Senate Bill 2557

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-15-37 AND 37-29-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, RELATING TO HIGH SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY OR COMMUNITY COLLEGE DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAMS, TO REVISE CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM, TO PROVIDE THAT TUITION AND COSTS FOR UNIVERSITY LEVEL AND COMMUNITY LEVEL COURSES SHALL BE NEGOTIATED BETWEEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE UNIVERSITY OR COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND TO CLARIFY THAT ALL COURSE WORK TAKEN UNDER THE PROGRAM SHALL BE DUAL CREDIT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 37-15-37, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-15-37. The local school boards of public school districts and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning are authorized to establish a dual enrollment and dual credit program under which high school students meeting the requirements prescribed in this section may enroll at an institution of higher learning in Mississippi while they are still attending high school and enrolled in high school courses, with tuition and costs to be negotiated between school districts and the state institutions of higher learning and may be paid by grants, foundations or other private sources. Students may be admitted to enroll in university-level courses under the dual enrollment program if they meet the following recommended admission requirements:

(a) Students must have completed a minimum of fourteen (14) core high school units;

(b) Students must have a 2.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, or better, on all high school courses, as documented by an official high school transcript; a home-schooled student must submit a transcript prepared by a parent, guardian or custodian with a signed, sworn affidavit to meet the requirement of this paragraph; and

(c) Students must have an unconditional written recommendation from their high school principal and/or guidance counselor. A home-schooled student must submit a parent, legal guardian or custodian's written recommendation to meet the requirement of this paragraph.

Students may be considered for the dual enrollment program who have not completed the minimum of fourteen (14) core high school units if they have a minimum ACT composite score of twenty-eight (28) or the equivalent SAT score, and have the required grade point average and recommendations prescribed above.

Tuition and costs for university-level courses under this program shall be negotiated between school districts and state institutions of higher learning and may be paid from grants, foundations or other private sources, to be paid directly to the participating university. Students admitted in the dual enrollment program shall be counted for adequate education program funding purposes in the average daily attendance of the public school district in which they attend high school. Any additional transportation required by a student to participate in the dual enrollment program shall be the responsibility of the parents or legal guardians of the student, but may be paid for from private sources. Grades and college credits earned by students admitted to the dual enrollment program shall be recorded on the college transcript at the university where the student attends classes and where appropriate, as prescribed by the Mississippi Department of Education's high school graduation requirements, the state institutions of higher learning's admission requirements, and as described in the articulation agreement authorized in Section 37-101-28, shall be counted as dual credit. The transcript of such university course work may be released to another institution or used for college graduation requirements only after the student has received his high school diploma.

SECTION 2. Section 37-29-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-29-1. (1) The creation, establishment, maintenance and operation of community and junior colleges is authorized. Community and junior colleges may admit students if they have earned one (1) unit less than the number of units required for high school graduation established by State Board of Education policy or have earned a General Education Diploma (GED) in courses correlated to those of senior colleges or professional schools. They shall offer education and training preparatory for occupations such as agriculture, industry, business, homemaking and for other occupations on the semiprofessional and vocational-technical level. They may offer courses and services to students regardless of their previous educational attainment or further academic plans.

(2) The boards of trustees of the community and junior college districts are authorized to establish a dual enrollment program under which high school students meeting the requirements prescribed in this section may enroll and receive dual credit at a community or junior college while they are still attending high school and enrolled in high school courses. Students may be admitted to enroll in community or junior college courses under the dual enrollment program if they meet the following recommended admission requirements:

(a) Students must have completed a minimum of fourteen (14) core high school units;

Students admitted in the dual enrollment program shall be counted for adequate education program funding purposes in the average daily attendance of the public school district in which they attend high school. Any additional transportation required by a student to participate in the dual enrollment program shall be the responsibility of the parents or legal guardians of the student. Grades and college credits earned by students admitted to the dual enrollment program shall be recorded on the college transcript at the community or junior college where the student attends classes. The transcript of such college course work may be released to another institution or used for college graduation requirements only after the student has received his high school diploma.

(3) The boards of trustees of the community and junior college districts are authorized to establish an early admission program under which applicants meeting all requirements prescribed in subsection (2)(a) through (c) and having a minimum ACT composite score of twenty-four (24) or the equivalent SAT score may be admitted as full-time college students if the principal or guidance counselor of the student recommends in writing that it is in the best educational interest of the student. Such recommendation shall also state that the student's age will not keep him from being a successful full-time college student. Students admitted in the early admission program shall not be counted for adequate education program funding purposes in the average daily attendance of the school district in which they reside, and transportation required by a student to participate in the early admission program shall be the responsibility of the parents or legal guardians of the student. Grades and college credits earned by students admitted to the early admission program shall be recorded on the college transcript at the community or junior college where the student attends classes, and may be released to another institution or used for college graduation requirements only after the student has successfully completed one (1) full semester of course work.

(4) The community and junior colleges shall provide, through courses or other acceptable educational measures, the general education necessary to individuals and groups which will tend to make them capable of living satisfactory lives consistent with the ideals of a democratic society.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2005.