AN ACT TO CREATE THE "MISSISSIPPI STATE SPECIAL SCHOOLS PARTNERSHIP AND AUTONOMY ACT OF 2026"; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 37-142-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO SET FORTH LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS RECOGNIZING THE STATEWIDE PUBLIC PURPOSE AND MISSION-DRIVEN AUTONOMY OF MISSISSIPPI'S STATE SPECIAL SCHOOLS, INCLUDING THE MISSISSIPPI SCHOOL FOR MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE, THE MISSISSIPPI SCHOOL OF THE ARTS, AND THE MISSISSIPPI SCHOOLS FOR THE DEAF AND THE BLIND; TO DECLARE THAT ANY COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES MUST NOT DIMINISH INSTITUTIONAL, ADMINISTRATIVE, FISCAL OR OPERATIONAL INDEPENDENCE; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 37-142-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DEFINE "STATE SPECIAL SCHOOL" AND "UNIVERSITY PARTNER"; TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, ACTING THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION OF A STATE SPECIAL SCHOOL, TO ENTER INTO MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING, COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS AND CONTRACTS WITH A UNIVERSITY PARTNER FOR ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT, INSTRUCTION, SHARED FACILITIES, JOINT RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, DUAL ENROLLMENT OR EARLY COLLEGE PROGRAMMING AND RELATED ACTIVITIES THAT ADVANCE STUDENT LEARNING AND INSTITUTIONAL MISSIONS, SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION; TO AUTHORIZE STATE SPECIAL SCHOOLS, ON A VOLUNTARY AND RENEWABLE BASIS, TO CONTRACT WITH UNIVERSITY PARTNERS FOR NONINSTRUCTIONAL SHARED SERVICES, INCLUDING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY AND SECURITY, MAINTENANCE, CUSTODIAL SERVICES, TRANSPORTATION SUPPORT, FOOD SERVICE AND OTHER OPERATIONAL FUNCTIONS; TO PROHIBIT ANY PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT FROM CONFERRING ADMINISTRATIVE, SUPERVISORY, POLICY-SETTING, PERSONNEL, BUDGETARY OR DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY OVER A STATE SPECIAL SCHOOL TO A UNIVERSITY PARTNER OR TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING; TO PRESERVE GOVERNANCE EXCLUSIVELY IN THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION UNLESS ALTERED BY EXPLICIT ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE; TO REQUIRE PUBLIC POSTING OF ALL AGREEMENTS, SUBMISSION TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEES WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF EXECUTION, AND INCLUSION OF A SUNSET, TERMINATION, OR MANDATORY REVIEW CLAUSE NOT TO EXCEED FIVE YEARS; TO AUTHORIZE PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE CREATION OF NEW STATE SPECIAL SCHOOLS SERVING GRADES 6 THROUGH 12 ADDRESSING UNMET POPULATIONS OR SPECIALTY AREAS, SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND CONTINGENT UPON SUBSEQUENT LEGISLATIVE AUTHORIZATION OR SPECIFIC APPROPRIATION; TO REQUIRE THAT ANY STATE SPECIAL SCHOOL ESTABLISHED THEREAFTER OPERATE UNDER EXCLUSIVE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION GOVERNANCE, FUNCTION AS ITS OWN FISCAL AGENT, AND INDEPENDENTLY MANAGE ITS BUDGET, STAFFING, CONTRACTS, OPERATIONS, CURRICULUM, ADMISSIONS, INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS AND STUDENT SUPPORTS, WITH UNIVERSITY INVOLVEMENT LIMITED TO ADVISORY ROLES OR CONTRACTUAL PARTNERSHIPS EXPRESSLY PERMITTED; TO REQUIRE THAT AGREEMENTS PRESERVE THE SCHOOL'S FISCAL AND OPERATIONAL AUTHORITIES AND TO ESTABLISH FACILITY AND SERVICE EXPECTATIONS WHEN A STATE SPECIAL SCHOOL OPERATES ON A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, INCLUDING RESPONSIBILITIES FOR MAJOR BUILDING SYSTEMS, UTILITIES, MAINTENANCE STANDARDS, CONTINUITY OF HISTORICALLY PROVIDED SERVICES, ACCESS TO OPERATIONAL RECORDS DURING TRANSITION AND TERMS FOR STUDENT COURSE ENROLLMENT AT THE PARTNERING UNIVERSITY; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 37-142-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT BEGINNING IN FISCAL YEAR 2027 EACH STATE SPECIAL SCHOOL SHALL BE ADDITIONALLY FUNDED THROUGH THE MISSISSIPPI STUDENT FUNDING FORMULA AS AN INDEPENDENT PUBLIC SCHOOL UNDER EXCLUSIVE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION GOVERNANCE; TO PROVIDE THAT FORMULA FUNDING SHALL BE GENERATED BASED ON ENROLLMENT, PROGRAMMATIC WEIGHTS, AND CATEGORICAL ALLOCATIONS WITHOUT LOCAL CONTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS; TO REQUIRE DIRECT ALLOCATION OF FORMULA FUNDS TO EACH STATE SPECIAL SCHOOL AS ITS OWN FISCAL AGENT WITHOUT ROUTING THROUGH A SCHOOL DISTRICT, PUBLIC UNIVERSITY, OR THE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING; TO CLARIFY THAT THE LEGISLATURE MAY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS OR CAPITAL SUPPORT OUTSIDE THE FORMULA; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
The bill mandates that starting from Fiscal Year 2027, state special schools will receive additional funding through the Mississippi Student Funding Formula, treating them as independent public schools. This funding approach is designed to provide financial stability without the requirement for local contributions. Furthermore, it specifies that fiscal operations for these schools should be separate from public universities, enhancing the schools' administrative freedoms and enabling them to manage their budgets and resources directly.
House Bill 1210, known as the Mississippi State Special Schools Partnership and Autonomy Act of 2026, aims to support state special schools, which include schools for mathematics, the arts, and for the deaf and blind. The act recognizes their unique mission-driven educational purpose and underscores the necessity for these schools to maintain autonomy from external influences, particularly from public universities. It establishes clear guidelines for creating partnerships while ensuring that governance remains with the State Board of Education, reinforcing the independence of these institutions.
While the bill facilitates partnerships with universities for academic support and shared resources, it clearly delineates that such collaborations cannot infringe on the operational governance of the special schools. There may arise concerns over the extent of these partnerships and how they will function without overlapping authority, particularly regarding shared services and resource management. Stakeholders may express differing opinions about balancing beneficial collaboration against maintaining institutional independence, highlighting the need for clear, enforceable agreements to regulate such involvements.