Public schools; allow to employ or accept the service of chaplains.

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To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Carpenter, Blackwell,
Morgan

HOUSE BILL NO. 659

AN ACT TO ALLOW SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS TO 1
EMPLOY OR ACCEPT AS A VOLUNTEER, A CHAPLAIN TO PROVIDE SUPPORT, 2
SERVICES AND PROGRAMS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR CHARTER SCHOOL; 3
TO REQUIRE EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT OR CHARTER EMPLOYING OR ALLOWING A 4
CHAPLAIN TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO ITS STUDENTS TO UNDERGO A CRIMINAL 5
BACKGROUND CHECK BEFORE ENTERING THE SCHOOLS TO CARRY OUT THEIR 6
OBLIGATIONS; TO PROHIBIT SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS FROM 7
EMPLOYING OR ALLOWING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE REQUIRED TO REGISTER AS 8
SEX OFFENDERS FROM PROVIDING SERVICES WITHIN ITS SCHOOLS; TO AMEND 9
SECTION 37-3-93, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE A QUICK 10
RESPONSE TEAM OF PERSONNEL TRAINED IN SCHOOL SAFETY AND CRISIS 11
MANAGEMENT BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO INCLUDE 12
CHAPLAINS; TO AMEND SECTION 37-7-301, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 13
REQUIRE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO FUND AND OPERATE IMPROVED SCHOOL 14
SAFETY AND SECURITY MEASURES, INCLUDING COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH 15
TRAINING AND PLANNING AND PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY CHAPLAINS; TO AMEND 16
SECTION 37-11-54, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE LOCAL 17
SCHOOL BOARDS TO INCORPORATE EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES AND POSITIVE 18
BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION SUPPORTS WHICH INCLUDE SERVICES PROVIDED 19
BY CHAPLAINS; TO PROVIDE FOR THE SEVERABILITY OF PROVISIONS OF 20
THIS ACT WHICH MAY BE DEEMED UNCONSTITUTIONAL; AND FOR RELATED 21
PURPOSES. 22
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 23
SECTION 1. (1) A school district or charter school may 24
employ or accept as a volunteer, a chaplain to provide support, 25
services and programs for students as assigned by the board of 26
trustees of the district or the governing body of the school. A 27
chaplain employed or volunteering under this act is not required 28
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to be certified by the Commission on Teacher and Administrator 29
Education, Certification and Licensure and Development. 30
(2) A school district or charter school that employs or 31
accepts as volunteer a chaplain under this act shall ensure that 32
the chaplain complies with the applicable criminal background 33
check requirements of Section 37-9-17, before the chaplain begins 34
employment or volunteering at the district or school. 35
(3) A school district or charter school may not employ or 36
accept as a volunteer, a chaplain who has been convicted of or 37
placed on deferred adjudication community supervision for an 38
offense for which a defendant is required to register as sex 39
offender under Section 45-33-35. 40
SECTION 2. Each board of trustees of a school district and 41
each governing body of a charter school shall take a record vote, 42
and spread the same upon its minutes, not later than December 1, 43
2026, on whether to adopt a policy authorizing a campus of the 44
district or school to employ or accept as a volunteer a chaplain 45
under this act, which shall be implemented for the 2026-2027 46
school year. 47
SECTION 3. Section 37-3-93, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 48
amended as follows: 49
37-3-93. (1) Subject to the availability of funding 50
specifically appropriated for such purpose, there is established a 51
School Crisis Management Program under the State Department of 52
Education. This program is to be initiated and executed by the 53
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department using only existing staff and resources. Under this 54
program, the State Department of Education shall create an office 55
making available a quick response team of personnel trained in 56
school safety and crisis management, which shall include 57
chaplains, to respond to traumatic or violent situations that 58
impact students and faculty in the public schools in Mississippi. 59
The required School Crisis Management Program shall operate in 60
accordance with the following: 61
(a) The basic response team shall consist of those 62
personnel designated by the State Superintendent of Public 63
Education, or their designees, depending on the size of the school 64
and the nature of the event. 65
(b) In order to access the services of a response team, 66
the request must be made by the local school principal or the 67
superintendent of schools, who shall make the request to the State 68
Department of Education or its contact designee. 69
(c) A response team shall enter a school to work with 70
students and faculty for a period of no more than three (3) days, 71
unless otherwise requested by the school district. 72
(d) The State Department of Education, or its designee, 73
shall operate a toll-free incoming wide area telephone service for 74
the purpose of receiving reports of suspected cases of school 75
violence and other traumatic situations impacting on students and 76
faculty in the public schools. 77
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(e) The request made by a school district to access the 78
services of a response team following a school safety incident may 79
seek a review of the local school district's safety plan, and the 80
results of this evaluation may be published by the local school 81
board in a newspaper with wide circulation in the district. 82
(f) Subject to the availability of funds specifically 83
appropriated therefor by the Legislature, the expenses of the 84
quick response teams and their administrative support shall be 85
provided from state funds. The State Department of Education may 86
apply for and expend funds for the support and maintenance of this 87
program from private and other funding sources. 88
(2) Local school districts, school superintendents and 89
principals may request and utilize the services of quick response 90
teams provided for under this section; however, this section does 91
not require school officials to request the services of quick 92
response teams. 93
(3) As a component of the School Crisis Management Program, 94
the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security shall develop a 95
curriculum, train and certify threat assessment officers. A 96
certified threat assessment officer shall conduct an annual 97
inspection and threat assessment of each public school in the 98
state. The threat assessment officer shall develop an improvement 99
plan for each school inspected. The assessment shall include the 100
inspection of surveillance equipment and building-specific floor 101
plans. The findings of the inspection and threat assessment, 102
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including a copy of the improvement plan shall be provided to 103
local law enforcement agencies and the local school board within 104
four (4) weeks of completion. 105
SECTION 4. Section 37-7-301, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 106
amended as follows: 107
37-7-301. The school boards of all school districts shall 108
have the following powers, authority and duties in addition to all 109
others imposed or granted by law, to wit: 110
(a) To organize and operate the schools of the district 111
and to make such division between the high school grades and 112
elementary grades as, in their judgment, will serve the best 113
interests of the school; 114
(b) To introduce public school music, art, manual 115
training and other special subjects into either the elementary or 116
high school grades, as the board shall deem proper; 117
(c) To be the custodians of real and personal school 118
property and to manage, control and care for same, both during the 119
school term and during vacation; 120
(d) To have responsibility for the erection, repairing 121
and equipping of school facilities and the making of necessary 122
school improvements; 123
(e) To suspend or to expel a pupil or to change the 124
placement of a pupil to the school district's alternative school 125
or homebound program for misconduct in the school or on school 126
property, as defined in Section 37-11-29, on the road to and from 127
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school, or at any school-related activity or event, or for conduct 128
occurring on property other than school property or other than at 129
a school-related activity or event when such conduct by a pupil, 130
in the determination of the school superintendent or principal, 131
renders that pupil's presence in the classroom a disruption to the 132
educational environment of the school or a detriment to the best 133
interest and welfare of the pupils and teacher of such class as a 134
whole, and to delegate such authority to the appropriate officials 135
of the school district; 136
(f) To visit schools in the district, in their 137
discretion, in a body for the purpose of determining what can be 138
done for the improvement of the school in a general way; 139
(g) To support, within reasonable limits, the 140
superintendent, principal and teachers where necessary for the 141
proper discipline of the school; 142
(h) To exclude from the schools students with what 143
appears to be infectious or contagious diseases; provided, 144
however, such student may be allowed to return to school upon 145
presenting a certificate from a public health officer, duly 146
licensed physician or nurse practitioner that the student is free 147
from such disease; 148
(i) To require those vaccinations specified by the 149
State Health Officer as provided in Section 41-23-37; 150
(j) To see that all necessary utilities and services 151
are provided in the schools at all times when same are needed; 152
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(k) To authorize the use of the school buildings and 153
grounds for the holding of public meetings and gatherings of the 154
people under such regulations as may be prescribed by said board; 155
(l) To prescribe and enforce rules and regulations not 156
inconsistent with law or with the regulations of the State Board 157
of Education for their own government and for the government of 158
the schools, and to transact their business at regular and special 159
meetings called and held in the manner provided by law; 160
(m) To maintain and operate all of the schools under 161
their control for such length of time during the year as may be 162
required; 163
(n) To enforce in the schools the courses of study and 164
the use of the textbooks prescribed by the proper authorities; 165
(o) To make orders directed to the superintendent of 166
schools for the issuance of pay certificates for lawful purposes 167
on any available funds of the district and to have full control of 168
the receipt, distribution, allotment and disbursement of all funds 169
provided for the support and operation of the schools of such 170
school district whether such funds be derived from state 171
appropriations, local ad valorem tax collections, or otherwise. 172
The local school board shall be authorized and empowered to 173
promulgate rules and regulations that specify the types of claims 174
and set limits of the dollar amount for payment of claims by the 175
superintendent of schools to be ratified by the board at the next 176
regularly scheduled meeting after payment has been made; 177
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(p) To select all school district personnel in the 178
manner provided by law, and to provide for such employee fringe 179
benefit programs, including accident reimbursement plans, as may 180
be deemed necessary and appropriate by the board; 181
(q) To provide athletic programs and other school 182
activities and to regulate the establishment and operation of such 183
programs and activities; 184
(r) To join, in their discretion, any association of 185
school boards and other public school-related organizations, and 186
to pay from local funds other than total funding formula funds, 187
any membership dues; 188
(s) To expend local school activity funds, or other 189
available school district funds, other than total funding formula 190
funds, for the purposes prescribed under this paragraph. 191
"Activity funds" shall mean all funds received by school officials 192
in all school districts paid or collected to participate in any 193
school activity, such activity being part of the school program 194
and partially financed with public funds or supplemented by public 195
funds. The term "activity funds" shall not include any funds 196
raised and/or expended by any organization unless commingled in a 197
bank account with existing activity funds, regardless of whether 198
the funds were raised by school employees or received by school 199
employees during school hours or using school facilities, and 200
regardless of whether a school employee exercises influence over 201
the expenditure or disposition of such funds. Organizations shall 202
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not be required to make any payment to any school for the use of 203
any school facility if, in the discretion of the local school 204
governing board, the organization's function shall be deemed to be 205
beneficial to the official or extracurricular programs of the 206
school. For the purposes of this provision, the term 207
"organization" shall not include any organization subject to the 208
control of the local school governing board. Activity funds may 209
only be expended for any necessary expenses or travel costs, 210
including advances, incurred by students and their chaperons in 211
attending any in-state or out-of-state school-related programs, 212
conventions or seminars and/or any commodities, equipment, travel 213
expenses, purchased services or school supplies which the local 214
school governing board, in its discretion, shall deem beneficial 215
to the official or extracurricular programs of the district, 216
including items which may subsequently become the personal 217
property of individuals, including yearbooks, athletic apparel, 218
book covers and trophies. Activity funds may be used to pay 219
travel expenses of school district personnel. The local school 220
governing board shall be authorized and empowered to promulgate 221
rules and regulations specifically designating for what purposes 222
school activity funds may be expended. The local school governing 223
board shall provide (i) that such school activity funds shall be 224
maintained and expended by the principal of the school generating 225
the funds in individual bank accounts, or (ii) that such school 226
activity funds shall be maintained and expended by the 227
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superintendent of schools in a central depository approved by the 228
board. The local school governing board shall provide that such 229
school activity funds be audited as part of the annual audit 230
required in Section 37-9-18. The State Department of Education 231
shall prescribe a uniform system of accounting and financial 232
reporting for all school activity fund transactions; 233
(t) To enter into an energy performance contract, 234
energy services contract, on a shared-savings, lease or 235
lease-purchase basis, for energy efficiency services and/or 236
equipment as provided for in Section 31-7-14; 237
(u) To maintain accounts and issue pay certificates on 238
school food service bank accounts; 239
(v) (i) To lease a school building from an individual, 240
partnership, nonprofit corporation or a private for-profit 241
corporation for the use of such school district, and to expend 242
funds therefor as may be available from any sources other than 243
total funding formula funds as set by Sections 37-151-200 through 244
37-151-215. The school board of the school district desiring to 245
lease a school building shall declare by resolution that a need 246
exists for a school building and that the school district cannot 247
provide the necessary funds to pay the cost or its proportionate 248
share of the cost of a school building required to meet the 249
present needs. The resolution so adopted by the school board 250
shall be published once each week for three (3) consecutive weeks 251
in a newspaper having a general circulation in the school district 252
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involved, with the first publication thereof to be made not less 253
than thirty (30) days prior to the date upon which the school 254
board is to act on the question of leasing a school building. If 255
no petition requesting an election is filed prior to such meeting 256
as hereinafter provided, then the school board may, by resolution 257
spread upon its minutes, proceed to lease a school building. If 258
at any time prior to said meeting a petition signed by not less 259
than twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is 260
less, of the qualified electors of the school district involved 261
shall be filed with the school board requesting that an election 262
be called on the question, then the school board shall, not later 263
than the next regular meeting, adopt a resolution calling an 264
election to be held within such school district upon the question 265
of authorizing the school board to lease a school building. Such 266
election shall be called and held, and notice thereof shall be 267
given, in the same manner for elections upon the questions of the 268
issuance of the bonds of school districts, and the results thereof 269
shall be certified to the school board. If at least three-fifths 270
(3/5) of the qualified electors of the school district who voted 271
in such election shall vote in favor of the leasing of a school 272
building, then the school board shall proceed to lease a school 273
building. The term of the lease contract shall not exceed twenty 274
(20) years, and the total cost of such lease shall be either the 275
amount of the lowest and best bid accepted by the school board 276
after advertisement for bids or an amount not to exceed the 277
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current fair market value of the lease as determined by the 278
averaging of at least two (2) appraisals by certified general 279
appraisers licensed by the State of Mississippi. The term "school 280
building" as used in this paragraph (v)(i) shall be construed to 281
mean any building or buildings used for classroom purposes in 282
connection with the operation of schools and shall include the 283
site therefor, necessary support facilities, and the equipment 284
thereof and appurtenances thereto such as heating facilities, 285
water supply, sewage disposal, landscaping, walks, drives and 286
playgrounds. The term "lease" as used in this paragraph (v)(i) 287
may include a lease-purchase contract; 288
(ii) If two (2) or more school districts propose 289
to enter into a lease contract jointly, then joint meetings of the 290
school boards having control may be held but no action taken shall 291
be binding on any such school district unless the question of 292
leasing a school building is approved in each participating school 293
district under the procedure hereinabove set forth in paragraph 294
(v)(i). All of the provisions of paragraph (v)(i) regarding the 295
term and amount of the lease contract shall apply to the school 296
boards of school districts acting jointly. Any lease contract 297
executed by two (2) or more school districts as joint lessees 298
shall set out the amount of the aggregate lease rental to be paid 299
by each, which may be agreed upon, but there shall be no right of 300
occupancy by any lessee unless the aggregate rental is paid as 301
stipulated in the lease contract. All rights of joint lessees 302
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under the lease contract shall be in proportion to the amount of 303
lease rental paid by each; 304
(w) To employ all noninstructional and noncertificated 305
employees and fix the duties and compensation of such personnel 306
deemed necessary pursuant to the recommendation of the 307
superintendent of schools; 308
(x) To employ and fix the duties and compensation of 309
such legal counsel as deemed necessary; 310
(y) Subject to rules and regulations of the State Board 311
of Education, to purchase, own and operate trucks, vans and other 312
motor vehicles, which shall bear the proper identification 313
required by law; 314
(z) To expend funds for the payment of substitute 315
teachers and to adopt reasonable regulations for the employment 316
and compensation of such substitute teachers; 317
(aa) To acquire in its own name by purchase all real 318
property which shall be necessary and desirable in connection with 319
the construction, renovation or improvement of any public school 320
building or structure. Whenever the purchase price for such real 321
property is greater than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00), the 322
school board shall not purchase the property for an amount 323
exceeding the fair market value of such property as determined by 324
the average of at least two (2) independent appraisals by 325
certified general appraisers licensed by the State of Mississippi. 326
If the board shall be unable to agree with the owner of any such 327
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real property in connection with any such project, the board shall 328
have the power and authority to acquire any such real property by 329
condemnation proceedings pursuant to Section 11-27-1 et seq., 330
Mississippi Code of 1972, and for such purpose, the right of 331
eminent domain is hereby conferred upon and vested in said board. 332
Provided further, that the local school board is authorized to 333
grant an easement for ingress and egress over sixteenth section 334
land or lieu land in exchange for a similar easement upon 335
adjoining land where the exchange of easements affords substantial 336
benefit to the sixteenth section land; provided, however, the 337
exchange must be based upon values as determined by a competent 338
appraiser, with any differential in value to be adjusted by cash 339
payment. Any easement rights granted over sixteenth section land 340
under such authority shall terminate when the easement ceases to 341
be used for its stated purpose. No sixteenth section or lieu land 342
which is subject to an existing lease shall be burdened by any 343
such easement except by consent of the lessee or unless the school 344
district shall acquire the unexpired leasehold interest affected 345
by the easement; 346
(bb) To charge reasonable fees related to the 347
educational programs of the district, in the manner prescribed in 348
Section 37-7-335; 349
(cc) Subject to rules and regulations of the State 350
Board of Education, to purchase relocatable classrooms for the use 351
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of such school district, in the manner prescribed in Section 352
37-1-13; 353
(dd) Enter into contracts or agreements with other 354
school districts, political subdivisions or governmental entities 355
to carry out one or more of the powers or duties of the school 356
board, or to allow more efficient utilization of limited resources 357
for providing services to the public; 358
(ee) To provide for in-service training for employees 359
of the district; 360
(ff) As part of their duties to prescribe the use of 361
textbooks, to provide that parents and legal guardians shall be 362
responsible for the textbooks and for the compensation to the 363
school district for any books which are not returned to the proper 364
schools upon the withdrawal of their dependent child. If a 365
textbook is lost or not returned by any student who drops out of 366
the public school district, the parent or legal guardian shall 367
also compensate the school district for the fair market value of 368
the textbooks; 369
(gg) To conduct fund-raising activities on behalf of 370
the school district that the local school board, in its 371
discretion, deems appropriate or beneficial to the official or 372
extracurricular programs of the district; provided that: 373
(i) Any proceeds of the fund-raising activities 374
shall be treated as "activity funds" and shall be accounted for as 375
are other activity funds under this section; and 376
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(ii) Fund-raising activities conducted or 377
authorized by the board for the sale of school pictures, the 378
rental of caps and gowns or the sale of graduation invitations for 379
which the school board receives a commission, rebate or fee shall 380
contain a disclosure statement advising that a portion of the 381
proceeds of the sales or rentals shall be contributed to the 382
student activity fund; 383
(hh) To allow individual lessons for music, art and 384
other curriculum-related activities for academic credit or 385
nonacademic credit during school hours and using school equipment 386
and facilities, subject to uniform rules and regulations adopted 387
by the school board; 388
(ii) To charge reasonable fees for participating in an 389
extracurricular activity for academic or nonacademic credit for 390
necessary and required equipment such as safety equipment, band 391
instruments and uniforms; 392
(jj) To conduct or participate in any fund-raising 393
activities on behalf of or in connection with a tax-exempt 394
charitable organization; 395
(kk) To exercise such powers as may be reasonably 396
necessary to carry out the provisions of this section; 397
(ll) To expend funds for the services of nonprofit arts 398
organizations or other such nonprofit organizations who provide 399
performances or other services for the students of the school 400
district; 401
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(mm) To expend federal No Child Left Behind Act funds, 402
or any other available funds that are expressly designated and 403
authorized for that use, to pay training, educational expenses, 404
salary incentives and salary supplements to employees of local 405
school districts; except that incentives shall not be considered 406
part of the local supplement, nor shall incentives be considered 407
part of the local supplement paid to an individual teacher for the 408
purposes of Section 37-19-7(1); 409
(nn) To use any available funds, not appropriated or 410
designated for any other purpose, for reimbursement to the 411
state-licensed employees from both in state and out of state, who 412
enter into a contract for employment in a school district, for the 413
expense of moving when the employment necessitates the relocation 414
of the licensed employee to a different geographical area than 415
that in which the licensed employee resides before entering into 416
the contract. The reimbursement shall not exceed One Thousand 417
Dollars ($1,000.00) for the documented actual expenses incurred in 418
the course of relocating, including the expense of any 419
professional moving company or persons employed to assist with the 420
move, rented moving vehicles or equipment, mileage in the amount 421
authorized for county and municipal employees under Section 422
25-3-41 if the licensed employee used his personal vehicle or 423
vehicles for the move, meals and such other expenses associated 424
with the relocation. No licensed employee may be reimbursed for 425
moving expenses under this section on more than one (1) occasion 426
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by the same school district. Nothing in this section shall be 427
construed to require the actual residence to which the licensed 428
employee relocates to be within the boundaries of the school 429
district that has executed a contract for employment in order for 430
the licensed employee to be eligible for reimbursement for the 431
moving expenses. However, the licensed employee must relocate 432
within the boundaries of the State of Mississippi. Any individual 433
receiving relocation assistance through the Critical Teacher 434
Shortage Act as provided in Section 37-159-5 shall not be eligible 435
to receive additional relocation funds as authorized in this 436
paragraph; 437
(oo) To use any available funds, not appropriated or 438
designated for any other purpose, to reimburse persons who 439
interview for employment as a licensed employee with the district 440
for the mileage and other actual expenses incurred in the course 441
of travel to and from the interview at the rate authorized for 442
county and municipal employees under Section 25-3-41; 443
(pp) Consistent with the report of the Task Force to 444
Conduct a Best Financial Management Practices Review, to improve 445
school district management and use of resources and identify cost 446
savings as established in Section 8 of Chapter 610, Laws of 2002, 447
local school boards are encouraged to conduct independent reviews 448
of the management and efficiency of schools and school districts. 449
Such management and efficiency reviews shall provide state and 450
local officials and the public with the following: 451
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(i) An assessment of a school district's 452
governance and organizational structure; 453
(ii) An assessment of the school district's 454
financial and personnel management; 455
(iii) An assessment of revenue levels and sources; 456
(iv) An assessment of facilities utilization, 457
planning and maintenance; 458
(v) An assessment of food services, transportation 459
and safety/security systems; 460
(vi) An assessment of instructional and 461
administrative technology; 462
(vii) A review of the instructional management and 463
the efficiency and effectiveness of existing instructional 464
programs; and 465
(viii) Recommended methods for increasing 466
efficiency and effectiveness in providing educational services to 467
the public; 468
(qq) To enter into agreements with other local school 469
boards for the establishment of an educational service agency 470
(ESA) to provide for the cooperative needs of the region in which 471
the school district is located, as provided in Section 37-7-345; 472
(rr) To implement a financial literacy program for 473
students in Grades 10 and 11. The board may review the national 474
programs and obtain free literature from various nationally 475
recognized programs. After review of the different programs, the 476
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board may certify a program that is most appropriate for the 477
school districts' needs. If a district implements a financial 478
literacy program, then any student in Grade 10 or 11 may 479
participate in the program. The financial literacy program shall 480
include, but is not limited to, instruction in the same areas of 481
personal business and finance as required under Section 482
37-1-3(2)(b). The school board may coordinate with volunteer 483
teachers from local community organizations, including, but not 484
limited to, the following: United States Department of 485
Agriculture Rural Development, United States Department of Housing 486
and Urban Development, Junior Achievement, bankers and other 487
nonprofit organizations. Nothing in this paragraph shall be 488
construed as to require school boards to implement a financial 489
literacy program; 490
(ss) To collaborate with the State Board of Education, 491
Community Action Agencies or the Department of Human Services to 492
develop and implement a voluntary program to provide services for 493
a prekindergarten program that addresses the cognitive, social, 494
and emotional needs of four-year-old and three-year-old children. 495
The school board may utilize any source of available revenue to 496
fund the voluntary program. Effective with the 2013-2014 school 497
year, to implement voluntary prekindergarten programs under the 498
Early Learning Collaborative Act of 2013 pursuant to state funds 499
awarded by the State Department of Education on a matching basis; 500
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(tt) With respect to any lawful, written obligation of 501
a school district, including, but not limited to, leases 502
(excluding leases of sixteenth section public school trust land), 503
bonds, notes, or other agreement, to agree in writing with the 504
obligee that the Department of Revenue or any state agency, 505
department or commission created under state law may: 506
(i) Withhold all or any part (as agreed by the 507
school board) of any monies which such local school board is 508
entitled to receive from time to time under any law and which is 509
in the possession of the Department of Revenue, or any state 510
agency, department or commission created under state law; and 511
(ii) Pay the same over to any financial 512
institution, trustee or other obligee, as directed in writing by 513
the school board, to satisfy all or part of such obligation of the 514
school district. 515
The school board may make such written agreement to withhold 516
and transfer funds irrevocable for the term of the written 517
obligation and may include in the written agreement any other 518
terms and provisions acceptable to the school board. If the 519
school board files a copy of such written agreement with the 520
Department of Revenue, or any state agency, department or 521
commission created under state law then the Department of Revenue 522
or any state agency, department or commission created under state 523
law shall immediately make the withholdings provided in such 524
agreement from the amounts due the local school board and shall 525
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continue to pay the same over to such financial institution, 526
trustee or obligee for the term of the agreement. 527
This paragraph (tt) shall not grant any extra authority to a 528
school board to issue debt in any amount exceeding statutory 529
limitations on assessed value of taxable property within such 530
school district or the statutory limitations on debt maturities, 531
and shall not grant any extra authority to impose, levy or collect 532
a tax which is not otherwise expressly provided for, and shall not 533
be construed to apply to sixteenth section public school trust 534
land; 535
(uu) With respect to any matter or transaction that is 536
competitively bid by a school district, to accept from any bidder 537
as a good-faith deposit or bid bond or bid surety, the same type 538
of good-faith deposit or bid bond or bid surety that may be 539
accepted by the state or any other political subdivision on 540
similar competitively bid matters or transactions. This paragraph 541
(uu) shall not be construed to apply to sixteenth section public 542
school trust land. The school board may authorize the investment 543
of any school district funds in the same kind and manner of 544
investments, including pooled investments, as any other political 545
subdivision, including community hospitals; 546
(vv) To utilize the alternate method for the conveyance 547
or exchange of unused school buildings and/or land, reserving a 548
partial or other undivided interest in the property, as 549
specifically authorized and provided in Section 37-7-485; 550
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(ww) To delegate, privatize or otherwise enter into a 551
contract with private entities for the operation of any and all 552
functions of nonacademic school process, procedures and operations 553
including, but not limited to, cafeteria workers, janitorial 554
services, transportation, professional development, achievement 555
and instructional consulting services materials and products, 556
purchasing cooperatives, insurance, business manager services, 557
auditing and accounting services, school safety/risk prevention, 558
data processing and student records, and other staff services; 559
however, the authority under this paragraph does not apply to the 560
leasing, management or operation of sixteenth section lands. 561
Local school districts, working through their regional education 562
service agency, are encouraged to enter into buying consortia with 563
other member districts for the purposes of more efficient use of 564
state resources as described in Section 37-7-345; 565
(xx) To partner with entities, organizations and 566
corporations for the purpose of benefiting the school district; 567
(yy) To borrow funds from the Rural Economic 568
Development Authority for the maintenance of school buildings; 569
(zz) To fund and operate voluntary early childhood 570
education programs, defined as programs for children less than 571
five (5) years of age on or before September 1, and to use any 572
source of revenue for such early childhood education programs. 573
Such programs shall not conflict with the Early Learning 574
Collaborative Act of 2013; 575
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(aaa) To issue and provide for the use of procurement 576
cards by school board members, superintendents and licensed school 577
personnel consistent with the rules and regulations of the 578
Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration under Section 579
31-7-9; * * * 580
(bbb) To conduct an annual comprehensive evaluation of 581
the superintendent of schools consistent with the assessment 582
components of paragraph (pp) of this section and the assessment 583
benchmarks established by the Mississippi School Board Association 584
to evaluate the success the superintendent has attained in meeting 585
district goals and objectives, the superintendent's leadership 586
skill and whether or not the superintendent has established 587
appropriate standards for performance, is monitoring success and 588
is using data for improvement * * *; and 589
(ccc) To fund and operate improved school safety and 590
security measures, including costs associated with training and 591
planning, including: 592
(i) The prevention, identification, and management 593
of emergencies and threats, using evidence-based, effective 594
prevention practices and including: 595
1. Providing licensed counselors, social 596
workers, chaplains and individuals trained in restorative 597
discipline and restorative justice practices; 598
2. Providing mental health personnel and 599
support, including chaplains; 600
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3. Providing behavioral health services, 601
including services provided by chaplains; 602
4. Establishing threat reporting systems; and 603
5. Developing and implementing programs 604
focused on restorative justice practices, culturally relevant 605
instruction, and providing mental health support, including 606
support provided by chaplains; and 607
(ii) Providing programs related to suicide 608
prevention, intervention and postvention, including programs 609
provided by chaplains. 610
SECTION 5. Section 37-11-54, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 611
amended as follows: 612
37-11-54. The State Board of Education shall develop a list 613
of recommended conflict resolution and mediation materials, models 614
and curricula that are developed from evidence-based practices and 615
positive behavioral intervention supports to address responsible 616
decision making, the causes and effects of school violence and 617
harassment, cultural diversity, and nonviolent methods for 618
resolving conflict, including peer mediation, and shall make the 619
list available to local school administrative units and school 620
buildings before the beginning of the 2007-2008 school year. In 621
addition, local school boards shall incorporate evidence-based 622
practices and positive behavioral intervention supports into 623
individual school district policies and Codes of Conduct. In 624
developing this list, the board shall emphasize materials, models 625
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ST: Public schools; allow to employ or accept
the service of chaplains.
and curricula that currently are being used in Mississippi and 626
that the board determines to be effective. The board shall 627
include at least one (1) model that includes instruction and 628
guidance for the voluntary implementation of peer mediation 629
programs and one (1) model that provides instruction and guidance 630
for teachers concerning the integration of conflict resolution and 631
mediation lessons into the existing classroom curriculum, both of 632
which shall include programs and services provided by chaplains. 633
SECTION 6. If any one or more provisions, sections, 634
subsections, sentences, clauses, phrases or words of this act or 635
the application thereof to any person or circumstances is found to 636
be unconstitutional, the same is hereby declared to be severable 637
and the balance of this act shall remain effective notwithstanding 638
such unconstitutionality. The Legislature hereby declares that it 639
would have passed this act, and each provision, section, 640
subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or word thereof, irrespective 641
of the fact that any one or more provisions, sections, 642
subsections, sentences, clauses, phrases or words be declared 643
unconstitutional. 644
SECTION 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from 645
and after July 1, 2026. 646