Mississippi § 37-23-31 - Establishment of education program for deaf, aphasic and emotionally disturbed children; rights of parents or guardians regarding placement or education programs.

§ 37-23-31. Establishment of education program for deaf, aphasic and emotionally disturbed children; rights of parents or guardians regarding placement or education programs.

When five (5) or more children under twenty-one (21) years of age who because of deafness, aphasia, emotional disturbance and/or other low-incidence conditions, are unable to have their educational needs met in a regular public school program, and a special education program in their particular areas of exceptionality is not available in their respective local public school districts, a state-supported university or college shall be authorized and empowered, in its discretion, to provide a program of education, instruction and training to such children, provided that such program shall operate under rules, regulations, policies and standards adopted by the State Department of Education as provided for in Section 37-23-33. The opinion of a parent or guardian in regard to the provision of an appropriate special education program in or by their respective local public school district shall be considered before a placement decision is finalized. Parents shall have any and all rights as provided in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, including, but not limited to, the right to equal participation in their child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), the right to require review of their child’s IEP, and the right to appeal an IEP Committee decision immediately. The parent or guardian or local educational agency shall have the right to audio record the proceedings of individualized education program team meetings. The parent or guardian or local educational agency shall notify the members of the individualized education program team of his, her, or its intent to audio record a meeting at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the meeting. Any state-supported university or college conducting a full-time medical teaching program acceptable to the State Board of Education may, at its discretion, enter into such contracts or agreements with any private school or nonprofit corporation-supported institution, the Mississippi School for the Deaf, or any state-supported institution, providing the special education contemplated by this section for such services, provided the private school or institution offering such services shall have conducted a program of such services at standards acceptable to the State Department of Education for a period of at least one (1) year prior to the date at which the university or college proposes to enter into an agreement or contract for special educational services as described above.