Senate Bill 2407

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-21-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE EDUCATIONAL AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS OF ASSISTANT TEACHERS; TO PROVIDE THAT ASSISTANT TEACHERS MAY POSSESS A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA/GED AND A CHILD DEVELOPMENT CREDENTIAL, A MONTESSORI CERTIFICATION OR AN EQUIVALENT CERTIFICATION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 37-21-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-21-3. (1) No person shall act in the capacity of master teacher, teacher or assistant teacher in any federal or state-funded program of early childhood education or "Head Start," or perform any of the functions, duties or powers of the same, unless that person shall be qualified in the following manner:

(a) A master teacher or any other employee or consultant receiving a salary or fee equivalent to that of a master teacher shall meet the qualifications of a teacher in this section, including the requirement that a teacher may be required to hold a state teaching license by the State Department of Education, and have demonstrated effectiveness as an early childhood educator. Effectiveness as an early childhood educator may be demonstrated by a rating of highly effective on a state evaluation of teaching, if available, or with evidence that the teacher has a record of raising the achievement outcomes of prekindergarten students.

(b) A teacher shall possess a bachelor's degree in early childhood education, child development, or an equivalent field. A teacher may also possess a bachelor's degree in any field as well as have at least twelve (12) credit hours of coursework in early childhood education, child development, or an equivalent field approved by an institution granting a bachelor's degree in the early childhood education, child development, or an equivalent field; or have a bachelor's degree in any field as well as have completed a specialized early childhood training program deemed equivalent by the State Department of Education to twelve (12) hours of approved coursework.

(c) An assistant teacher shall possess an associate's degree in early childhood education, child development, or an equivalent field; or an associate's degree in any field and a Child Development Associate credential, a Montessori certification, or an equivalent certification; or a high school diploma/GED and a Child Development Associate credential, a Montessori certification, or an equivalent certification. Public school assistant teachers in the voluntary prekindergarten program established by the Early Learning Collaborative Act of 2013 may be required by the State Department of Education to meet the definition of a highly qualified paraprofessional in addition to these requirements.

The State Department of Education shall adopt any necessary rules, policies or procedures to implement this section.

(2) Persons employed as a teacher, assistant teacher or in any other capacity in a prekindergarten or early childhood education program in a charter school authorized by the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board are exempt from the requirements of this section.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.