MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2024 Regular Session
To: Education; Appropriations A
By: Representative Scott
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A MOTIVATING PARENTS AND CHILDREN (M.P.A.C.) PILOT PROGRAM WITHIN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING GRANTS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT PROVIDE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT SERVICES TO FAMILIES OF COMPULSORY-SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN; TO SET FORTH THE PURPOSES OF THE M.P.A.C. PILOT PROGRAM; TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT THE M.P.A.C. PILOT PROGRAM; TO PRESCRIBE THE BASIC COMPONENTS OF SERVICES TO BE OFFERED BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS UNDER THE M.P.A.C. PILOT PROGRAM; TO PROVIDE AN APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS PARTICIPATING IN THE M.P.A.C. PILOT PROGRAM; TO AMEND SECTION 37-11-53, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE PARENTS TO ATTEND CONFERENCES AND OTHER FUNCTIONS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS PARTICIPATING IN THE M.P.A.C. PILOT PROGRAM; TO AMEND SECTION 63-1-10, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT CHILDREN UNDER 18 RESIDING IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS PARTICIPATING IN THE M.P.A.C. PILOT PROGRAM WHO WITHDRAW FROM SCHOOL MAY HAVE THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE SUSPENDED; TO AMEND SECTION 63-1-46, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO EXEMPT SUCH MINORS FROM LICENSE REINSTATEMENT FEES; TO AMEND SECTION 63-1-53, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) The Legislature finds that:
(a) Students who exhibit serious behavior problems in school become juvenile and adult offenders;
(b) A major contributing factor to this problem is a lack of positive parental involvement with both their children and school personnel;
(c) Growing numbers of children live in conditions that place them at risk of school failure;
(d) The provision of school and support services to these children and their families by public and nonprofit agencies is fragmented and does not prepare these children to learn effectively and have a successful school experience;
(e) The lack of collaboration among schools, families, local agencies and other groups involved in family support and youth development activities results in the inefficient and ineffective use of resources to meet the needs of these children;
(f) Schools are dedicating an increasing amount of time and resources to responding to disruptive and violent behavior rather than fulfilling their mission to challenge with high expectations each child to learn, to achieve and to fulfill his or her potential;
(g) The relationships between school failure, disruptive and violent behavior in schools, unemployment and criminal behavior are clear;
(h) Responding to the needs of students who are at risk of school failure and providing a safe and secure learning environment are cost-effective measures because they enable the state to substitute preventive measures for expensive and reactionary crisis intervention through use of co-location of services and repositioning of staff; and
(i) Differing local needs and local resources necessitate the development of locally generated, community-based plans that coordinate and leverage existing resources, not the imposition of uniform and inflexible state-mandated plans.
(2) Subject to the appropriation of sufficient funds by the Legislature for such purpose, there is established within the State Department of Education the Motivating Parents and Children (M.P.A.C.) pilot program. The purposes of the program are:
(a) To provide grants to certain local school districts for innovative local programs that target juvenile crime by coordinating school and support services to children-at-risk and their families with required parental involvement;
(b) To enhance educational attainment through coordinated services to respond to the needs of students who are at risk of school failure and at risk of participation in juvenile crime; and
(c) To provide a safe and secure learning environment.
(3) The Motivating Parents and Children (M.P.A.C.) pilot program described in this section must be conducted in six (6) school districts selected by the State Superintendent of Public Education with the approval of the State Board of Education, which school districts must represent the different geographical areas, population levels and economic levels of the state. Three (3) districts must be selected from urban areas of the state, and three (3) districts must be selected from rural areas of the state. The department shall give preference to school districts that express a desire to participate in the pilot program. The program shall apply to all compulsory-school-age children residing in the pilot school districts and their custodial and noncustodial parents or legal guardians.
(4) The State Department of Education shall develop policies and procedures to administer the Motivating Parents and Children (M.P.A.C.) pilot programs.
(5) The selected pilot school districts shall implement the M.P.A.C. program beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, and in doing so, shall take the following actions:
(a) Employ a District M.P.A.C. Program Coordinator to be responsible for planning and coordinating activities for parents of school children and the delivery of integrated and comprehensive services to children and their families;
(b) Employ three (3) home-school coordinators, one (1) each to be assigned to the high schools, middle schools and elementary schools within the district;
(c) Develop and implement a program of family support services which is school-based and/or school-linked, designed according to the Communities In Schools (CIS) model. The M.P.A.C. program services must include a community advisory board, private/public partnerships, an assessment of community needs, co-location of services, repositioned staff, parenting classes that include parent-child activities, and a structured plan for referrals and evaluation. The M.P.A.C. pilot program also may provide after-school care, adult literacy programs, early childhood education for children in high risk populations, alternate learning programs, peer mediation and conflict resolution activities;
(d) Train the M.P.A.C. program staff in the CIS model.
Principles and practices evaluated and proven effective must be incorporated into the program design. Upon determination of the pilot sites, an orientation must be provided to all district staff. In addition, staff must be trained and developed on an ongoing basis to ensure maximum coordination and cooperation, with emphasis placed on learning how to effectively work with parents to enhance their participation level. The M.P.A.C. program services shall be designed to:
(i) Prepare children to attain academic and social success;
(ii) Enhance the ability of families to become advocates for and supporters of education for the children in their families;
(iii) Provide parenting classes to the parents of children who are at risk of school failure;
(iv) Provide adult literacy and employability skills classes for parents;
(v) Serve as a referral source for children and their families to ensure that needed services are accessed by those families; and
(vi) Otherwise enhance the ability of families to function as nurturing and effective family units;
(e) Require a parent or guardian to spend a day in school with his or her child after each violation of a major rule by the child. This action must be taken when the rule violated is major but not serious enough to warrant expulsion in order to invite parental intervention before a child is suspended or expelled. The parent or guardian may be required either to attend class with his or her child for a full day or to attend parenting classes offered at alternate times to accommodate the parent or guardian's work schedules and transportation issues. Failure to attend one (1) of the options will result in suspension of the child;
(f) Create an incentive program for children whose parent or guardian attends Parent Teacher Association (PTA) or Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) meetings and parenting classes and volunteers a minimum of ten (10) hours in the classroom. Examples of an incentive program include, but are not necessarily limited to:
(i) The issuance of an activity card that grants the child full admission to all school-sponsored activities, such as football and basketball games; and
(ii) Exemption from certain classroom or laboratory fees as determined feasible by the local school board;
(g) Create a program using volunteers to provide child care services for parents who volunteer, attend parenting classes and attend after-school or evening programs;
(h) Create a summer employability skills/on-the-job training (OJT) fund. These funds may be expended by local school boards to provide job opportunities for juniors and seniors in high school. Employers and nonprofit organizations who participate in "Adopt-a-School" programs may qualify to employ such students during the summer. Wages up to Ten Dollars ($10.00) per hour may be paid from the fund to eligible students who work for the employers or nonprofit organizations who are committed to participating in the "Adopt-a-School" program within the next school year; and
(i) Require the pilot school districts to conduct a family needs assessment (FNA) once every three (3) years. The assessment should be coordinated with other community organizations, such as Head Start, to encourage collaboration and lessen duplication.
(6) (a) A local school district may apply for a Motivating Parents and Children (M.P.A.C.) pilot program grant, or up to three (3) adjacent local school districts may apply jointly for a grant.
(b) The application must include the following information:
(i) Data on the incidence of juvenile crime in the geographical area to be served by the grant. Sources of data may include the youth court in the county, the district attorney and local law enforcement officials;
(ii) An assessment of local resources from all sources for, and local deficiencies with regard to, responding to the needs of children who live in conditions that place them at risk of school failure; and
(iii) A detailed plan for removing barriers to success in school which exist for these children and coordinating services for parents and children as authorized under this section.
(7) In reviewing grant applications, the State Superintendent of Public Education shall consider: the prevalence of underserved students and families in low-income neighborhoods and in isolated rural areas in the area for which the grant is requested; the severity of the local problems with regard to children at risk of school failure and with regard to school discipline; whether the proposed program meets state standards; and the likelihood that the locally designed plan will deal with the problems successfully. During the review process, the superintendent may recommend modifications in grant applications to applicants. The superintendent shall submit recommendations to the State Board of Education as to which applicants should receive grants and the amount they should receive.
In selecting grant recipients, the State Board of Education shall consider: (a) the recommendations of the superintendent; (b) the geographic location of the applicants; and (c) the demographic profile of the applicants. After considering these factors, the State Board of Education shall give priority to grant applications that will serve areas that have a high incidence of juvenile crime to serve as models for other communities. The State Board of Education shall select the grant recipients before July 1, 2025, for local programs that will be in operation at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, and thereafter, before July 1 for the appropriate school year.
A grant recipient may request a modification of a grant or additional funds to implement a grant through the grant application process. The request must be reviewed and accepted or rejected in the same manner as a grant application.
(8) The State Department of Education shall administer the grant program under the direction of the State Board of Education. The State Department of Education shall provide technical assistance to grant applicants and recipients.
(9) All agencies of the state and local government, including departments of human services, health departments, local mental health and mental retardation agencies, court personnel, law enforcement agencies and municipalities and counties shall cooperate with the State Department of Education and local school boards that receive grants by co-locating services and repositioning staff.
(10) The State Department of Education shall develop and implement an evaluation system, under the direction of the State Board of Education, that will assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the M.P.A.C. program.
(11) Any child in a pilot school district who is suspended from school shall have his driver's license suspended for one (1) calendar year by the Department of Public Safety.
SECTION 2. Section 37-11-53, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-11-53. (1) A copy of the school district's discipline plan shall be distributed to each student enrolled in the district, and the parents, guardian or custodian of the student shall sign a statement verifying that they have been given notice of the discipline policies of their respective school district. The school board shall have its official discipline plan and code of student conduct legally audited on an annual basis to insure that its policies and procedures are currently in compliance with applicable statutes, case law and state and federal constitutional provisions. * * * The provisions of this section, Section 37-11-55 and Section 37-11-18.1 shall be fully incorporated into the school district's discipline plan and code of student conduct.
(2) All discipline plans of school districts shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(a) A parent, guardian or custodian of a compulsory-school-age child enrolled in a public school district shall be responsible financially for his or her minor child's destructive acts against school property or persons;
(b) A parent, guardian or custodian of a compulsory-school-age child enrolled in a public school district may be requested to appear at school by the school attendance officer or an appropriate school official for a conference regarding acts of the child specified in paragraph (a) of this subsection, or for any other discipline conference regarding the acts of the child;
(c) Any parent, guardian or custodian of a compulsory-school-age child enrolled in a school district who refuses or willfully fails to attend the discipline conference specified in paragraph (b) of this subsection may be summoned by proper notification by the superintendent of schools or the school attendance officer and be required to attend the discipline conference or parenting classes scheduled to accommodate the working hours and transportation needs of the parent, guardian or custodian; * * *
(d) A parent, guardian or custodian of a compulsory-school-age child enrolled in a public school district shall be responsible for any criminal fines brought against the student for unlawful activity occurring on school grounds or buses; and
(e) A parent, guardian or custodian of a compulsory-school-age child enrolled in a public school in a school district participating in a Motivating Parents and Children (M.P.A.C.) pilot program, as established under Section 1 of this act, who has been summoned by proper notification by an appropriate school official to attend a conference, school meeting, after-school meeting or class regarding the acts of the child or parent specified under the program must attend the conference, school meeting, after-school meeting or class; however, scheduling of the conference, meeting or class must be sensitive to the parent's work hours and transportation needs.
(3) Any parent, guardian or custodian of a compulsory-school-age child who (a) fails to attend a discipline conference to the parent, guardian or custodian has been summoned under the provisions of this section, or (b) refuses or willfully fails to perform any other duties imposed upon him or her under the provisions of this section, must be given the opportunity to enroll in a series of parenting classes consisting of not less than twenty (20) hours of instruction as developed by the M.P.A.C. program coordinator and appropriate to the age of the parent's child. If the parent does not attend the series of classes, the parent shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not to exceed Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00).
(4) Any public school district shall be entitled to recover damages in an amount not to exceed Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000.00), plus necessary court costs, from the parents of any minor under the age of eighteen (18) years and over the age of six (6) years, who maliciously and willfully damages or destroys property belonging to the school district. However, this section shall not apply to parents whose parental control of such child has been removed by court order or decree. The action authorized in this section shall be in addition to all other actions that the school district is entitled to maintain and nothing in this section shall preclude recovery in a greater amount from the minor or from a person, including the parents, for damages to which the minor or other person would otherwise be liable.
(5) A school district's discipline plan may provide that as an alternative to suspension, a student may remain in school by having the parent, guardian or custodian, with the consent of the student's teacher or teachers, attend class with the student for a period of time specifically agreed upon by the reporting teacher and school principal. If the parent, guardian or custodian does not agree to attend class with the student or fails to attend class with the student, the student shall be suspended in accordance with the code of student conduct and discipline policies of the school district.
SECTION 3. Section 63-1-10, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-1-10. (1) Upon the written request of a parent or guardian of any applicant for a license under eighteen (18) years of age, the school district in which the applicant is enrolled shall submit documentation to the Department of Public Safety verifying that the applicant is in compliance with Section 63-1-9(1)(g). The verification shall be signed by the school principal or his designee, or, in the case of a home study program, the parent, or the adult education supervisor of the General Educational Development Program or his designee. If the student is enrolled in a nonpublic school, the school principal or his designee is encouraged to submit the verification on behalf of the student. Documentation of the applicant's enrollment status shall be submitted on a form designed by the State Department of Education that includes the written signed and notarized parent or guardian's consent authorizing the release of the applicant's attendance records to the Department of Public Safety, as approved by the Department of Public Safety, in a manner that insures the authenticity of the form and the information or signature contained thereon, including via facsimile. The forms required under this section to provide documentation shall be made available to all public high schools, private schools accredited by the State Board of Education, adult education supervisors at school board offices and, upon request, to others through the Department of Public Safety.
(2) Whenever an applicant or licensee * * * under eighteen (18) years of age is unable to attend any school program due to acceptable circumstances, the school where the student last attended shall transmit documentation to the department to excuse the student from the provisions of Section 63-1-9(1)(g). The school principal or his designee shall determine whether nonattendance or absences are excused under Section 37-13-91. For purposes of this section, suspension or expulsion from school or incarceration in a correctional institution is not an acceptable circumstance for a person being unable to attend school.
(3) Any person denied a license for failure to satisfy the education requirements of Section 63-1-9(1)(g) shall have the right to file a request within thirty (30) days thereafter for a hearing before the Department of Public Safety to determine whether the person is entitled to a license or is subject to the cancellation of his license under the provisions of this section. The hearing shall be held within ten (10) days of the receipt by the department of the request. Appeal from the decision of the department may be taken under Section 63-1-31.
(4) Whenever a licensee under the age of eighteen (18) years who resides in a school district participating in the Motivating Parents and Children (M.P.A.C.) program established under Section 1 of this act, and who has not attained a diploma or other certificate of graduation, withdraws or is suspended from his or her educational instruction, the attendance counselor, parent, guardian or school administrator designated by the State Board of Education to verify the applicant's educational status under the provisions of the program, in his or her discretion, may notify immediately the Department of Public Safety of the student's withdrawal or suspension. Within five (5) days of receipt of the notice, the Department of Public Safety shall send notice to the licensee that the license will be suspended automatically for one (1) year under Section 63-1-53 on the thirtieth day following the date the notice was sent unless documentation of compliance with subsection (2) of this section is received by the department before that date. For the purposes of this subsection, "withdrawal" is defined as more than ten (10) consecutive unexcused and unlawful absences during a single semester for compulsory-school-age applicants.
SECTION 4. Section 63-1-46, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-1-46. (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a fee of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) shall be charged for the reinstatement of a license issued under this article to every person whose license has been validly suspended, revoked or cancelled, except those persons whose license was suspended under Section 63-1-53(2)(i).
(b) The funds received under the provisions of this subsection shall be distributed as follows:
(i) Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) shall be deposited into the State General Fund in accordance with Section 45-1-23;
(ii) Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) shall be paid to the Board of Trustees of the Public Employees' Retirement System for funding the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol Retirement System as provided under Section 25-13-7;
(iii) Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) shall be deposited into the special fund created in Section 63-1-45(3) for purchases of equipment by the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol; and
(iv) Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) shall be deposited into the Interlock Device Fund created in Section 63-11-33.
(2) (a) A fee of One Hundred Seventy-five Dollars ($175.00) shall be charged for the reinstatement of a license issued under this article to every person whose license has been validly suspended or revoked under the provisions of the Mississippi Implied Consent Law.
(b) The funds received under the provisions of this subsection shall be distributed as follows:
(i) One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) shall be deposited into the State General Fund in accordance with Section 45-1-23;
(ii) Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) shall be paid to the Board of Trustees of the Public Employees' Retirement System for funding the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol Retirement System as provided under Section 25-13-7;
(iii) Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) shall be deposited into the special fund created in Section 63-1-45(3) for purchases of equipment by the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol; and
(iv) Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) shall be deposited into the Interlock Device Fund created in Section 63-11-33.
(3) (a) A fee of Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) shall be charged for the reinstatement of a license issued under this article to every person whose license has been validly suspended for nonpayment of child support under the provisions of Sections 93-11-151 through 93-11-163. The funds received under the provisions of this subsection shall be deposited into the State General Fund in accordance with Section 45-1-23.
(b) The procedure for the reinstatement of a license issued under this article that has been suspended for being out of compliance with an order for support, as defined in Section 93-11-153, and the payment of any fees for the reinstatement of a license suspended for that purpose, shall be governed by Section 93-11-157 or 93-11-163, as the case may be.
(4) A fee of Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) will be charged for the reinstatement of a license that was suspended due to payment by a draft or other instrument that is dishonored by the payor.
(5) All reinstatement fees charged under this section shall be in addition to the fees prescribed in Section 63-1-43.
SECTION 5. Section 63-1-53, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
63-1-53. (1) Upon failure of any person to pay timely any fine, fee or assessment levied as a result of any violation of this title, the clerk of the court shall give written notice to such person by United States first-class mail at his or her last known address advising such person that, if within ninety (90) days after such notice is deposited in the mail, the person has not paid the entire amount of all fines, fees and assessments levied, then the court will pursue collection as for any other delinquent payment, and shall be entitled to collection of all additional fees in accordance with subsection (4) of this section.
(2) The commissioner is hereby authorized to suspend the license of an operator without preliminary hearing upon a showing by his or her records or other sufficient evidence that the licensee:
(a) Has committed an offense for which mandatory revocation of license is required upon conviction except under the provisions of the Mississippi Implied Consent Law;
(b) Has been involved as a driver in any accident resulting in the death or personal injury of another or serious property damage;
(c) Is an habitually reckless or negligent driver of a motor vehicle;
(d) Has been convicted with such frequency of serious offenses against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles as to indicate a disrespect for traffic laws and a disregard for the safety of other persons on the highways;
(e) Is incompetent to drive a motor vehicle;
(f) Has permitted an unlawful or fraudulent use of such license;
(g) Has committed an
offense in another state which if committed in this state would be grounds for
suspension or revocation; * * *
(h) Has committed a
violation for which mandatory revocation of license is required upon conviction,
entering a plea of nolo contendere to, or adjudication of delinquency, pursuant
to the provisions of subsection (1) of Section 63-1-71 * * *; or
(i) Is under the age of eighteen (18) years and has withdrawn or been suspended from his or her educational instruction program, as reported to the Department of Public Safety under Section 63-1-10(4).
(3) Notice that a person's license is suspended or will be suspended under subsection (2) of this section shall be given by the commissioner in the manner and at the time provided for under Section 63-1-52, and upon such person's request, he or she shall be afforded an opportunity for a hearing as early as practicable, but not to exceed twenty (20) days after receipt of such request in the county wherein the licensee resides unless the department and the licensee agree that such hearing may be held in some other county. Upon such hearing the commissioner, or his or her duly authorized agent, may administer oaths and may issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the production of relevant books and papers and may require a reexamination of the licensee. Upon such hearing the commissioner shall either rescind any order of suspension or, good cause appearing therefor, may extend any suspension of such license or revoke such license.
(4) If a licensee has not paid all cash appearance bonds authorized under Section 99-19-3 or all fines, fees or other assessments levied as a result of a violation of this title within ninety (90) days after receiving notice of the licensee's failure to pay all fines, fees or other assessments as provided in subsection (1) of this section, the court is authorized to pursue collection under Section 21-17-1(6) or 19-3-41(2) as for any other delinquent payment, and shall be entitled to collection of all additional fees authorized under those sections.
SECTION 6. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.