House Bill 1004

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO PROMINENTLY POST AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON ITS WEBSITE ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF FREE ONLINE TUTORING SERVICES; TO REQUIRE THE INFORMATION TO INCLUDE A DIRECT LINK TO THE PAGE WHERE SUCH SERVICES MAY BE ACCESSED; TO REQUIRE EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CHARTER SCHOOL PARTICIPATING IN THE ONLINE TUTORING SERVICES TO INCLUDE A SIMILAR WEBPAGE ANNOUNCEMENT AND TO SEND WRITTEN REMINDERS AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS TO PARENTS AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OF THE AVAILABILITY OF THE ONLINE TUTORING; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) The State Department of Education shall provide information about the availability of free, online tutoring services available twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week, by prominently posting an announcement about the services which is immediately visible to the public on opening the primary page of the department's website. The announcement must include a description of the different services available to parents, students, teachers and administrators, including the ability to: receive immediate assistance with a student's homework assignments from a live person any time of the day; schedule tutorial services for a later time, including evening and weekend hours; and access services available for English learners and students with special needs. In order for the tutoring services to be readily accessible, the department shall include in the announcement a "Click Here" link that immediately redirects users from the department's website directly to the page where the tutoring services may be accessed.

(2) The State Department of Education shall require each school district and charter school that has opted in to receive the tutoring services to include an announcement similar in form and content to the announcement required under subsection (1) on the school district or charter school's website. In addition, if a school within a school district maintains a separate website specifically for that school, the announcement also must be posted on the school's website.

(3) At the beginning of each semester that the online tutoring services are available, each school district and charter school that has opted in to receive the services shall provide written notice to parents of elementary and middle school students and to high school students about the availability of the services. The notice must include, at a minimum, the information required to be included in the announcement under subsection (1). In addition, a school district or school within the district or charter school that utilizes email or a telecommunications application for mass communication of announcements may send reminders periodically to parents and teachers about the availability of the online tutoring service.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2023.