National board certified occupational therapists and school psychologists; pay salary supplement to school employees.
HB 1623 amends Mississippi’s school salary supplement law, Section 37-19-7, to add two new categories of employees who must receive an annual state-funded salary supplement: occupational therapists who have earned initial certification as an Occupational Therapist Registered from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, and school psychologists who have earned Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) certification from the National Association of School Psychologists. The bill applies to these employees when they are employed by a local school district or the State Department of Education, and it requires the supplement to be paid in addition to any other compensation and fringe benefits they already receive.
The bill places these new employees into the existing salary-supplement framework that already provides $6,000 annual supplements for several nationally certified school professionals, such as National Board Certified teachers, school nurses, school counselors, speech-language pathologists/audiologists, and athletic trainers. It also preserves the existing rules for documentation deadlines, prorated eligibility, reimbursement of certification costs, and the limitation that an employee may receive only one annual supplement under this subsection even if holding multiple qualifying credentials. The effective date is July 1, 2025.
In practical terms, the bill would increase state obligations under Mississippi’s education compensation statutes by expanding the list of covered licensed personnel eligible for salary supplements. It would affect school districts and the State Department of Education by requiring them to recognize these certifications for pay purposes and to administer the supplement and reimbursement provisions through the same state payment structure already used for other qualifying school employees. The bill does not alter the base teacher salary schedule, but it does expand the class of employees entitled to additional state compensation.
The overall sentiment reflected by the bill text and available context appears supportive of recognizing advanced professional credentials in school support services. The caption and structure of the bill frame the change as a targeted pay supplement for specialized school employees, consistent with Mississippi’s broader policy of incentivizing national certification and advanced credentials in education-related roles. No committee debate or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented opposition or amendment history in the supplied materials.
The main point of potential contention is fiscal: the bill creates a new mandatory salary supplement for additional categories of employees, which would require state funding and could affect appropriations. Another possible issue is whether the state should extend the same $6,000 supplement to these professions as it does to teachers and other school staff, but no specific objections are shown in the provided record.
HB 1623 would amend Section 37-19-7 of the Mississippi Code to require annual salary supplements for nationally certified occupational therapists and nationally certified school psychologists employed by school districts or the State Department of Education. It expands the existing state compensation scheme for licensed school personnel, while leaving the underlying teacher salary schedule and most existing supplement rules intact. The bill would take effect July 1, 2025, and would be administered through the same state-to-district payment and reimbursement framework already used for other qualifying certifications.
The available materials suggest a generally favorable, professional-recognition approach to the bill. Its purpose is to reward advanced national certification for school-based specialists, aligning with Mississippi’s existing policy of paying supplements for certain credentialed educators and support staff. Because no committee transcripts or votes were provided, there is no direct evidence of floor or committee opposition, but the measure likely carries the usual appropriations-related interest because it creates a new state-funded compensation obligation.
The most likely point of contention is cost, since the bill mandates a new annual supplement for additional employees and therefore has budget implications for the state and school districts. A secondary issue is policy scope: some may question whether occupational therapists and school psychologists should receive the same supplement level as other nationally certified school personnel, or whether the state should prioritize other compensation needs. No specific named opponents, amendments, or recorded objections are included in the provided history.