House Bill 494

(As Passed the House)

AN ACT TO REENACT SECTION 37-7-339, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH AUTHORIZES LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PROVIDE EXTENDED DAY AND EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAMS AND TO ADOPT POLICIES, WITH REGARD TO INSTRUCTION, FOR WHICH THERE IS NO SPECIFIC GENERAL LAW OR AGENCY REGULATION; TO AMEND REENACTED SECTION 37-7-339, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DELETE THE REPEALER ON THAT SECTION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 37-7-339, Mississippi Code of 1972, is reenacted and amended as follows:

37-7-339. (1) The school board of any local school district, in its discretion, may provide extended day and extended school year programs for kindergarten or compulsory-school-age students, or both, and may expend any funds for these purposes which are available from * * * sources other than the adequate education program. It is not the intent of the Legislature, in enacting this section, to interfere with the Headstart program. School boards, in their discretion, may charge participants a reasonable fee for such programs.

(2) The school board of any school district may adopt any orders, policies, rules or regulations with respect to instruction within that school district for which no specific provision has been made by general law and which are not inconsistent with the Mississippi Constitution of 1890, the Mississippi Code of 1972, or any order, policy, rule or regulation of the State Board of Education; those school boards also may alter, modify and repeal any orders, policies, rules or regulations enacted under this subsection. Any such program pertaining to reading must further the goal that Mississippi students will demonstrate a growing proficiency in reading and will reach or exceed the national average within the next decade.

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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2002.