MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1998 Regular Session

To: Education

By: Senator(s) Farris, Nunnelee

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-3-53, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DIRECT THE OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP AND SUBMIT TO THE LEGISLATURE AN ANNUAL REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MISSISSIPPI ADEQUATE EDUCATION FUNDING FORMULA, INCLUDING SCHOOL DISTRICT CAPITAL EXPENDITURES FUNDED BY THE INTERIM SCHOOL DISTRICT CAPITAL EXPENDITURE FUND PROGRAM AND TO REQUIRE THAT THE ANNUAL MISSISSIPPI REPORT CARD SHALL INCLUDE A SPECIAL REPORT ASSESSING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MISSISSIPPI ADEQUATE EDUCATION PROGRAM IN ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AFTER FULL IMPLEMENTATION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

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

SECTION 1. Section 37-3-53, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-3-53. (1) Beginning with the 1993-1994 school year and each school year thereafter, the State Board of Education, acting through the Office of Educational Accountability, shall develop a public school reporting system, or "Mississippi Report Card," on the performance of students and schools at the local, district and state level. In developing said report card, the Office of Educational Accountability shall collect school, district and state level student achievement data in the appropriate grades as designated by the State Board of Education in all core subjects, and compare such data with national standards to identify students' strengths and weaknesses. The Mississippi Report Card shall provide more than reports to parents on the level at which their children are performing; said report shall provide clear and comparable public information on the level at which schools, school districts and the state public education system are performing. The Office of Educational Accountability shall encourage local school districts and the general public to use Mississippi Report Card information along with local individual student data to assess the quality of instructional programs and the performance of schools and to plan and implement programs of instructional improvement. From and after January 1, 2003, the Mississippi Report Card shall include an annual report on the full implementation of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program funding formula in the format prescribed in subsection (2).

(2) The Office of Educational Accountability of the State Department of Education shall develop and submit to the Legislature and the Governor an annual report on the implementation of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program funding formula and the Interim School District Capital Expenditure Fund program. The first report shall be submitted on January 1, 1999, relating to implementation of the adequate education program and interim capital expenditure program activities during the preceding fiscal year, and shall be submitted annually on January 1 of each subsequent year until January 1, 2003, at which time the report shall become a distinct part of the Mississippi Report Card describing the one hundred percent (100%) implementation of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program funding formula. The annual report shall include the following:

(a) A description of the amount of Mississippi Adequate Education Program funds available to each school district during the phase-in period compared to the amount of funds available upon full implementation of the funding formula;

(b) A school district by school district description of the capital improvement plan funded by the use of Interim School District Capital Expenditure funds each year, including (i) a listing of the school district facilities constructed, purchased, repaired, equipped, remodeled or enlarged, (ii) a description of any local debt service retired, refinanced or pledged with such funds, (iii) a listing of all school district State Aid Capital Improvement Bonds secured by Mississippi Adequate Education Program funds issued by school districts and the capital improvements funded through such bond issue, (iv) a description of any other local bond issue proceeds combined with such funds for capital improvement purposes, and (v) any other appropriate information relating to capital improvements by school districts as determined by the State Board of Education; and

(c) An annual assessment of the impact of additional funding under the Mississippi Adequate Education Program on such school districts with less than a Level III accreditation.

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