Bill Text: MS HB505 | 2018 | Regular Session | Introduced

Mississippi House Bill 505 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: College and Career Readiness Planning Program; create.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2018-01-30 - Died In Committee [HB505 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2018-HB505-Introduced.html

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2018 Regular Session

To: Education

By: Representative Scott

House Bill 505

AN ACT TO CREATE A COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS PLANNING PROGRAM; TO ESTABLISH A PRECOLLEGE READINESS ASSESSMENT PROGRAM IN ORDER TO LOWER EDUCATIONAL COSTS, SHORTEN A STUDENT'S TIME REQUIRED TO COMPLETE A DEGREE AND INCREASE THE OVERALL SUCCESS RATE OF COLLEGE STUDENTS BY REDUCING THE NEED FOR REMEDIATION; TO REQUIRE ALL EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS TO TAKE THE ACT ASPIRE SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT AND TENTH GRADE STUDENTS TO TAKE THE PREACT OR PSAT FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENSURING THAT STUDENTS HAVE THE CAREER READINESS SKILLS NECESSARY TO COMPETE IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. The Legislature finds that:

(a) Many students enter college unprepared for the

academic rigors of college and require noncredit remedial courses to attain skills and knowledge needed for regular credit coursework;

(b) There is a direct and significant link between students being prepared for college academically and success in postsecondary endeavors;

(c) Remediation lengthens the time required to obtain a degree, imposes additional costs on students and colleges, and uses student financial aid for courses that do not count toward a degree;

(d) A precollege readiness assessment program in public high schools using PreACT or PSAT assessments will provide early benchmarks for student performance on college readiness exams and inform high school guidance counselors and teachers who assist students with academic achievement, course selection and college readiness skills;

(e) A precollege readiness assessment program will provide reportable statewide data, enabling policy and program development that will benefit schools, parents and students; and

(f) Consistent use of precollege assessments will increase the number of successful student transitions into postsecondary education.

SECTION 2. (1) The following words and phrases have the meanings ascribed in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(a) "ACT Aspire Summative Assessment" means the system of annual vertically articulated, standards-based assessments linked to the ACT college entrance exam.

(b) "College readiness assessment" means a test of student educational development that measures student readiness for future learning which is used by:

(i) State institutions of higher learning as part of their admissions, placement and scholarship processes; and

(ii) High schools to improve college and workforce readiness.

(c) "College and career readiness" means that a student is academically ready to succeed in college-level courses or in the workforce without the need to enroll in remedial courses during the student's first year.

(d) "PreACT" means the assessment for students in Grade 10 which simulates the ACT testing experience and can be used as an indicator of college and career readiness, assessing each student's areas of strength and where improvement is needed.

(e) "PSAT" means the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test that provides practice for the SAT Reasoning Test and gives students feedback on individual strengths and weaknesses on college readiness skills.

(2) (a) (i) Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, each public school that serves students in Grade 8 shall administer the ACT Aspire Summative Assessment to each student enrolled in Grade 8 at the public school.

(ii) Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, each public school that serves students in Grade 10 shall administer the PreACT or PSAT to each student enrolled in Grade 10 at the public school.

(b) Funding for the college readiness assessments listed in this subsection may be paid by using State Department of Education at-risk funding.

(3) (a) Each public school administering the college readiness assessments under this section shall use the college readiness assessments to assist students with college and workforce readiness skills, course selection in high school and improved academic achievement.

(b) By the 2020-2021 school year, each public school shall fully incorporate the results from college readiness assessments listed in subsection (2)(a) of this section into the college and career planning process for each student.

(4) Data collection must be maintained by the State Department of Education for the purpose of:

(a) Increasing college and career readiness skills;

(b) Improving instruction;

(d) Reducing the college remediation rates of students.

(5) The State Department of Education shall report to the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education before October 1, 2022, and each year thereafter, on the implementation and effectiveness of the College and Career Readiness Planning Program.

(6) The department shall promulgate rules to implement this section and shall monitor the use of college readiness assessments administered under this section to ensure public school compliance.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2018.