Rule 7-3-19.1 - Class Size When the personnel report from each district is submitted to the Mississippi Department of Education the following procedure will be implemented:
1. If the enrollment in any class in grades 1-4 is greater than 27 and/or the number of students taught by any individual teacher exceeds 150, MDE staff will notify the district in writing and request an explanation as to the reasons for the overage. 2. The district shall submit documentation that the situation has been corrected or request an exemption. The request for exemption will describe the situation and provide justification as to why the exemption should be approved. This request should include at a minimum: a. the number of classes in that school that serve the same grade,b. whether there is a school reasonably close by to which the children over the maximum could be transferred,c. a clear description of why an additional class cannot be added to alleviate the overload, andd. other emergency, hardship, or special situations which justify an exemption.3. The Mississippi Department of Education staff (Exemptions Committee) will review the request for exemption and make a recommendation to the State Board.4. The State Board shall disapprove or approve exemption requests.5. A school district may appeal the denial of an exemption by submitting a request within fourteen (14) days of receipt of notification to the State Board. 6. The State Board's decision on an appeal is final. If a school district violates the provisions of Mississippi Code 37-151-77, the state aid for the ensuing fiscal year to such school district shall be reduced by the percentage variance that the actual pupil-teacher ratios in such school district has to the required pupil-teacher ratios mandated in this section. Any district meeting the highest levels of performance are exempt from the maximum pupil teacher ratio in Grades 1, 2, 3, and 4.
MS Code 37-151-77 (Revised 2/2012)