Bill Text: MS HB828 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Scholastic year; establish as August 1 - July 31 for all school districts.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2014-02-04 - Died In Committee [HB828 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2014-HB828-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2014 Regular Session
To: Education
By: Representative Moore
House Bill 828
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-13-62, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ESTABLISH A UNIFORM SCHOLASTIC YEAR FOR ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS BEGINNING AUGUST 1 AND ENDING THE FOLLOWING JULY 31; TO AMEND SECTION 37-13-61, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CLARIFY THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD OF EACH LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY ESTABLISH THE OPENING AND CLOSING DATES OF THE SCHOOL TERM WITHIN A SCHOLASTIC YEAR, SUBJECT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SCHOOL START DATE ACT AND THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF REQUIRED DAYS; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 37-9-23, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH RELATES TO THE FORM AND EXECUTION OF CONTRACTS WITH LICENSED SCHOOL EMPLOYEES, FOR PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 37-13-62, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-13-62. (1) This section shall be known and may be cited as the School Start Date Act.
(2) Beginning with the 2014—2015 school year, all public elementary or secondary schools under the jurisdiction of the State Board of Education shall begin the new academic year of instruction for students on or after the third Monday in August.
(3) The provisions of subsection (2) of this section shall not apply to the Mississippi School for the Blind and the Mississippi School for the Deaf.
(4) Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, the scholastic year for each school district begins on the first day of August and ends on the last day of the next succeeding July.
SECTION 2. Section 37-13-61, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-13-61. The local school board shall have the power and authority to fix the date for the opening and closing of the school term, subject to the requirements of the School Start Date Act prescribed under Section 37-13-62 and the minimum number of days which schools must be in session during a scholastic year, as prescribed under Section 37-13-63. However, local school boards are authorized to keep school in session in excess of the minimum number of days prescribed in Section 37-13-63.
SECTION 3. Section 37-9-23, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows:
37-9-23. The superintendent shall enter into a contract with each assistant superintendent, principal, licensed employee and person anticipating graduation from an approved teacher education program or the issuance of a proper license before October 15 or February 15, as the case may be, who is elected and approved for employment by the school board. Such contracts shall be in such form as shall be prescribed by the State Board of Education and shall be executed in duplicate with one (1) copy to be retained by the appropriate superintendent and one (1) copy to be retained by the principal, licensed employee or person recommended for a licensed position contracted with. The contract shall show the name of the district, the length of the school term, the position held (whether an assistant superintendent, principal or licensed employee), the scholastic years which it covers, the total amount of the annual salary and how same is payable. The amount of salary to be shown in such contract shall be the amount which shall have been fixed and determined by the school board, but, as to the licensed employees paid in whole or in part with adequate education program funds, such salary shall not be less than that required under the provisions of Chapter 19 of this title. Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, the contract shall include a provision allowing the school district to reduce the state minimum salary by a pro rata daily amount in order to comply with the school district employee furlough provisions of Section 37-7-308, and shall include a provision which conditions the payment of such salary upon the availability of adequate education funds provided for salaries. The contract entered into with any person recommended for a licensed position who is anticipating either graduation from an approved teacher education program before September 1 or December 31, as the case may be, or the issuance of a proper license before October 15 or February 15, as the case may be, shall be a conditional contract and shall include a provision stating that the contract will be null and void if, as specified in the contract, the contingency upon which the contract is conditioned has not occurred. If any superintendent, other than those elected, principal, licensed employee or person recommended for a licensed position who has been elected and approved shall not execute and return the contract within ten (10) days after same has been tendered to him for execution, then, at the option of the school board, the election of the licensed employee and the contract tendered to him shall be void and of no effect.
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2014.
