Mississippi has 151 school districts and 1,063. During the 2021-2022 school year there were 442,000 students enrolled in K-12 public schools. Approximately 75% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. There is a Mississippi school climate assessment tool called the Mississippi School Safety Manual that aims to find gaps or areas that need improvement; one of the areas of assessment is culture and climate. Other Mississippi policies include anti-bullying, emergency planning, character education curriculum, suicide prevention, parent involvement, and behavioral interventions. There is a policy-making option to include civil rights and human rights education in the K-12 curriculum with help from The Civil Rights Education Commission. There is a two-part program addressing digital literacy where students are taught skills regarding digital citizenship, technology applications, career exploration, and fundamental computing concepts; in the second part of the program, they build on these skills.
Safety
| Mississippi Administrative Code 7-192 Mississippi School Safety Manual. The purpose of this assessment is to increase district knowledge of gaps or areas of needed improvement, evaluate the procedures for legality and consistency, and to initiate new policies based on assessment findings. It is also recommended the assessment instruments be used to assess perceptions of school safety on the part of staff, faculty, and students. Of the four types of assessments under this policy, one is about culture and climate. It is about understanding student and staff perceptions about connectedness to their school.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/mississippi/title-7/part-192/ |
Who does this protect? Staff, Administrators, Students
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
Mississippi Code 37-11-67 Bullying or harassing behavior in public schools is prohibited.
Defines bullying or harassing behavior as well as the behaviors associated with this action.
https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2020/title-37/chapter-11/section-37-11-67/
Mississippi asks schools to develop and implement procedures to prevent bullying and harassment behavior and the consequences of such behavior. Policies also explain that procedures are needed for reporting an incidence of bullying and investigating it as well as how this policy will be communicated.
- Mississippi Code 37-11-67 Bullying or harassing behavior in public schools prohibited.
https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2020/title-37/chapter-11/section-37-11-67/
- Mississippi Code 37-11-69 Anti-bullying personnel and discipline policies and code of student conduct.
https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2020/title-37/chapter-11/section-37-11-69/
Mississippi’s anti-bullying policy address bullying incidents that take place on school property, at any school-sponsored function, or on a school bus. It does not cover incidents that occur off school property.
- Mississippi Code 37-11-67 Bullying or harassing behavior in public schools prohibited.
https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2020/title-37/chapter-11/section-37-11-67/
Who does this protect? Students, Teachers
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
Mississippi schools need to develop plans for dealing with emergencies.
- Mississippi Administrative Code 7-192 Mississippi School Safety Manual.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/mississippi/title-7/part-192/
- Mississippi Administrative Code 7-24 Public School Accountability Standard.
- Each school has a comprehensive School Safety Plan on file that has been approved annually by the local school board.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/mississippi/title-7/part-24/
Mississippi Code 37-3-81. School Safety Center.
This center will aid school districts and communities during school crises and provides technical assistance, training, and current resources to public school officials and parents who need assistance in researching, developing, and implementing school safety plans and in maintaining a safe school environment.
https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2020/title-37/chapter-3/section-37-3-81/
Mississippi Code 37-11-5. Instruction in fire drills, emergency management, and active shooter drills.
It’s the responsibility of the principals and teachers in all public school buildings to instruct the pupils in the methods of fire drills and to practice fire drills until all the pupils in the school are familiar with the methods of escape. In addition, it’s their responsibility to develop and conduct an active shooter drill within the first sixty days of each new school semester.
https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2020/title-37/chapter-11/section-37-11-5/
Mississippi Code 37-7-321. Employment and designation of peace officers; the minimum level of basic law enforcement training required; operation of radio broadcasting and transmission station; interlocal agreements with other law enforcement entities for the provision of certain equipment or services.
The school board of any school district may employ one or more persons as security personnel and may designate such persons as peace officers in or on any property operated for school purposes. They must receive a minimum level of basic law enforcement training within two (2) years of the person’s initial employment.
https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2020/title-37/chapter-7/article-7/section-37-7-321/
Mississippi Administrative Code 7-3-97.1 Weapons.
Each local school district shall have a policy concerning weapons on school premises. The policy states that it must have the provision that no one, other than duly authorized law enforcement officials, will possess pistols, firearms, or other dangerous weapons on school property and school functions.
Who does this protect? Students, Staff
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No
Teaching/Learning
Mississippi provides students with disabilities the accommodations and resources they need to have an appropriate education.
- Mississippi Code 37-23 Standards and Procedures for the Education of Exceptional Children.
https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2020/
- Mississippi Code 37-23 Gifted Education.
https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2020/
- Mississippi Code 37-23 In general.
https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2019/title-37/chapter-23/in-general/
- Mississippi Administrative Code 7-34 Evaluations, eligibility, determinations, individualized education programs, and educational placements.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/mississippi/title-7/part-34/subpart-d/
Who does this protect? Students, Students with disabilities
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
Interpersonal Relationships
Mississippi Code 37-13-193. Civil rights and human rights education in public schools authorized; guidelines to be implemented.
The State Board of Education may make civil rights and human rights education a part of the K-12 curriculum of instruction in Mississippi public schools. The State Board of Education will work with the Civil Rights Education Commission to;
- Provide assistance and advice to K-12 schools concerning the Civil Rights Movement and human rights education and awareness programs.
- Compile a list of volunteers who are willing to share their knowledge and experiences concerning the struggle for civil rights.
Who does this protect? Students
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No
Institutional Environment
Mississippi Code 37-3-63 Alliance for Families program; purpose.
- Enhanced communication with participating principals and teachers.
- A parent involvement plan tailored to each school’s needs.
- Assistance with the support and strategies necessary for successful program implementation.
- Support and assistance in other areas as needed to enhance school-wide effectiveness.
https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2020/title-37/chapter-3/section-37-3-65/
Mississippi Code 37-3-73. Rewarding of parents for involvement in school improvement; parent of year awards.
The State Board of Education shall establish an awards program to reward parents for becoming involved in school improvement efforts.
https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2020/title-37/chapter-3/section-37-3-73/
Who does this protect? Students, Parents
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
Mississippi schools need to develop plans for dealing with emergencies.
- Mississippi Administrative Code 7-192 Mississippi School Safety Manual.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/mississippi/title-7/part-192/
- Mississippi Administrative Code 7-24 Public School Accountability Standard.
Each school has a comprehensive School Safety Plan on file that has been approved annually by the local school board.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/mississippi/title-7/part-24/
Mississippi Code 37-3-81. School Safety Center.
This center will aid school districts and communities during school crises and provides technical assistance, training, and current resources to public school officials and parents who need assistance in researching, developing, and implementing school safety plans and in maintaining a safe school environment.
https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2020/title-37/chapter-3/section-37-3-81/
Mississippi Code 37-11-5. Instruction in fire drills, emergency management, and active shooter drills.
It’s the responsibility of the principals and teachers in all public school buildings to instruct the pupils in the methods of fire drills and to practice fire drills until all the pupils in the school are familiar with the methods of escape. In addition, it’s their responsibility to develop and conduct an active shooter drill within the first sixty days of each new school semester.
https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2020/title-37/chapter-11/section-37-11-5/
Mississippi Code 37-7-321. Employment and designation of peace officers; the minimum level of basic law enforcement training required; operation of radio broadcasting and transmission station; interlocal agreements with other law enforcement entities for the provision of certain equipment or services.
The school board of any school district may employ one or more persons as security personnel and may designate such persons as peace officers in or on any property operated for school purposes. They must receive a minimum level of basic law enforcement training within two (2) years of the person’s initial employment.
https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/2020/title-37/chapter-7/article-7/section-37-7-321/
Mississippi Administrative Code 7-3-97.1 Weapons.
Each local school district shall have a policy concerning weapons on school premises. The policy states that it must have the provision that no one, other than duly authorized law enforcement officials, will possess pistols, firearms, or other dangerous weapons on school property and school functions.
Who does this protect? Students, Staff
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No
Social Media
There is currently no policy surrounding Leadership in Mississippi. For more information on school climate, please visit us at Services – National School
There is currently no policy surrounding Professional Relationships in Mississippi. For more information on school climate, please visit us at Services – National School