MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2017 Regular Session
To: Education
By: Representative Miles
AN ACT TO CREATE "LEXI'S LAW"; TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO PRESCRIBE THE MINIMUM CONTENTS OF COURSES OF STUDY FOR ALL PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE STATE; TO REQUIRE THAT CURSIVE HANDWRITING BE TAUGHT AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL OF INSTRUCTION; TO REQUIRE EACH SCHOOL BOARD TO ANNUALLY CERTIFY TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION THAT THE APPLICABLE SCHOOLS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE MEETING THE CURSIVE WRITING REQUIREMENTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. This act shall be known, and may be cited as Lexi's Law.
SECTION 2. (1) The State Board of Education, on the recommendation of the State Superintendent of Education, shall prescribe the minimum contents of courses of study for all public elementary and secondary schools in the state. In every elementary school there shall be taught at least reading including phonics, spelling, handwriting, arithmetic, oral and written English, geography, history of the United States and Mississippi, elementary science, hygiene and sanitation, physical education, the arts, including musical and visual arts, environmental protection and such other studies as may be prescribed by the local board of education. Instruction in handwriting shall include cursive writing so that students are able to create readable documents through legible cursive handwriting by the end of the third grade. Moreover, the State Board of Education shall require the following courses for grades one through eight in all public schools to be phased in beginning with students entering Grade 1 through Grade 8 in the 2017-2018 scholastic year: English, social studies, mathematics, and science shall be taught each year in Grade 1 through Grade 8. English shall include, but not be limited to, material designed to develop language arts, such as reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. Social studies shall emphasize geography and history of the United States and Mississippi.
(2) Each local board of education shall certify on an annual basis to the State Board of Education that the applicable schools in the school district are meeting the cursive writing requirements under subsection (1). The State Board of Education may adopt rules to implement this subsection.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2017.