MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1998 Regular Session

To: Education; Appropriations

By: Senator(s) Ferris

Senate Bill 2857

AN ACT TO PROVIDE SALARY SUPPLEMENTS AND COURSEWORK REIMBURSEMENT FOR ASSISTANT TEACHERS WHO HAVE COMPLETED CERTAIN CREDIT HOURS TOWARD AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN READING/LANGUAGE ARTS TO BE DEVELOPED BY THE STATE BOARD FOR COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING AND APPROVED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION; TO PROVIDE SALARY SUPPLEMENTS AND COURSEWORK REIMBURSEMENT FOR ELEMENTARY TEACHERS IN GRADES K-3 WHO HAVE COMPLETED CERTAIN CREDIT HOURS TOWARD A DEGREE ENDORSEMENT IN ELEMENTARY READING EDUCATION; TO PROVIDE FOR THE PAYMENT OF SUCH SALARY SUPPLEMENTS AND REIMBURSEMENT FROM STATE APPROPRIATED FUNDS BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

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

 

SECTION 1. (1) There is established an Assistant Teacher Reading Initiative. The State Board for Community and Junior Colleges and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall establish a curriculum in elementary reading instruction for assistant teachers to achieve an associate degree in reading/language arts to be approved by the State Board of Education. From and after the 1998-1999 school year and beginning with the next school year following the semester in which an assistant teacher meets the credit hour requirements, any assistant teacher who shall have completed nine (9) credit hours of the established curriculum in elementary reading instruction approved by the State Board of Education shall receive a One Thousand Dollar ($1,000.00) salary supplement in addition to any other compensation to which the assistant teacher may be entitled. In addition, any assistant teacher taking such reading instruction curriculum shall be reimbursed for the actual cost for tuition, books, materials and fees at the community college or university in which the assistant teacher is enrolled, not to exceed an amount equal to the highest total cost of tuition, books, materials and fees assessed by a Mississippi institution of higher learning during that school year. The State Board shall allow assistant teachers to take the approved curriculum at any baccalaureate degree-granting institution of higher learning in the State of Mississippi accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and approved by the Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation, or any accredited nonprofit community or junior college in Mississippi. In order to qualify for the salary supplements or tuition reimbursement authorized under this section, the applicant shall be employed full time as an assistant teacher in a local school district. All such salary supplements and reimbursement shall be paid directly by the State Department of Education to the local school district and shall be in addition to its minimum education program or adequate education program allotments and not a part thereof, in accordance with regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education, and shall be subject to specific appropriation therefor by the Legislature.

(2) There is established a K-3 Teacher Reading Initiative. From and after the 1998-1999 school year and beginning with the next school year following the semester in which a licensed teacher meets the credit hour requirements, any teacher in Grades K through 3 who shall have completed nine (9) credit hours toward a degree endorsement in elementary reading education or the established curriculum in elementary reading instruction approved by the State Board of Education under subsection (1) shall receive a One Thousand Dollar ($1,000.00) salary supplement in addition to any other compensation to which the teacher may be entitled. In addition, any teacher taking such reading instruction curriculum shall be reimbursed for the actual cost for tuition, books, materials and fees at the community college or university in which the teacher is enrolled, not to exceed an amount equal to the highest total cost of tuition, books, materials and fees assessed by a Mississippi institution of higher learning during that school year. The State Board shall allow teachers to take such curriculum at any baccalaureate degree-granting institution of higher learning in the State of Mississippi accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and approved by the Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation, or any accredited nonprofit community or junior college in Mississippi. In order to qualify for the salary supplements or tuition reimbursement authorized under this section, the applicant shall be employed full time as an elementary teacher K-3 in a local school district. All such salary supplements and reimbursement shall be paid directly by the State Department of Education to the local school district and shall be in addition to its minimum education program or adequate education program allotments and not a part thereof, in accordance with regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education, and shall be subject to specific appropriation therefor by the Legislature.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1998.