MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Education; Appropriations

By: Senator(s) Turner

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-22-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT SECOND LEVEL FUNDING PROGRAM FUNDS IN ADDITION TO MINIMUM EDUCATION PROGRAM FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO NEWLY ESTABLISHED REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL CENTERS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 37-22-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-22-3. There is herein provided a Second Level Funding Program which shall qualify any school district within a county wherein there is only one (1) school district located for additional state funding on an annual basis. The nonparticipation of any line consolidated school district to conform their district administration to receive second level funding under the provisions of this section shall not prohibit the participation of any other school districts located within any of the affected counties in such funding program. In the event the board of trustees of a line consolidated school district elects to participate in second level funding, it shall merge its administration with the county in which the majority of its facilities are located. The State Board of Education shall designate the county in which the majority of such line consolidated district facilities are located in accordance with its established inventory of school district facilities. The school boards in any such county having only one (1) school district on July 1, 1989, and the school boards in any county having more than one (1) school district which hereafter adopts a plan for the transition of all administrative functions into one (1) school district for such county, shall qualify for this Second Level Funding Program. Any uniform millage assistance grant received by an agricultural high school shall not affect the granting of second level funding grants to any school district under the provisions of this section; and any agricultural high school located in such school district shall also be eligible for such second level funding grants. The state funds available to such school district for the Second Level Funding Program shall be Thirty-six Dollars ($36.00) per pupil in average daily attendance. The total state funds needed for the Second Level Funding Program annually shall be the total of the amounts needed by all of the school districts in the state having one (1) school district within the county. Second Level Funding Program funds shall also be available to any two (2) or more school districts within a county which jointly establish a regional high school center pursuant to Section 37-7-417, Mississippi Code of 1972. In order to qualify for additional state funds under this provision, the newly established regional high school shall be the only high school in operation in the county. The State Second Level Funding Program Fund is hereby established in the State Treasury which shall be used to distribute the funds to school districts entitled under the provisions of this section. Any such funds shall be transferred to the school district maintenance fund of such district in the manner prescribed in Section 37-19-47, Mississippi Code of 1972, and shall be expended in the manner provided by law for classroom instructional purposes.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2000.