House Bill 1163

(As Passed the House)

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 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 FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

WHEREAS, early college high school is a bold approach, based on the principle that academic rigor, combined with the opportunity to save time and money, is a powerful motivator for students to work hard and meet serious intellectual challenges; and

     WHEREAS, early college high schools blend high school and college in a rigorous yet supportive program, compressing the time it takes to complete a high school diploma and the first two (2) years of college; and
     WHEREAS, since 2002, the partner organizations of the Early College High School Initiative have started or redesigned more than two hundred (200) schools in twenty-four (24) states and the District of Columbia, so that low-income youth, first-generation college goers, English language learners, students of color and other young people underrepresented in higher education can simultaneously earn a high school diploma and an associate’s degree or up to two (2) years of credit toward a bachelor’s degree, tuition free; and
     WHEREAS, the Early College High School Student Information System was launched in September 2004, as a ten-year project to collect, warehouse and create reporting and analytical tools to demonstrate the efficacy of early college high schools in preparing students who have been average or below average academic performers, or who are low-income, first-generation, African American, Latino, Native American or from other racial and ethnic groups for success in secondary and post secondary education; and

WHEREAS, the system also is being developed to support the information needs of key constituents of the Early College High School Initiative, including the funders, school community, higher education partners, policymakers, education leaders, Early College High School Initiative intermediaries and evaluators; NOW, THEREFORE,

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;

(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 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, 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 37-15-37, 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, is repealed.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.