MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2021 Regular Session
To: Workforce Development; Appropriations
By: Representatives Brown (70th), Banks, Crudup, Gibbs (36th), Johnson, Porter, Summers, Thompson, Walker, Young
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD TO ESTABLISH AND ADMINISTER A 21ST CENTURY EMPLOYMENT GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXPANDING PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS; TO STIPULATE THE CRITERIA FOR GRANT QUALIFICATIONS; TO PROVIDE FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWING THE PROGRESS OF GRANT RECIPIENTS, PRESCRIBE GUIDELINES FOR THE TYPES OF CERTIFICATES TO BE PURSUED BY COMMUNITY OR JUNIOR COLLEGES THAT WOULD BENEFIT CURRENT EMPLOYER AND FUTURE EMPLOYERS LOOKING TO LOCATE IN THE STATE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) Subject to appropriation, the Mississippi Community College Board shall establish and administer a 21st Century Employment grant program. To qualify for a grant, a community or junior college district must jointly establish a collaborative regional partnership with workforce development organizations, including community-based organizations with a vested interest in the workforce, regional economic development organizations and economic development officials in the community or junior college district, along with manufacturers, healthcare service providers and innovative technology businesses that have a presence in the district, to provide a manufacturing training program. A grant recipient must provide the Mississippi Community College Board with a plan that meets all of the following requirements:
(a) The plan shall define specific goals that a student must meet upon graduation.
(b) The plan shall include the type of professional skills that will be taught in order for the students to gain and retain employment. The professional skills curriculum in the program shall include, but not be limited to, training on all of the following:
(i) Effective communication skills;
(ii) Teamwork;
(iii) Dependability;
(iv) Adaptability;
(v) Conflict resolution;
(vi) Flexibility;
(vii) Leadership;
(viii) Problem-solving;
(ix) Research;
(x) Creativity;
(xi) Work ethic; and
(xii) Integrity.
In awarding grants under this section, the Mississippi Community College Board must give priority to plans that demonstrate a formal articulation agreement between a community or junior college and an industry sector employer.
(c) The plan shall include a budget that includes any outside donations, including any in-kind donations, made to help the program, including from nonprofit entities and individuals.
(d) The plan shall include the proposed number of individuals who would be enrolled in the program, along with the places that those individuals could be employed at after graduation and what industries would be targeted. The plan must support a seamless transition into higher education and career opportunities and must outline the college credit and on-the-job training hours that will transfer from the high school to a community college.
(e) The plan shall require a private-public partnership clause that requires private businesses to contribute an amount determined by the Mississippi Community College Board and the collaborative regional partnership that does not exceed forty percent (40%) of the amount of the total project. The applicant must provide the Mississippi Community College Board with a receipt of contributions from businesses to evidence compliance with this paragraph. However, businesses may contribute equipment or offer their facilities, in which case a business shall establish a cost of use of its facility, to meet the requirements of this paragraph.
(f) The plan shall indicate the certificates that the community or junior college will offer to students upon graduation, as agreed to by the collaborative regional partnership. The community or junior college shall offer no less than six (6) types of industry-recognized certificates.
(2) (a) The Mississippi Community College Board shall establish an advisory board for the grant program established under subsection (1) that consists of all of the following members:
(i) The President of Mississippi Economic Council;
(ii) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Community College Board;
(iii) The State Superintendent of Public Education;
(iv) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Employment Security;
(v) Two (2) Senators appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;
(vi) Two (2) Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(vii) A member from a statewide organization that
represents manufacturing companies throughout the state, appointed by the Governor;
(viii) A member who represents at-risk students, including, but not limited to, opportunity youth, appointed by the Governor;
(ix) A member from a statewide organization that
represents multiple employee unions in the state, appointed by the Governor;
(x) A member from a trade union, appointed by the Governor;
(xi) A member from a statewide organization that
represents the business community, appointed by the Governor;
(xii) A member from a statewide organization that
represents service employees in the state, appointed by the Governor;
(xiii) Educators representing various regions of the state from professional teachers' organizations, appointed by the Governor;
(xiv) A member from a statewide organization that
represents hospitals in the state, appointed by the Governor;
(xv) A president of a community or junior college, appointed by the Governor; and
(xvi) A district superintendent of a high school
district, appointed by the Governor.
(b) The members of the advisory board shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated to the Mississippi Community College Board for that purpose, including travel, subject to the rules of the appropriate travel control board.
(c) The advisory board shall meet at the call of the Mississippi Community College Board and shall report to the Mississippi Community College Board. The Mississippi Community College Board shall provide administrative and other support to the advisory board.
(3) The advisory board established under subsection (2) shall have all of the following duties:
(a) To review the progress made by each grant recipient, including, but not limited to, the gainful-employment success rate, how many students remain employed for how long, and how many students went on to receive higher manufacturing certificates;
(b) To review how many students went on to complete a paid internship or apprenticeship upon graduation;
(c) To compile a list of programs offered by each community or junior college;
(d) To analyze whether the certificates are closing
the gap in education for the current needs of the labor force, and to offer suggestions on how to close the gap if one (1) still exists;
(e) To suggest certificates that could help future employers looking to locate in the state;
(f) To offer guidelines for the types of certificates
that a community or junior college should pursue; and
(g) To offer possible rules to the Mississippi Community College Board that the grant process should follow.
(4) The Mississippi Community College Board may adopt any rules necessary for the purposes of this section.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2021.