(1) This section shall be known and may be cited as the “Mississippi Better Sight for Better Learning Program.”

(2) The State Board of Education shall recommend a child entering first grade, whose eye screening indicates a need to have a face-to-face comprehensive eye examination, to be completed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist by January 1 of the child’s first grade year. A principal, director or other person in charge of a public school shall collect from the child’s parent or legal guardian, evidence of the child’s face-to-face comprehensive eye examination, as provided by regulation of the State Board of Education, or a signed request by the parent or legal guardian of each student opting out of the face-to-face comprehensive eye examination. A face-to-face comprehensive eye examination that was performed before a child’s initial enrollment in a public school shall be deemed to satisfy the requirement of this section. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules and regulations under the authority provided in this section to implement the provisions of this section.

(3) The State Department of Education is hereby authorized and empowered to establish a student vision screening program to make eye screening services available to students in Grades K-12 in the public schools in order to detect vision problems which can lead to academic problems. Such eye screening service shall be based on a process that is screening in nature, and not diagnostic, which is intended to identify with a reasonably high probability, students with a wide range of eye problems who should seek the services of an eye care professional for examination, diagnosis and corrective recommendation. Such eye screening service shall provide each student screened with a report of the student’s screening results to be taken home. Each school shall be provided with a list of the students screened, and their results. Statistical summaries of the screening results shall be provided to each school, and composite statistics by school system, county or district shall be provided to the State Department of Education. The State Department of Education may contract with any legal entity to administer the student vision screening program on the school district level, and such contract shall be let on a competitive basis. State funding for the program shall only be available subject to appropriation by the Legislature.

(4) The school board of any local school district shall cooperate with the State Department of Education and any entity under contract with the department to implement the student face-to-face comprehensive eye examination or vision screening programs established under this section.