MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Education

By: Senator(s) Ferris

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAM IN MISSISSIPPI; TO PROVIDE FOR A REPORT OF ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE 2000 REGULAR SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) The Legislature finds that:

(a) Studies show that children who attend prekindergarten have higher academic and social ratings by their kindergarten teachers and better kindergarten attendance than children who do not attend prekindergarten;

(b) Participation in a high quality prekindergarten program helps children develop social and preacademic skills that will help them succeed in kindergarten and throughout their educational experiences;

(c) The Georgia Prekindergarten Program is a model statewide program established in 1993 to provide a developmentally appropriate program for four-year-old children, emphasizing growth in language and literacy, math concepts, science, arts, physical development, and personal and social competence, and other southeastern states have implemented prekindergarten programs similar to the Georgia Prekindergarten Program.

(2) There is hereby created a Task Force to Study the Development and Implementation of a Prekindergarten Program in Mississippi. The task force shall make a report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature at least thirty (30) days prior to the beginning of the 2000 Regular Session of the Legislature for implementation in the 2000-2001 school year.

(3) The task force shall be composed of sixteen (16) members as follows:

(a) The Chairmen of the Senate Education and Appropriations Committees and two (2) Senators to be appointed by the President of the Senate;

(b) The Chairmen of the House Education and Appropriations Committees and two (2) members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker;

(c) The State Superintendent of Education;

(d) The Chairman of the State Board of Education;

(e) A local school board member appointed by the State Superintendent of Education;

(f) An elementary principal appointed by the State Superintendent of Education;

(g) A kindergarten teacher employed in a public school, appointed by the State Superintendent of Education;

(h) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Head Start Association;

(i) A parent of a preschool-age child appointed by the President of the Senate; and

(j) A parent of a preschool-age child appointed by the Speaker of the House. In the event the Chairman of the Senate of House Education or Appropriations Committees is unable to attend any meeting of the task force, the vice-chairman of the respective committee shall be authorized to attend and vote at such meeting. Appointments shall be made within thirty (30) days after passage of this act, and, within fifteen (15) days thereafter on a day to be designated jointly by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House and the State Superintendent of Education, the task force shall meet and organize by selecting from its membership a chairman and a vice-chairmen. The vice-chairmen shall also serve as secretary and shall be responsible for keeping all records of the task force. A majority of the members of the task force shall constitute a quorum. In the selection of its officers and the adoption of rules, resolutions and reports, an affirmative vote of a majority of the task force shall be required. All members shall be notified in writing of all meetings, such notices to be mailed at least five (5) days prior to the date on which a meeting is to be held.

(3) Members of the task force who are not legislators shall be compensated at the per diem rate authorized by Section 25-3-69, Mississippi Code of 1972, and shall be reimbursed in accordance with Section 25-3-41, Mississippi Code of 1972, for mileage and actual expense incurred in the performance of their duties. Any member who is also a state employee shall not be eligible to receive per diem compensation. No task force member may incur per diem, travel or other expenses unless previously authorized by vote, at a meeting of the task force, which action shall be recorded in the official minutes of said meeting. Legislative members of the committee shall be paid from the contingent expense funds of their respective houses in the same amounts as provided for committee meetings when the Legislature is not in session; however, no per diem or expense for attending meetings of the task force will be paid while the Legislature is in session. Non-legislative members shall be paid from any funds made available to the task force for that purpose.

(4) The task force is authorized to accept money from any source, public or private, to be expended in implementing its duties under this act.

(5) The task force is empowered to hire staff as well as to utilize clerical and legal staff already employed by the State Department of Education, the Office of the Governor and the Legislature and any other staff assistance made available to it.

(6) Funding for the task force may be provided from any funds that may be appropriated by the Legislature to the State Department of Education for that purpose.

(7) Upon presentation of its report to the 2000 Regular Session, the task force shall be dissolved.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.