Expert citizen teachers; provide rate of compensation for those employed in critical shortage areas.

HB 422 allows Mississippi school districts facing critical teacher shortages to compensate licensed "expert citizen teachers" (professionals with relevant work experience) by crediting 3/4 of a year of teaching experience for each year of their professional expertise. This credit aligns their experience with standard salary steps for permanent teachers, directly affecting districts in shortage areas and licensed professionals (e.g., engineers, healthcare workers) hired as teachers. The bill amends existing teacher compensation rules to recognize non-education career experience toward salary progression. It does not change base pay rates but provides a mechanism to advance these educators' pay based on their professional background.