MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2006 Regular Session
To: Universities and Colleges; Education
By: Representative Brown
AN ACT RELATING TO THE EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURE OF PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI; TO AUTHORIZE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MISSISSIPPI VIRTUAL PUBLIC SCHOOL PROGRAM AND TO PRESCRIBE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROGRAM; TO CREATE A NEW SECTION TO BE CODIFIED AS SECTION 37-15-38, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE FOR THE CREATION OF HIGH SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY OR COMMUNITY COLLEGE DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAMS, TO PRESCRIBE CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM, TO PROVIDE FOR THE PAYMENT OF TUITION AND COSTS FOR UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE LEVEL COURSES, AND TO CLARIFY THAT COURSE WORK TAKEN UNDER THE PROGRAM SHALL BE DUAL CREDIT; TO AMEND SECTION 37-29-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DELETE THE AUTHORITY OF THE BOARDS OF TRUSTEES OF THE COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES TO ESTABLISH DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAMS; TO CODIFY SECTION 37-15-39, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO OFFER PRE-ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES, TO REQUIRE FUNDING TO BE MADE AVAILABLE IN THE 2007-2008 SCHOOL YEAR FOR ALL SOPHOMORES TO TAKE A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED APTITUDE TEST FOR ADVANCED PLACEMENT CLASSES, AND TO REQUIRE ALL HIGH SCHOOLS TO OFFER AT LEAST FOUR ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES BEGINNING IN THE 2007-2008 SCHOOL YEAR; TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-16-7, 37-31-61, 37-31-69, 37-31-205 AND 37-31-207, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE STATE BOARD FOR COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES TO UTILIZE FEDERAL WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ACT AND OTHER FEDERAL FUNDS TO ESTABLISH INDUSTRY SPECIFIC CURRICULA IN ORDER FOR STUDENTS TO EARN INDUSTRY-RECOGNIZED CERTIFICATION WHILE COMPLETING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL COURSE WORK, TO INCLUDE SUCH COURSE WORK IN APPROPRIATE GRADUATION STANDARDS, TO DEVELOP A UNIT OF SPECIALISTS IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION WITHIN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND TO ESTABLISH PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO OFFER POTENTIAL HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT STUDENTS A SEMESTER SCHOLARSHIP FOR INDUSTRY SPECIFIC TRAINING AFTER THEIR GRADUATION; TO ESTABLISH A LIFELONG LEARNING COMMISSION TO STUDY THE RELEVANCE OF THE HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE IN MISSISSIPPI; TO CODIFY SECTION 37-3-95, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING TO JOINTLY PREPARE AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE ON THE SCHOOLS OF EDUCATION IN THE STATE; TO CODIFY SECTION 37-7-346, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DIRECT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE REGIONAL EDUCATION SERVICE AGENCIES TO JOINTLY DEVELOP A PLAN FOR INCREASING THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE AGENCIES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(a) Meeting the educational needs of children in our state's schools is of the greatest importance to the future welfare of the State of Mississippi;
(b) Closing the achievement gap between high-performing students, including the achievement gap among at-risk students, is a significant and present challenge;
(c) Providing a broader range of educational options to parents and utilizing existing resources, along with technology, may help students in the state improve their academic achievement; and
(d) Many of the state's school districts currently lack the capacity to provide other public school choices for students whose schools are low performing.
(2) There is created the Mississippi Virtual Public School. It is the intent of the Legislature that virtual schools established under this section provide Mississippi families with an alternative choice to access additional educational resources in an effort to improve academic achievement. Virtual schools must be recognized as public schools and provided equitable treatment and resources as are other public schools in the state.
(3) Nothing in this section may be interpreted as precluding the use of computer- and Internet-based instruction for students in avirtual or remote setting.
(4) As used in this section, the following words and phrases have the meanings respectively ascribed unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
(a) "Virtual school" means an independent public school in which the school uses technology in order to deliver a significant portion of instruction to its students via the Internet in a virtual or from a remote setting.
(b) "Sponsor" means the public school district, regional education service agency, charter school or the State Board of Education having a fiduciary responsibility, independently or cooperatively, for the operation of the virtual school.
(5) A virtual school must be evaluated annually by its sponsor according to the following criteria:
(a) The extent to which the school demonstrates an increase in student achievement according to the goals of its authorizing contract and state academic standards.
(b) The accountability and viability of the virtual school, as demonstrated by its academic, fiscal and operational performance.
(c) The access of each student in the virtual school to a sequential curriculum that meets or exceeds the state’s academic standards and which has an interactive program with significant online components.
(d) Whether or not each student achieves the required number of hours of learning opportunities per academic year, as established by the State Board of Education, or alternatively, has demonstrated mastery or completion of appropriate subject areas.
(e) The results of students on regular assessments, including the required Mississippi Curriculum Tests, Subject Area Tests and those tests required by the "No Child Left Behind Act."
(6) The virtual school shall provide to each student enrolled in the school all necessary instructional materials. The school must ensure that each student is provided access to the necessary technology, such as a computer and printer, and to an Internet connection for school work purposes. A virtual school may not provide an allotment to any student or the student's family for the purchase of instructional programs or materials. However, nothing in this subsection shall prohibit a virtual school from reimbursing students or families for those costs directly associated with their Internet connection for use in the virtual school program.
(7) Each teacher employed by or participating in the delivery of instruction through a virtual school must meet all qualifications for licensure in the State of Mississippi.
(8) Any student who meets state residency requirements may enroll in a virtual school.
(9) Enrollment in the Mississippi Virtual Public School must be free of charge to students. The costs associated with the operations of the school must be shared by the State Department of Education and the local school district.
SECTION 2. The following shall be codified as Section 37-15-38, Mississippi Code of 1972:
37-15-38. (1) A local school board, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges may establish a dual enrollment system under which students in the school district who meet the prescribed criteria of this section may be enrolled in a postsecondary institution in Mississippi while they are still in school.
(2) Student eligibility. Before credits earned by a qualified high school student from a community or junior college or state institutions of higher learning may be transferred to the student's home school district, the student must be properly enrolled in a dual enrollment program.
(3) Admission criteria for dual enrollment in community and junior college or university programs. The boards of trustees of the community and junior college districts and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning may recommend admission criteria for dual enrollment programs under which high school students may enroll at a community or junior college or university 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 programs if they meet that individual institution's stated admission requirements.
(4) Tuition and cost responsibility. Tuition and costs for university-level courses and community and junior college courses offered under a dual enrollment program may be paid for by the postsecondary institution, the local school district, the parents or legal guardians of the student, or by grants, foundations or other private or public sources. Payment for tuition and any other costs must be made directly to the credit-granting institution.
(5) Transportation responsibility. Any transportation required by a student to participate in the dual enrollment program is the responsibility of the parent, custodian or legal guardian of the student. However, transportation costs may be paid from any available public or private sources.
(6) School district average daily attendance credit. When the tuition for a dually enrolled student is paid for by the local school district, the student may be counted, for adequate education program funding purposes, in the average daily attendance of the public school district in which the student attends high school.
(7) High school student transcript transfer requirements. Grades and college credits earned by students admitted to a dual enrollment program must be recorded on the college transcript at the university or community or junior college where the student attends classes. The transcript of the university or community or junior college course work may be released to another institution or applied toward college graduation requirements only after the student has received a high school diploma or has successfully completed the General Educational Development (GED) test.
(8) Determining factor of prerequisites for enrollment in dual credit courses. Each university and community or junior college participating in a dual enrollment program shall determine course prerequisites for enrolling and receiving dual credit.
(9) Process for determining articulation of curriculum between high school, university, and community and junior college courses. Postsecondary curricula for eligible courses currently offered through Mississippi Curriculum Frameworks must meet the prescribed competencies requirements. Eligible courses not offered in Mississippi Curriculum Frameworks must meet the standards established at the postsecondary level. Postsecondary level developmental courses may not be considered as meeting the requirements of the dual enrollment program. Dual credit memorandum of understandings must be established between each postsecondary institution and the school district implementing a dual credit program.
(10) Ineligible courses for dual credit programs. Unless waived by a school principal, any course that is required for subject area testing as a requirement for graduation from a public school in Mississippi is not eligible for dual credit.
(11) Eligible courses for dual credit programs. Courses eligible for dual credit include, but are not necessarily limited to, foreign languages, advanced math courses, advanced science courses, performing arts, advanced business and technology, and career and technical courses. These courses and any additional courses considered for dual credit must receive unconditional approval from the superintendent of the local school district and the chief academic officer at the participating community or junior college or university. A university or community or junior college shall make the final decision on what courses are eligible for semester hour credits. The local school superintendent shall make the final decision on the transfer of college or university courses credited to the student's high school transcript.
(12) High school Carnegie unit equivalency. One (1) three-hour university or community or junior college course is equal to one-half (1/2) high school Carnegie unit. A full Carnegie unit may be awarded for a three-hour university or college course upon approval of the State Department of Education. Partial credit agreements for postsecondary courses that are less than three (3) hours may be developed between a local school district and the participating postsecondary institution.
(13) Course alignment. Once alignment is achieved between university courses, community and junior college courses and the State Board of Education approved high school courses, the universities, community and junior colleges and high schools shall review their respective policies and assess the place of dual credit courses within the context of their traditional offerings.
(14) Maximum dual credits allowed. It is the intent of the dual enrollment program to make it possible for every student who desires to earn a semester's worth of college credit in high school to do so. A qualified dually enrolled high school student must be allowed to earn an unlimited number of college or university credits for dual credit as long as a B average is earned on the first two (2) approved dual credit courses. If a B average is not maintained after the completion of the student's first two (2) dual credit courses, the student may not continue in the dual credit program.
(15) Dual credit program allowances. A student may be granted credit delivered through the following means:
(a) Examination preparation taught at a high school by qualified teacher. A student may receive credit at the secondary level after completion of an approved course and passing the standard examination, such as an Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate course through which a high school student is allowed CLEP credit by making a three (3) or higher on the end-of-course examination.
(b) School-based courses taught at a high school or designated postsecondary site by a qualified teacher who is an employee of the school district and approved as an instructor by the collaborating college or university.
(c) College or university-based courses taught at a college, university or high school by an instructor employed by the college or university and approved by the collaborating school district.
(d) Online courses, including eligible courses offered by the Mississippi Virtual Public School or any postsecondary institution.
(16) Qualifications of dual credit instructors. A dual credit academic instructor must have, at a minimum, a master’s degree with at least eighteen (18) graduate semester hours in the instructor's field of expertise. University and community and junior college personnel have the sole authority in the selection of dual credit instructors.
A dual credit career and technical education instructor must meet the requirements set forth by the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges in the qualifications manual for postsecondary career and technical personnel. University and community and junior college personnel have the sole authority in the selection of dual credit instructors.
(17) Guidance on local agreements. The Chief Academic Officer of the State Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the Chief Academic Officer of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, working collaboratively, shall develop a template to be used by the individual community and junior colleges and institutions of higher learning for consistent implementation of the dual enrollment program throughout the State of Mississippi.
SECTION 3. 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 semi-professional and vocational-technical level. They may offer courses and services to students regardless of their previous educational attainment or further academic plans.
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(2) 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-six (26) 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.
(3) 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 4. The following shall be codified as Section 37-15-39, Mississippi Code of 1972:
37-15-39. (1) The purpose of this section is to ensure that each student has a sufficient education for success after high school and that all students have equal access to a substantive and rigorous curriculum that is designed to challenge their minds and enhance their knowledge skill.
(2) The following words and phrases have the meanings ascribed in this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
(a) "Advanced placement course" means any high school level preparatory course for a college advanced placement test that incorporates all topics specified by recognized advanced placement authorities on standards for a given subject area and
is approved by recognized advanced placement authorities.
(b) "Dual enrollment course" means a postsecondary level course offered by a state institution of higher learning or community or junior colleges, which, upon successful completion, qualifies for academic credit in both the postsecondary institution and public high school.
(c) "Pre-advanced placement course" means a middle, junior high or high school level course that specifically prepares students to enroll and participate in an advanced placement course.
(d) "Vertical team" means a group of educators from different grade levels in a given discipline working cooperatively to develop and implement a vertically aligned program aimed at helping students from diverse backgrounds acquire the academic skills necessary for success in the advanced placement program and other challenging course work.
(e) "High concentration of low-income students" means, when used with respect to a public school or school district, a public school or school district that serves a student population with fifty percent (50%) or more being low-income individuals ages five (5) through seventeen (17) years from a low-income family on the basis of: data on children eligible for the free or reduced-price lunches under the National School Lunch Act; data on children in families receiving assistance under Part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act; data on children eligible to receive medical assistance under the Medicaid program under Title XIX of the Social Security Act; or an alternate method of identifying such children which combines or extrapolates that data.
(3) The State Board of Education shall establish clear, specific and challenging training guidelines that require teachers of advanced placement courses and teachers of pre-advanced placement courses to obtain a recognized advanced placement authority endorsed training. A teacher of an advanced placement or pre-advanced placementcourse, or both, must obtain the appropriate training.
(4) (a) In order to ensure that each student has a sufficient education for success after high school and that all students have equal access to a substantive and rigorous curriculum that is designed to challenge their minds and enhance their knowledge skill, school districts shall offer pre-advanced placement courses to prepare students for advanced placement course work.
(b) Funding shall be made available for the 2007-2008 school year so that all sophomores in Mississippi's public schools may take an examination that measures the students' ability to succeed in an advanced placement course. The State Department of Education shall seek federal funding through the Advanced Placement Incentive Grant Program and other available funding for this purpose. Funding efforts must be focused with an intent to carry out advanced placement and pre-advanced placement activities in school districts targeted as serving a high concentration of low-income students.
(c) The State Department of Education must approve all classes designated as pre-advanced placement courses. The department shall develop rules necessary for the implementation of advanced placement courses.
(5) Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, all school districts must offer at least one (1) advanced placement course in each of the four (4) core areas of math, English, science and social studies, for a total offering of no less than four (4) advanced placement courses. The use of the state's on-line Advanced Placement Instructional Program is an appropriate alternative for the delivery of advanced placement courses.
Any public high school offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program is exempt from the requirements of this subsection. However, the school may participate in teacher training and program funding on the same basis as any high school offering advanced placement courses.
SECTION 5. Section 37-16-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-16-7. (1) Each district school board shall establish standards for graduation from its schools which shall include as a minimum:
(a) Mastery of minimum academic skills as measured by assessments developed and administered by the State Board of Education.
(b) Completion of a minimum number of academic credits, and all other applicable requirements prescribed by the district school board.
(2) A student who meets all requirements prescribed in subsection (1) of this section shall be awarded a standard diploma in a form prescribed by the state board.
(3) The State Board of Education may establish student proficiency standards for promotion to grade levels leading to graduation.
(4) In developing an industry-recognized certification program pursuant to Sections 37-31-61, 37-31-69, 37-31-205 and 37-31-207, the State Board of Education, working through the Division of Vocational and Technical Education, and the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, must approve, for the purposes of awarding credit for graduation, the use of additional or substitute tests, such as academic achievement tests, industry certifications or state licensure examinations, for the correlated Mississippi Curriculum Framework assessment. The Division of Vocational and Technical Education and the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges shall permit students participating in vocational and technical education programs that are designed to enable such students to pass such industry certification examinations or state licensure examinations to be awarded, upon obtaining satisfactory scores on such industry certification or licensure examinations, the appropriate verified units of credit for one or more vocational and technical education classes that have been integrated into the Mississippi Curriculum Framework. The industry certification and state licensure examinations may cover relevant classes related to the Mississippi Curriculum Framework and, in the discretion of the State Board of Education, may address some Mississippi Curriculum Framework for required classes.
SECTION 6. Section 37-31-61, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-31-61. (1) In order to develop industry-recognized certifications, the State Board of Education shall incorporate into the vocational education program a comparable curriculum framework for mathematics, science, English and social studies, including history, and other subject areas determined by the board to be appropriate. The board also may authorize, in its regulations for accrediting public schools in Mississippi, the substitution of industry certification and state licensure examinations for the curriculum framework assessments for the purpose of awarding verified units of credit for vocational education courses, where appropriate.
(2) In coordination with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, there is established, within the State Department of Education, a unit of specialists in vocational education. The unit shall assist in developing and revising local vocational education programs to integrate those programs into the Mississippi Department of Education's curriculum framework and shall provide professional development for vocational education personnel to improve the quality of vocational education throughout the state. In performing its duties, the unit shall seek the input of business and industry representatives regarding the content and direction of vocational education programs in the public schools of Mississippi.
(3) The trustees of such school district, as classified and defined by law, including those already having this authority, and the trustees of agricultural high schools and community or junior colleges may, with the consent in writing of the State Board of Education, establish and conduct such schools, classes or courses, under the provisions herein stated and under the general supervision of the board.
SECTION 7. Section 37-31-69, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-31-69. (1) The school board of a local school district, in its discretion, may establish and implement a vocational apprenticeship program in the high schools in that district through which students may earn high school units for vocational experience or an industry-recognized certification, as defined in Section 37-31-61, as an alternative to those high school units required by the school district in addition to the core curriculum defined by the State Board of Education. The purpose of a vocational apprenticeship program established pursuant to this section shall be to provide those students with skills and training that will lead to gainful employment in a trade or other specialized vocation.
(2) Students who participate in the vocational apprenticeship or an industry-recognized certification program shall be required to complete all high school units comprising the core curriculum, as defined by the State Board of Education under Section 37-31-61. In addition, a student in the vocational apprenticeship program may be awarded credit for an additional eight (8) high school units earned through the vocational apprenticeship or an industry-recognized certification program, which units shall apply toward, and must be recognized by the State Board of Education in fulfillment of, the local school district's graduation requirements. Units may be awarded in the vocational apprenticeship program, whereby a student gains actual work experience through employment in a job approved by the local school district. The local school district shall adopt policies governing the participation of students in the vocational apprenticeship or an industry-recognized certification program.
(3) Students successfully completing a vocational apprenticeship or an industry-recognized certification program established pursuant to this section are entitled to a diploma evidencing graduation from a high school in Mississippi.
SECTION 8. Section 37-31-205, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-31-205. (1) The State Board of Education shall have the authority to:
(a) Expend funds received either by appropriation or directly from federal or private sources;
(b) Channel funds to secondary schools, community and junior colleges and regional vocational-technical facilities according to priorities set by the board;
(c) Allocate funds on an annual budgetary basis;
(d) Set standards for and approve all vocational and technical education programs or industry-recognized certification programs in the public school system and community and junior colleges or other agencies or institutions which receive state funds and federal funds for such purposes, including, but not limited to, the following vocational and technical education programs: agriculture, trade and industry, occupational home economics, consumer and homemaking education, distributive education, business and office, health, industrial arts, guidance services, technical education, cooperative education, and all other specialized training not requiring a bachelor's degree, with the exception of programs of nursing education regulated under the provisions of Section 37-129-1. The State Board of Education shall authorize local school boards, within such school board's discretion, to offer distributive education as a one-hour or two-hour block course. There shall be no reduction of payments from state funding for distributive education due to the selection of either the one-hour or two-hour course offering;
(e) Set and publish licensure standards for vocational and technical education personnel. The State Board of Education shall recognize a vocational and technical education teacher's work when school is not in session which is in the teacher's particular field of instruction as a means for the teacher to fulfill the requirements for renewal of the teacher's license. The board shall establish, by rules and regulations, the documentation of such work which must be submitted to the board and the number of actual working hours required to fulfill renewal requirements. If a vocational and technical education teacher who does not have a bachelor's degree takes classes in fulfillment of licensure renewal requirements, such classes must be in furtherance of a bachelor's degree;
(f) Require data and information on program performance from those programs receiving state funds;
(g) Expend funds to expand career information;
(h) Supervise and maintain the Division of Vocational and Technical Education and to utilize, to the greatest extent possible, the division as the administrative unit of the board responsible for coordinating programs and services with local institutions;
(i) Utilize appropriate staff of the State Department of Education to perform services for the vocational student organizations, including, but not limited to, procurement, accounting services, tax services and banking services. The department may also procure and pay for annual audits of the vocational student organizations using vocational funds or other available funds of the State Department of Education. It is the intent of this provision that any related costs be paid with vocational funds appropriated by the Legislature;
(j) Promulgate such rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter in accordance with Section 25-43-1 et seq.;
(k) Set standards and approve all vocational and technical education equipment and facilities purchased and/or leased with state and federal vocational funds;
(l) Encourage provisions for lifelong learning and changing personal career preferences and advancement of vocational and technical education students through articulated programs between high schools and community and junior colleges;
(m) Encourage the establishment of new linkages with business and industry which will provide for a better understanding of essential labor market concepts;
(n) Periodically review the funding and reporting processes required of local school districts by the board or division with the aim of simplifying or eliminating inefficient practices and procedures;
(o) Assist in the development of high technology programs and resource centers to support current and projected industrial needs;
(p) Assist in the development of a technical assistance program for business and industry which will provide for industrial training and services, including the transfer of information relative to new applications and advancements in technology; and
(q) Enter into contracts and agreements with the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges for conditions under which vocational and technical education programs in community and junior colleges shall receive state and federal funds which flow through the State Board of Education for such purposes.
(2) It is the intent of the Legislature that no vocational and technical education course or program existing on June 30, 1982, shall be eliminated by the State Board of Education under the authority vested in paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of this section prior to June 30, 1985. It is further the intent of the Legislature that no vocational and technical education teacher or other personnel employed on June 30, 1983, shall be discharged due to licensure standards promulgated by the board under paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of this section, if any such teacher or personnel shall have complied with any newly published licensure standards by June 30, 1985. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to abrogate or affect in any manner the authority of local public school districts or community and junior colleges to eliminate vocational and technical education courses or programs or to discharge any vocational and technical education teacher or other personnel.
(3) The State Board of Education and the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges may provide that every vocational and technical education course or program in Mississippi may integrate academic and vocational-technical education through coherent sequences of courses, so that students in such programs achieve both academic and occupational competencies. The boards may expend federal funds available from the 1990 Perkins Act, or other available federal funds, for the alignment of vocational-technical programs and industry-recognized certification programs with academic programs through the accreditation process and the teacher licensure process.
SECTION 9. Section 37-31-207, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-31-207. (1) The State Board of Education shall have the following duties:
(a) To seek the best available projections of employment and occupations for Mississippians;
(b) To utilize these projections and other considerations to set vocational and technical education priorities;
(c) To utilize the services of all state agencies having information regarding the purposes of this chapter;
(d) To cooperate with the Governor's Office of Job Development and Training and the Board of Economic Development to prevent duplication and provide continuity of employment and training services;
(e) To conduct evaluations of the success or failure of vocational-technical programs, including the extent to which training actually leads to jobs in the field in which the student was trained;
(f) Obtain and publish data and information on program performance from those vocational-technical programs receiving state funds; and
(g) To notify local school districts and public community/junior colleges prior to March 1 annually of any discontinuation of ongoing vocational programs which would affect the renewing of contracts with vocational personnel.
(2) The State Board of Education shall partner with the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, Office of the Governor, and representatives of the business community appointed by the Governor to create the "Industry Certification Partnership" program. The purpose of the program is to develop and implement a program designed to encourage businesses in Mississippi to offer a potential high school dropout student a semester scholarship at a community or junior college for industry specific training after the student's graduation in return for the student's promise or compact to stay in school.
SECTION 10. (1) There is established a commission to be known as the "Lifelong Learning Commission."
(2) The commission shall consist of four (4) members, who shall serve ex officio, as follows:
(a) The Governor of the State of Mississippi, who shall serve as chairman;
(b) The State Superintendent of Public Education;
(c) The Commissioner of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges; and
(d) The Commissioner of Higher Education.
(3) The duties of the Lifelong Learning Commission shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:
(a) To assess the dropout crisis in Mississippi and recommend action steps to address it;
(b) To create a set of common definitions for graduation and dropout rates which can be used to compare the commission's progress relative to other states;
(c) To facilitate agreements that will make the Mississippi high school experience more meaningful;
(d) To encourage more rigor and relevance in the high school experience;
(e) To facilitate the transferability of education from secondary to postsecondary institutions;
(f) To raise state awareness on the need for improving Mississippi's high schools;
(g) To develop a series of best practices policy actions that state policymakers and legislators can implement to achieve system-wide high school reform; and
(h) To convene town hall meetings around the state, when the commission determines necessary, where students, teachers, administrators and parents can discuss high school, the senior year and impediments to greater success.
(4) The commission may prepare an annual report for the consideration of the Chairmen of the House and Senate Education and Universities and Colleges Committees pertaining to the information gathered in the performance of its duties.
(5) The commission members shall meet at those times and places deemed necessary by the commission. The commission may use any available resources to fulfill its mission.
SECTION 11. The following provision shall be codified as Section 37-3-95, Mississippi Code of 1972:
37-3-95. The State Department of Education and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall prepare jointly an annual report for the Legislature and Governor to be submitted before December 1 of each year beginning in 2006. The report shall be a compilation of existing data that may be used to create a rating system that measures the performance of the state's schools of education.
SECTION 12. The following provision shall be codified as Section 37-7-346, Mississippi Code of 1972:
37-7-346. The State Department of Education and the Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs) shall prepare jointly a report, to be submitted before December 15, 2006, for consideration of the Legislature and Governor, detailing the plans that shall be enacted by State Board of Education policy of how RESAs will work in partnership with the State Department of Education to increase their function as a local provider of educational services and purchasing consortia as provided in Section 37-7-345(6). These services must include, but not necessarily be limited to, professional development, instructional materials, educational technology, curriculum development, alternative educational programs, purchasing cooperatives, insurance cooperatives, business manager services, auditing and accounting services, school safety/risk prevention, data processing and student records, communications/public information, employee background checks, grants management, printing/publications and internships.
SECTION 13. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2006.