MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2026 Regular Session
To: Education
By: Senator(s) DeBar
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ADOPT RULES REQUIRING ALL SCHOOL BOARDS TO EVALUATE CERTAIN COST AND PERFORMANCE METRICS WHEN ACQUIRING TECHNOLOGY, COMPUTER HARDWARE, AND SOFTWARE; TO REQUIRE EACH GOVERNING BOARD OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT OR CHARTER SCHOOL TO SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION REGARDING THE OPERATION, REPAIR NEEDS, AND REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT COSTS OF SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY DEVICE INVENTORY; TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE INCLUDING A SUMMARY OF THE DATA REPORTED BY EACH SCHOOL BOARD AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO REDUCE BREAK/FIX RATES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) As used in this section, the following definitions apply unless a contrary meaning is evident from the context:
(a) "Break/fix rate" means the percentage obtained by dividing the number of school technology devices reported as malfunctioning or needing repair due to physical damage, hardware failure, or other breakage incidents prior to the stated life cycle period, not covered by insurance or a policy plan period, by the total number of school technology devices in operation during that period.
(b) "Public school unit" means a school district or a charter school.
(c) "School board" means the governing board of a public school unit.
(d) "School technology device" means any electronic or computerized equipment provided for educational purposes in a public school unit, including computers, tablets, interactive whiteboards, and similar digital devices.
(2) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules requiring all school boards to evaluate the following when acquiring technology, computer hardware, and software:
(a) The long term cost of ownership, including costs of repairing the technology, computer hardware, or software;
(b) Any flexibility for innovation during the life of the technology, computer hardware, or software; and
(c) Any anticipated resale or salvage value at the end of the target life cycle for the technology, computer hardware, or software based on the average resale or salvage value of similar technology, computer hardware, or software as a percentage of the initial cost of purchase.
(3) Each school board shall submit a report on the following information to the State Board of Education by August 15 annually:
(a) The break/fix rate of the school technology devices in the public school unit for the previous school year;
(b) The total number of school technology devices currently in operation in the public school unit;
(c) The total number of school technology devices in the public school unit requiring repair that, during the previous school year, (i) underwent repair, or (ii) were no longer in service; and
(d) The total amount of funds spent to repair or replace school technology devices during the previous school year.
(4) The State Board of Education shall report to the Legislature by November 15 annually on the break/fix rate of school technology devices across all public school units based on the reports submitted by the school boards in accordance with subsection (3) of this section. This report shall include a summary of the data reported by each school board and recommendations to reduce break/fix rates in the future.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.