MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2002 Regular Session

To: Education

By: Senator(s) Harden

Senate Bill 2317

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-7-339, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DELETE THE AUTOMATIC REPEALER ON THE AUTHORITY OF LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS TO PROVIDE EXTENDED SCHOOL DAY AND EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAMS AND ON LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT INSTRUCTIONAL HOME RULE AUTHORITY; 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 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 nonminimum or nonadequate education program sources.  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 June 30, 2002.