Bill Text: MS HB1163 | 2011 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Early college high schools; direct certain state education leaders to study and recommend establishment of pilot program for.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-04-26 - Approved by Governor [HB1163 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2011-HB1163-Enrolled.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2011 Regular Session
To: Education; Universities and Colleges
By: Representatives Brown, Scott, Clark
House Bill 1163
(As Sent to Governor)
AN ACT TO DIRECT THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION, THE COMMISSIONER OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE STATE BOARD FOR COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES, ACTING JOINTLY, TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATIONS OF "EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOLS"; TO REQUIRE THAT THE REPORT BE SUBMITTED TO THE 2012 LEGISLATURE WITH SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL PILOT PROGRAM IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI; TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING AND THE STATE BOARD FOR COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES, TO STUDY AND DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ADULT HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA; TO PROVIDE FOR CERTAIN LEGISLATIVE MEMBERS AND A GUBERNATORIAL APPOINTMENT TO SERVE ON THE STUDY PANEL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ADULT HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA; TO AMEND SECTION 37-29-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY; TO REPEAL SECTION 37-15-37, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDES AUTHORITY TO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING TO ESTABLISH DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAMS ALLOWING CERTAIN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO ENROLL IN STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, AND SECTION 37-101-28, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH PROVIDES FOR ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS ON DUAL CREDIT COURSES TAKEN BY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) The State Superintendent of Public Education, the Commissioner of Higher Education and the Executive Director of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, acting jointly, shall develop a comprehensive report and recommendations to the 2012 Legislature on the implementation and operations of "Early College High Schools." The report shall be submitted no later than January 2, 2012, and shall provide, at a minimum, the following:
(a) A clear definition of what constitutes an Early College High School and how it enhances education and job-related opportunities;
(b) The mission and intent of such schools;
(c) The established criteria for admission;
(d) An outline of the comprehensive costs of establishing and operating such a school, including transportation, and recommendations on how the state and local school districts should pay those costs;
(e) A requirement to provide reports on the status and level of success of operating Early College High Schools in other states across the country;
(f) Implications for student participation in sports programs and other extracurricular activities when attending an Early College High School;
(g) An identification of and recommendations on any state laws and policies that may need amending to provide authority for the implementation and operation of such schools;
(h) Recommendations and costs for state and local funding of transportation services for other forms of dual enrollment programs operated across the state; and
(i) Any other information as determined to be necessary to benefit the scope and detail of the report.
(2) The State Superintendent of Public Education, the Commissioner of Higher Education and the Executive Director of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, acting jointly, shall include specific recommendations on the establishment of an Early College High School Pilot Program in Mississippi in the report submitted to the 2012 Legislature.
SECTION 2. (1) The State Board of Education, in conjunction with the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, shall study and develop a comprehensive report and recommendations to the 2012 Legislature, by January 2, 2012, on the implementation, expansion and costs associated with the establishment of an Adult High School Diploma. The Chairmen of the House and Senate Education Committees, or their respective designees, and a representative appointed by the Governor, shall serve on the study panel for the development of an Adult High School Diploma.
(2) The gubernatorial appointment to the study panel shall be made within thirty (30) days after the effective date of this act.
(3) Legislative members of the study panel shall serve without compensation for their services, but may be reimbursed for necessary expense in attending to the actual business of the study panel from any available funds, as provided by law. Legislative members shall be reimbursed from the contingent expense fund of their respective house, but only with the specific approval of the Rules Committee of the respective house; however, no expense for attending meetings of the study panel may be paid while the Legislature is in session.
SECTION 3. Section 37-29-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-29-1. (1) The creation, establishment, maintenance and operation of community and junior colleges is authorized. Community and junior colleges may admit students if they have earned one (1) unit less than the number of units required for high school graduation established by State Board of Education policy or have earned a General Education Diploma (GED) in courses correlated to those of senior colleges or professional schools. They shall offer education and training preparatory for occupations such as agriculture, industry, business, homemaking and for other occupations on the semiprofessional and vocational-technical level. They may offer courses and services to students regardless of their previous educational attainment or further academic plans.
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(2) The boards of trustees of the community and junior college districts are authorized to establish an early admission program under which applicants * * * having a minimum ACT composite score of twenty-six (26) or the equivalent SAT score may be admitted as full-time college students if the principal or guidance counselor of the student recommends in writing that it is in the best educational interest of the student. Such recommendation shall also state that the student's age will not keep him from being a successful full-time college student. Students admitted in the early admission program shall not be counted for adequate education program funding purposes in the average daily attendance of the school district in which they reside, and transportation required by a student to participate in the early admission program shall be the responsibility of the parents or legal guardians of the student. Grades and college credits earned by students admitted to the early admission program shall be recorded on the college transcript at the community or junior college where the student attends classes, and may be released to another institution or used for college graduation requirements only after the student has successfully completed one (1) full semester of course work.
(3) The community and junior colleges shall provide, through courses or other acceptable educational measures, the general education necessary to individuals and groups which will tend to make them capable of living satisfactory lives consistent with the ideals of a democratic society.
SECTION 4. Section 37-15-37, Mississippi Code of 1972, which provides authority to local school districts and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning to establish dual enrollment programs allowing certain high school students to enroll in state institutions of higher learning, and Section 37-101-28, Mississippi Code of 1972, which provides for articulation agreements on dual credit courses taken by high school students, are repealed.
SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.
