MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2014 Regular Session
To: Education; Appropriations
By: Representatives Byrd, Arnold, Barker, Boyd, Carpenter, Chism, DeBar, Gipson, Kinkade, Martinson, McLeod, Monsour, Pigott, Staples, Taylor, Turner, Willis
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-173-21, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE, BEGINNING IN THE 2015-2016 ACADEMIC YEAR, EACH INDIVIDUAL ENROLLED IN A POSTSECONDARY DEGREE COURSE OF STUDY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD, ELEMENTARY OR SECONDARY EDUCATION, SPECIAL EDUCATION AND THOSE PURSING A DEGREE IN SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION TO COMPLETE A MINIMUM OF THREE SEMESTER HOURS OF DYSLEXIA EDUCATION BEFORE GRADUATION WITH A MINIMUM GRADE OF EIGHTY PERCENT; TO REQUIRE ALL CANDIDATES APPLYING FOR LICENSURE AS A MISSISSIPPI LICENSED EARLY CHILDHOOD, ELEMENTARY OR SECONDARY EDUCATOR, SPECIAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR, OR THOSE APPLYING FOR AA ADMINISTRATOR LICENSURE TO SHOW PROOF OF SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF AN APPROVED DYSLEXIA EDUCATION COURSE WITH A MINIMUM GRADE OF EIGHTY PERCENT FROM AND AFTER JULY 1, 2015; TO EXEMPT CERTAIN SCHOOL PERSONNEL FROM THE DYSLEXIA EDUCATION REQUIREMENT AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR SPECIAL PURPOSE SCHOOL; TO AUTHORIZE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR SPECIAL PURPOSE SCHOOL EMPLOYING SUCH PERSONS TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY DYSLEXIA EDUCATION TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO APPROPRIATE SCHOOL PERSONNEL THROUGH THE USE OF A MISSISSIPPI AA LICENSED DYSLEXIA THERAPIST SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS; TO PROVIDE THAT THE DYSLEXIA EDUCATION COURSE SHALL BE A THREE-SEMESTER-HOUR COURSE DESIGNED BY A COMMITTEE OF DYSLEXIA EDUCATION EXPERTS SELECTED BY THE GOVERNOR; TO PRESCRIBE THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL TO BE INCLUDED IN THE COURSE SHALL PROVIDE RESEARCH-BASED FACTS ABOUT DYSLEXIA THAT ARE RECOMMENDED BY THE INTERNATIONAL DYSLEXIA ASSOCIATION'S PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND PRACTICES COMMITTEE; TO AMEND SECTION 37-159-51, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; TO REPEAL SECTION 37-173-31, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE REPEAL OF THE DYSLEXIA THERAPY SCHOLARSHIP; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 37-173-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-173-21. (1) The State Board of Education in conjunction with each nonpublic school and local school board operating under the provisions of this chapter, may:
(a) Extend the school day or length of the scholastic year;
(b) Develop and establish a curriculum that is consistent with the Mississippi Curriculum Framework in the subject areas of mathematics, social studies, science, music, art and physical education; and
(c) Select, purchase and use textbooks, literature and other instructional materials that would improve educational attainment by students in the school, subject to the approval of the board.
(2) The qualified personnel to facilitate the educational process of learning and instruction for children with dyslexia who attend the schools shall consist of the following:
(a) An administrator or director with additional training in the characteristics of dyslexia;
(b) A dyslexia therapist licensed by the department in dyslexia therapy;
(c) Dyslexia therapists in training participating in a department approved dyslexia therapy graduate internship program; and
(d) Licensed elementary, secondary or special education teachers under the supervision of a state department licensed dyslexia therapist.
(3) (a) Beginning with the 2015-2016 academic year, each individual enrolled in a postsecondary degree course of study in early childhood, elementary or secondary education, special education and school administration shall be required to complete a minimum of three (3) semester hours of dyslexia education before graduation with a minimum grade of eighty percent (80%) in the course of instruction. From and after July 1, 2015, all candidates applying to the department for licensure as a Mississippi licensed early childhood, elementary or secondary educator, special education instructor and those applying for an AA administrator licensure must show proof of successful completion of an accredited dyslexia education course with a minimum grade of eighty percent (80%).
(b) Persons employed with a public school district or special purpose school as an educator or administrator on July 1, 2014, shall be exempt from the requirements of paragraph (a) of this subsection; however, the school district or special purpose school employing such persons is authorized to provide the necessary dyslexia education training and professional development to appropriate school personnel through the use of a Mississippi AA licensed dyslexia therapist, subject to the availability of funds provided for such training.
(4) (a) The dyslexia education course required under subsection (3) of this section shall be designed as a three-semester-hour course and shall be instructed by a dyslexia therapist who holds a Mississippi AA license in dyslexia therapy and a national certification as an Academic Language Therapist (CALT).
(b) The dyslexia education course shall be designed by a committee selected by the Governor, which shall consist of five (5) educators, including:
(i) Three (3) representatives from universities or colleges in the state which have master's degree programs in dyslexia therapy, and are actively involved in teaching dyslexia therapy graduate students. The representatives must hold an AA state license in dyslexia therapy and national certification as an Academic Language Therapists (CALT);
(ii) The State Department of Education's dyslexia coordinator; and
(iii) A parent representative of a compulsory-school-age child with dyslexia, selected from the state at large.
(5) The Legislature shall designate that portion of the annual State Department of Education appropriation allocated for providing professional development for dyslexia and other related disorders shall be used for the purpose of being reallocated to the state institutions of higher learning for purposes of hiring experts in dyslexia education and training to provide instruction of the courses required under this act.
SECTION 2. Section 37-159-51, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-159-51. (1) There is established the Mississippi Dyslexia Education Scholarship Program for the purpose of identifying and recruiting qualified university and college students from the state for schooling in education with a focus on dyslexia therapy.
(2) The receipt of a scholarship under the program shall be solely limited to those students who are enrolled in or who have been accepted for enrollment into a master's degree program of study for dyslexia therapy at any public or private institution of higher learning within the State of Mississippi at the time an application for scholarship is filed with the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning.
(3) The annual amount of the scholarship award shall be equal to the total cost for tuition, materials and fees at the college or university in which the student is enrolled. Awards made to nonresidents of the state shall not include any amount assessed by the college or university for out-of-state tuition.
(4) Upon completion of the master's program and licensure requirements, if the scholarship recipient has not been previously licensed by the State Department of Education, shall render service as licensed teacher of dyslexia therapy in a public school district in the state, and shall comply with the provisions of Section 37-173-21(3) as a condition of application for such licensure. Any person who received two (2) annual awards, or who received fewer than two (2) annual awards, or the equivalent of two (2) annual awards, shall render one (1) year's services as a licensed teacher for each year that the person received a scholarship award.
(5) (a) Any person failing to complete a program of study which will enable that person to obtain a master's degree in dyslexia therapy shall become liable immediately to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning for the sum of all Dyslexia Education Scholarship awards made to the person, plus interest accruing at the current Stafford Loan rate at the time the person abrogates his or her participation in the program.
(b) Any person failing to complete his or her teaching obligation, as required under subsection (4) of this section, shall become liable immediately to the board for the sum of all scholarship awards made to the person less the corresponding amount of any awards for which service has been rendered, plus interest accruing at the current Stafford Loan rate at the time the person discontinues his or her service.
(6) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall prepare and submit a report to the Legislature by January 1, 2015, outlining in detail the number of participants who have received scholarship funds under the program, the record of service provided by those recipients as they transition out of the degree program into the public school districts of this state, and the projection for expanding the program to include more participants annually as determined by the need for such qualified professionals in the public school setting. Additionally, the report shall include a summary of allocations and expenditures for the administration of the program and the total amount of funds issued to recipients of scholarships from the inception of the program until such time as the report has been prepared and submitted to the Legislature.
SECTION 3. Section 37-173-31, Mississippi Code of 1972, which provides for the repeal of the Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship for Students with Dyslexia Program, is repealed.
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2014.