MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Appropriations

By: Representatives McCoy, Scott (17th), Barnett (92nd), Livingston, McInnis, Peranich, Read, Schoby, Vince

House Bill 1807

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE COMMON SCHOOLS OF MISSISSIPPI, FOR THE MINIMUM EDUCATION PROGRAM AND FOR THE EDUCATION OF HOSPITALIZED AND EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1998.  

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

SECTION 1. The following sums, or so much thereof as may be necessary, are hereby appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, to the State Department of Education for the support and maintenance of the common schools of Mississippi and for the Minimum Education Program for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1997, and ending June 30, 1998, as follows:

For the support and maintenance

of the common schools

(Common School Fund) $ 5,000,000.00

An additional sum, to be known as

the Minimum Education Program Fund,

to be disbursed by the State Department

of Education in compliance with the laws

enacted at the Extraordinary Session

of 1953, as amended $1,006,823,716.00

Total $1,011,823,716.00

SECTION 2. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of the Education Enhancement Fund pursuant to Sections 27-65-75 and 27-67-31, Mississippi Code of 1972, to the State Department of Education for the purpose of providing Twelve Million Three Hundred Fifty-two Thousand Three Hundred Seven Dollars ($12,352,307.00) for transportation, Five Million Seven Hundred Thirty-four Thousand Eight Hundred Thirty-one Dollars ($5,734,831.00) for teacher assistants, Twenty-five Million One Hundred Seventy-six Thousand Three Hundred Fifteen Dollars ($25,176,315.00) for public school employee health insurance for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1997, and ending June 30, 1998 $ 43,263,453.00.

SECTION 3. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of the Education Enhancement Fund and deposited pursuant to Section 27-103-203 (1), Mississippi Code of 1972, for the public school employee health insurance for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1997, and ending June 30, 1998

$ 20,467,527.00.

SECTION 4. Of the funds appropriated to the Minimum Education Program Fund under the provisions of Sections 1, 2 and 3, the estimated amount that shall be expended in each of the following elements of the Minimum Education Program shall be:

District Administration: Salaries............$ 2,878,042.00

Fringe Benefits..... 457,609.00

Local Administration: Salaries............ 1,773,308.00

Fringe Benefits..... 281,956.00

Teacher Compensation:

Regular Units: Salaries............ 517,088,882.00

Fringe Benefits..... 82,217,132.00

Special Education Units: Salaries............ 111,249,025.00

Fringe Benefits..... 17,688,595.00

Gifted Education Units: Salaries............ 19,259,280.00 Fringe Benefits..... 3,062,226.00

Vocational Units: Salaries............ 28,803,232.00

Fringe Benefits..... 4,579,714.00

Teacher Assistants: Salaries............ 39,866,120.00

Fringe Benefits..... 6,338,713.00

Supportive Services:

Regular: Salaries............ 104,099,546.00

Fringe Benefits..... 16,551,828.00

Insurance.................................. 80,230,467.00

Transportation: Operations........... 49,052,307.00 Alternative Schools............................ 15,443,540.00

Extended School Term for

Handicapped Students......................... 1,200,000.00

Bus Driver Training............................ 144,800.00

Orthopedic and Aphasic......................... 650,000.00

Total Cost................................$1,102,916,322.00

Less: Ad Valorem Tax................. 24,000,000.00

Severance Tax.................. 3,361,626.00

Appropriated Amount.......................$1,075,554,696.00

The above sum is intended to provide a level of support for eighteen thousand thirty-four (18,034) regular teacher units, four thousand one hundred fifteen (4,115) special education teacher units, six hundred ninety (690) gifted education teacher units, one thousand forty-eight (1,048) vocational teacher units and four thousand eight hundred forty-four (4,844) teacher assistant units.

Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with the terms, conditions, and procedures established by general law.

No general funds authorized to be expended herein shall be used to replace federal funds and/or other special funds which are being used for salaries authorized under the provisions of this act and which are withdrawn and no longer available.

The State Department of Education, in reporting expenditures and disbursements to the Legislature, shall report the amounts expended and disbursed in categories corresponding to the elements outlined in this section.

SECTION 5. The State Department of Education is authorized to transfer district allotments for insurance separately from regular Minimum Program allotments to insure funds are received by school districts for timely payment of premiums.

SECTION 6. In compliance with the "Mississippi Performance Budget and Strategic Planning Act of 1994," it is the intent of the Legislature that the funds provided herein shall be utilized in the most efficient and effective manner possible to achieve the intended mission of this agency. Based on the funding authorized, this agency shall make every effort to attain the targeted performance measures provided below:

FY98

Performance Measures Target

Minimum Program

Regular Education

Teacher units funded (units) 18,034

Teacher assistants (persons) 4,844

Cost per student served (dollars) $1,560.00

Special Education

Teacher units funded (units) 4,115

Students served (persons) 68,143

Cost per student served (dollars) $2,157.00

Vocational Education

Teacher units funded (units) 1,048

Students served (persons) 56,862

Cost per student served (dollars) $667.00

Gifted Education

Teacher units funded (units) 690

Students served (persons) 27,600

Cost per student served (dollars) $911.00

Alternative Schools

Students served (persons) 4,255

Cost per student served (dollars) $3,629.00

Transportation

Students transported (persons) 397,000

Cost per student transported (dollars) $124.00

Insurance

Participants (persons) 45,621

Cost per participant (dollars) $1,608.00

Special Programs

Extended school year program

students (persons) 1,075

Orthopedic/aphasic program students (persons) 200

Cost per orthopedic/aphasic student

(dollars) $3,250

A reporting of the degree to which the performance targets set above have been or are being achieved shall be provided in the agency's budget request submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee for Fiscal Year 1999.

SECTION 7. Should revenues generated and deposited to the Education Enhancement Fund pursuant to Section 27-103-203(1), Mississippi Code of 1972, and apportioned pursuant to Section 37-61-33(6), Mississippi Code of 1972, fall below funds appropriated herein from said source, the State Department of Education shall notify the Department of Finance and Administration as to which allotments shall be reduced to insure expenditures do not exceed actual revenues.

SECTION 8. The money herein appropriated under the provisions of Section 1 shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, and the money appropriated under the provisions of Sections 2 and 3 shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of any money in the appropriate special fund, upon warrants issued by the State Fiscal Officer; and the State Fiscal Officer shall issue his warrants upon requisitions signed by the proper person, officer or officers, in the manner provided by law.

SECTION 9. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1997.