a minimum:

(a)  Mastery of minimum
academic skills as measured by assessments developed and administered by the
State Board of Education.

(b)  Completion of a
minimum number of academic credits, and all other applicable requirements
prescribed by the district school board.

(c)  By school,
information on high school graduation rates.  High schools with graduation
rates lower than eighty percent (80%) must submit a detailed plan to the
Mississippi Department of Education to restructure the high school experience
to improve graduation rates.

(2)  A student who meets all
requirements prescribed in subsection (1) of this section shall be awarded a
standard diploma in a form prescribed by the State Board of Education.

(3)  The State Board of
Education may establish student proficiency standards for promotion to grade
levels leading to graduation.

(4)  The State Board of
Education shall develop a curriculum related to the study of sign language.
Any such class developed by the board may count as an academic credit for
foreign languages for the purposes of high school graduation requirements.

[From and after July 1,
2027, this section shall read as follows:]

37-16-7.  (1)  Each district
school board shall establish standards for graduation from its schools which
shall include as a minimum:

(a)  Mastery of minimum
academic skills as measured by assessments developed and administered by the
State Board of Education * * *.; and

(b)  Completion of a
minimum number of academic credits, including a one-half (1/2) Carnegie Unit
credit course in personal finance or a full Carnegie Unit course where half the
course standards are financial literacy as set forth in Section 25 of this act,
and all other applicable requirements prescribed by the district school board.

( * * *c2)  By school, each school district
shall maintain and report information on high school graduation rates.
High schools with graduation rates lower than eighty percent (80%) must submit
a detailed plan to the * * *Mississippi
State Department of Education to restructure the high school experience
to improve graduation rates.

( * * *23)  A student who meets all
requirements prescribed in subsection (1) of this section shall be awarded a
standard diploma in a form prescribed by the State Board of Education.

( * * *34)  The State Board of Education may
establish student proficiency standards for promotion to grade levels leading
to graduation.

( * * *45)  The State Board of Education shall
develop a curriculum related to the study of sign language.  Any such class
developed by the board may count as an academic credit for foreign languages
for the purposes of high school graduation requirements.

SECTION 27.  Section
37-7-301, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

[Until
July 1, 2027, this section shall read as follows:]

37-7-301.  The school boards
of all school districts shall have the following powers, authority and duties
in addition to all others imposed or granted by law, to wit:

(a)  To organize and
operate the schools of the district and to make such division between the high
school grades and elementary grades as, in their judgment, will serve the best
interests of the school;

(b)  To introduce
public school music, art, manual training and other special subjects into
either the elementary or high school grades, as the board shall deem proper;

(c)  To be the custodians
of real and personal school property and to manage, control and care for same,
both during the school term and during vacation;

(d)  To have
responsibility for the erection, repairing and equipping of school facilities
and the making of necessary school improvements;

(e)  To suspend or to
expel a pupil or to change the placement of a pupil to the school district's
alternative school or homebound program for misconduct in the school or on
school property, as defined in Section 37-11-29, on the road to and from
school, or at any school-related activity or event, or for conduct occurring on
property other than school property or other than at a school-related activity
or event when such conduct by a pupil, in the determination of the school
superintendent or principal, renders that pupil's presence in the classroom a
disruption to the educational environment of the school or a detriment to the
best interest and welfare of the pupils and teacher of such class as a whole,
and to delegate such authority to the appropriate officials of the school
district;

(f)  To visit schools
in the district, in their discretion, in a body for the purpose of determining
what can be done for the improvement of the school in a general way;

(g)  To support, within
reasonable limits, the superintendent, principal and teachers where necessary
for the proper discipline of the school;

(h)  To exclude from
the schools students with what appears to be infectious or contagious diseases;
provided, however, such student may be allowed to return to school upon
presenting a certificate from a public health officer, duly licensed physician
or nurse practitioner that the student is free from such disease;

(i)  To require those
vaccinations specified by the State Health Officer as provided in Section 41-23-37;

(j)  To see that all
necessary utilities and services are provided in the schools at all times when
same are needed;

(k)  To authorize the
use of the school buildings and grounds for the holding of public meetings and
gatherings of the people under such regulations as may be prescribed by said
board;

(l)  To prescribe and
enforce rules and regulations not inconsistent with law or with the regulations
of the State Board of Education for their own government and for the government
of the schools, and to transact their business at regular and special meetings
called and held in the manner provided by law;

(m)  To maintain and
operate all of the schools under their control for such length of time during
the year as may be required;

(n)  To enforce in the
schools the courses of study and the use of the textbooks prescribed by the
proper authorities;

(o)  To make orders
directed to the superintendent of schools for the issuance of pay certificates
for lawful purposes on any available funds of the district and to have full
control of the receipt, distribution, allotment and disbursement of all funds
provided for the support and operation of the schools of such school district
whether such funds be derived from state appropriations, local ad valorem tax
collections, or otherwise.  The local school board shall be authorized and
empowered to promulgate rules and regulations that specify the types of claims
and set limits of the dollar amount for payment of claims by the superintendent
of schools to be ratified by the board at the next regularly scheduled meeting
after payment has been made;

(p)  To select all
school district personnel in the manner provided by law, and to provide for
such employee fringe benefit programs, including accident reimbursement plans,
as may be deemed necessary and appropriate by the board;

(q)  To provide
athletic programs and other school activities and to regulate the establishment
and operation of such programs and activities;

(r)  To join, in their
discretion, any association of school boards and other public school-related
organizations, and to pay from local funds other than total funding formula
funds, any membership dues;

(s)  To expend local
school activity funds, or other available school district funds, other than
total funding formula funds, for the purposes prescribed under this paragraph.
"Activity funds" shall mean all funds received by school officials in
all school districts paid or collected to participate in any school activity,
such activity being part of the school program and partially financed with
public funds or supplemented by public funds.  The term "activity
funds" shall not include any funds raised and/or expended by any
organization unless commingled in a bank account with existing activity funds,
regardless of whether the funds were raised by school employees or received by
school employees during school hours or using school facilities, and regardless
of whether a school employee exercises influence over the expenditure or
disposition of such funds.  Organizations shall not be required to make any
payment to any school for the use of any school facility if, in the discretion
of the local school governing board, the organization's function shall be
deemed to be beneficial to the official or extracurricular programs of the
school.  For the purposes of this provision, the term "organization"
shall not include any organization subject to the control of the local school
governing board.  Activity funds may only be expended for any necessary
expenses or travel costs, including advances, incurred by students and their
chaperons in attending any in-state or out-of-state school-related programs,
conventions or seminars and/or any commodities, equipment, travel expenses,
purchased services or school supplies which the local school governing board,
in its discretion, shall deem beneficial to the official or extracurricular
programs of the district, including items which may subsequently become the
personal property of individuals, including yearbooks, athletic apparel, book
covers and trophies.  Activity funds may be used to pay travel expenses of
school district personnel.  The local school governing board shall be
authorized and empowered to promulgate rules and regulations specifically
designating for what purposes school activity funds may be expended.  The local
school governing board shall provide (i) that such school activity funds shall
be maintained and expended by the principal of the school generating the funds
in individual bank accounts, or (ii) that such school activity funds shall be
maintained and expended by the superintendent of schools in a central
depository approved by the board.  The local school governing board shall
provide that such school activity funds be audited as part of the annual audit
required in Section 37-9-18.  The State Department of Education shall prescribe
a uniform system of accounting and financial reporting for all school activity
fund transactions;

(t)  To enter into an
energy performance contract, energy services contract, on a shared-savings,
lease or lease-purchase basis, for energy efficiency services and/or equipment
as provided for in Section 31-7-14;

(u)  To maintain
accounts and issue pay certificates on school food service bank accounts;

(v)  (i)  To lease a
school building from an individual, partnership, nonprofit corporation or a
private for-profit corporation for the use of such school district, and to
expend funds therefor as may be available from any sources other than total
funding formula funds as set by Sections 37-151-200 through 37-151-215.  The
school board of the school district desiring to lease a school building shall
declare by resolution that a need exists for a school building and that the
school district cannot provide the necessary funds to pay the cost or its
proportionate share of the cost of a school building required to meet the
present needs.  The resolution so adopted by the school board shall be
published once each week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper having
a general circulation in the school district involved, with the first
publication thereof to be made not less than thirty (30) days prior to the date
upon which the school board is to act on the question of leasing a school
building.  If no petition requesting an election is filed prior to such meeting
as hereinafter provided, then the school board may, by resolution spread upon
its minutes, proceed to lease a school building.  If at any time prior to said
meeting a petition signed by not less than twenty percent (20%) or fifteen
hundred (1500), whichever is less, of the qualified electors of the school
district involved shall be filed with the school board requesting that an
election be called on the question, then the school board shall, not later than
the next regular meeting, adopt a resolution calling an election to be held
within such school district upon the question of authorizing the school board
to lease a school building.  Such election shall be called and held, and notice
thereof shall be given, in the same manner for elections upon the questions of
the issuance of the bonds of school districts, and the results thereof shall be
certified to the school board.  If at least three-fifths (3/5) of the qualified
electors of the school district who voted in such election shall vote in favor
of the leasing of a school building, then the school board shall proceed to
lease a school building.  The term of the lease contract shall not exceed
twenty (20) years, and the total cost of such lease shall be either the amount
of the lowest and best bid accepted by the school board after advertisement for
bids or an amount not to exceed the current fair market value of the lease as
determined by the averaging of at least two (2) appraisals by certified general
appraisers licensed by the State of Mississippi.  The term "school
building" as used in this paragraph (v)(i) shall be construed to mean any
building or buildings used for classroom purposes in connection with the
operation of schools and shall include the site therefor, necessary support
facilities, and the equipment thereof and appurtenances thereto such as heating
facilities, water supply, sewage disposal, landscaping, walks, drives and
playgrounds.  The term "lease" as used in this paragraph (v)(i) may
include a lease-purchase contract;

(ii)  If two (2) or
more school districts propose to enter into a lease contract jointly, then
joint meetings of the school boards having control may be held but no action
taken shall be binding on any such school district unless the question of
leasing a school building is approved in each participating school district
under the procedure hereinabove set forth in paragraph (v)(i).  All of the
provisions of paragraph (v)(i) regarding the term and amount of the lease
contract shall apply to the school boards of school districts acting jointly.
Any lease contract executed by two (2) or more school districts as joint
lessees shall set out the amount of the aggregate lease rental to be paid by
each, which may be agreed upon, but there shall be no right of occupancy by any
lessee unless the aggregate rental is paid as stipulated in the lease
contract.  All rights of joint lessees under the lease contract shall be in
proportion to the amount of lease rental paid by each;

(w)  To employ all
noninstructional and noncertificated employees and fix the duties and
compensation of such personnel deemed necessary pursuant to the recommendation
of the superintendent of schools;

(x)  To employ and fix
the duties and compensation of such legal counsel as deemed necessary;

(y)  Subject to rules
and regulations of the State Board of Education, to purchase, own and operate
trucks, vans and other motor vehicles, which shall bear the proper
identification required by law;

(z)  To expend funds
for the payment of substitute teachers and to adopt reasonable regulations for
the employment and compensation of such substitute teachers;

(aa)  To acquire in its
own name by purchase all real property which shall be necessary and desirable
in connection with the construction, renovation or improvement of any public
school building or structure.  Whenever the purchase price for such real
property is greater than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00), the school board
shall not purchase the property for an amount exceeding the fair market value
of such property as determined by the average of at least two (2) independent
appraisals by certified general appraisers licensed by the State of
Mississippi.  If the board shall be unable to agree with the owner of any such
real property in connection with any such project, the board shall have the
power and authority to acquire any such real property by condemnation
proceedings pursuant to Section 11-27-1 et seq., Mississippi Code of 1972, and
for such purpose, the right of eminent domain is hereby conferred upon and
vested in said board.  Provided further, that the local school board is
authorized to grant an easement for ingress and egress over sixteenth section
land or lieu land in exchange for a similar easement upon adjoining land where
the exchange of easements affords substantial benefit to the sixteenth section
land; provided, however, the exchange must be based upon values as determined
by a competent appraiser, with any differential in value to be adjusted by cash
payment.  Any easement rights granted over sixteenth section land under such
authority shall terminate when the easement ceases to be used for its stated
purpose.  No sixteenth section or lieu land which is subject to an existing lease
shall be burdened by any such easement except by consent of the lessee or
unless the school district shall acquire the unexpired leasehold interest
affected by the easement;

(bb)  To charge
reasonable fees related to the educational programs of the district, in the
manner prescribed in Section 37-7-335;

(cc)  Subject to rules
and regulations of the State Board of Education, to purchase relocatable
classrooms for the use of such school district, in the manner prescribed in
Section 37-1-13;

(dd)  Enter into
contracts or agreements with other school districts, political subdivisions or
governmental entities to carry out one or more of the powers or duties of the
school board, or to allow more efficient utilization of limited resources for
providing services to the public;

(ee)  To provide for in-service
training for employees of the district;

(ff)  As part of their
duties to prescribe the use of textbooks, to provide that parents and legal
guardians shall be responsible for the textbooks and for the compensation to
the school district for any books which are not returned to the proper schools
upon the withdrawal of their dependent child.  If a textbook is lost or not
returned by any student who drops out of the public school district, the parent
or legal guardian shall also compensate the school district for the fair market
value of the textbooks;

(gg)  To conduct fund-raising
activities on behalf of the school district that the local school board, in its
discretion, deems appropriate or beneficial to the official or extracurricular
programs of the district; provided that:

(i)  Any proceeds
of the fund-raising activities shall be treated as "activity funds"
and shall be accounted for as are other activity funds under this section; and

(ii)  Fund-raising
activities conducted or authorized by the board for the sale of school
pictures, the rental of caps and gowns or the sale of graduation invitations
for which the school board receives a commission, rebate or fee shall contain a
disclosure statement advising that a portion of the proceeds of the sales or
rentals shall be contributed to the student activity fund;

(hh)  To allow
individual lessons for music, art and other curriculum-related activities for
academic credit or nonacademic credit during school hours and using school
equipment and facilities, subject to uniform rules and regulations adopted by
the school board;

(ii)  To charge
reasonable fees for participating in an extracurricular activity for academic
or nonacademic credit for necessary and required equipment such as safety
equipment, band instruments and uniforms;

(jj)  To conduct or
participate in any fund-raising activities on behalf of or in connection with a
tax-exempt charitable organization;

(kk)  To exercise such
powers as may be reasonably necessary to carry out the provisions of this
section;

(ll)  To expend funds
for the services of nonprofit arts organizations or other such nonprofit
organizations who provide performances or other services for the students of
the school district;

(mm)  To expend federal
No Child Left Behind Act funds, or any other available funds that are expressly
designated and authorized for that use, to pay training, educational expenses,
salary incentives and salary supplements to employees of local school
districts; except that incentives shall not be considered part of the local
supplement, nor shall incentives be considered part of the local supplement
paid to an individual teacher for the purposes of Section 37-19-7(1);

(nn)  To use any available
funds, not appropriated or designated for any other purpose, for reimbursement
to the state-licensed employees from both in state and out of state, who enter
into a contract for employment in a school district, for the expense of moving
when the employment necessitates the relocation of the licensed employee to a
different geographical area than that in which the licensed employee resides
before entering into the contract.  The reimbursement shall not exceed One
Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) for the documented actual expenses incurred in the
course of relocating, including the expense of any professional moving company
or persons employed to assist with the move, rented moving vehicles or
equipment, mileage in the amount authorized for county and municipal employees
under Section 25-3-41 if the licensed employee used his personal vehicle or
vehicles for the move, meals and such other expenses associated with the
relocation.  No licensed employee may be reimbursed for moving expenses under
this section on more than one (1) occasion by the same school district.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the actual residence to
which the licensed employee relocates to be within the boundaries of the school
district that has executed a contract for employment in order for the licensed
employee to be eligible for reimbursement for the moving expenses.  However,
the licensed employee must relocate within the boundaries of the State of
Mississippi.  Any individual receiving relocation assistance through the
Critical Teacher Shortage Act as provided in Section 37-159-5 shall not be
eligible to receive additional relocation funds as authorized in this
paragraph;

(oo)  To use any
available funds, not appropriated or designated for any other purpose, to
reimburse persons who interview for employment as a licensed employee with the
district for the mileage and other actual expenses incurred in the course of
travel to and from the interview at the rate authorized for county and
municipal employees under Section 25-3-41;

(pp)  Consistent with
the report of the Task Force to Conduct a Best Financial Management Practices
Review, to improve school district management and use of resources and identify
cost savings as established in Section 8 of Chapter 610, Laws of 2002, local
school boards are encouraged to conduct independent reviews of the management
and efficiency of schools and school districts.  Such management and efficiency
reviews shall provide state and local officials and the public with the following:

(i)  An assessment
of a school district's governance and organizational structure;

(ii)  An assessment
of the school district's financial and personnel management;

(iii)  An
assessment of revenue levels and sources;

(iv)  An assessment
of facilities utilization, planning and maintenance;

(v)  An assessment
of food services, transportation and safety/security systems;

(vi)  An assessment
of instructional and administrative technology;

(vii)  A review of
the instructional management and the efficiency and effectiveness of existing
instructional programs; and

(viii)  Recommended
methods for increasing efficiency and effectiveness in providing educational
services to the public;

(qq)  To enter into
agreements with other local school boards for the establishment of an
educational service agency (ESA) to provide for the cooperative needs of the
region in which the school district is located, as provided in Section 37-7-345;

(rr)  To implement a
financial literacy program for students in Grades 10 and 11.  The board may
review the national programs and obtain free literature from various nationally
recognized programs.  After review of the different programs, the board may
certify a program that is most appropriate for the school districts' needs.  If
a district implements a financial literacy program, then any student in Grade
10 or 11 may participate in the program.  The financial literacy program shall
include, but is not limited to, instruction in the same areas of personal business
and finance as required under Section 37-1-3(2)(b).  The school board may
coordinate with volunteer teachers from local community organizations,
including, but not limited to, the following:  United States Department of
Agriculture Rural Development, United States Department of Housing and Urban
Development, Junior Achievement, bankers and other nonprofit organizations.
Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as to require school boards to
implement a financial literacy program;

(ss)  To collaborate
with the State Board of Education, Community Action Agencies or the Department
of Human Services to develop and implement a voluntary program to provide
services for a prekindergarten program that addresses the cognitive, social,
and emotional needs of four-year-old and three-year-old children.  The school
board may utilize any source of available revenue to fund the voluntary program.  Effective with the 2013-2014 school year, to
implement voluntary prekindergarten programs under the Early Learning Collaborative
Act of 2013 pursuant to state funds awarded by the State Department of
Education on a matching basis;

(tt)  With respect to any lawful, written obligation of a school
district, including, but not limited to, leases (excluding leases of sixteenth
section public school trust land), bonds, notes, or other agreement, to agree
in writing with the obligee that the Department of Revenue or any state agency, department or commission created
under state law may:

(i)  Withhold all or any part (as agreed by the school
board) of any monies which such local school board is entitled to receive from
time to time under any law and which is in the possession of the Department
of Revenue, or any state agency, department or
commission created under state law; and

(ii)  Pay the same over to any financial institution,
trustee or other obligee, as directed in writing by the school board, to
satisfy all or part of such obligation of the school district.

The school board may make such written agreement to
withhold and transfer funds irrevocable for the term of the written obligation
and may include in the written agreement any other terms and provisions
acceptable to the school board.  If the school board files a copy of such
written agreement with the Department of Revenue, or any state agency, department or commission created under state law
then the Department of Revenue or any
state agency, department or commission created under state law shall immediately
make the withholdings provided in such agreement from the amounts due the local
school board and shall continue to pay the same over to such financial
institution, trustee or obligee for the term of the agreement.

This paragraph (tt) shall not grant any extra
authority to a school board to issue debt in any amount exceeding statutory
limitations on assessed value of taxable property within such school district
or the statutory limitations on debt maturities, and shall not grant any extra
authority to impose, levy or collect a tax which is not otherwise expressly
provided for, and shall not be construed to apply to sixteenth section public
school trust land;

(uu)  With respect to any matter or transaction that
is competitively bid by a school district, to accept from any bidder as a good-faith
deposit or bid bond or bid surety, the same type of good-faith deposit or bid
bond or bid surety that may be accepted by the state or any other political
subdivision on similar competitively bid matters or transactions.  This
paragraph (uu) shall not be construed to apply to sixteenth section public
school trust land.  The school board may authorize the investment of any school
district funds in the same kind and manner of investments, including pooled
investments, as any other political subdivision, including community hospitals;

(vv)  To utilize the alternate method for the conveyance or exchange of
unused school buildings and/or land, reserving a partial or other undivided
interest in the property, as specifically authorized and provided in Section 37-7-485;

(ww)
To delegate, privatize or otherwise enter into a contract with private entities
for the operation of any and all functions of nonacademic school process,
procedures and operations including, but not limited to, cafeteria workers,
janitorial services, transportation, professional development, achievement and
instructional consulting services materials and products, purchasing
cooperatives, insurance, business manager services, auditing and accounting
services, school safety/risk prevention, data processing and student records,
and other staff services; however, the authority under this paragraph does not
apply to the leasing, management or operation of sixteenth section lands.
Local school districts, working through their regional education service
agency, are encouraged to enter into buying consortia with other member
districts for the purposes of more efficient use of state resources as
described in Section 37-7-345;

(xx)  To partner with entities,
organizations and corporations for the purpose of benefiting the school
district;

(yy)
To borrow funds from the Rural Economic Development Authority for the
maintenance of school buildings;

(zz)
To fund and operate voluntary early childhood education programs, defined as
programs for children less than five (5) years of age on or before September 1,
and to use any source of revenue for such early childhood education programs.
Such programs shall not conflict with the Early Learning Collaborative Act of
2013;

(aaa)
To issue and provide for the use of procurement cards by school board members,
superintendents and licensed school personnel consistent with the rules and
regulations of the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration under
Section 31-7-9; and

(bbb)  To conduct an annual comprehensive evaluation of the
superintendent of schools consistent with the assessment components of
paragraph (pp) of this section and the assessment benchmarks established by the
Mississippi School Board Association to evaluate the success the
superintendent has attained in meeting district goals and objectives, the superintendent's leadership skill and whether
or not the superintendent has established appropriate standards for
performance, is monitoring success and is using data for improvement.

[From and after July
1, 2027, this section shall read as follows:]

37-7-301.  The school boards
of all school districts shall have the following powers, authority and duties
in addition to all others imposed or granted by law, to wit:

(a)  To organize and
operate the schools of the district and to make such division between the high
school grades and elementary grades as, in their judgment, will serve the best
interests of the school;

(b)  To introduce
public school music, art, manual training and other special subjects into
either the elementary or high school grades, as the board shall deem proper;

(c)  To be the
custodians of real and personal school property and to manage, control and care
for same, both during the school term and during vacation;

(d)  To have responsibility
for the erection, repairing and equipping of school facilities and the making
of necessary school improvements;

(e)  To suspend or to
expel a pupil or to change the placement of a pupil to the school district's
alternative school or homebound program for misconduct in the school or on
school property, as defined in Section 37-11-29, on the road to and from
school, or at any school-related activity or event, or for conduct occurring on
property other than school property or other than at a school-related activity
or event when such conduct by a pupil, in the determination of the school
superintendent or principal, renders that pupil's presence in the classroom a
disruption to the educational environment of the school or a detriment to the
best interest and welfare of the pupils and teacher of such class as a whole,
and to delegate such authority to the appropriate officials of the school
district;

(f)  To visit schools
in the district, in their discretion, in a body for the purpose of determining
what can be done for the improvement of the school in a general way;

(g)  To support, within
reasonable limits, the superintendent, principal and teachers where necessary
for the proper discipline of the school;

(h)  To exclude from
the schools students with what appears to be infectious or contagious diseases;
provided, however, such student may be allowed to return to school upon
presenting a certificate from a public health officer, duly licensed physician
or nurse practitioner that the student is free from such disease;

(i)  To require those
vaccinations specified by the State Health Officer as provided in Section 41-23-37;

(j)  To see that all
necessary utilities and services are provided in the schools at all times when
same are needed;

(k)  To authorize the
use of the school buildings and grounds for the holding of public meetings and
gatherings of the people under such regulations as may be prescribed by * * * said the board;

(l)  To prescribe and
enforce rules and regulations not inconsistent with law or with the regulations
of the State Board of Education for their own government and for the government
of the schools, and to transact their business at regular and special meetings
called and held in the manner provided by law;

(m)  To maintain and
operate all of the schools under their control for such length of time during
the year as may be required;

(n)  To enforce in the
schools the courses of study and the use of the textbooks prescribed by the
proper authorities;

(o)  To make orders
directed to the superintendent of schools for the issuance of pay certificates
for lawful purposes on any available funds of the district and to have full
control of the receipt, distribution, allotment and disbursement of all funds
provided for the support and operation of the schools of such school district
whether such funds be derived from state appropriations, local ad valorem tax
collections, or otherwise.  The local school board shall be authorized and
empowered to promulgate rules and regulations that specify the types of claims
and set limits of the dollar amount for payment of claims by the superintendent
of schools to be ratified by the board at the next regularly scheduled meeting
after payment has been made;

(p)  To select all
school district personnel in the manner provided by law, and to provide for
such employee fringe benefit programs, including accident reimbursement plans,
as may be deemed necessary and appropriate by the board;

(q)  To provide
athletic programs and other school activities and to regulate the establishment
and operation of such programs and activities;

(r)  To join, in their
discretion, any association of school boards and other public school-related
organizations, and to pay from local funds other than total funding formula
funds, any membership dues;

(s)  To expend local
school activity funds, or other available school district funds, other than
total funding formula funds, for the purposes prescribed under this paragraph.
"Activity funds" shall mean all funds received by school officials in
all school districts paid or collected to participate in any school activity,
such activity being part of the school program and partially financed with
public funds or supplemented by public funds.  The term "activity funds"
shall not include any funds raised and/or expended by any organization unless
commingled in a bank account with existing activity funds, regardless of
whether the funds were raised by school employees or received by school
employees during school hours or using school facilities, and regardless of
whether a school employee exercises influence over the expenditure or
disposition of such funds.  Organizations shall not be required to make any
payment to any school for the use of any school facility if, in the discretion
of the local school governing board, the organization's function shall be
deemed to be beneficial to the official or extracurricular programs of the
school.  For the purposes of this provision, the term "organization"
shall not include any organization subject to the control of the local school
governing board.  Activity funds may only be expended for any necessary
expenses or travel costs, including advances, incurred by students and their
chaperons in attending any in-state or out-of-state school-related programs,
conventions or seminars and/or any commodities, equipment, travel expenses,
purchased services or school supplies which the local school governing board,
in its discretion, shall deem beneficial to the official or extracurricular
programs of the district, including items which may subsequently become the
personal property of individuals, including yearbooks, athletic apparel, book
covers and trophies.  Activity funds may be used to pay travel expenses of
school district personnel.  The local school governing board shall be
authorized and empowered to promulgate rules and regulations specifically
designating for what purposes school activity funds may be expended.  The local
school governing board shall provide (i) that such school activity funds shall
be maintained and expended by the principal of the school generating the funds
in individual bank accounts * * *,; or (ii) that such school activity
funds shall be maintained and expended by the superintendent of schools in a
central depository approved by the board.  The local school governing board
shall provide that such school activity funds be audited as part of the annual
audit required in Section 37-9-18.  The State Department of Education shall
prescribe a uniform system of accounting and financial reporting for all school
activity fund transactions;

(t)  To enter into an
energy performance contract, energy services contract, on a shared-savings,
lease or lease-purchase basis, for energy efficiency services and/or equipment
as provided for in Section 31-7-14;

(u)  To maintain
accounts and issue pay certificates on school food service bank accounts;

(v)  (i)  To lease a
school building from an individual, partnership, nonprofit corporation or a
private for-profit corporation for the use of such school district, and to
expend funds therefor as may be available from any sources other than total
funding formula funds * * *
as set by Sections 37‑151‑200 through 37‑151‑215.
The school board of the school district desiring to lease a school building
shall declare by resolution that a need exists for a school building and that
the school district cannot provide the necessary funds to pay the cost or its
proportionate share of the cost of a school building required to meet the present
needs.  The resolution so adopted by the school board shall be published once
each week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper having a general
circulation in the school district involved, with the first publication thereof
to be made not less than thirty (30) days prior to the date upon which the
school board is to act on the question of leasing a school building.  If no
petition requesting an election is filed prior to such meeting as hereinafter
provided, then the school board may, by resolution spread upon its minutes,
proceed to lease a school building.  If at any time * * * prior to said before the meeting a
petition signed by not less than twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred
(1500), whichever is less, of the qualified electors of the school district
involved shall be filed with the school board requesting that an election be
called on the question, then the school board shall, not later than the next
regular meeting, adopt a resolution calling an election to be held within such
school district upon the question of authorizing the school board to lease a
school building.  Such election shall be called and held, and notice thereof
shall be given, in the same manner for elections upon the questions of the
issuance of the bonds of school districts, and the results thereof shall be
certified to the school board.  If at least three-fifths (3/5) of the qualified
electors of the school district who voted in such election shall vote in favor
of the leasing of a school building, then the school board shall proceed to
lease a school building.  The term of the lease contract shall not exceed
twenty (20) years, and the total cost of such lease shall be either the amount
of the lowest and best bid accepted by the school board after advertisement for
bids or an amount not to exceed the current fair market value of the lease as
determined by the averaging of at least two (2) appraisals by certified general
appraisers licensed by the State of Mississippi.  The term "school
building" as used in this paragraph (v)(i) shall be construed to mean any
building or buildings used for classroom purposes in connection with the
operation of schools and shall include the site therefor, necessary support
facilities, and the equipment thereof and appurtenances thereto such as heating
facilities, water supply, sewage disposal, landscaping, walks, drives and
playgrounds.  The term "lease" as used in this paragraph (v)(i) may
include a lease-purchase contract;

(ii)  If two (2) or
more school districts propose to enter into a lease contract jointly, then
joint meetings of the school boards having control may be held but no action
taken shall be binding on any such school district unless the question of
leasing a school building is approved in each participating school district
under the procedure hereinabove set forth in paragraph (v)(i).  All of the
provisions of paragraph (v)(i) regarding the term and amount of the lease
contract shall apply to the school boards of school districts acting jointly.
Any lease contract executed by two (2) or more school districts as joint
lessees shall set out the amount of the aggregate lease rental to be paid by
each, which may be agreed upon, but there shall be no right of occupancy by any
lessee unless the aggregate rental is paid as stipulated in the lease
contract.  All rights of joint lessees under the lease contract shall be in
proportion to the amount of lease rental paid by each;

(w)  To employ all
noninstructional and * * *
noncertificated nonlicensed employees and fix the duties and
compensation of such personnel deemed necessary pursuant to the recommendation
of the superintendent of schools;

(x)  To employ and fix
the duties and compensation of such legal counsel as deemed necessary;

(y)  Subject to rules
and regulations of the State Board of Education, to purchase, own and operate
trucks, vans and other motor vehicles, which shall bear the proper
identification required by law;

(z)  To expend funds
for the payment of substitute teachers and to adopt reasonable regulations for
the employment and compensation of such substitute teachers;

(aa)  To acquire in its
own name by purchase all real property which shall be necessary and desirable
in connection with the construction, renovation or improvement of any public
school building or structure.  Whenever the purchase price for such real
property is greater than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00), the school board
shall not purchase the property for an amount exceeding the fair market value
of such property as determined by the average of at least two (2) independent
appraisals by certified general appraisers licensed by the State of
Mississippi.  If the board shall be unable to agree with the owner of any such
real property in connection with any such project, the board shall have the
power and authority to acquire any such real property by condemnation
proceedings pursuant to Section 11-27-1 et seq., * * * Mississippi Code of 1972, and for such
purpose, the right of eminent domain is hereby conferred upon and vested in * * * said the board. * * *  Provided further, that  The local school board
is authorized to grant an easement for ingress and egress over sixteenth
section land or lieu land in exchange for a similar easement upon adjoining
land where the exchange of easements affords substantial benefit to the
sixteenth section land; * * * provided, however, the exchange must be based upon values as
determined by a competent appraiser, with any differential in value to be
adjusted by cash payment.  Any easement rights granted over sixteenth section
land under such authority shall terminate when the easement ceases to be used
for its stated purpose.  No sixteenth section or lieu land which is subject to
an existing lease shall be burdened by any such easement except by consent of
the lessee or unless the school district shall acquire the unexpired leasehold
interest affected by the easement;

(bb)  To charge
reasonable fees related to the educational programs of the district, in the
manner prescribed in Section 37-7-335;

(cc)  Subject to rules
and regulations of the State Board of Education, to purchase relocatable
classrooms for the use of such school district, in the manner prescribed in
Section 37-1-13;

(dd)  Enter into
contracts or agreements with other school districts, political subdivisions or
governmental entities to carry out one or more of the powers or duties of the
school board, or to allow more efficient utilization of limited resources for
providing services to the public;

(ee)  To provide for in-service
training for employees of the district;

(ff)  As part of their
duties to prescribe the use of textbooks, to provide that parents and legal
guardians shall be responsible for the textbooks and for the compensation to
the school district for any books which are not returned to the proper schools
upon the withdrawal of their dependent child.  If a textbook is lost or not
returned by any student who drops out of the public school district, the parent
or legal guardian shall also compensate the school district for the fair market
value of the textbooks;

(gg)  To conduct fund-raising
activities on behalf of the school district that the local school board, in its
discretion, deems appropriate or beneficial to the official or extracurricular
programs of the district * * *; provided that, subject to the following:

(i)  Any proceeds
of the fund-raising activities shall be treated as "activity funds"
and shall be accounted for as are other activity funds under this section; and

(ii)  Fund-raising
activities conducted or authorized by the board for the sale of school
pictures, the rental of caps and gowns or the sale of graduation invitations
for which the school board receives a commission, rebate or fee shall contain a
disclosure statement advising that a portion of the proceeds of the sales or
rentals shall be contributed to the student activity fund;

(hh)  To allow
individual lessons for music, art and other curriculum-related activities for
academic credit or nonacademic credit during school hours and using school equipment
and facilities, subject to uniform rules and regulations adopted by the school
board;

(ii)  To charge
reasonable fees for participating in an extracurricular activity for academic
or nonacademic credit for necessary and required equipment such as safety
equipment, band instruments and uniforms;

(jj)  To conduct or
participate in any fund-raising activities on behalf of or in connection with a
tax-exempt charitable organization;

(kk)  To exercise such
powers as may be reasonably necessary to carry out the provisions of this
section;

(ll)  To expend funds
for the services of nonprofit arts organizations or other such nonprofit
organizations who provide performances or other services for the students of
the school district;

(mm)  To expend federal
No Child Left Behind Act funds, or any other available funds that are expressly
designated and authorized for that use, to pay training, educational expenses,
salary incentives and salary supplements to employees of local school
districts; except that incentives shall not be considered part of the local
supplement, nor shall incentives be considered part of the local supplement
paid to an individual teacher for the purposes of Section 37-19-7(1);

(nn)  To use any
available funds, not appropriated or designated for any other purpose, for
reimbursement to the state-licensed employees from both in state and out of
state, who enter into a contract for employment in a school district, for the
expense of moving when the employment necessitates the relocation of the
licensed employee to a different geographical area than that in which the
licensed employee resides before entering into the contract.  The reimbursement
shall not exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) for the documented actual
expenses incurred in the course of relocating, including the expense of any
professional moving company or persons employed to assist with the move, rented
moving vehicles or equipment, mileage in the amount authorized for county and
municipal employees under Section 25-3-41 if the licensed employee used his
personal vehicle or vehicles for the move, meals and such other expenses
associated with the relocation.  No licensed employee may be reimbursed for
moving expenses under this section on more than one (1) occasion by the same
school district.  Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the
actual residence to which the licensed employee relocates to be within the
boundaries of the school district that has executed a contract for employment
in order for the licensed employee to be eligible for reimbursement for the
moving expenses.  However, the licensed employee must relocate within the
boundaries of the State of Mississippi.  Any individual receiving relocation
assistance through the Critical Teacher Shortage Act as provided in Section 37-159-5
shall not be eligible to receive additional relocation funds as authorized in
this paragraph;

(oo)  To use any
available funds, not appropriated or designated for any other purpose, to
reimburse persons who interview for employment as a licensed employee with the
district for the mileage and other actual expenses incurred in the course of
travel to and from the interview at the rate authorized for county and
municipal employees under Section 25-3-41;

(pp)  Consistent with
the report of the Task Force to Conduct a Best Financial Management Practices
Review, to improve school district management and use of resources and identify
cost savings as established in Section 8 of Chapter 610, Laws of 2002, local
school boards are encouraged to conduct independent reviews of the management
and efficiency of schools and school districts.  Such management and efficiency
reviews shall provide state and local officials and the public with the
following:

(i)  An assessment
of a school district's governance and organizational structure;

(ii)  An assessment
of the school district's financial and personnel management;

(iii)  An
assessment of revenue levels and sources;

(iv)  An assessment
of facilities utilization, planning and maintenance;

(v)  An assessment
of food services, transportation and safety/security systems;

(vi)  An assessment
of instructional and administrative technology;

(vii)  A review of
the instructional management and the efficiency and effectiveness of existing
instructional programs; and

(viii)  Recommended
methods for increasing efficiency and effectiveness in providing educational
services to the public;

(qq)  To enter into
agreements with other local school boards for the establishment of an
educational service agency (ESA) to provide for the cooperative needs of the
region in which the school district is located, as provided in Section 37-7-345;

(rr)  To * * * implement a incorporate financial
literacy * * * program for
components within the curriculum offered to students in Grades * * * 10 and 11.  The board may review the national programs
and obtain free literature from various nationally recognized programs.  After
review of the different programs, the board may certify a program that is most
appropriate for the school districts' needs.  If a district implements a
financial literacy program, then any student in Grade 10 or 11 may participate in
the program. 6-8.  Current curriculum for Grades 6-12 shall
include content on financial literacy education.  Each student, during Grade 9,
10, 11 or 12, shall take and pass a one-half (1/2) Carnegie Unit course in
personal finance, or a full Carnegie Unit Course where at least one-half (1/2)
of the course standards concern financial literacy, in order to earn a high
school diploma.  The financial literacy program shall include, but is not
limited to, instruction in the same areas of personal business and finance as
required under Section 37-1-3(2)(b).  The school board may coordinate with volunteer
teachers from local community organizations, including, but not limited to, the
following:  United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development, United
States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Junior Achievement, bankers
and other nonprofit organizations. * * *  Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as to
require school boards to implement a financial literacy program;  In
addition to any financial literacy standards administratively required by the
State Department of Education's College- and Career-Readiness course, the
financial literacy program for Grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 may include, without
limitation:

(i)  Financial
decision-making;

(ii)  Earning an
income, tax obligations and withholdings;

(iii)  Personal
budgeting, saving, spending and cash-flow management;

(iv)  Financial
services, including types of credit, using credit, credit reports and interest
calculations;

(v)
Postsecondary education financing, including loans, repayment and cost-benefit
analysis for expected employment; and

(vi)  Consumer
rights, identity protection and fraud avoidance.

(ss)  To collaborate
with the State Board of Education, Community Action Agencies or the Department
of Human Services to develop and implement a voluntary program to provide
services for a prekindergarten program that addresses the cognitive, social,
and emotional needs of four-year-old and three-year-old children.  The school
board may utilize any source of available revenue to fund the voluntary program.  Effective with the 2013-2014 school year, to
implement voluntary prekindergarten programs under the Early Learning
Collaborative Act of 2013 pursuant to state funds awarded by the State
Department of Education on a matching basis;

(tt)  With respect to any lawful, written obligation of a school
district, including, but not limited to, leases (excluding leases of sixteenth
section public school trust land), bonds, notes, or other agreement, to agree
in writing with the obligee that the Department of Revenue or any state agency, department or commission created
under state law may:

(i)  Withhold all or any part (as agreed by the school
board) of any monies which such local school board is entitled to receive from
time to time under any law and which is in the possession of the Department
of Revenue, or any state agency, department or
commission created under state law; and

(ii)  Pay the same over to any financial institution,
trustee or other obligee, as directed in writing by the school board, to
satisfy all or part of such obligation of the school district.

The school board may make such written agreement to
withhold and transfer funds irrevocable for the term of the written obligation
and may include in the written agreement any other terms and provisions
acceptable to the school board.  If the school board files a copy of such
written agreement with the Department of Revenue, or any state agency, department or commission created under state law
then the Department of Revenue or any
state agency, department or commission created under state law shall immediately
make the withholdings provided in such agreement from the amounts due the local
school board and shall continue to pay the same over to such financial
institution, trustee or obligee for the term of the agreement.

This paragraph (tt) shall not grant any extra
authority to a school board to issue debt in any amount exceeding statutory
limitations on assessed value of taxable property within such school district
or the statutory limitations on debt maturities, and shall not grant any extra
authority to impose, levy or collect a tax which is not otherwise expressly
provided for, and shall not be construed to apply to sixteenth section public
school trust land;

(uu)  With respect to any matter or transaction that
is competitively bid by a school district, to accept from any bidder as a good-faith
deposit or bid bond or bid surety, the same type of good-faith deposit or bid
bond or bid surety that may be accepted by the state or any other political subdivision
on similar competitively bid matters or transactions.  This paragraph (uu)
shall not be construed to apply to sixteenth section public school trust land.
The school board may authorize the investment of any school district funds in
the same kind and manner of investments, including pooled investments, as any
other political subdivision, including community hospitals;

(vv)  To utilize the alternate method for the conveyance or exchange of
unused school buildings and/or land, reserving a partial or other undivided
interest in the property, as specifically authorized and provided in Section 37-7-485;

(ww)
To delegate, privatize or otherwise enter into a contract with private entities
for the operation of any and all functions of nonacademic school process,
procedures and operations including, but not limited to, cafeteria workers,
janitorial services, transportation, professional development, achievement and
instructional consulting services materials and products, purchasing
cooperatives, insurance, business manager services, auditing and accounting
services, school safety/risk prevention, data processing and student records,
and other staff services; however, the authority under this paragraph does not
apply to the leasing, management or operation of sixteenth section lands.
Local school districts, working through their regional education service
agency, are encouraged to enter into buying consortia with other member
districts for the purposes of more efficient use of state resources as described
in Section 37-7-345;

(xx)  To partner with entities,
organizations and corporations for the purpose of benefiting the school
district;

(yy)
To borrow funds from the Rural Economic Development Authority for the
maintenance of school buildings;

(zz)
To fund and operate voluntary early childhood education programs, defined as
programs for children less than five (5) years of age on or before September 1,
and to use any source of revenue for such early childhood education programs.
Such programs shall not conflict with the Early Learning Collaborative Act of
2013;

(aaa)
To issue and provide for the use of procurement cards by school board members,
superintendents and licensed school personnel consistent with the rules and
regulations of the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration under
Section 31-7-9; and

( * * *bbbaab)
To conduct an annual comprehensive evaluation of the superintendent of schools
consistent with the assessment components of paragraph (pp) of this section and
the assessment benchmarks established by the Mississippi School Board
Association to evaluate the success the superintendent has attained in
meeting district goals and objectives, the superintendent's
leadership skill and whether or not the superintendent has established
appropriate standards for performance, is monitoring success and is using data
for improvement.

SECTION 28.  Section
37-28-45, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-28-45.  (1)  Charter
schools are subject to the same civil rights, health and safety requirements
applicable to noncharter public schools in the state, except as otherwise
specifically provided in this chapter.

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

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

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

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

(6)  Charter schools and
their governing boards, when conducting charter school business, are not
exempt from the following statutes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(y)  Section 37-18-1,
which establishes the Superior-Performing Schools Program and Exemplary Schools
Program to recognize public schools that improve.

(z)  Section 37-7-301
and Section 25 of this act, which require, beginning in the 2027-2028 school
year, all high school students to take and pass a one-half (1/2) Carnegie Unit
credit course in personal finance or a full Carnegie Unit course where half the
course standards are financial literacy as a requirement for earning a high
school diploma beginning with the graduating class of 2032.

SECTION 29.  The
following shall be codified as Section 37-13-215, Mississippi Code of 1972:

37-13-215.  (1)  This
section shall be known and may be cited as the "Mississippi Future
Innovators Act."

(2)  Beginning with the
entering ninth-grade class of 2029-2030, a public high school student shall,
before graduation, be required to earn one (1) unit of credit in a high school
computer science course, or one (1) unit of credit in an industry-aligned
career and technical education (CTE) with embedded computer science course
providing instruction in the foundations of computer science.  Either credit
unit must be approved by the State Board of Education.  This computer science
requirement shall not increase the number of state-required credits for
graduation.

(3)  For a traditional diploma,
each credit earned for State Board of Education approved computer science
course or CTE with embedded computer science course shall meet state graduation
requirements for computer science and requirements met for one (1) of the
following Mississippi High School Graduation Requirements:

(a)  One (1) credit in
mathematics (excluding Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II requirements); or

(b)  One (1) credit in
science (excluding biology and one (1) physical science requirement).

(4)  The computer science
course or courses fulfilling this graduation requirement must include
instruction on the fundamental concepts of emerging computer science
technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), including an understanding
of what AI is, how it works, and its impact on society.

SECTION 30.  Section
37-13-205, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-13-205.  As used in
Sections 37-13-201 through * * * 37‑13‑213 37-13-215, the
following terms shall have the meaning ascribed in this section:

(a)  "Career
and technical education with embedded computer science course" means a
high school career and technical education (CTE) course that, in addition to
its primary content, provides instruction in the foundations of computer
science and is approved by the State Board of Education as a "career and
technical education with embedded computer science course."

( * * *ab)  "Computer science" means
the study of computers, algorithmic processes, coding, and logical thinking,
including computer principles, their hardware and software designs,
artificial intelligence (AI), other emerging technologies, their
implementation and their impact on society.

( * * *bc)  "Computer science
courses" means high school and middle school courses that teach computer
science as stand-alone implementations; and elementary curriculum that provides
instruction in computer science as stand-alone implementations or embedded in
other subjects and focuses on how to create and understand technology, rather
than simply using technology.

( * * *cd)  "Offer" means providing
instruction with appropriately endorsed teachers, for any computer science
course which awards a Carnegie unit.  At the elementary level, instruction may
be offered by a licensed teacher or paraprofessional who is under the guidance
or supervision of a licensed teacher, and who has received training for
computer science instruction approved by the State Department of Education:

(i)  Who is onsite
at the physical location of the school; or

(ii)  Who is not
onsite at the physical location of the school but conducts the course through
virtual means with a proctor onsite at the physical location of the school.

( * * *de)  "Paraprofessional"
consists of school employees who support instructional delivery and are deemed
to be qualified and have received the professional learning opportunities to
perform the job functions associated with providing instruction.

SECTION 31.  The
following shall be codified as Section 37-13-56, Mississippi Code of 1972:

37-13-56.  (1)  For
purposes of this section, "civics" means a nonpartisan educational
program that promotes:

(a)  The acquisition of
knowledge of the history, heritage, civic life and civic institutions of the
United States of America and the State of Mississippi;

(b)  The acquisition of
skills such as the ability to analyze texts and determine the reliability of
sources; and

(c)  An understanding
of the ways in which civic institutions operate and how individuals may be
involved in civic life.

(2)  Beginning in the 2027-2028
school year, every public and charter school within the state shall be required
to incorporate civics into the course of study that is presently a part of the
required curriculum for high school graduation.  Training for the teaching of
these civics courses shall be conducted during the summer of 2027.  Each school
shall require students to complete regular courses of instruction in the
factually accurate history of the United States, in civics, in the Constitution
of the United States and in the Constitution and the government of the State of
Mississippi starting in the eighth grade and before students complete twelfth
grade.  The courses shall focus on increasing the knowledge of the organization
of the government of the United States and of the State of Mississippi.  The
courses shall have an emphasis on the study of federalism, the separation of
powers, the checks and balances throughout the government, the Bill of Rights,
and appreciation for free speech and civil discourse, using historical
references, congressional and public debates, including current public policy
issues.  The courses shall also increase the critical thinking skills of the
students in how and why the separate branches of government operate as they do.

(3)  The State Department of
Education, using rigorous and relevant resources, shall prescribe the courses
of study, including the basic course requirements and the academic standards
for these courses, and shall update course standards to align with current
civics scholarship grounded in a factual depiction of the history and tradition
of the United States.  The department shall rename its United States Government
courses as "United States Government and Civics" to account for the
additional civics component while maintaining the government component.

SECTION 32.  This act
shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.