HB 1432 Mississippi House · 2025 Regular Session

MS Charter School Act of 2013; revise to expand opportunities for establishment of charter schools in certain districts.

HB 1432 revises Mississippi's charter school law to expand opportunities for new charter schools in districts rated "C" under the state's accountability system (until score adjustments occur). It allows charter authorizers to approve applications without requiring districts to improve ratings first, streamlines contract changes for mergers or reorganizations without closing schools, and modifies funding rules to prevent authorizers from retaining per-pupil funds. The bill also requires annual performance monitoring, updates enrollment preference rules for students transferring from schools under the same governing board, and adjusts teacher licensing limits (allowing up to 50% non-licensed staff in instruction). These changes primarily affect school districts, charter applicants, and existing charter management organizations operating under Mississippi's charter framework.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status died 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 17, 2025 Last action Mar 4, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

As Introduced → Committee Substitute · 10 edits

MAJOR

This bill amends Mississippi's Charter School Act to modernize definitions, expand charter school opportunities in certain districts, streamline contract management for mergers and reorganizations, and clarify financial and operational requirements. The changes aim to improve charter school oversight while reducing administrative burdens and providing clearer pathways for school establishment and renewal.

Scope change

The bill expands charter school eligibility in districts rated 'C' (previously 'D' or 'F'), clarifies that charter schools are not subject to most state board rules unless specifically required by law, and allows charter management organizations to hold single contracts for multiple schools without re-applying.

ELIGIBILITY

Charter school applications can now be approved in districts rated 'C' until the State Board of Education readjusts cut scores under the accountability model, expanding access in previously restricted areas.

DEFINITION

New definitions clarify terms including 'charter management organization,' 'education service provider,' 'conversion charter school,' and 'start-up charter school' to provide clearer operational guidance.

REQUIREMENT

Charter schools are now exempt from most state board rules, policies, and procedures unless specifically required by law, increasing operational autonomy while maintaining accountability.

Charter schools must provide live, synchronous instruction, ensuring real-time educational delivery rather than purely asynchronous or recorded content.

Charter schools must now provide appropriate services to English Language Learners, ensuring compliance with federal civil rights requirements.

Charter schools may now appeal renewal decisions for contracts of less than five years using the same process as nonrenewals and revocations.

Charter schools must receive performance classifications from the State Department of Education and report achievement gaps between student subgroups.

FISCAL

The authorizer may no longer retain a portion of per-pupil allocations for its own support; instead, the legislature may fund the authorizer through specific appropriation.

TIMELINE

New charter schools are granted a two-year delay start date for instruction commencement, allowing time for planning and preparation before opening.

ENFORCEMENT

The authorizer must annually monitor charter school performance and legal compliance, with streamlined reporting requirements to reduce duplication of effort.

Committee Substitute → Current version · 10 edits

MAJOR

This bill updates Mississippi's charter school laws by clarifying definitions, streamlining application and renewal processes, and adjusting financial and operational requirements. Key changes include removing the requirement for authorizers to retain a portion of per-pupil funds, allowing charter schools to delay opening for two years instead of one, and expanding teacher licensure exemptions to include National Board Certified teachers with a $6,000 annual salary supplement.

Scope change

The bill expands charter school flexibility by allowing longer start-up delays, permitting multiple schools under a single contract, and clarifying that nonprofit entities holding charter contracts are nongovernmental entities for certain purposes.

FISCAL

Removed the provision allowing authorizers to retain a portion of per-pupil allocations for their own support, shifting to funding through specific legislative appropriation.

TIMELINE

Extended the maximum opening delay for new charter schools from one year to two years, with a requirement to reapply if instruction does not begin within that timeframe.

REQUIREMENT

Added a $6,000 annual salary supplement for charter school employees who hold National Board Certification in their professional discipline.

Added requirement for charter schools to provide live, in-person, synchronous instruction rather than just live synchronous instruction.

Modified the process for charter school denials to allow applicants who progress past initial evaluation stages one opportunity to remedy deficiencies before the next regular application cycle.

Added authority for authorizers to approve expansion requests for charter schools meeting performance expectations regardless of district performance classification.

Modified reporting requirements to allow charter schools under the same contract to submit a single annual performance report rather than separate reports for each school.

Added requirement for the State Auditor to develop financial rules and regulations including a specific financial accounting manual for charter schools.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified teacher licensure requirements to exclude provisionally licensed and out-of-field teachers from the 50% unlicensed teacher cap, and added National Board Certified teachers to the exemption.

DEFINITION

Clarified that nonprofit entities holding charter contracts are nongovernmental entities, though their board actions remain subject to Open Meetings and Public Records Acts.

Floor votes · House Feb 12, 2025

How they voted

59–49

Passed · 11 other

Total votes 119

Feb 12, 2025

D Democratic39

4 Yea 33 Nay 2

84% Nay

I Independent2

2 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican78

53 Yea 16 Nay 9

67% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 17, 2025

Committee

Referred To Education

upper

Feb 17, 2025

Introduced

Transmitted To Senate

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed As Amended

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Amended

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass Comm Sub

lower

Jan 20, 2025

Committee

Referred To Education

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors