MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Education

By: Representative Frierson

House Bill 1452

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-9-23, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PRESCRIBE CERTAIN PROVISIONS THAT MUST BE INCLUDED IN TEACHER CONTRACTS AND TO REQUIRE SUCH CONTRACTS TO BE DELIVERED TO TEACHERS BEFORE MAY 16, 1996; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 37-9-23, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-9-23. The superintendent shall enter into a contract with each assistant superintendent, principal and certificated employee elected and approved for employment by the school board. Such contracts shall be in such form as * * * 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 delivered to the principal or certificated employee contracted with before May 16 of each year. The contract shall show the name of the hiring school district, the beginning and ending dates of the scholastic year, the beginning and ending dates of the school term, the position held (whether an assistant superintendent, principal or certificated employee), to be paid to the employee, the certification level and number of years of experience on which the salary is based, the scholastic years which it covers, the total amount of the annual salary and how the annual salary 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 certificated employees paid in whole or in part with minimum education program funds, such salary shall not be less than that required under the provisions of Chapter 19 of this title. In addition, contracts with certificated employees also shall include a description of the employee's assignment for the contract year, the number of days in the school term required of certificated employees, a citation to all state laws pertaining to the employment of certificated employees, the heading of and a statement summarizing all laws cited, instructions on how the employee may obtain copies of the laws cited, and a statement of the nondiscrimination policy of the school district. If any superintendent, other than those elected, principal or certificated employee 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 certificated employee and the contract tendered to him shall be void and of no effect.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.