MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Education; Appropriations

By: Representatives Scott (17th), Clarke, Barnett (92nd), Broomfield, Coleman (29th), Cummings, Davis, Henderson, Holland, Huddleston, Hudson, Jennings, Markham, Mayo, Miles, Mitchell, Montgomery (15th), Morris, Peranich, Reynolds, Smith (27th), Thomas, Thornton, Wallace, Ward, Warren, Young

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH AN EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL; TO PROVIDE FOR THE MEMBERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNCIL; TO DEFINE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COUNCIL; TO ESTABLISH AN INTERAGENCY ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES INTERAGENCY COUNCIL; TO PROVIDE FOR THE MEMBERSHIP, ORGANIZATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) As used in this act, the term "preschool children" means any children who have not entered kindergarten.

(2) To ensure that all children have access to quality early childhood education and development services, the Legislature finds and declares the following:

(a) Parents have the primary duty to educate their young preschool children;

(b) The State of Mississippi can assist and educate parents in their role as the primary caregivers and educators of young preschool children; and

(c) There is a need to explore innovative approaches and strategies for aiding parents and families in the education and development of young preschool children.

SECTION 2. (1) The Early Childhood Services Interagency Coordinating Council is created to ensure coordination among the various agencies and programs serving preschool children in order to support school district's efforts to achieve the goal of readiness to start school, to facilitate communication, cooperation and maximum use of resources and to promote high standards for all programs serving preschool children and their families in Mississippi.

(2) The membership of the Early Childhood Services Interagency Coordinating Council shall be as follows:

(a) The State Superintendent of Public Education;

(b) The Executive Director of the State Department of Health;

(c) The Executive Director of the Department of Human Services;

(d) The Executive Director of the State Department of Mental Health;

(e) The Executive Director of the Division of Medicaid, Office of the Governor;

(f) The Executive Director of the State Department of Rehabilitation Services;

(g) The Commissioner of Higher Education;

(h) The Executive Director of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges; and

(i) The Executive Director of Mississippi Educational Television.

(3) The council shall meet upon call of the Governor before August 1, 2000, and shall organize for business by selecting a chairman, who shall serve for a one-year term and may be selected for subsequent terms. The council shall adopt internal organizational procedures necessary for efficient operation of the council. Council procedures must include duties of officers, a process for selecting officers, quorum requirements for conducting business and policies for any council staff. Each member of the council shall designate necessary staff of their departments to assist the council in performing its duties and responsibilities. The council shall meet and conduct business at least quarterly. Meetings of the council must be open to the public, and opportunity for public comment must be made available at each meeting. The chairman of the council shall notify all persons who request such notice as to the date, time and place of each meeting.

(4) The Early Childhood Services Interagency Coordinating Council shall perform each of the following duties:

(a) Serve as interagency coordinating council for the various agencies and public and private programs serving preschool children and their families in the State of Mississippi;

(b) Advise the State Board of Health, State Board of Education, Department of Human Services, State Department of Mental Health, Division of Medicaid, State Department of Rehabilitation Services and any other appropriate agency of standards, rules, rule revisions, agency guidelines and administration affecting child care facilities, prekindergarten programs, family training programs and other programs and services for preschool children and families;

(c) Collect, compile and distribute data relating to all programs and services for preschool children and families, including, but not limited to, an inventory of the programs and services available in each county of the state, and identify and make recommendations with regard to program areas for which an unfulfilled need exists within the state for accurate and accessible information;

(d) Review and analyze spending priorities for each state agency that utilizes state or federal funds in the administration or provision of programs and services for preschool children and make recommendations thereon to the Legislative Budget Committee and the Governor;

(e) Publish annually, before November 1, a comprehensive report on the status of all programs and services for preschool children in Mississippi and distribute the report to the Governor, the Legislature and local school districts and make the report available to the general public, using the following criteria:

(i) Program name and location;

(ii) Dates of operation;

(iii) Services provided;

(iv) Target population and number served;

(v) Eligibility requirements;

(vi) Funding sources;

(vii) Amount of funding per unit;

(viii) Annual cost;

(ix) Evaluation type and results; and

(x) The state agency administering the program.

(f) Receive and consider recommendations of the Interagency Advisory Committee for Early Childhood Services established in Section 3; and

(g) Apply for, receive and administer funds for administration, research, pilot, planning and evaluation of all programs serving preschool children and their families.

(5) If any agency represented on the Early Childhood Services Interagency Coordinating Council includes a request for funding for the support of the council in the agency's annual budget request presented to the Legislative Budget Committee the Early Childhood Services Interagency Coordinating Council shall be abolished, effective on the date that the agency presents its budget request.

SECTION 3. (1) The Interagency Advisory Committee for Early Childhood Services is created to develop and make recommendations to the Early Childhood Services Interagency Coordinating Council established under Section 2 of this act as deemed necessary to implement the council's responsibilities relating to all programs serving preschool children and their families in Mississippi.

(2) The membership of the Interagency Advisory Committee for Early Childhood Services shall be as follows:

(a) The Chairmen of the Senate Education, Public Health and Welfare and Appropriations Committees, or their Senate designees;

(b) The Chairmen of the House Education, Public Health and Welfare and Appropriations Committees, or their House designees;

(c) A representative of the Governor;

(d) A representative of the State Department of Education;

(e) A representative of the State Department of Health;

(f) A representative of the Department of Human Services;

(g) A representative of the State Department of Mental Health;

(h) A representative of the State Department of Rehabilitation Services;

(i) The following representatives of the early childhood profession:

(i) The President of the Mississippi Head Start Association;

(ii) A representative from a regulated family child care home network appointed by the Governor;

(iii) A representative from a licensed child care center appointed by the President of the Senate;

(iv) A representative from a public school prekindergarten program appointed by the Speaker of the House;

(v) A representative from a private school prekindergarten program appointed by the Governor;

(vi) A representative from a half-day church sponsored prekindergarten program appointed by the Speaker of the House;

(vii) A representative from a university or college early childhood program appointed by the President of the Senate;

(viii) A representative of a tribal early childhood program appointed by the Governor;

(ix) A representative of an early childhood professional organization appointed by the President of the Senate;

(x) A representative of an advocacy organization appointed by the Speaker of the House; and

(xi) A representative of a community or junior college early childhood program appointed by the Governor;

(j) A parent of a preschool-age child appointed by the Governor;

(k) A parent of a preschool-age child with special needs appointed by the Speaker of the House;

(l) A representative of the cooperative extension services appointed by the President of the Senate;

(m) A physician who is a member of the Mississippi Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, appointed by the Director of the University Medical Center;

(n) The Director of the Mississippi Public Education Forum, or his designee; and

(o) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Economic Council, or his designee.

To the extent possible, any representative of a state agency designated to serve on the Interagency Advisory Committee shall be the same individual designated to assist the Interagency Coordinating Council in performing its duties and responsibilities.

(3) The advisory committee shall meet upon call of the Early Childhood Services Interagency Coordinating Council before August 1, 2000, and the council shall appoint a chairman from among the membership of the advisory committee. The chairman shall serve for a one-year term and may be reappointed for subsequent terms. The advisory committee shall adopt internal organizational procedures necessary for efficient operation of the advisory committee and may establish subcommittees for conducting specific programs and activities. Advisory committee procedures must include duties of officers, a process for selecting officers, duties of subcommittees, quorum requirements for conducting business and policies for any staff. The members of the Early Childhood Services Interagency Coordinating Council shall designate necessary staff of their departments to assist the advisory committee in performing its duties and responsibilities. The advisory committee shall meet and conduct business at least quarterly. Quarterly meetings of the advisory committee shall be open to the public, and opportunity for public comment must be made available at each meeting. The staff of the advisory committee shall notify all persons who request such notice as to the date, time and place of each meeting.

(4) The Interagency Advisory Committee for Early Childhood Services, in addition to responsibilities assigned by the Early Childhood Services Interagency Coordinating Council, shall perform each of the following duties:

(a) Assist in the implementation of the study conducted by the Task Force on the Development and Implementation of Comprehensive Early Childhood Services in Mississippi established under Senate Bill No. 2618, 1999 Regular Session;

(b) Identify services to children which impact early childhood development and education;

(c) Identify and recommend methods to facilitate interagency coordination of service programs for preschool children;

(d) Serve as a forum for information exchange regarding recommendations and priorities in early childhood development and education; and

(e) Advise and make recommendations to the Interagency Coordinating Council as deemed necessary to effectuate the council's responsibilities.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2000.