Amendment_Report_for

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, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024, 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............................................ $ 103,263,196.00.

(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............................

........................................... $ 83,136,063.00.

(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.... $ 16,945,631.00.

(d) To the State Board of Education for defraying the expenses of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program............

........................................... $ 2,576,380,577.00.

TOTAL AMOUNT OF STATE GENERAL FUNDS APPROPRIATED

BY THIS SECTION BEING....................$ 2,779,725,467.00.

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, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024, 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. $ 2,011,243,560.00.

(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............................

........................................... $ 22,695,567.00.

(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.................. $ 2,279,051,324.00.

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................... $ 25,000,000.00

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.............................. $ 275,000.00

Mississippi School for Fine Arts. ......... $ 475,000.00

Early Learning Collaboratives.............. $ 16,210,526.00

Other Early Learning Programs.............. $ 20,000,000.00

Early Learning Coaches.................... $ 3,251,533.00

Math Coaches.............................. $ 5,000,000.00

WorkKeys.................................. $ 1,000,000.00

Advanced Placement, Dual Credits,

International Baccalaureate,

Cambridge Diploma Endorsements........ $ 300,000.00

Vocational Technical Grants................ $ 1,000,000.00

Mississippi School for the Deaf

and Blind............................ $ 1,357,037.00

TOTAL..................................... $ 111,875,477.00

(b) To the State Department of Education to defray the expenses of the Vocational and Technical Education Division......

.............................................. $ 6,637,258.00.

(c) To the State Department of Education to provide funding for the Mississippi Adequate Education Program..................

.............................................. $ 245,112,197.00.

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 HEADCOUNT:

Permanent: 300

Time-Limited: 143

With the funds herein appropriated, it shall be the agency’s responsibility to make certain that funds required for Personal Services for Fiscal Year 2025 do not exceed Fiscal Year 2024 funds appropriated for that purpose unless programs or positions are added to the agency’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget by the Mississippi Legislature. The Legislature shall determine the agency’s personal services appropriation, which shall be published by the State Personnel Board. Additionally, the State Personnel Board shall determine and publish the projected annualized payroll costs based on current employees. It shall be the responsibility of the agency head to ensure that actual personnel expenditures for Fiscal Year 2024 do not exceed the data provided by the Legislative Budget Office. If the agency’s Fiscal Year 2024 projected cost exceeds the annualized costs, no salary actions shall be processed by the State Personnel Board with the exception of new hires that are determined to be essential for the agency.

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:

FY2024

Performance Measures Target

Special Education

Number of Special Education Teachers (FTE) 5,963

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 14,807,862.00

Percent of Total Budget Spent on General

Administration 15.70

Create a Public-Facing Data System for

All Stakeholders 100.00

Create a User-Friendly Website for the

Public and 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 and

Teacher Effectiveness 9

Graduation & Career Readiness

Percent Increase of Students Graduating

from High School Ready for College or

Career in Each Subgroup 88.50

Early Childhood Education

Percent Increase of Kindergarten

Students Achieving End-Of-Year Target

Score on Kindergarten Readiness

Post-Test 69.05

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 8,691

Teacher Tng & Professional Dev

Reduce the Proportion of Inexperienced

and Non-Certified Teachers in Schools

That Are High Poverty 31.00

Reduce the Proportion of Inexperienced

and Non-Certified Teachers in Schools

That Are High Minority 35.00

Percent Increase of Districts Reporting

Professional Growth System (PGS) Ratings

for Teachers and Leaders 93.00

Percent Increase of Teacher Candidates

Passing Licensure Exams on the First

Attempt 35.00

Increase the Number of Licensed, Diverse

Teachers and Leaders 35.00

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 and Passing Advanced

Placement (AP), International

Baccalaureate (IB) and 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 52.00

Decrease the Percent of Students Scoring

Levels 1-3 on Statewide Assessments in

Each Subgroup 57.00

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 80.00

Percent of Districts Rated "C" or Higher 80.00

Percent of Students Demonstrating Growth

on Statewide ELA Assessments in Each

Subgroup 66.00

Percent of Students Demonstrating Growth

on Statewide Math Assessments in Each

Subgroup 68.00

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 and 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 and 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 20.00

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 2025.

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 HEADCOUNT:

Permanent: 48

Time-Limited: 5

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............................... $ 1,275,000.00.

Dubard School................................... $ 650,000.00.

Dyslexia Program................................ $ 225,000.00.

Jobs for MS Graduates, Inc...................... $ 600,000.00.

Amplify Data Coaching........................... $ 1,100,000.00.

Magnolia Speech School.......................... $ 1,000,000.00.

Principal Corp.................................. $ 200,000.00.

Sight Savers.................................... $ 375,000.00.

Teach for America............................... $ 1,250,000.00.

Teacher Corp.................................... $ 200,000.00.

Children's Center for Comm & Develop............. $ 750,000.00.

Vision Screening Research....................... $ 225,000.00.

Algebra Nation.................................. $ 1,100,000.00.

Save the Children........................... $ 75,000.00.

Mississippi Construction Education Program....... $ 212,500.00.

T. K. Martin Center............................. $ 75,000.00.

JumpStart Act................................... $ 250,000.00.

Mastery Prep.................................... $ 200,000.00.

Arts for All Mississippi........................ $ 40,000.00.

Total.......................................... $ 9,802,500.00.

SECTION 14. It is the intention of the Legislature that of the funds provided for Other Early Learning Programs in Section 4(a), Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000.00) is included for the Mississippi Department of Education to provide grant opportunities for Other Early Learning Programs through public schools including other public school preschool programs not participating in Early Learning Collaboratives.

SECTION 15. 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 16. It is the intention of the Legislature that computer science courses may be taught by certified teacher or for elementary level classes, computer science courses may be taught by teachers who are trained by the district in computer science instruction.

SECTION 17. 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 18. 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 2024 shall be Seven Thousand One Hundred Twenty-four Dollars and Fifty-one Cents ($7,124.51).

SECTION 19. 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 20. 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 2023. It is further the intention of the Legislature that the budget requests for Fiscal Year 2025 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 2024 budget request process for each agency and institution appropriated funds within the provisions of this act.

SECTION 21. 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, Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars ($700,000.00) shall be used for the World Class Teacher Program providing instruction and assistance to teachers seeking National Board Certification.

SECTION 22. 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 23. 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 24. 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 25. 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 26. 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 27. 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 28. 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, 2024.

SECTION 29. 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 30. 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 31. 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, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024. The school districts receiving these loans shall repay the Mississippi Department of Education the amount of the loan on or before June 30, 2024.

SECTION 32. 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, 2023.

SECTION 33. Any school district receiving funds through Save the Children may provide a ten percent (10%) match from local funds for implementation of the program.

SECTION 34. 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 one percent (1%) may be used for training and administrative costs related to oversight and auditing of the program.

SECTION 35. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1(a) and Section 2(a), Twenty-four Million Dollars ($24,000,000.00) is provided for an Early Childhood Education Initiative program. The funding shall be provided to early learning collaboratives in Fiscal Year 2024 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, Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 36. 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 37. Of the funds appropriated herein, funding is provided for the ACT test, which is the college readiness portion of the state accountability model.

SECTION 38. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1(a), Two Million Seven Hundred One Thousand Seventy-five Dollars ($2,701,075.00) shall be used for the Mississippi School of the Arts and Three Million Nine Hundred Fifty-seven Thousand Five Hundred Seventy-five Dollars ($3,957,575.00) 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 Fifty Thousand Five Hundred Thirty-seven Dollars ($1,350,537.00) shall be paid to the school no later than July 10, 2023, and One Million Three Hundred Fifty Thousand Five Hundred Thirty-eight Dollars ($1,350,538.00) shall be paid no later than January 10, 2024. 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 39. 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 40. Of the funds appropriated in this act, the following amounts shall be available to the Schools for the Blind and Deaf: Ten Million Sixty-two Thousand Nine Hundred Fifty-three Dollars ($10,062,953.00) from Section 1(a), One Million Three Hundred Fifty-seven Thousand Thirty-seven Dollars ($1,357,037.00) from Section 4(a), and Two Million Three Hundred Nine Thousand Seven Hundred Twenty-five Dollars ($2,309,725.00) from Section 2(a).

SECTION 41. Of the funds appropriated in this act, an amount not to exceed Four Million One Hundred Seventy-one Thousand Three Hundred One Dollars ($4,171,301.00) 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. Of the funds appropriated in Section 2 (a) to the State Board of Education, Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000.00) is provided for the expenditure of funds from the Educational Facilities Revolving Loan Fund, which was created in Section 37-47-24, Mississippi Code of 1972. These funds are provided for the purpose of improving educational facilities in the State of Mississippi by assisting public schools in procuring funds for making certain capital improvements.

SECTION 43. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 (b) to the State Board of Education, Five Hundred Sixty-two Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-nine Dollars ($562,999.00) is provided for secondary career and technical education instructors teaching at post-secondary institutions.

SECTION 44. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is reappropriated out of any money in the Education Enhancement Fund not otherwise appropriated for the Department of Education for the purpose of reauthorizing the expenditure of Education Enhancement Fund, as authorized in House Bill 1600, 2022 Regular Session to provide upgrades for the Mississippi Student Information System for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2024 $ 3,200,000.00.

Notwithstanding the amount reappropriated under this section, the amount that may be expended under the authority of this section shall not exceed the unexpended balance of the funds remaining as of June 30, 2023, from the amount authorized for the previous fiscal year. In addition, this reappropriation shall not change the purpose for which the funds were originally authorized.

SECTION 45. With the funds appropriated herein, the Mississippi Department of Education is authorized to make payment for expenses incurred during Fiscal Year 2019 to Canon Solutions America in an amount not to exceed Thirty-five Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty-eight Dollars ($35,848.00).

SECTION 46. 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 47. 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 48. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2023, and shall stand repealed June 29, 2023.