SPRING 2014 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
OFFICE OF SCHOOL FINANCIAL SERVICES
May 19 – May 22, 2014
Spring 2014 Update
Agenda
I. Welcome
II. 2014 Legislative Summary
A.
B.
C.
Appropriation Bill
House Bills
Senate Bills
III. School Financial Services Update
IV. Questions
V. Closing Comments
2
2014 Legislation – Appropriation Bill
3
HB 1476
FY 2015 Education Appropriation Bill
• Funds MAEP at $2,154,674,610
– $72.1 M above FY 2014 MAEP appropriation.
– $64.6 M of the increase is for teacher pay raise effective
July 1, 2014
– Lump sum allocation (same process as FY 2014) - no mid
year adjustments to add-ons or additional funding for
new hires (spec. ed., CTE, gifted teachers)
• Districts will be required to go through the teacher unit
reconciliation process even though funding will not change
Spring 2014 Update
4
HB 1476 (Continued)
FY 2015 Education Appropriation Bill
• Education Enhancement Funds
– $16 M Buildings and Buses
– $12 M Classroom Supply Funds; incr of $2 M from FY14
• Allocations for Buildings and Buses is estimated until Mo. 1-9
ADA is complete
• No district allocation for Classroom Supply-all cards/one amt
• No allocation for Ad Valorem Tax Reduction allocation
• Chickasaw fully funded - $20,776,890
• National Board Certification (Master Teacher) Supplement is
fully funded
Spring 2014 Update
5
2014 Legislation – House Bills
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2014 Legislation – House Bill 71
Payment of Teacher Salaries; standard contract shall fix monthly
installment.
• Allows teachers to be paid their full August check in 2015
• Provides that the standard teacher contract prescribed by the
State Board of Education provide that licensed employees shall
earn a salary payable in equal installments beginning in the first
month of employment
7
2014 Legislation – House Bill 72
School Buses; require school districts to have identifying signage
placed upon all buses.
•
Requires that any contract entered into by a school district for
the operation, rental or leasing of school buses with private or
public entities, or the purchase of school buses to be used by a
school district to stipulate in the contract that the entity from
whom the school bus is rented, leased or purchased , or which
is providing the transportation service, shall cause the required
district-identifying signage to be placed on the bus before
delivery of the school bus into possession the school district
8
2014 Legislation – House Bill 432
CPR/AED; require to be taught as instructional component for physical
education in grades 9-12.
• Requires one-half (1/2) Carnegie unit in physical education or physical
activity for graduation
• Requires that proper administration of (CPR) and use of an automated
external defibrillator (AED) be included in the physical education
curriculum for grades 9-12
• Requires that the curriculum incorporate instruction of psychomotor skills
• Requires the instruction to be based on an instructional program
established by the American Heart Association, The American Red Cross,
or another program which is nationally recognized and uses the most
current national evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines
• Exempts licensed teachers from requiring certification as a trainer of CPR
or AED to facilitate the instruction
• Requires the State Department of Education to establish a procedure for
monitoring adherence to the curriculum requirements
9
2014 Legislation – House Bill 454
State Department of Education; remove certain State Personnel Board procedures
for two years.
• Provides that for a period of two years, the personnel actions of the State
Department of Education subject to regulations of the State Personnel Board
shall be exempt from State Personnel Board procedures
• Exempts School Attendance Officers
• Provides for School Attendance Officers to not be required to work for six (6)
consecutive weeks during the summer
• Provides for the kindergarten and 1st grade start date to return to September 1
• Allows school districts to adopt as a part of their school safety plan a policy
addressing sexual abuse of children – to be known as “Erin’s Law Awareness”
10
2014 Legislation – House Bill 455
New Start School Program; repeal.
• Revises the definition and procedures for a “New Start School Program”
• States that if a school fails for two consecutive years, it will be considered a
New Start School
• Establishes the first year of failing to begin with the 2013-2014 school year
• States that if a school maintains a C rating, it can be removed from the New
Start School Program
• Defines the responsibilities of the Mississippi Recovery School District
• Deletes the requirement that the Executive Director the Mississippi Charter
School Authorizer Board shall be a licensed attorney
• Provides that the State Board of Education may revoke or suspend the license
of a superintendent or principal serving a school district that has been placed in
state conservatorship
11
2014 Legislation – House Bill 504
Teachers; provide for salary increase based on meritorious
achievement
• Revises the minimum teacher salary scale
• Provides that the receipt of annual salary supplements to
certain educational employees holding certain qualifying
national certifications shall be limited to one supplement per
employee regardless of the number of certifications held
• Establishes a school recognition program to provide financial
awards to High-Performing schools beginning with the 20162017 school year
• Provides teachers with a $2,500 pay raise for the first 2 years
12
2014 Legislation – House Bill 974
Transportation of students; authorizes school boards to use an alternative to
school bus transportation for certain agriculture related events.
• Amends section 37-41-27 to include events of Future Farmers of America
or 4-H Clubs among types of events for which local school boards may
permit the use of public school buses for the transportation of
participating students
• Authorizes school boards to allow the use of motor vehicles other than
school buses when the transportation is for trips to and from school sites
or agricultural education sites or for trips to and from agricultural
education-related events or competitions
• Prescribes conditions which must be adhered to when the authorized
transportation of students is provided in a vehicle other than a school bus
that is property of a school district or charter school
• Authorizes local school boards to permit the transportation of students in
privately owned motor vehicles on a case-by-case basis only in certain
circumstances
• Provides immunity for tort liability to school board employees acting
within the scope of their employment, who approve transportation of
students in privately owned vehicles
13
2014 Legislation – Senate Bills
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2014 Legislation – Senate Bill 2090
Payroll date for school district non-licensed employees; authorize
semimonthly payroll in discretion of local school board.
• Authorizes school districts to process a semimonthly or monthly
payroll for non-licensed employees, in the discretion of the local
school board
15
2014 Legislation – Senate Bill 2091
Mississippi Adequate Education Program; phase out hold harmless
provision.
• Phases out the hold harmless provision in the Mississippi
Adequate Education Program
• Phases out over a four-year period
– 2015 reduce percentage amount to 6%
– 2016 reduce percentage amount to 4%
– 2017 reduce percentage amount to 2%
16
2014 Legislation – Senate Bill 2288
School Board Elections In Certain Municipal School Districts;
provide uniform procedure for nominating petition.
• Provides a uniform procedure for nominating petitions and a
uniform number of signatures on said petitions of nomination to
run for the elected office of board of trustees of certain municipal
school districts
17
2014 Legislation – Senate Bill 2423
Professional School Counselors; revise manner of reference and
duties and responsibilities of.
• Corrects and change in reference and title of school guidance
counselors to Professional School Counselors
• Revise certain duties and responsibilities assigned to Professional
School Counselors and those duties related to counselors’ ability
to provide direct services
• Webinar for Administrators and Counselors to outline more
details for upcoming training and professional development that
will occur over the next three years
18
2014 Legislation – Senate Bill 2571
Education Provision; revise and clarify certain relating to hours of instruction;
student records, student enrollment, dual enrollment and textbooks
• Requires that the hours of actual teaching in a public school shall not be less
than five and one-half hours
• Revises the definition of “School Day” under the compulsory school attendance
law to mean not less than five and one-half hours of actual teaching
• Authorizes school districts to store the permanent records of those individuals
having graduated in an electronic digital format
• Prohibits the enrollment of children who have not reached a certain age on or
before August 1 from enrolling in a kindergarten or in first grade which is part
of a public school (Repealed in HB 454)
• Removes the provision that prohibits courses required for Subject Area Testing
as eligible for dual credit under a dual enrollment program
19
2014 Legislation – Senate Bill 2571
Education Provisions:
~ continued~
• Provides for the timely distribution of education enhancement fund
procurement cards to school teachers eligible for receipt of such cards
• Requires school districts to submit certain alternative school reports and to
provide enforcement sanctions for failing to file
• Provides that the withdrawal of a school district’s accreditation in a district with
an “A” or “B” rating for any reason other than academic or serious financial
deficiencies shall not result in the limitation of the schools in the district to
participate in extracurricular or athletic activities
• Repeals the language that provides that all public schools shall begin the school
year on or after the third Monday in August
20
2014 Legislation – Senate Bill 2572
Literacy Based Promotion Program; State Department of Education conduct pilot
program in one or more “C” level school districts.
• Establishes a Kindergarten readiness assessment program in the State
Department of Education ( Provides for MDE to administer a statewide Kreadiness assessment)
• Authorizes and directs the State Department of Education to conduct a reading
intervention pilot program in one or more “C” level school districts
• Prescribes certain education requirements for initial elementary education
licensure effective July 1, 2016
• Establishes a middle school dropout prevention pilot program in certain “D”
and “F” rated school districts selected by the State Board of Education
21
2014 Legislation – Senate Bill 2575
Teacher Licensure; revise requirements for teacher candidates
applying for licensure under alternative route.
• Revises the GPA or PRAXIS II testing requirements for teacher
candidates applying for standard licensure under the
alternate route program
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School Financial Services Update
Miscellaneous Issues
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Miscellaneous Issues
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National Board – Nov expirations $6,000
FETS
Extended School Year (ESY)
Assistant Teachers and Student Teaching
EEF Carryover and Auditors
EEF Card Update
Teach Mississippi Institute
GASB 68 and PERS Liability
Certified Academic Language Therapist
MAGIC
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Miscellaneous Issues
National Board
MS Code 37-19-7
“…Such teacher shall submit documentation…
that the certificate was received prior to
October 15 in order to be eligible for the full
salary supplement in the current school year”
“…February 15 in order to be eligible for a
prorated salary supplement beginning with the
second term of the school year”
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Miscellaneous Issues
FETS
FETS data is compiled and used for various
purposes:
Federal Reporting
• F33
• NPEFS
26
Miscellaneous Issues
FETS (continued)
State Reporting:
• Superintendent’s Annual Report – Dec. each year
• MAEP
• Legislature upon request
• Maintenance of Effort Calculation for Title I and
Special Education; Excess Cost for Spec. Educ.
• Accreditation Standard
• Many other areas
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Miscellaneous Issues
FETS (continued)
Due on October 15, 2014 as always
Once FETS is submitted and the deadline
has passed, no changes should be made.
You cannot resubmit FETS at some time in
the future.
Only change should be for audit
adjustments.
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Miscellaneous Issues
Extended School Year (ESY)
• Fund number range (2090-2095)
• Funds are limited
• Reduction depends on request for ESY from all
recipients
• Paid in November, March and May
• Paid based on previous year
• Can book it a couple of different ways
29
Miscellaneous Issues
Assistant Teachers and Student Teaching
• MS Code 37-3-2(6)(a) concerning Assistant Teachers
and Student Teaching
• Attorney General Opinion #2003 WL 23184194
• In part, “local school district in which the assistant
teacher is employed shall compensate such assistant
teachers at the required salary level during the period
of time such individual is completing student teaching
requirements.”
• In part, not required to pay salary if Asst Teacher
student teaches in another district.
30
Miscellaneous Issues
EEF Carryover and Auditors
An auditor should not be including an
amount in your audit report as EEFCarryover unless you have a balance in
your 2440 fund.
31
Miscellaneous Issues
EEF Card Update
• All new cards for FY15
• New design
• Change in law SB 2571
• No district allocations
• All cards will be the same across state
• Districts to provide # of cards by Sept 1
32
Miscellaneous Issues
EEF Card Update (continued)
“On or before September 1 of each year,
local school districts shall * * * determine
and submit to the State Department of
Education the number of teachers
eligible to receive an allocation for the
current year.”
33
Miscellaneous Issues
Teach Mississippi Institute
• MS Code 37-3-2(6)(b)(viii) concerning TMI
• The local school district…shall compensate such teacher
interns at Step 1 of the required salary level during the
period of time such individual is completing teacher
internship requirements and shall compensate such
Standard License — Nontraditional Route teachers at
Step 3 of the required salary level when they complete
license requirements.
34
Miscellaneous Issues
Teach Mississippi Institute (continued)
• Attorney General Opinion #2012 WL 3611757
• Requires any local school district employing a TMI
educator who has completed licensure requirements
and obtained a 5 year Standard License to compensate
the educator for an additional level of experience.
• This applies even if the individual was employed by
another district when they obtained their license.
35
Miscellaneous Issues
GASB 68 and PERS Liability
• GASB 68 amends statement 27 - Accounting for Pensions
by State and Local Governmental Employers
• Effective with audits ending June 30, 2015
• PERS will issue an amount for each district
• Amount may impact Exhibit A & Exhibit B
• Contact your auditor with questions
36
Miscellaneous Issues
Certified Academic Language Therapist-CALT
MS Code 37-19-7(2)(a)
– National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
– National Board for Certification of School Nurses
(limited to 35)
– National Certified School Counselor
– Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American
Speech-Language-Hearing Assoc and any certified
academic language therapist
37
Miscellaneous Issues
CALT (continued)
• First year was FY 2013-14
• Limited to 20 individuals
• Individuals are only entitled to only one
supplement each year
• MS AG Op. Wright, May 2, 2014
38
Miscellaneous Issues
MAGIC Project - MAGIC, Mississippi’s
Accountability System for Government
Information and Collaboration, will be
Mississippi State Government’s Enterprise
Resource Planning solution. Based on SAP
Public Sector® software, MAGIC will
replace the State’s legacy administrative
systems with a fully-integrated system.
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Questions?
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