AA | School District Legal Status

The official name of the school district is the Durant Public School District. The School District is a political subdivision of the State of Mississippi. § 37-6-5

The School District shall have the same prerogatives, powers, duties and privileges as the other school districts in the State of Mississippi. § 37-6-3

The Board of Trustees of the School District shall have full jurisdiction, power and authority, at any regular meeting thereof or at any special meeting called for that purpose, to abolish such existing district, or to reorganize, change or alter the boundaries of any such district. In addition thereto, with the consent of the school board of the school district involved, may detach territory from such school district and annex same to an adjoining district. § 37-7-103

NOTE: For legal requirements on district consolidation, please refer to § 37-7-105.

HOME RULE

The Board of Trustees of the School District may adopt any orders, resolutions or ordinances with respect to school district affairs, property and finances which are not inconsistent with the Mississippi Constitution of 1890, the Mississippi Code of 1972, or any other statute or law of the State of Mississippi. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the powers granted to the school boards in this section are complete without the existence of or reference to any specific authority granted in any other statute or law of the State of Mississippi. Unless such actions are specifically authorized by another statute or law of the State of Mississippi, this section shall not authorize a school board to: (a) levy taxes of any kind or increase the levy of any authorized tax; (b) issue bonds of any kind; or (c) enter into collective bargaining agreements.
§ 37-7-301.1

MISSISSIPPI ADEQUATE EDUCATION PROGRAM

The Mississippi Adequate Education Program (M.A.E.P) shall be used as the basis for providing State financial support to elementary and secondary schools. Specific sections of the M.A.E.P. may be cited in appropriate district policies to support board policy and decisions.

As used in Sections 37-151-2, 37-151-5, and 37-151-7, AAdequate program or Aadequate education program or Mississippi Adequate Education Program (M.A.E.P.) shall mean the program proposed to establish adequate current operation funding levels necessary for the programs of such school district to meet at least Level III of the accreditation system as established by the State Board of Education, acting through the Mississippi Commission on School Accreditation, regardless of the school district's geographic location. § 37-151-5

There shall be maintained a uniform system of free public schools consisting of grades one through twelve, which may be divided between grammar schools, junior high schools and high schools or any combination thereof, on such basis and in such grades as the Board of Trustees of the school district involved, in its discretion, shall deem necessary and desirable.
§ 37‑13‑1

AUTHORITY TO CHARGE FEES / FINANCIAL HARDSHIP WAIVER
1. The Board of Trustees of the School District shall be authorized to charge reasonable fees, but not more than the actual cost, for the following.

1. Supplemental instructional materials and supplies, excluding textbooks;
2. Any other fees designated by the local school board as fees related to a valid curriculum educational objective, including transportation; and
   Extracurricular activities and any other educational activities of the school district that are not designated by the local school board as valid curriculum educational objectives, such as band trips and athletic events.

2.

1. Allfees authorized to be charged under this section, except those fees authorized under subsection 1.c of this section, shall be charged only upon the condition that the school board of each school district shall adopt a financial hardship waiver policy that shall be kept in the strictest of confidence with all files and personal disclosures restricted from review by the general public. The financial hardship waiver policy must be distributed in writing to pupils at the time of enrollment. Any family who qualifies for the National School Lunch Program, as created by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 USCS Section 1751 et seq.), shall receive a financial hardship waiver.
2. The board shall insure that a pupil eligible to have any such fees waived as a result of an inability to pay for those fees, shall not be discriminated against nor shall there be any overt identification of any pupil who has received a financial hardship waiver by use of special tokens or tickets, announcements, posting or publication of names, physical separation, choice of materials or by any other means. In no case shall any school district's procedures expose any pupil receiving a hardship waiver to any type of stigma or ridicule by other pupils or school district personnel.
3. The confidentiality of the financial hardship waiver policy adopted by such school board shall apply to any students who have an inability to pay any fees authorized under (1) of this section.

3. In no case shall the inability to pay the assessment of fees authorized under the provisions of this section result in a pupil being denied or deprived of any academic awards or standards, any class selection, grade, diploma, transcript or the right to participate in any activity related to educational enhancement. § 37-7-335

LEGAL REF.:
MS CODE as cited
CROSS REF.:
ABBC Board Powers and Duties
BBBC School Board Members
JSC Fee Policy