Bill Text: MS HB1362 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: School district employees; temporarily require all professional development courses to be taken in home district.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2012-03-06 - Died In Committee [HB1362 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2012-HB1362-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2012 Regular Session
To: Education
By: Representative Gunn
House Bill 1362
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 37-7-343 AND 37-3-4, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO TEMPORARILY REQUIRE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSES FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES TO BE DELIVERED TO THE DISTRICT VIA INTERNET, TELEPHONE OR OTHER ELECTRONIC MEANS; TO PROHIBIT SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM REIMBURSING EMPLOYEES FOR COSTS INCURRED IN TRAVELING TO AND FROM MEETINGS OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT; TO PROVIDE FOR THE REPEAL OF THESE PROVISIONS ON JULY 1, 2014; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 37-7-343, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-7-343. (1) The school board of a local school district may enter into contracts or agreements with persons or entities, public or private, to provide training or professional development activities, or both, for employees of the district.
(2) (a) In order to minimize the cost to school districts for training and professional development activities, beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, each school district shall provide all training and professional development activities for employees at a location within the district. A contract or agreement to provide training or professional development activities may provide for the delivery of the training or activities to the employees via an online Internet seminar, telephone seminar or other means of transmitting live or electronically recorded or reproduced material.
(b) Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, an employee of a school district who attends a seminar, class, training program, conference, convention or other meeting or function of a professional organization or association of educators at a location other than within the school district is responsible for all expenses incurred in attending the event. A school district may not reimburse a district employee, licensed or nonlicensed, for any expenses incurred by the employee's attendance at the event, including, but not limited to, the costs of registering for the event, mileage, lodging, meals or other necessary expenses.
(c) This subsection shall stand repealed on July 1, 2014.
SECTION 2. Section 37-3-4, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-3-4. (1) There is established within the State Department of Education, the School Executive Management Institute. The director shall be appointed by the State Board of Education upon recommendation by the State Superintendent of Public Education. The State Superintendent of Public Education, with the approval of the State Board of Education, shall assign sufficient staff members from the State Department of Education to the institute.
(2) It shall be the purpose and duty of the institute to conduct thorough empirical studies and analyses of the school management needs of the local school districts throughout the state, to make recommendations to the State Board of Education regarding standards and programs of training that aid in the development of administrative and management skills of local school administrators, and to conduct such programs related to these purposes as they are implemented under guidelines established by the State Board of Education.
(3) (a) The State Board of Education shall develop and implement through the School Executive Management Institute a program for the development of administrative and management skills of local school administrators under which all local school administrators shall be required to participate. Subject to the extent of appropriations available for such purpose, the School Executive Management Institute or the Mississippi School Boards Association shall be required to offer courses at least twice a year on the uses of technology to principals, superintendents and other administrative personnel. These courses shall relate to the application of technology to learning, as well as administrative problems.
(b) In order to minimize the cost to school districts incurred by administrators participating in the courses offered under paragraph (a) of this subsection, beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, the School Executive Management Institute and the Mississippi School Boards Association shall deliver the courses to school district locations via an online Internet seminar, telephone seminar or other means of transmitting live or electronically recorded or reproduced material which does not require a district's principals, superintendent or other administrative personnel to incur travel expenses. Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, any principal, superintendent or other administrative personnel who attends a course at a location other than within the school district is responsible for all expenses incurred in attending the course. A school district may not reimburse any such person for the expenses incurred by his participation in the course, including, but not limited to, the costs of registering for the course, mileage, lodging, meals or other necessary expenses. This paragraph shall stand repealed on July 1, 2014.
(4) (a) The institute shall have an advisory board composed of ten (10) qualified members appointed by the State Board of Education after consultation with the State Superintendent of Public Education. This advisory board will offer recommendations to the institute on the types of training to be instituted and supported. The membership of the advisory board shall be composed of the following members, two (2) to be appointed from each congressional district: three (3) school administrators; one (1) representative of public community/junior colleges within the state; one (1) representative of a school of education in an institution of higher learning within the state; two (2) local school board members; one (1) classroom teacher; and two (2) laypersons. In making the initial appointments, three (3) members shall be appointed for a term of one (1) year, three (3) members shall be appointed for a term of two (2) years, two (2) members shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years, and two (2) members shall be appointed for a term of four (4) years. Thereafter, all members shall be appointed for a term of four (4) years. The advisory board shall meet when called by the director, but in no event fewer than three (3) times per year. The members of the advisory board shall be compensated at the per diem rate authorized by Section 25-3-69 and reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses as authorized by Section 25-3-41.
(b) Board members of the Oxford-Lafayette Business and Industrial Complex shall be paid per diem and reimbursed for expenses and mileage from local funds in accordance with Section 37-6-13.
(5) (a) Basic Education Course. The Mississippi School Boards Association shall be responsible for preparing and conducting a course of training for basic education for the local school board members of this state, in order for board members to carry out their duties more effectively and be exposed to new ideas involving school restructuring. The basic course shall be known as the "School Board Member Training Course" and shall consist of at least twelve (12) hours of training. The Mississippi School Boards Association shall issue certificates of completion to those school board members who complete the basic education course.
(b) Continuing Education Course. The Mississippi School Boards Association shall be responsible for preparing and conducting a course of training for continuing education for the local school board members of this state, in order for board members to carry out their duties more effectively and be exposed to new ideas involving school restructuring. The continuing education course shall be known as the "Continuing Education Course for School Board Members" and shall consist of at least six (6) hours of training.
(c) Additional Required Training. Effective July 1, 2009, local school board members and the local superintendent that serve in a district with one or more failing schools as determined by the Mississippi Board of Education accountability system as provided for in Section 37-17-6, or serving in a school district that has a serious financial condition as determined by the State Auditor as provided for in Section 37-9-18, shall annually attend additional training provided by the Mississippi School Boards Association.
The Mississippi School Boards Association shall, subject to appropriation, develop and conduct training specific to the local boards' role in improving learning outcomes and effective financial management. Such training shall be known as "Improving Student Outcomes and Academic Success," which shall consist of not less than six (6) hours of training, and "Effective Financial Management In Local School Districts," which shall consist of not less than six (6) hours of training. Any local board members and the local superintendent that serve in a school district that meets the criteria for both of the training modules shall annually attend both training sessions for a total of not less than twelve (12) hours of training. At such time the school district is determined to no longer have failing schools * * * or no longer has a serious financial condition, such board member and the local superintendent shall no longer be required to attend the training as provided herein. The training as required under subsection (c) shall not replace, but is in addition to, the training required for new school board members and continuing board members as required under Section 37-7-306.
The Mississippi School Boards Association shall issue certificates of completion to those school board members who complete the continuing education course. All costs and expenses for preparing and conducting the basic education course and the continuing education course provided for in this paragraph shall be paid out of any funds which are made available to the Mississippi School Boards Association upon authorization and appropriation by the Legislature to the State Department of Education.
(6) The Mississippi School Boards Association shall prepare and submit a report each year to the State Board of Education and to the respective Chairs of the House and Senate Education Committees describing the activities and providing an evaluation of the continuing education programs offered by the association each year.
(7) (a) The School Executive Management Institute of the State Department of Education, or the Mississippi School Boards Association with the oversight of the State Board of Education, at least twice a year, shall prepare and conduct required courses of training for continuing education for the elementary and secondary school principals of this state, in order for principals to carry out their duties more effectively and be exposed to new ideas involving school management. The continuing education course shall be known as the "Continuing Education Course for Principals" and shall consist of at least six (6) hours of training. The content of the continuing education courses and the time and place such courses are to be conducted shall be determined by the School Executive Management Institute or the Mississippi School Boards Association; however, to the extent practicable, such training sessions shall be held within geographical proximity of local districts in order that travel times and costs shall not be prohibitive.
The institute shall issue certificates of completion to those principals who complete such courses. All costs and expenses for preparing and conducting the basic and continuing education courses provided for in this subsection shall be paid out of any funds which are made available to the institute upon authorization and appropriation by the Legislature.
(b) In order to minimize the cost to school districts incurred by principals participating in the continuing education courses, beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, the School Executive Management Institute and the Mississippi School Boards Association shall deliver the courses to school district locations via an online Internet seminar, telephone seminar or other means of transmitting live or electronically recorded or reproduced material which does not require a district's principals to incur travel expenses. Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, any principal who attends a course at a location other than within the school district is responsible for all expenses incurred in attending the course. A school district may not reimburse a principal for the expenses incurred by his participation in the course, including, but not limited to, the costs of registering for the course, mileage, lodging, meals or other necessary expenses. This paragraph shall stand repealed on July 1, 2014.
(8) Principals and other administrators with career level certifications at schools meeting the highest levels of accreditation standards, as defined by the State Board of Education, are exempt from the requirements of this section, subject to approval of the local superintendent.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2012.
