MS SB2859

Appropriates $37,855,077.00 from the State General Fund to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning for financial aid scholarship, loan, and grant programs for fiscal year 2015 (July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015).

Authorizes an additional $4,255,000.00 from federal funds, grants, donations, and other special source funds for the same student financial aid programs.

Allocates $1,500,000.00 specifically for the Teacher Education Scholars Program for students enrolled in Mississippi public or private universities and admitted into teacher education programs, with unallocated funds lapsing to the general fund.

Designates $70,000.00 for the Speech-Language Pathologists Loan Forgiveness Program and establishes the Mississippi Supplemental Tuition Grant Program if funds become available.

Restricts the Out-of-State Educational Program to fund no more than 11 new optometry students and 10 new chiropractic students (with a maximum of 25 chiropractic students overall), and prohibits funding for students in medicine or dentistry who first enrolled out-of-state after July 1, 1982.