Bill > SB2499

This bill authorizes the State Department of Education to establish a grant program, contingent on legislative funding, to help public school districts pay for autism specialists, evidence-based professional development for educators who work with exceptional children (children with disabilities), and sensory and instructional supports for these students. The program will prioritize school districts that serve a large number of underserved students, and the department can require school districts to provide accommodations like sensory rooms or equipment for students whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan indicates a need for them to access education. The department will also develop a budget for these initiatives and submit it annually to the Legislature, and a new "Exceptional Children Grant Program Fund" will be created in the State Treasury, with a maximum annual appropriation of $10,000,000. This bill also makes conforming amendments to existing Mississippi Code sections related to the education of exceptional children and will take effect on July 1, 2026.

Education

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/SB/SB2499.xml