MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2022 Regular Session
To: Appropriations
By: Representatives Read, Bennett, Barton, Boyd, Busby, Clark, Clarke, Currie, Eure, Haney, Jackson, Sanford, Watson, Young, Stamps
AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF FUNDING K-12 AND OTHER RELATED EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING CERTAIN AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS, IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. The following sums, or so much of those sums as may be necessary, are appropriated out of any money in the State General Fund not otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of funding K-12 and other related educational activities, including certain agencies and programs, in the State of Mississippi, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023, as follows:
(a) To the State Board of Education for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the State Department of Education, and excluding the expenses of the Vocational and Technical Education Division............................................ $ 320,253,698.00.
(b) To the State Board of Education for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Vocational and Technical Education Division of the State Department of Education............................
........................................... $ 76,688,587.00.
(c) To the State Board of Education for the purpose of paying annual compensation to the Chickasaw Cession counties for sixteenth section lands which they lost through sale by the state, as provided in Sections 29-3-137 through 29-3-141, Mississippi Code of 1972.... $ 18,967,201.00.
(d) To the State Board of Education for defraying the expenses of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program............
........................................... $ 2,117,035,934.00.
TOTAL AMOUNT OF STATE GENERAL FUNDS APPROPRIATED
BY THIS SECTION BEING....................$ 2,532,945,420.00.
SECTION 2. The following sums, or so much of those sums as may be necessary, are appropriated out of any money in any special fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the proper fund or funds of the agencies or programs specified in the following paragraphs for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023, as follows:
(a) To the State Board of Education for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the State Department of Education, excluding the expenses of the Vocational and Technical Education Division. $ 1,963,185,280.00.
(b) To the State Board of Education for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Vocational and Technical Education Division of the State Department of Education............................
........................................... $ 21,693,254.00.
(c) To the State Board of Education for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program $ 245,112,197.00.
TOTAL AMOUNT OF SPECIAL FUNDS APPROPRIATED
BY THIS SECTION BEING.................. $ 2,229,990,731.00.
SECTION 3. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2, One Hundred Twenty-six Thousand Four Hundred Seventy-two Dollars ($126,472.00), or so much of that sum as may be necessary, is appropriated out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Health Care Expendable Fund to the State Department of Education for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the department for the Mississippi Eye Screening Program for providing vision safety services.
SECTION 4. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2, the following sums, or so much of those sums as may be necessary, are derived out of any money in the State Treasury to the credit of the Education Enhancement Fund pursuant to Sections 27-65-75 and 27-67-31, Mississippi Code of 1972, as follows:
(a) To the State Department of Education, excluding the expenses of the Vocational and Technical Education Division, for the following purposes:
Literacy Initiative and Assessment........... $ 6,805,774.00
Educable Child.............................. $ 7,000,000.00
Grants to school districts for
capital facilities and buses............ $ 16,000,000.00
Instructional materials..................... $ 20,000,000.00
Students with Special Needs................. $ 1,800,000.00
Implementing Performance-Based Data
Collection and Accreditation
Model.................................. $ 274,937.00
Testing..................................... $ 6,125,670.00
Mississippi School for Math and
Science................................ $ 125,000.00
Mississippi School for Fine Arts. ........... $ 125,000.00
Early Learning Collaboratives................ $ 8,210,526.00
Early Learning Coaches...................... $ 1,500,000.00
Math Coaches................................ $ 5,000,000.00
WorkKeys, Advanced Placement, dual
credit, International Baccalaureate,
Cambridge, diploma
endorsements........................... $ 1,000,000.00
Mississippi Student Information
System................................. $ 7,649,540.00
Vocational Technical Grants................. $ 1,000,000.00
Mississippi School for the Deaf
and Blind.............................. $ 1,207,037.00
TOTAL....................................... $ 83,823,484.00
(b) To the State Department of Education to defray the expenses of the Vocational and Technical Education Division......
........................................... $ 5,637,258.00.
(c) To the State Department of Education to provide funding for the Mississippi Adequate Education Program..................
..............................................$ 225,112,197.00.
SECTION 5. Of the funds appropriated in this act, the following positions are authorized for the State Department of Education, excluding the expenses of the Vocational and Technical Education Division:
AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:
Permanent: Full Time............ 307
Part Time............ 3
Time-Limited: Full Time............ 160
Part Time............ 0
Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with the terms, conditions and procedures established by law or allowable under the terms set forth within this act. The State Personnel Board shall not escalate positions without written approval from the Department of Finance and Administration. The Department of Finance and Administration shall not provide written approval to escalate any funds for salaries and/or positions without proof of availability of new or additional funds above the appropriated level.
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.
None of the funds herein appropriated shall be used in violation of Internal Revenue Service’s Publication 15-A relating to the reporting of income paid to contract employees, as interpreted by the Office of the State Auditor.
Funds have been appropriated herein for the purpose of funding Project SEC2 minimum salaries for all employees covered under the Colonel Guy Groff/Neville Kenning Variable Compensation Plan. It shall be the agency’s responsibility to ensure that the funds are used to increase all employees’ salaries up to the minimum level as determined by the State Personnel Board.
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 in this act shall be utilized in the most efficient and effective manner possible to achieve the intended mission of the State Department of Education, excluding the expenses of the Vocational and Technical Education Division. Based on the funding authorized, this agency shall make every effort to attain the targeted performance measures provided below:
FY2023
Performance Measures Target
Special Education
Number of Special Education Teachers (FTE) 6,188
Number of Gifted Education Teachers 805
Percent Increase of Children with
Disabilities in General Education Early
Childhood Programs while Decreasing the
Percent in Self-Contained Special
Education Early Childhood Classrooms 76.00
General Administration
Total Dollars Spent on General
Administration 26,532,257.00
Percent of Total Budget Spent on General
Administration 18.58
Create a Public-Facing Data System for
All Stakeholders (%) 100.00
Create a User-Friendly Website for the
Public & School Districts to Access Data
to Make Decisions (%) 100.00
Create a Roadmap to Improve the
Mississippi Student Information System
(%) 100.00
Number of Research Results Published to
Support Improved Student Outcomes &
Teacher Effectiveness 9
Graduation & Career Readiness
Percent Increase of Students Graduating
from High School Ready for College or
Career in Each Subgroup 88.00
Early Childhood Education
Percent Increase of Kindergarten
Students Achieving End-Of-Year Target
Score on Kindergarten Readiness
Post-Test 68.88
Percent Increase of Early Learning
Collaborative Sites Meeting Required
Rate of Readiness 95.00
Number of Students Enrolled in Title I
or Locally Funded Pre-K Classes 8,022
Teacher Tng & Professional Dev
Reduce the Proportion of Inexperienced &
Non-Certified Teachers in Schools That
Are High Poverty (%) 80.00
Reduce the Proportion of Inexperienced &
Non-Certified Teachers in Schools That
Are High Minority (%) 31.00
Percent Increase of Districts Reporting
Professional Growth System (PGS) Ratings
for Teachers & Leaders 51.08
Percent Increase of Teacher Candidates
Passing Licensure Exams on the First
Attempt 25.00
Increase the Number of Licensed, Diverse
Teachers & Leaders 24
Elementary Education
Percent Increase of Students who Pass
the 3rd Grade Reading Assessment at the
First Administration in Each Subgroup 80.00
Secondary Education
Increase the Number of Students
Participating in & Passing Advanced
Placement (AP), International
Baccalaureate (IB) & Cambridge Exams in
Each Subgroup 37.00
Percent Increase of Students Ready for
College as Measured by Meeting ACT
Benchmarks in Each
Content Area (Public School Class Data,
Grade 11) 11.00
Assessment & Development
Increase the Percent of Students
Proficient (Levels 4-5) on Statewide
Assessments (Grades 3-8 & High School
Composite) in Each Subgroup 50.07
Decrease the Percent of Students Scoring
Levels 1-3 on Statewide Assessments in
Each Subgroup 49.93
Increase Percent of Pre-Kindergarten
Students in Public Schools Attaining
Kindergarten Readiness on the Pre-K
End-Of-Year Assessment 72.00
School Performance
Percent of Schools Rated "C" or Higher 77.00
Percent of Districts Rated "C" or Higher 72.90
Percent of Students Demonstrating Growth
on Statewide ELA Assessments in Each
Subgroup 65.63
Percent of Students Demonstrating Growth
on Statewide Math Assessments in Each
Subgroup 64.43
Percent of Students Participating in
Dual Credit in Each Subgroup 50.00
Percent of Students Passing Dual Credit
in Each Subgroup 98.00
Increase the Growth of D & F Districts
Demonstrating Growth, by Improving the
Letter Grade
and/or Increasing the Number of Points
within a Letter Grade 76.00
Increase the Growth of D & F Schools by
Improving the Letter Grade and/or
Increasing the Number of Points within a
Letter Grade 70.00
Increase the Growth of Districts of
Transformation by Improving the Letter
Grade and/or Increasing the Number of
Points within a Letter Grade 100.00
Increase the Growth of Schools Under
Districts of Transformation by Improving
the Letter Grade and/or Increasing the
Number of Points within a Letter Grade 100.00
Decrease the Number of High Schools
Rated D or F 55
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 2024.
SECTION 7. No school district shall expend any funds, received under the School Ad Valorem Reduction Grant, unless such school district has specifically identified the amount of the grant within the published budget as required by Section 37-61-9, Mississippi Code of 1972. The published budget shall include the following statement: "Ad Valorem taxes will be $________ less as a result of the Ad Valorem Reduction Grants enacted by the Mississippi Legislature in 1992."
SECTION 8. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2, funds in the amount of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) shall come from income derived from the principal of the Education Improvement Trust Fund created by Section 206A, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, and One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) shall be used for the School for Math and Science.
SECTION 9. Of the funds appropriated under the provisions of this act, the following positions are authorized for the Vocational and Technical Education Division of the State Department of Education:
AUTHORIZED POSITIONS:
Permanent: Full Time............ 48
Part Time............ 0
Time-Limited: Full Time............ 5
Part Time............ 0
Any transfers or escalations shall be made in accordance with the terms, conditions and procedures established by law or allowable under the terms set forth within this act. The State Personnel Board shall not escalate positions without written approval from the Department of Finance and Administration. The Department of Finance and Administration shall not provide written approval to escalate any funds for salaries and/or positions without proof of availability of new or additional funds above the appropriated level.
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.
None of the funds herein appropriated shall be used in violation of Internal Revenue Service’s Publication 15-A relating to the reporting of income paid to contract employees, as interpreted by the Office of the State Auditor.
Funds have been appropriated herein for the purpose of funding Project SEC2 minimum salaries for all employees covered under the Colonel Guy Groff/Neville Kenning Variable Compensation Plan. It shall be the agency’s responsibility to ensure that the funds are used to increase all employees’ salaries up to the minimum level as determined by the State Personnel Board.
SECTION 10. Of the funds appropriated in this act, an amount not to exceed Two Hundred Twenty-nine Thousand Six Hundred Eighty-four Dollars ($229,684.00) is authorized for the support of vocational and technical education programs as authorized in Section 37-31-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, for a period in excess of ten (10) months in a calendar year.
SECTION 11. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Vocational and Technical Education Division of the State Department of Education shall, with the funds appropriated in Section 1, transfer no more than Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00) to the Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission for the purpose of providing matching funds to purchase soil conservation equipment.
SECTION 12. Of the funds appropriated in this act, no more than One Hundred Seventy-five Thousand Dollars ($175,000.00) is provided for the purpose of supporting the Future Farmers of America Center.
SECTION 13. The State Department of Education shall transfer the designated amounts to the appropriate entities, which shall assume full responsibility for the expenditure of these funds in accordance with state laws and accept all responsibility for any improper expenditure, for the following:
Detention Centers.......................... $ 1,200,000.00.
Dubard School.............................. $ 627,000.00.
Dyslexia Program........................... $ 225,000.00.
Jobs for MS Graduates, Inc................. $ 600,000.00.
Stride..................................... $ 600,000.00.
Amplify Data Coaching...................... $ 800,000.00.
Magnolia Speech School..................... $ 800,000.00.
Principal Corp.............................. $ 200,000.00.
Sight Savers................................ $ 300,000.00.
Teach for America........................... $ 1,250,000.00.
Teacher Corp................................ $ 200,000.00.
Children's Center for Comm & Develop......... $ 734,000.00.
Vision Screening Research................... $ 225,000.00.
Algebra Nation.............................. $ 775,000.00.
Save the Children........................... $ 125,000.00.
Mississippi Construction Education Program... $ 212,500.00.
T. K. Martin Center......................... $ 25,000.00.
Jumpstart ACT............................... $ 200,000.00.
Mastery Prep................................ $ 150,000.00.
Lighthouse Academy for Dyslexia.............. $ 200,000.00.
Total....................................... $ 9,448,500.00.
SECTION 14. Of the funds appropriated in this act, an amount not to exceed One Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000.00) shall be used for technological methods for agricultural programs, computer science, engineering or robotic engineering programs and equipment upgrades and Mississippi Elementary (ME) STEM and STEAM programs from the Career and Technical Education Division of the State Department of Education. All programs must meet Mississippi Science Standards and/or College and Career Standards.
Of the funds appropriated in this section, an amount not to exceed One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) shall be distributed to the Mississippi State University Center for Cyber Education and used for computer science programs development and teacher training for elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools for the purpose of developing K-12 computer science curricula, including both academic and career and technical education programs, developing and delivering teacher training, and working with the State Board of Education and Institutions of Higher Learning in the state to develop teacher preparation programs for computer science endorsements. All programs must meet the 2018 Mississippi Computer Science Standards and/or Mississippi College and Career Standards.
SECTION 15. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1, the sum of Sixty-two Thousand One Hundred Ninety-one Dollars ($62,191.00), which is the aggregate sum that the school districts in the Chickasaw Cession receive annually from interest payments from the Chickasaw School Fund under Section 212, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, shall be deducted from the allocations to the school districts as provided in Section 29-3-137, Mississippi Code of 1972, and shall be distributed among the school districts in the Chickasaw Cession by the State Department of Education in the manner that those interest payments were distributed during Fiscal Year 1985.
SECTION 16. Of the funds provided in this act for the purpose of funding the Mississippi Adequate Education Program as determined under Section 37-151-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, the base student cost in Fiscal Year 2023 shall be Six Thousand Five Hundred Thirty-two Dollars and Twenty Cents ($6,532.20).
SECTION 17. With the funds provided in this act, it is the intention of the Legislature that School Attendance Officers and academic teachers at the Mississippi School for the Deaf and the Mississippi School for the Blind shall receive their annual increment.
SECTION 18. It is the intention of the Legislature that the State Board of Education shall maintain complete accounting and personnel records related to the expenditure of all funds appropriated in this act and that those records shall be in the same format and level of detail as maintained for Fiscal Year 2022. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the budget requests for Fiscal Year 2024 shall be submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in a format and level of detail comparable to the format and level of detail provided during the Fiscal Year 2023 budget request process for each agency and institution appropriated funds within the provisions of this act.
SECTION 19. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1(a) to the State Board of Education, not less than Twenty-three Million Eighty Thousand Dollars ($23,080,000.00) shall be used for National Board Certification. Of this amount, Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($600,000.00) shall be used for the World Class Teacher Program providing instruction and assistance to teachers seeking National Board Certification.
SECTION 20. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 and Section 4(a) not less than Fifteen Million Fifty-eight Thousand Dollars ($15,058,000.00) shall be used for the Educable Child Program. It is the intention of the Legislature that the State Board of Education shall allocate funding for the Educable Child Program based upon a recalculated formula in a manner to include only those billable days funded through appropriation of state funds and not District funds. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Educable Child funds shall be exempt from budget cuts made to the Department of Education by the Legislature and/or the Office of the Governor.
SECTION 21. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1(a) and Section 4(a), not less than Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000.00) shall be used for the Education Scholarship Account (ESA) Program. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Education Scholarship Account (ESA) funds shall not be reduced by the State Department of Education and/or the Office of the Governor.
SECTION 22. The public school districts of the state are authorized at their discretion to pay with local funds one hundred percent (100%) of the cost of the health insurance premiums of the State and School Employees Health Insurance Plan for all retired members of the Public Employees' Retirement System who are employed as school bus drivers by the school districts. It is the intention of the Legislature that no state funds shall be used for this purpose.
SECTION 23. It is the intention of the Legislature that whenever two (2) or more bids are received by this agency for the purchase of commodities or equipment, and whenever all things stated in those received bids are equal with respect to price, quality and service, the Mississippi Industries for the Blind shall be given preference. A similar preference shall be given to the Mississippi Industries for the Blind whenever purchases are made without competitive bids.
SECTION 24. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1, not less than Six Million Three Hundred Twenty-one Thousand Nine Hundred Twenty-seven Dollars ($6,321,927.00) shall be used for the Compulsory School Attendance Office and School Attendance Officers.
SECTION 25. Of the funds appropriated in this act, it is the intention of the Legislature that Three Million Sixty Thousand Dollars ($3,060,000.00) shall be used for the Mary Kirkpatrick-Mary Sprayberry Public School Nurse Program. The amount of Three Million Sixty Thousand Dollars ($3,060,000.00) is provided from the Department of Health.
SECTION 26. The State Department of Education shall contract with a Certified Public Accountant to calculate components of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program to include the base student cost, school district allocations, total program cost, add-on programs, and any other required components of Section 37-151-7, Mississippi Code of 1972. The contractor shall be responsible for calculating the estimates of these components due to the Legislative Budget Office and the Governor by August 1 and the final estimates due to the Legislative Budget Office and the Governor no later than January 2. A report detailing the funding of this contract shall be submitted by the State Department of Education to the Legislature no later than January 30, 2023.
SECTION 27. Of the funds appropriated in this act, it is the intention of the Legislature that Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000.00) from the Public School Building Fund shall be used for the Mississippi Adequate Education Program.
SECTION 28. It is the intention of the Legislature that the State Board of Education shall charge a fee for room and board for students who enroll in the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science and the Mississippi School of Arts. Such fees will be waived for any student enrolled in the State Children's Health Insurance Program. The amount of such fees shall be Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for each semester.
SECTION 29. It is the intent of the Legislature that each eligible employee who meets the National Board requirements under Section 37-19-7(2), Mississippi Code of 1972, shall be paid the full supplement and that such supplement shall be included on a prorated basis in the employee's monthly paycheck.
SECTION 30. It is the intention of the Legislature that the Mississippi Department of Education may loan any general or special source fund amount, not to exceed Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000.00), to any school district for the purpose of providing funds to school districts through the Emergency Assistance Fund as outlined in Section 37-17-6, Mississippi Code of 1972, during the period beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023. The school districts receiving these loans shall repay the Mississippi Department of Education the amount of the loan on or before June 30, 2023.
SECTION 31. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1(a), Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars ($700,000.00) shall be transferred to the Board of Health no later than December 31, 2022.
SECTION 32. Any school district receiving funds through Save the Children and Stride may provide a ten percent (10%) match from local funds for implementation of the program.
SECTION 33. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1(a), Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00) is provided for the Mississippi Community Oriented Policing Services in Schools (MCOPS) grant program. A portion of these funds not to exceed three percent (3%) may be used for training and administrative costs related to oversight and auditing of the program.
SECTION 34. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1(a) and Section 2(a), Sixteen Million Dollars ($16,000,000.00) is provided for an Early Childhood Education Initiative program. The funding shall be provided to early learning collaboratives in Fiscal Year 2023 as follows: no less than Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00) per student in a full-day program and no less than One Thousand Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($1,250.00) per student in a half-day program. Funds must be matched as provided by Section 37-21-51.
SECTION 35. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1(a) and Section 4(a), Fifteen Million Ninety-four Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($15,094,500.00) shall be used for the Literacy Initiative and Assessment.
SECTION 36. Of the funds appropriated herein, funding is provided for the ACT test, which is the college readiness portion of the state accountability model.
SECTION 37. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1(a), Two Million Six Hundred Seventy Thousand Eight Hundred Thirty-two Dollars ($2,670,832.00) shall be used for the Mississippi School of the Arts and Three Million Eight Hundred Eighty-nine Thousand Six Hundred Fifteen Dollars ($3,889,615.00) shall be used for the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science. It is the intention of the Legislature that of the funds appropriated in Section 1(a) for the Mississippi School of the Arts One Million Three Hundred Thirty-five Thousand Four Hundred Sixteen Dollars ($1,335,416.00) shall be paid to the school no later than July 10, 2022, and One Million Three Hundred Thirty-five Thousand Four Hundred Sixteen Dollars ($1,335,416.00) shall be paid no later than January 10, 2023. All funds appropriated from Section 4(a) for the Mississippi School of the Arts shall be paid to the school each month within ten (10) working days after such amount was received by the Department of Education. It is the intention of the Legislature that the State Board of Education shall not reduce the appropriated amounts provided in this act for the Mississippi School of the Arts and the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science.
SECTION 38. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1(b) and Section 2(b), Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) is provided for career and technical grants to schools for qualified students as authorized by Section 37-153-15, Mississippi Code of 1972.
SECTION 39. Of the funds appropriated in this act, the following amounts shall be available to the Schools for the Blind and Deaf: Ten Million Six Thousand Three Hundred Seven Dollars ($10,006,307.00) from Section 1(a), One Million Two Hundred Seven Thousand Thirty-seven Dollars ($1,207,037.00) from Section 4(a), and Two Million One Hundred Fifty-nine Thousand Seven Hundred Twenty-five Dollars ($2,159,725.00) from Section 2(a).
SECTION 40. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1(a), an amount not to exceed Two Hundred Nineteen Million Five Hundred Thirteen Thousand Nine Hundred Eighty-nine Dollars ($219,513,989.00) shall be allocated for the purpose of providing funds to each public school district in the state for an annual salary increase as prescribed in the Minimum Salary Schedule in House Bill 530, 2022 Regular Session, for the 2022-2023 school year, and school years thereafter. Annual salary increases for state funded certified teachers, counselors and librarians shall range from a minimum of Four Thousand Dollars ($4,000.00) to a maximum of Six Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00) based on certification level and years of experience, with larger raises going to teachers with bachelor’s and master’s degrees and fewer years of experience. Each state funded teacher assistant, reading and library aide shall receive an annual increase of Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00).
SECTION 41. Of the funds appropriated in this act, an amount not to exceed Four Million Five Hundred Ninety-four Thousand Two Hundred Ninety-one Dollars ($4,594,291.00) is authorized to fully fund the contract between the Department of Education and the Research & Curriculum Unit at Mississippi State University to fund career and technical curricula, services to secondary schools and career and technical assessments.
SECTION 42. The money appropriated in this act shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of any money in the proper fund or funds as set forth in this act, 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 43. It is the intent of the Legislature that each eligible professional school counselor employee who meets the year of teaching experience requirements under Section 37-151-5(m), Mississippi Code of 1972, shall be considered having a year of experience for purposes of the annual experience salary increment.
SECTION 44. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2022, and shall stand repealed June 30, 2022.