A new law approved by Governor Haley Barbour aims to ensure
leaders in Mississippi schools are making responsible financial and
academic decisions in order to provide all students with a quality
education.
Senate Bill 2628, called the Children First Act of 2009, will most
directly impact school districts that are considered “failing,” with
a goal of turning them around before state conservatorship is necessary.
The bill was born out of recommendations made by a legislative task
force which met during 2008 and was co-chaired by House Education
Chairman Cecil Brown and Senate Education Chairman Videt Carmichael.
“Even the smallest decisions that are made in a school district can
impact the educational experience that our boys and girls have in the
classroom,”Dr. Bounds said. “This new law will give us the
confidence that our leaders are making the right choices that always put
children first.”
Some of the provisions in the Children First Act include:
– Remove superintendents and school board members when a school
district has been considered “failing” for two consecutive school
years.
– Create a Mississippi Recovery School District to govern school
districts that have been taken over by the state.
– Requires school district officials, when a financial advisor has been
appointed to the district, to report to the State Board of Public
Accountancy when an audit completed by a contracted firm is thought to
be deficient in any manner.
– Require school districts that are designated as “failing” to
establish a P-16 Council that includes representatives from the school,
business and local community.
– Require all school districts to publish annually a report that
includes specific achievement and financial data as set by the State
Board of Education.
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