MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Education; Appropriations

By: Senator(s) White (29th)

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE MISSISSIPPI CENTER FOR ADULT LITERACY; TO PRESCRIBE THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CENTER; TO AUTHORIZE THE EMPLOYMENT OF A FULL-TIME DIRECTOR AND OTHER NECESSARY STAFF FOR THE CENTER; TO PROVIDE FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF A STEERING COMMITTEE TO ASSIST IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CENTER; TO NAME THE AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS TO BE REPRESENTED ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE; TO PROVIDE THAT MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE PAID ACTUAL AND NECESSARY EXPENSES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is established the Mississippi Center for Adult Literacy for the purpose of promoting literacy within the State of Mississippi. The center shall operate to coordinate various literacy efforts and to implement policy necessary to assure the delivery of quality literacy services to adult Mississippians throughout the state.

(2) The duties and responsibilities of the Mississippi Center for Adult Literacy shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(a) Serving to develop human and program resources by:

(i) Implementing and administering a statewide system of interagency staff development, including the establishment of standards to include both traditional and nontraditional staff, in order to assure quality in the delivery of basic skills services in public and private sector organizations;

(ii) Developing a certification process for practitioners and volunteers;

(iii) Developing a certification process for quality programs;

(iv) Establishing common performance measures and a uniform interagency reporting system for basic skills services to serve as an accountability tool, and collecting and compiling data reported from various organizations under the reporting system that simplifies services and reduces duplication; and

(v) Developing and providing training for deliverers of the systems at the local, regional and state levels through staff development institutes, conferences, workshops and other programs;

(b) Promoting interagency collaboration, coordination, referral and resource development for literacy efforts by:

(i) Promoting and developing local interagency coordinating groups of literacy and literacy-related entities;

(ii) Developing and maintaining a technology need that may link all programs, both public and private, and serve as a communication medium for programs and learners;

(iii) Serving as the center for literacy policy and advocation as outlined in the National Literacy Act of 1991 and as a liaison on behalf of the various literacy programs in the state to the National Institute for Literacy;

(iv) Serving as the official state agency for the purpose of receiving and administering federal funding for literacy and literacy-related resource center funding, including research and development;

(v) Developing replicable interagency models of best practices that serve adult learners;

(vi) Identifying and assisting in the procurement of resources for literacy efforts;

(vii) Performing such other activities that, in the determination of the center, will further literacy efforts in the state; and

(viii) Holding public literacy forums for the purpose of gathering information that may be utilized with the system of accountability to assure literacy needs are matched to resources and policy effectively developed;

(c) Developing public relations, such as:

(i) Establishing an annual literacy awareness campaign;

(ii) Coordinating National Literacy Day activities;

(iii) Developing and maintaining a literacy resource directory of all programs, both public and private; and

(iv) Participating in other activities that may be deemed appropriate.

(3) The Mississippi Center for Adult Literacy shall employ a full-time director and such other personnel as may be necessary to carry out the duties of the center. To assist in directing the work of the center, a steering committee shall be established. The committee shall be comprised of one (1) representative from each of the following agencies and organizations, to be appointed by the administrative head or director of the respective agency or organization:

(a) Governor's Office of Literacy;

(b) State Department of Education;

(c) State Board for Community and Junior Colleges;

(d) Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning;

(e) State Library Commission;

(f) Mississippi Employment Security Commission;

(g) Department of Economic and Community Development;

(h) Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services;

(i) Mississippi Department of Human Services;

(j) Mississippi Department of Corrections;

(k) Mississippi Authority for Educational Television;

(l) Public Education Forum;

(m) Two (2) community-based organizations that are literacy providers;

(n) Headstart;

(o) A private business having a demonstrable history of supporting local literacy programs throughout the state;

(p) An adult literacy learner appointed by the Mississippi Literacy Network;

(q) Two (2) traditionally funded literacy programs, including family literacy;

(r) Two (2) community-based organizations that develop policies;

(s) A volunteer who serves as a literacy tutor; and

(t) A District Workforce Council, as defined by the Workforce Education Act of 1994.

No compensation or per diem shall be provided to members of the steering committee, but each member shall be entitled to receive all actual and necessary expenses, including mileage, as authorized by law.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.