Read the full stored bill text
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 1 (icj\tb)
To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) Sparks, Boyd, Blackwell,
Blount, Butler, McLendon, McMahan, Parks,
Simmons (13th), Tate, Taylor, Williams
SENATE BILL NO. 2483
AN ACT TO ENACT THE "J.P. WILEMON, JR., FINANCIAL LITERACY 1
ACT"; TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO INCORPORATE 2
FINANCIAL LITERACY COMPONENTS WITHIN THE EXISTING CURRICULUM TO BE 3
TAUGHT IN GRADES 6-8 BEGINNING IN THE 2027-2028 SCHOOL YEAR; TO 4
REQUIRE SUCCESSFUL PASSAGE OF THE STAND-ALONE ONE-HALF CARNEGIE 5
UNIT PERSONAL FINANCE COURSE OR A FULL CARNEGIE UNIT COURSE WHERE 6
AT LEAST ONE-HALF OF THE COURSE STANDARDS CONCERN FINANCIAL 7
LITERACY AS A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT; TO AMEND SECTION 37-7-301, 8
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM, AND TO SET CERTAIN TOPICS 9
THAT SHALL BE REQUIRED FOR THE FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAM; AND FOR 10
RELATED PURPOSES. 11
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 12
SECTION 1. (1) This section shall be known and may be cited 13
as the "J.P. Wilemon, Jr., Financial Literacy Act." 14
(2) Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, the State Board 15
of Education shall incorporate financial literacy components 16
within the existing curriculum offered in grades 6-8. This 17
section shall apply to all schools accredited by the State 18
Department of Education, including public charter schools. 19
(3) Beginning with the graduating class of 2032, each 20
student, during grade 9, 10, 11 or 12, shall take and pass a 21
one-half (1/2) Carnegie Unit course in personal finance or a full 22
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 2 (icj\tb)
Carnegie Unit course where at least one-half (1/2) of the course 23
standards concern financial literacy in order to earn a high 24
school diploma. 25
SECTION 2. Section 37-7-301, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 26
amended as follows: 27
37-7-301. The school boards of all school districts shall 28
have the following powers, authority and duties in addition to all 29
others imposed or granted by law, to wit: 30
(a) To organize and operate the schools of the district 31
and to make such division between the high school grades and 32
elementary grades as, in their judgment, will serve the best 33
interests of the school; 34
(b) To introduce public school music, art, manual 35
training and other special subjects into either the elementary or 36
high school grades, as the board shall deem proper; 37
(c) To be the custodians of real and personal school 38
property and to manage, control and care for same, both during the 39
school term and during vacation; 40
(d) To have responsibility for the erection, repairing 41
and equipping of school facilities and the making of necessary 42
school improvements; 43
(e) To suspend or to expel a pupil or to change the 44
placement of a pupil to the school district's alternative school 45
or homebound program for misconduct in the school or on school 46
property, as defined in Section 37-11-29, on the road to and from 47
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 3 (icj\tb)
school, or at any school-related activity or event, or for conduct 48
occurring on property other than school property or other than at 49
a school-related activity or event when such conduct by a pupil, 50
in the determination of the school superintendent or principal, 51
renders that pupil's presence in the classroom a disruption to the 52
educational environment of the school or a detriment to the best 53
interest and welfare of the pupils and teacher of such class as a 54
whole, and to delegate such authority to the appropriate officials 55
of the school district; 56
(f) To visit schools in the district, in their 57
discretion, in a body for the purpose of determining what can be 58
done for the improvement of the school in a general way; 59
(g) To support, within reasonable limits, the 60
superintendent, principal and teachers where necessary for the 61
proper discipline of the school; 62
(h) To exclude from the schools students with what 63
appears to be infectious or contagious diseases; provided, 64
however, such student may be allowed to return to school upon 65
presenting a certificate from a public health officer, duly 66
licensed physician or nurse practitioner that the student is free 67
from such disease; 68
(i) To require those vaccinations specified by the 69
State Health Officer as provided in Section 41-23-37; 70
(j) To see that all necessary utilities and services 71
are provided in the schools at all times when same are needed; 72
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 4 (icj\tb)
(k) To authorize the use of the school buildings and 73
grounds for the holding of public meetings and gatherings of the 74
people under such regulations as may be prescribed by said board; 75
(l) To prescribe and enforce rules and regulations not 76
inconsistent with law or with the regulations of the State Board 77
of Education for their own government and for the government of 78
the schools, and to transact their business at regular and special 79
meetings called and held in the manner provided by law; 80
(m) To maintain and operate all of the schools under 81
their control for such length of time during the year as may be 82
required; 83
(n) To enforce in the schools the courses of study and 84
the use of the textbooks prescribed by the proper authorities; 85
(o) To make orders directed to the superintendent of 86
schools for the issuance of pay certificates for lawful purposes 87
on any available funds of the district and to have full control of 88
the receipt, distribution, allotment and disbursement of all funds 89
provided for the support and operation of the schools of such 90
school district whether such funds be derived from state 91
appropriations, local ad valorem tax collections, or otherwise. 92
The local school board shall be authorized and empowered to 93
promulgate rules and regulations that specify the types of claims 94
and set limits of the dollar amount for payment of claims by the 95
superintendent of schools to be ratified by the board at the next 96
regularly scheduled meeting after payment has been made; 97
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 5 (icj\tb)
(p) To select all school district personnel in the 98
manner provided by law, and to provide for such employee fringe 99
benefit programs, including accident reimbursement plans, as may 100
be deemed necessary and appropriate by the board; 101
(q) To provide athletic programs and other school 102
activities and to regulate the establishment and operation of such 103
programs and activities; 104
(r) To join, in their discretion, any association of 105
school boards and other public school-related organizations, and 106
to pay from local funds other than total funding formula funds, 107
any membership dues; 108
(s) To expend local school activity funds, or other 109
available school district funds, other than total funding formula 110
funds, for the purposes prescribed under this paragraph. 111
"Activity funds" shall mean all funds received by school officials 112
in all school districts paid or collected to participate in any 113
school activity, such activity being part of the school program 114
and partially financed with public funds or supplemented by public 115
funds. The term "activity funds" shall not include any funds 116
raised and/or expended by any organization unless commingled in a 117
bank account with existing activity funds, regardless of whether 118
the funds were raised by school employees or received by school 119
employees during school hours or using school facilities, and 120
regardless of whether a school employee exercises influence over 121
the expenditure or disposition of such funds. Organizations shall 122
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 6 (icj\tb)
not be required to make any payment to any school for the use of 123
any school facility if, in the discretion of the local school 124
governing board, the organization's function shall be deemed to be 125
beneficial to the official or extracurricular programs of the 126
school. For the purposes of this provision, the term 127
"organization" shall not include any organization subject to the 128
control of the local school governing board. Activity funds may 129
only be expended for any necessary expenses or travel costs, 130
including advances, incurred by students and their chaperons in 131
attending any in-state or out-of-state school-related programs, 132
conventions or seminars and/or any commodities, equipment, travel 133
expenses, purchased services or school supplies which the local 134
school governing board, in its discretion, shall deem beneficial 135
to the official or extracurricular programs of the district, 136
including items which may subsequently become the personal 137
property of individuals, including yearbooks, athletic apparel, 138
book covers and trophies. Activity funds may be used to pay 139
travel expenses of school district personnel. The local school 140
governing board shall be authorized and empowered to promulgate 141
rules and regulations specifically designating for what purposes 142
school activity funds may be expended. The local school governing 143
board shall provide (i) that such school activity funds shall be 144
maintained and expended by the principal of the school generating 145
the funds in individual bank accounts, or (ii) that such school 146
activity funds shall be maintained and expended by the 147
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 7 (icj\tb)
superintendent of schools in a central depository approved by the 148
board. The local school governing board shall provide that such 149
school activity funds be audited as part of the annual audit 150
required in Section 37-9-18. The State Department of Education 151
shall prescribe a uniform system of accounting and financial 152
reporting for all school activity fund transactions; 153
(t) To enter into an energy performance contract, 154
energy services contract, on a shared-savings, lease or 155
lease-purchase basis, for energy efficiency services and/or 156
equipment as provided for in Section 31-7-14; 157
(u) To maintain accounts and issue pay certificates on 158
school food service bank accounts; 159
(v) (i) To lease a school building from an individual, 160
partnership, nonprofit corporation or a private for-profit 161
corporation for the use of such school district, and to expend 162
funds therefor as may be available from any sources other than 163
total funding formula funds as set by Sections 37-151-200 through 164
37-151-215. The school board of the school district desiring to 165
lease a school building shall declare by resolution that a need 166
exists for a school building and that the school district cannot 167
provide the necessary funds to pay the cost or its proportionate 168
share of the cost of a school building required to meet the 169
present needs. The resolution so adopted by the school board 170
shall be published once each week for three (3) consecutive weeks 171
in a newspaper having a general circulation in the school district 172
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 8 (icj\tb)
involved, with the first publication thereof to be made not less 173
than thirty (30) days prior to the date upon which the school 174
board is to act on the question of leasing a school building. If 175
no petition requesting an election is filed prior to such meeting 176
as hereinafter provided, then the school board may, by resolution 177
spread upon its minutes, proceed to lease a school building. If 178
at any time prior to said meeting a petition signed by not less 179
than twenty percent (20%) or fifteen hundred (1500), whichever is 180
less, of the qualified electors of the school district involved 181
shall be filed with the school board requesting that an election 182
be called on the question, then the school board shall, not later 183
than the next regular meeting, adopt a resolution calling an 184
election to be held within such school district upon the question 185
of authorizing the school board to lease a school building. Such 186
election shall be called and held, and notice thereof shall be 187
given, in the same manner for elections upon the questions of the 188
issuance of the bonds of school districts, and the results thereof 189
shall be certified to the school board. If at least three-fifths 190
(3/5) of the qualified electors of the school district who voted 191
in such election shall vote in favor of the leasing of a school 192
building, then the school board shall proceed to lease a school 193
building. The term of the lease contract shall not exceed twenty 194
(20) years, and the total cost of such lease shall be either the 195
amount of the lowest and best bid accepted by the school board 196
after advertisement for bids or an amount not to exceed the 197
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 9 (icj\tb)
current fair market value of the lease as determined by the 198
averaging of at least two (2) appraisals by certified general 199
appraisers licensed by the State of Mississippi. The term "school 200
building" as used in this paragraph (v)(i) shall be construed to 201
mean any building or buildings used for classroom purposes in 202
connection with the operation of schools and shall include the 203
site therefor, necessary support facilities, and the equipment 204
thereof and appurtenances thereto such as heating facilities, 205
water supply, sewage disposal, landscaping, walks, drives and 206
playgrounds. The term "lease" as used in this paragraph (v)(i) 207
may include a lease-purchase contract; 208
(ii) If two (2) or more school districts propose 209
to enter into a lease contract jointly, then joint meetings of the 210
school boards having control may be held but no action taken shall 211
be binding on any such school district unless the question of 212
leasing a school building is approved in each participating school 213
district under the procedure hereinabove set forth in paragraph 214
(v)(i). All of the provisions of paragraph (v)(i) regarding the 215
term and amount of the lease contract shall apply to the school 216
boards of school districts acting jointly. Any lease contract 217
executed by two (2) or more school districts as joint lessees 218
shall set out the amount of the aggregate lease rental to be paid 219
by each, which may be agreed upon, but there shall be no right of 220
occupancy by any lessee unless the aggregate rental is paid as 221
stipulated in the lease contract. All rights of joint lessees 222
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 10 (icj\tb)
under the lease contract shall be in proportion to the amount of 223
lease rental paid by each; 224
(w) To employ all noninstructional and noncertificated 225
employees and fix the duties and compensation of such personnel 226
deemed necessary pursuant to the recommendation of the 227
superintendent of schools; 228
(x) To employ and fix the duties and compensation of 229
such legal counsel as deemed necessary; 230
(y) Subject to rules and regulations of the State Board 231
of Education, to purchase, own and operate trucks, vans and other 232
motor vehicles, which shall bear the proper identification 233
required by law; 234
(z) To expend funds for the payment of substitute 235
teachers and to adopt reasonable regulations for the employment 236
and compensation of such substitute teachers; 237
(aa) To acquire in its own name by purchase all real 238
property which shall be necessary and desirable in connection with 239
the construction, renovation or improvement of any public school 240
building or structure. Whenever the purchase price for such real 241
property is greater than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00), the 242
school board shall not purchase the property for an amount 243
exceeding the fair market value of such property as determined by 244
the average of at least two (2) independent appraisals by 245
certified general appraisers licensed by the State of Mississippi. 246
If the board shall be unable to agree with the owner of any such 247
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 11 (icj\tb)
real property in connection with any such project, the board shall 248
have the power and authority to acquire any such real property by 249
condemnation proceedings pursuant to Section 11-27-1 et 250
seq., * * * and for such purpose, the right of eminent domain is 251
hereby conferred upon and vested in said board. Provided further, 252
that the local school board is authorized to grant an easement for 253
ingress and egress over sixteenth section land or lieu land in 254
exchange for a similar easement upon adjoining land where the 255
exchange of easements affords substantial benefit to the sixteenth 256
section land; provided, however, the exchange must be based upon 257
values as determined by a competent appraiser, with any 258
differential in value to be adjusted by cash payment. Any 259
easement rights granted over sixteenth section land under such 260
authority shall terminate when the easement ceases to be used for 261
its stated purpose. No sixteenth section or lieu land which is 262
subject to an existing lease shall be burdened by any such 263
easement except by consent of the lessee or unless the school 264
district shall acquire the unexpired leasehold interest affected 265
by the easement; 266
(bb) To charge reasonable fees related to the 267
educational programs of the district, in the manner prescribed in 268
Section 37-7-335; 269
(cc) Subject to rules and regulations of the State 270
Board of Education, to purchase relocatable classrooms for the use 271
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 12 (icj\tb)
of such school district, in the manner prescribed in Section 272
37-1-13; 273
(dd) Enter into contracts or agreements with other 274
school districts, political subdivisions or governmental entities 275
to carry out one or more of the powers or duties of the school 276
board, or to allow more efficient utilization of limited resources 277
for providing services to the public; 278
(ee) To provide for in-service training for employees 279
of the district; 280
(ff) As part of their duties to prescribe the use of 281
textbooks, to provide that parents and legal guardians shall be 282
responsible for the textbooks and for the compensation to the 283
school district for any books which are not returned to the proper 284
schools upon the withdrawal of their dependent child. If a 285
textbook is lost or not returned by any student who drops out of 286
the public school district, the parent or legal guardian shall 287
also compensate the school district for the fair market value of 288
the textbooks; 289
(gg) To conduct fund-raising activities on behalf of 290
the school district that the local school board, in its 291
discretion, deems appropriate or beneficial to the official or 292
extracurricular programs of the district; provided that: 293
(i) Any proceeds of the fund-raising activities 294
shall be treated as "activity funds" and shall be accounted for as 295
are other activity funds under this section; and 296
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 13 (icj\tb)
(ii) Fund-raising activities conducted or 297
authorized by the board for the sale of school pictures, the 298
rental of caps and gowns or the sale of graduation invitations for 299
which the school board receives a commission, rebate or fee shall 300
contain a disclosure statement advising that a portion of the 301
proceeds of the sales or rentals shall be contributed to the 302
student activity fund; 303
(hh) To allow individual lessons for music, art and 304
other curriculum-related activities for academic credit or 305
nonacademic credit during school hours and using school equipment 306
and facilities, subject to uniform rules and regulations adopted 307
by the school board; 308
(ii) To charge reasonable fees for participating in an 309
extracurricular activity for academic or nonacademic credit for 310
necessary and required equipment such as safety equipment, band 311
instruments and uniforms; 312
(jj) To conduct or participate in any fund-raising 313
activities on behalf of or in connection with a tax-exempt 314
charitable organization; 315
(kk) To exercise such powers as may be reasonably 316
necessary to carry out the provisions of this section; 317
(ll) To expend funds for the services of nonprofit arts 318
organizations or other such nonprofit organizations who provide 319
performances or other services for the students of the school 320
district; 321
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 14 (icj\tb)
(mm) To expend federal No Child Left Behind Act funds, 322
or any other available funds that are expressly designated and 323
authorized for that use, to pay training, educational expenses, 324
salary incentives and salary supplements to employees of local 325
school districts; except that incentives shall not be considered 326
part of the local supplement, nor shall incentives be considered 327
part of the local supplement paid to an individual teacher for the 328
purposes of Section 37-19-7(1); 329
(nn) To use any available funds, not appropriated or 330
designated for any other purpose, for reimbursement to the 331
state-licensed employees from both in state and out of state, who 332
enter into a contract for employment in a school district, for the 333
expense of moving when the employment necessitates the relocation 334
of the licensed employee to a different geographical area than 335
that in which the licensed employee resides before entering into 336
the contract. The reimbursement shall not exceed One Thousand 337
Dollars ($1,000.00) for the documented actual expenses incurred in 338
the course of relocating, including the expense of any 339
professional moving company or persons employed to assist with the 340
move, rented moving vehicles or equipment, mileage in the amount 341
authorized for county and municipal employees under Section 342
25-3-41 if the licensed employee used his personal vehicle or 343
vehicles for the move, meals and such other expenses associated 344
with the relocation. No licensed employee may be reimbursed for 345
moving expenses under this section on more than one (1) occasion 346
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 15 (icj\tb)
by the same school district. Nothing in this section shall be 347
construed to require the actual residence to which the licensed 348
employee relocates to be within the boundaries of the school 349
district that has executed a contract for employment in order for 350
the licensed employee to be eligible for reimbursement for the 351
moving expenses. However, the licensed employee must relocate 352
within the boundaries of the State of Mississippi. Any individual 353
receiving relocation assistance through the Critical Teacher 354
Shortage Act as provided in Section 37-159-5 shall not be eligible 355
to receive additional relocation funds as authorized in this 356
paragraph; 357
(oo) To use any available funds, not appropriated or 358
designated for any other purpose, to reimburse persons who 359
interview for employment as a licensed employee with the district 360
for the mileage and other actual expenses incurred in the course 361
of travel to and from the interview at the rate authorized for 362
county and municipal employees under Section 25-3-41; 363
(pp) Consistent with the report of the Task Force to 364
Conduct a Best Financial Management Practices Review, to improve 365
school district management and use of resources and identify cost 366
savings as established in Section 8 of Chapter 610, Laws of 2002, 367
local school boards are encouraged to conduct independent reviews 368
of the management and efficiency of schools and school districts. 369
Such management and efficiency reviews shall provide state and 370
local officials and the public with the following: 371
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 16 (icj\tb)
(i) An assessment of a school district's 372
governance and organizational structure; 373
(ii) An assessment of the school district's 374
financial and personnel management; 375
(iii) An assessment of revenue levels and sources; 376
(iv) An assessment of facilities utilization, 377
planning and maintenance; 378
(v) An assessment of food services, transportation 379
and safety/security systems; 380
(vi) An assessment of instructional and 381
administrative technology; 382
(vii) A review of the instructional management and 383
the efficiency and effectiveness of existing instructional 384
programs; and 385
(viii) Recommended methods for increasing 386
efficiency and effectiveness in providing educational services to 387
the public; 388
(qq) To enter into agreements with other local school 389
boards for the establishment of an educational service agency 390
(ESA) to provide for the cooperative needs of the region in which 391
the school district is located, as provided in Section 37-7-345; 392
(rr) To * * * incorporate financial literacy * * * 393
components within the curriculum offered to students in 394
Grades * * * 6-8. Current curriculum for Grades 6-12 shall 395
include content on financial literacy education. Each student, 396
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 17 (icj\tb)
during Grade 9, 10, 11 or 12, shall take and pass a one-half (1/2) 397
Carnegie Unit course, where at least one-half (1/2) of the course 398
standards concern financial literacy, in order to earn a high 399
school diploma. The financial literacy program shall include, but 400
is not limited to, instruction in the same areas of personal 401
business and finance as required under Section 37-1-3(2)(b). The 402
school board may coordinate with volunteer teachers from local 403
community organizations, including, but not limited to, the 404
following: United States Department of Agriculture Rural 405
Development, United States Department of Housing and Urban 406
Development, Junior Achievement, bankers and other nonprofit 407
organizations. * * * In addition to any financial literacy 408
standards administratively required by the State Department of 409
Education's College- and Career-Readiness course, the financial 410
literacy program for Grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 shall include, but 411
not be limited to: 412
(i) Financial decision-making; 413
(ii) Earning an income, tax obligations and 414
withholdings; 415
(iii) Personal budgeting, saving, spending and 416
cash-flow management; 417
(iv) Financial services, including types of 418
credit, using credit, credit reports and interest calculations; 419
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 18 (icj\tb)
(v) Postsecondary education financing, including 420
loans, repayment and cost-benefit analysis for expected 421
employment; and 422
(vi) Consumer rights, identity protection and 423
fraud avoidance. 424
(ss) To collaborate with the State Board of Education, 425
Community Action Agencies or the Department of Human Services to 426
develop and implement a voluntary program to provide services for 427
a prekindergarten program that addresses the cognitive, social, 428
and emotional needs of four-year-old and three-year-old children. 429
The school board may utilize any source of available revenue to 430
fund the voluntary program. Effective with the 2013-2014 school 431
year, to implement voluntary prekindergarten programs under the 432
Early Learning Collaborative Act of 2013 pursuant to state funds 433
awarded by the State Department of Education on a matching basis; 434
(tt) With respect to any lawful, written obligation of 435
a school district, including, but not limited to, leases 436
(excluding leases of sixteenth section public school trust land), 437
bonds, notes, or other agreement, to agree in writing with the 438
obligee that the Department of Revenue or any state agency, 439
department or commission created under state law may: 440
(i) Withhold all or any part (as agreed by the 441
school board) of any monies which such local school board is 442
entitled to receive from time to time under any law and which is 443
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 19 (icj\tb)
in the possession of the Department of Revenue, or any state 444
agency, department or commission created under state law; and 445
(ii) Pay the same over to any financial 446
institution, trustee or other obligee, as directed in writing by 447
the school board, to satisfy all or part of such obligation of the 448
school district. 449
The school board may make such written agreement to withhold 450
and transfer funds irrevocable for the term of the written 451
obligation and may include in the written agreement any other 452
terms and provisions acceptable to the school board. If the 453
school board files a copy of such written agreement with the 454
Department of Revenue, or any state agency, department or 455
commission created under state law then the Department of Revenue 456
or any state agency, department or commission created under state 457
law shall immediately make the withholdings provided in such 458
agreement from the amounts due the local school board and shall 459
continue to pay the same over to such financial institution, 460
trustee or obligee for the term of the agreement. 461
This paragraph (tt) shall not grant any extra authority to a 462
school board to issue debt in any amount exceeding statutory 463
limitations on assessed value of taxable property within such 464
school district or the statutory limitations on debt maturities, 465
and shall not grant any extra authority to impose, levy or collect 466
a tax which is not otherwise expressly provided for, and shall not 467
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 20 (icj\tb)
be construed to apply to sixteenth section public school trust 468
land; 469
(uu) With respect to any matter or transaction that is 470
competitively bid by a school district, to accept from any bidder 471
as a good-faith deposit or bid bond or bid surety, the same type 472
of good-faith deposit or bid bond or bid surety that may be 473
accepted by the state or any other political subdivision on 474
similar competitively bid matters or transactions. This paragraph 475
(uu) shall not be construed to apply to sixteenth section public 476
school trust land. The school board may authorize the investment 477
of any school district funds in the same kind and manner of 478
investments, including pooled investments, as any other political 479
subdivision, including community hospitals; 480
(vv) To utilize the alternate method for the conveyance 481
or exchange of unused school buildings and/or land, reserving a 482
partial or other undivided interest in the property, as 483
specifically authorized and provided in Section 37-7-485; 484
(ww) To delegate, privatize or otherwise enter into a 485
contract with private entities for the operation of any and all 486
functions of nonacademic school process, procedures and operations 487
including, but not limited to, cafeteria workers, janitorial 488
services, transportation, professional development, achievement 489
and instructional consulting services materials and products, 490
purchasing cooperatives, insurance, business manager services, 491
auditing and accounting services, school safety/risk prevention, 492
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 21 (icj\tb)
data processing and student records, and other staff services; 493
however, the authority under this paragraph does not apply to the 494
leasing, management or operation of sixteenth section lands. 495
Local school districts, working through their regional education 496
service agency, are encouraged to enter into buying consortia with 497
other member districts for the purposes of more efficient use of 498
state resources as described in Section 37-7-345; 499
(xx) To partner with entities, organizations and 500
corporations for the purpose of benefiting the school district; 501
(yy) To borrow funds from the Rural Economic 502
Development Authority for the maintenance of school buildings; 503
(zz) To fund and operate voluntary early childhood 504
education programs, defined as programs for children less than 505
five (5) years of age on or before September 1, and to use any 506
source of revenue for such early childhood education programs. 507
Such programs shall not conflict with the Early Learning 508
Collaborative Act of 2013; 509
(aaa) To issue and provide for the use of procurement 510
cards by school board members, superintendents and licensed school 511
personnel consistent with the rules and regulations of the 512
Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration under Section 513
31-7-9; and 514
( * * *aab) To conduct an annual comprehensive 515
evaluation of the superintendent of schools consistent with the 516
assessment components of paragraph (pp) of this section and the 517
S. B. No. 2483 *SS26/R580* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS26/R580
PAGE 22 (icj\tb)
ST: J.P. Wilemon, Jr., Financial Literacy Act;
enact.
assessment benchmarks established by the Mississippi School Board 518
Association to evaluate the success the superintendent has 519
attained in meeting district goals and objectives, the 520
superintendent's leadership skill and whether or not the 521
superintendent has established appropriate standards for 522
performance, is monitoring success and is using data for 523
improvement. 524
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 525
and after July 1, 2026. 526