House Bill 1349

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE "MISSISSIPPI GREAT TEACHERS ACT OF 2019" FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING INCENTIVES TO INDIVIDUALS TO ENTER INTO THE TEACHING PROFESSION AND TO ADDRESS THE CRITICAL TEACHER SHORTAGE IN THE STATE; TO AMEND SECTION 37-3-2, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE ELIGIBILITY QUALIFICATIONS FOR TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS FOR PURPOSES OF ISSUANCE OF A STANDARD EDUCATOR LICENSE; TO CLARIFY THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION ON TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATOR EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION AND LICENSURE AND DEVELOPMENT; TO CLARIFY PROCEDURES FOR APPEAL OF EDUCATOR LICENSURE DECISIONS BY THE COMMISSION, ITS SUBCOMMITTEE OR HEARING OFFICER; TO REVISE THE GROUNDS FOR DENIAL OF EDUCATOR LICENSURE APPLICATIONS AND TO PROVIDE AUTHORITY FOR LICENSURES PROBATION; TO CLARIFY GROUNDS FOR EDUCATION LICENSURE SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION AND TO CLARIFY PROCEDURES FOR EDUCATOR LICENSURE REINSTATEMENT FOLLOWING SUSPENSION; TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ISSUE A NONTRADITIONAL TEACHING ROUTE STANDARD LICENSE TO INDIVIDUALS HOLDING ADVANCED DEGREES AND ACHIEVING THE NATIONALLY RECOMMENDED PASSING SCORE ON THE PRAXIS CORE ACADEMIC SKILLS FOR EDUCATORS EXAMINATION AND PRAXIS II EXAMINATION PROVIDING THAT SUCH INDIVIDUALS COMPLETED THE COURSE OF STUDY FOR THE ADVANCED DEGREE PROGRAM WITH THE GRADE OF A "C" OR HIGHER AT THE TIME APPLICATION FOR LICENSURE IS SUBMITTED; TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-9-201, 37-9-203, 37-9-205, 37-9-207, 37-9-209, 37-9-211 AND 37-9-213, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH ARE PROVISIONS OF THE BEGINNING TEACHER SUPPORT PROGRAM, TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES TO TEACHER LEADERS TO PROMOTE THE SUPPORT AND RETENTION OF EFFECTIVE CLASSROOM TEACHERS; TO AMEND SECTION 37-19-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE THE MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY SCALE BY $2,000.00, TO BE PHASED IN OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD AT $1,000.00 PER YEAR BEGINNING WITH THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR; TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF THE COMPENSATION TO TEACHER LEADERS IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,000.00 FOR EACH BEGINNING TEACHER MENTORED UNDER THE BEGINNING TEACHER SUPPORT PROGRAM; TO AMEND SECTION 37-106-35, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE ASSISTANT TEACHER FORGIVABLE LOAN PROGRAM TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO TEACHER ASSISTANTS TO EQUAL THE ACTUAL COST OF SIX THREE-HOUR COURSES PER YEAR; TO REMOVE THE PROVISION LIMITING THE PURPOSE OF THE LOAN FOR CRITICAL TEACHER SHORTAGE AREAS; TO AMEND SECTION 37-149-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ESTABLISH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS FOR THE MILITARY AND EXPERT CITIZENS TO ENTER THE TEACHING PROFESSION; TO AMEND SECTION 37-159-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ESTABLISH THE MISSISSIPPI CLASSIFIED SCHOOL EMPLOYEE TEACHER CREDENTIALING AND RETENTION GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIPS TO ASSISTANT TEACHERS AND PARAPROFESSIONALS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EARN A BACHELOR OF EDUCATION DEGREE FOR THE PURPOSE OF EMPLOYMENT AS LICENSED TEACHERS IN GEOGRAPHICAL CRITICAL TEACHER SHORTAGE AREAS AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION; TO REQUIRE PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING TO COLLABORATE WITH THE MISSISSIPPI TEACHER CENTER TO IDENTIFY, RECRUIT AND PLACE TEACHER EDUCATION GRADUATES IN GEOGRAPHICAL CRITICAL TEACHER SHORTAGE AREAS; TO REQUIRE ASSISTANT TEACHERS AND PARAPROFESSIONALS WHO COMPLETE THE PROGRAM WITH A BACHELOR OF EDUCATION DEGREE TO COMMIT TO TEACHING IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL IN A GEOGRAPHICAL CRITICAL TEACHER SHORTAGE AREA FOR A PERIOD OF NOT LESS THAN THREE YEARS AFTER COMPLETION; TO PROVIDE THAT INDIVIDUALS THAT FAIL TO COMPLETE THE PROGRAM OR COMPLY WITH EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS SHALL BE LIABLE FOR THE SUM OF ALL AWARDS RECEIVED UNDER THE PROGRAMS, PLUS INTEREST ACCRUING AT THE CURRENT STAFFORD LOAN RATE; TO EXTEND THE DATE OF REPEAL ON THESE PROGRAMS UNTIL JULY 1, 2024; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 25-11-126, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT PERSONS WHO HAVE AT LEAST 25 YEARS OF CREDITABLE SERVICE IN THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM, WHO WERE EMPLOYED AS PUBLIC SCHOOLTEACHERS AT THE TIME OF THEIR RETIREMENT AND WHO HAVE BEEN RETIRED AND RECEIVING A RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR, MAY BE EMPLOYED AS TEACHERS BY A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AFTER THEIR RETIREMENT AND RECEIVE A RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE FROM THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM DURING THEIR EMPLOYMENT AS TEACHERS IN ADDITION TO RECEIVING A BEGINNING TEACHER'S SALARY; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 25-11-105, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 25-11-123 AND 25-11-127, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY THERETO; TO AMEND SECTION 37-21-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE IF 1972, TO INCREASE THE MINIMUM SALARY OF ASSISTANT TEACHERS BY $1,000.00, TO BE PHASED IN OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD AT $500.00 PER YEAR BEGINNING WITH THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

In the House of Representatives

• Charles Busby

  Sponsor

l9n doesn't hold this bill's text yet.

In the House of Representatives Jan 21 – Feb 14

1. Jan 21Referred to the House committee on Education
2. Jan 31Reported from committee in the House: title sufficient, do pass as a committee substitute
3. Feb 14Died on the calendar in the House