MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1998 Regular Session

To: Education

By: Senator(s) Hawks, Minor

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE AND DIRECT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A STUDENT READINESS FOR COLLEGE INCENTIVE GRANT PROGRAM UNDER WHICH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF ITS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES READY FOR COLLEGE-LEVEL STUDY WILL RECEIVE AN ANNUAL GRANT AWARDED ON A PER PUPIL BASIS; TO PRESCRIBE CERTAIN COMPONENTS OF THE GRANT PROGRAM; TO AUTHORIZE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS TO EXPEND STUDENT READINESS FOR COLLEGE INCENTIVE GRANT AWARDS FOR ANY AUTHORIZED SCHOOL DISTRICT EXPENDITURE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The State Board of Education is hereby authorized and directed, subject to the availability of funds specifically appropriated therefor by the Legislature, to develop and implement a Student Readiness for College Incentive Grant Program, under which the public school district with the highest percentage of its high school graduates ready for college-level study will receive an annual grant. The following procedure shall be utilized by the State Board of Education in making such grant awards:

(a) On or before January 1, 1999, and each year thereafter, the Commissioner of Higher Education shall report to the State Board of Education, the Legislature, and the school districts on the performance of each first-time-in-postsecondary education student from each public high school in this state who is enrolled in a state institution of higher learning or community/junior college. In addition, the universities and community colleges shall provide school districts access to information on student performance in regular and preparatory courses and shall indicate students referred for remediation.

(b) The Commissioner of Higher Education shall report, by high school, to the State Board of Education and the Legislature, no later than November 31 of each year, on the number of prior year Mississippi high school graduates who enrolled for the first time in public postsecondary education in this state during the previous summer, fall, or spring term, indicating the number of students refereed for remediation through college-preparatory or vocational-preparatory instruction.

(c) The Commissioner of Higher Education shall organize school summary reports and student-level records by school district and high school in which the postsecondary education students were enrolled and report the information to each school district no later than January 31 of each year. The reports shall include all the first-time-in-college students who enrolled in a state institution of higher learning or community/junior college during the report period and who were granted a high school diploma during the previous twelve (12) months. The report period shall be defined as the twelve-month period beginning with the summer term. The individual student reports shall be listed alphabetically by student and by school.

(d) The report shall identify the school district with the highest percentage of students ready for college based upon said information.

(2) In the event funds are made available for incentive grant awards to high-achieving school districts in addition to the district with the highest readiness for college statistics, grant awards shall be distributed to school districts on a per-pupil basis.

(3) Local school boards shall be authorized to expend Student Readiness for College Incentive Grant funds on any lawful school district expenditure and may seek input from faculty, parent organizations and the students of the school district on the proposed use of such grant awards.

(4) As part of the accreditation requirements for schools, the State Board of Education shall ensure that each school district and high school develops strategies to improve student readiness for the public postsecondary level based on annual analysis of the feedback report data provided under this section.

(5) The State Board of Education shall make an annual report to the Legislature on the Student Readiness for College Incentive Grant Program along with an annual budget request for such awards and any necessary recommended statutory revisions.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1998.