Bill Text: MS SB2716 | 2016 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Local school boards; prescribe educational qualifications and compensation.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Failed) 2016-03-07 - Died On Calendar [SB2716 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2016-SB2716-Comm_Sub.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2016 Regular Session
To: Education
By: Senator(s) Blackwell
Senate Bill 2716
(COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-7-306, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PRESCRIBE QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERS OF LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS; TO AMEND SECTION 37-6-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT MEMBERS OF LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS MAY APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 37-7-306, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-7-306. (1) Every school board member selected after July 1, 2002, shall have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
(2) Every school board member selected after July 1, 1993, shall be required to complete a basic course of training and education for local school board members, in order for board members to carry out their duties more effectively and be exposed to new ideas involving school restructuring. Such basic course of training shall be conducted by the Mississippi School Boards Association. Upon completion of the basic course of training, the Mississippi School Boards Association shall file a certificate of completion for the school board member with the office of the local school board. In the event that a board member fails to complete such training within six (6) months of his selection, such board member shall no longer be qualified to serve and shall be removed from office.
(3) In addition to meeting the requirements of subsection (2) of this section, after taking office, each school board member shall be required to file annually in the office of the school board a certificate of completion of a course of continuing education conducted by the Mississippi School Boards Association. In addition, those board members required to attend the additional training as provided in Section 37-3-4(5)(c) shall be required to comply with the annual certification provided herein for such additional training.
(4) Every school board member selected after July 1, 2002, shall spend at least one (1) full day in a school in the district they represent, without compensation.
(5) Every school board member selected after July 1, 2016, shall meet the following qualifications: A candidate for school board shall have at a minimum an associate degree from an accredited junior or community college or a minimum of sixty (60) semester hours from an accredited junior college, community college or four-year college or university. Proof of said requirement in the form of a certified transcript shall be made at the time the candidate qualifies to run for office.
( * * *6) Upon the failure of any local
school board member to file with the school board the certificate of completion
of the basic or continuing course of training as provided in subsection (2) or
(3) of this section, or the additional training as required in Section 37-3-4(5)(c),
or the additional educational qualifications as required in subsection (5)
of this section, the school board member shall be removed from office by
the Attorney General. In the event of a medical or other catastrophic hardship
that prevents such school board member from obtaining the required training or
filing such certificate, as may be defined by the Board of Directors of the
Mississippi School Boards Association by rule and regulation, an additional
period of three (3) months may be allowed to satisfy the requirements of
subsection (2) or (3).
SECTION 2. Section 37-6-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-6-13. (1) Each person
serving as a member of the school board of any school district shall receive
per diem in the amount of Sixty-seven Dollars ($67.00) for no more than thirty-six
(36) meetings of the school board during any one (1) fiscal year or, in his or
her discretion, irrevocably may choose to receive as compensation for his or
her services an annual salary in the amount of Two Thousand Four Hundred
Dollars ($2,400.00), which choice shall remain in force for all successive
terms or periods of service of that member. The receipt of the compensation
shall not entitle any member of a school board to receive or be eligible for
any state employee group insurance, * * * however,
upon application the school district may make application for membership of the
local school board in the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). Each
member shall be reimbursed for the necessary expenses and mileage in attending
meetings of the school board. In addition to the foregoing, all members may be
reimbursed for mileage and actual expenses incurred in the further performance
of their duties, including attendance at any mandatory school board training
session or at regional and national education meetings, when such mileage and
other expenses are authorized by the board prior to the date on which they
occur. Detailed vouchers shall be submitted for reimbursement for all expenses
authorized by this section. Such reimbursement shall be in accordance with
Section 25-3-41.
Such expenses shall be paid on order of the school board by pay certificates issued by the superintendent of the school district involved against the funds available for payment of the administrative expense of the district.
(2) (a) School board members shall be required to meet at a minimum of twice monthly on separate days of the week.
( * * *b) If a member of a school board
misses twenty percent (20%) or more of the meetings of the school board during
a calendar year, except for absences caused by required military duty, the
member must reimburse the school district that portion of the total salary paid
to the member that year which is proportionate to the number of meetings missed
by the member in relation to the total number of school board meetings held
during that year. For purposes of this subsection, consideration may be given
only to meetings of which public notice is required.
( * * *c) Before February 1 of each year, the
president of each local school board shall submit a report to the State Board
of Education containing the names of any members of the school board who missed
twenty percent (20%) or more of the school board meetings during the preceding
calendar year.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2016, and shall stand repealed from and after June 30, 2016.
