SB2636 - Conference Report

SECTION 1. (1) Prior to October 1, 2003, the Oversight Committee established in Section 5 of this act shall cause to be conducted an assessment of all prekindergarten structured school or school readiness programs, including pilot programs, operated by a public, private or parochial school or a Head Start program in the state. The assessment shall include, but not be limited to, data that identifies the population served by each program, including the age and number of children served in total and in each classroom; the number and qualifications of teachers and teacher assistants in total and in each classroom; the days and hours of program operation; the criteria used to determine eligibility for enrollment; the early care and education programs attended by these children prior to enrollment, or in addition to current enrollment; hours of parental employment; identification of eligibility of the enrolled population for any other publicly-supported programs; and how each district is evaluating the success of these programs. The assessment shall also include data comparing program operation to the Regulations Governing the Operation of a Licensed Child Care Facility. The assessment shall also include data comparing the benchmarks of the prekindergarten and kindergarten curriculums authorized by the State Board of Education to the developmental milestones recognized by the Department of Pediatrics of the University Medical Center as representing the optimum development of children three (3) to five (5) years of age.

(2) Local school districts operating a prekindergarten program shall provide local program data to the Department of Education as directed by the State Board of Education.

SECTION 2. Prior to October 1, 2003, the Oversight Committee established in Section 5 of this act, shall cause to be conducted an assessment of all school readiness programs operated by licensed childcare centers in the state. The assessment shall include, but not be limited to, data that identifies the population served by each program, including the age and number of children served in total and in each classroom; the number and qualifications of teachers and teacher assistants in total and in each classroom; the days and hours of program operation; the criteria used to determine eligibility for enrollment; the early care and education programs attended by these children prior to enrollment, or in addition to current enrollment; hours of parental employment; identification of eligibility of the enrolled population for any other publicly-supported programs; and how each program is evaluating the success of these programs. The assessment shall also include data comparing program operation to the Regulations Governing the Operation of a Licensed Child Care Facility. The assessment shall also include data comparing the benchmarks of the prekindergarten and kindergarten curriculum authorized by the State Board of Education to the developmental milestones recognized by the Department of Pediatrics of the University Medical Center as representing the optimum development of children three (3) to five (5) years of age.

SECTION 3. The Division of Child Care Licensure, Mississippi State Department of Health, shall assist the Oversight Committee established in Section 5 of this act in carrying out those responsibilities related to the licensing of childcare facilities.

SECTION 4. (1) The Oversight Committee established in Section 5 of this act shall consider the findings of the assessment and make recommendations on the need for additional early childhood education programs or services and the steps necessary to ensure early childhood education programs operating in the state meet or exceed recognized standards of excellence. The Oversight Committee shall submit a report of the findings of the assessment and any recommendations based on these findings to the Legislature no later than January 15, 2004. The Oversight Committee shall also make the report and recommendations available to the Interagency Council on Early Childhood Services and the Advisory Committee to the Council for the review and comment of the membership. Any comments and recommendations adopted by the council shall be included in the report to the Legislature.

(2) The Oversight Committee established in Section 5 of this act shall cause to be developed a single assessment instrument to collect and compile data required under this section into a single report. It is the intent of the Legislature that any funds used shall be associated with the production and duplication of the report to make the information available to the Legislature.

SECTION 5. There shall be established an Oversight Committee, which shall oversee the process and conducting of assessments in order to carry out the mandates of this act. The committee shall consist of the following members:

(a) A representative of the State Department of Education designated by the State Board of Education who shall serve as chairman of the committee;

(b) A representative of the State Department of Health designated by the State Board of Health;

(c) A representative of the State Department of Human Services designated by the Executive Director of the State Department of Human Services;

(d) The President of the Mississippi Head Start Association, or his designee;

(e) A representative of a licensed child care center appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;

(f) A representative of a private or parochial school prekindergarten program appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(g) A representative from a university or college early childhood program appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;

(h) A representative of an advocacy organization appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

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

(j) A representative of the cooperative extension service appointed by the Lieutenant Governor. All required appointments to the Oversight Committee shall be made not later than May 15, 2003. The Oversight Committee shall meet on a date designated by the chairman, not later than May 15, 2003, to organize, elect a chairman and establish rules for transacting its business and keeping records.

SECTION 6. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR AN ASSESSMENT OF THE STATUS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS OPERATING IN THE STATE; TO ESTABLISH AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO OVERSEE THE PROCESS AND CONDUCTING OF ASSESSMENTS UNDER THIS ACT; TO PROVIDE FOR AN ASSESSMENT OF ALL PREKINDERGARTEN SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAMS OPERATED BY PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OR BY HEAD START PROGRAMS; TO DIRECT THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO INCLUDE CERTAIN DATA IN THE ASSESSMENT; TO DIRECT LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS OPERATING PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS AND OTHER PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR PRESCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN TO PROVIDE CERTAIN DATA TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION; TO PROVIDE FOR RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS OR SERVICES AND THE STEPS NECESSARY TO ENSURE PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS OPERATED BY LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE MEET OR EXCEED RECOGNIZED STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE; TO PROVIDE FOR AN ASSESSMENT OF THE SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAMS OPERATED BY LICENSED CHILDCARE CENTERS IN THE STATE; TO DIRECT THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO INCLUDE CERTAIN DATA IN THE ASSESSMENT; TO DIRECT THE DIVISION OF CHILD CARE LICENSURE OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH TO ASSIST THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WITH RESPONSIBILITIES RELATED TO THE LICENSING OF CHILDCARE FACILITIES; TO DIRECT THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO PRODUCE A REPORT ON THE FINDINGS OF THE ASSESSMENT THAT INCLUDES RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS OR SERVICES AND THE STEPS NECESSARY TO ENSURE ALL EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS OPERATING IN THE STATE MEET OR EXCEED RECOGNIZE STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.


CONFEREES FOR THE SENATE	CONFEREES FOR THE HOUSE

X (SIGNED:)	X (SIGNED:)
Alice Harden	Joseph L. Warren

X (SIGNED:)	X (SIGNED:)
Gray Tollison	Alyce G. Clarke

X (SIGNED:)	X (SIGNED:)
Mike Chaney	Eloise Scott