Charter schools; require to compile and release same data as noncharter public schools.

S. B. No. 2064 *SS36/R98* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/SS36/R98
PAGE 1 (icj\kr)

To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Blackmon

SENATE BILL NO. 2064

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-28-45, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO REQUIRE CHARTER SCHOOLS TO COMPILE AND RELEASE THE SAME DATA AS 2
NONCHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 4
SECTION 1. Section 37-28-45, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 5
amended as follows: 6
37-28-45. (1) Charter schools are subject to the same civil 7
rights, health and safety requirements applicable to noncharter 8
public schools in the state, except as otherwise specifically 9
provided in this chapter. 10
(2) Charter schools are subject to the student assessment 11
and accountability requirements applicable to noncharter public 12
schools in the state, including, but not limited to, any 13
requirement to compile and release data; however, this requirement 14
does not preclude a charter school from establishing additional 15
student assessment measures that go beyond state requirements if 16
the authorizer approves those measures. 17
S. B. No. 2064 *SS36/R98* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R98
PAGE 2 (icj\kr)

(3) Although a charter school is geographically located 18
within the boundaries of a particular school district and enrolls 19
students who reside within the school district, the charter school 20
may not be considered a school within that district under the 21
purview of the school district's school board. The rules, 22
regulations, policies and procedures established by the school 23
board for the noncharter public schools that are in the school 24
district in which the charter school is geographically located do 25
not apply to the charter school unless otherwise required under 26
the charter contract or any contract entered into between the 27
charter school governing board and the local school board. 28
(4) Whenever the provisions of Title 37, Mississippi Code of 29
1972, relating to the elementary and secondary education of public 30
school students establish a requirement for or grant authority to 31
local school districts, their school boards and the schools within 32
the respective school districts, the language "school districts," 33
"school boards," "boards of trustees," "the schools within a 34
school district," or any other similar phraseology does not 35
include a charter school and the governing board of a charter 36
school unless the statute specifically is made applicable to 37
charter schools as well as noncharter public schools. 38
(5) A charter school is not subject to any rule, regulation, 39
policy or procedure adopted by the State Board of Education or the 40
State Department of Education unless otherwise required by the 41
authorizer or in the charter contract. 42
S. B. No. 2064 *SS36/R98* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R98
PAGE 3 (icj\kr)

(6) Charter schools are not exempt from the following 43
statutes: 44
(a) Chapter 41, Title 25, Mississippi Code of 1972, 45
which relate to open meetings of public bodies. 46
(b) Chapter 61, Title 25, Mississippi Code of 1972, 47
which relate to public access to public records. 48
(c) Section 37-3-51, which requires notice by the 49
district attorney of licensed school employees who are convicted 50
of certain sex offenses. 51
(d) Section 37-3-53, which requires publication of the 52
Mississippi Report Card by the State Board of Education. 53
(e) Section 37-11-18, which requires the automatic 54
expulsion of a student possessing a weapon or controlled substance 55
on educational property. 56
(f) Section 37-11-18.1, which requires expulsion of 57
certain habitually disruptive students. 58
(g) Section 37-11-19, which requires suspension or 59
expulsion of a student who damages school property. 60
(h) Section 37-11-20, which prohibits acts of 61
intimidation intended to keep a student from attending school. 62
(i) Section 37-11-21, which prohibits parental abuse of 63
school staff. 64
(j) Section 37-11-23, which prohibits the willful 65
disruption of school and school meetings. 66
S. B. No. 2064 *SS36/R98* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R98
PAGE 4 (icj\kr)

(k) Sections 37-11-29 and 37-11-31, which relate to 67
reporting requirements regarding unlawful or violent acts on 68
school property. 69
(l) Section 37-11-67, which prohibits bullying or 70
harassing behavior in public schools. 71
(m) Section 37-13-3, which prohibits doctrinal, 72
sectarian or denominational teaching in public schools. 73
(n) Sections 37-13-5 and 37-13-6, which require the 74
flags of the United States and the State of Mississippi to be 75
displayed near the school building. 76
(o) Section 37-13-63(1), which prescribes the minimum 77
number of days which public schools must be kept in session during 78
a scholastic year. 79
(p) Section 37-13-91, which is the Mississippi 80
Compulsory School Attendance Law. 81
(q) Section 37-13-171(2) and (4), which requires any 82
course containing sex-related education to include instruction in 83
abstinence-only or abstinence-plus education. 84
(r) Section 37-13-173, which requires notice to parents 85
before instruction on human sexuality is provided in public 86
classrooms. 87
(s) Section 37-13-193, which relates to civil rights 88
and human rights education in the public schools. 89
S. B. No. 2064 *SS36/R98* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R98
PAGE 5 (icj\kr)
ST: Charter schools; require to compile and
release same data as noncharter public schools.
(t) Sections 37-15-1 and 37-15-3, which relate to the 90
maintenance and transfer of permanent student records in public 91
schools. 92
(u) Section 37-15-6, which requires the State 93
Department of Education to maintain a record of expulsions from 94
the public schools. 95
(v) Section 37-15-9, which establishes minimum age 96
requirements for kindergarten and first grade enrollment in public 97
schools. 98
(w) Section 37-15-11, which requires a parent, legal 99
guardian or custodian to accompany a child seeking enrollment in a 100
public school. 101
(x) Sections 37-16-1, 37-16-3, 37-16-4 and 37-16-9, 102
which relate to the statewide assessment testing program. 103
(y) Section 37-18-1, which establishes the 104
Superior-Performing Schools Program and Exemplary Schools Program 105
to recognize public schools that improve. 106
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 107
and after July 1, 2026. 108