Bill Text: MS HB646 | 2015 | Regular Session | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Task Force on the Future of Gifted Education in Mississippi; create to study.

Sponsorship: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 4-1)

Status: (Passed) 2015-03-31 - Approved by Governor [HB646 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2015-HB646-Enrolled.html

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MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2015 Regular Session

To: Education

By: Representatives Barker, Jennings, Crawford, Scott

House Bill 646

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO CREATE THE TASK FORCE ON THE FUTURE OF GIFTED EDUCATION IN MISSISSIPPI, FOR THE PURPOSE OF STUDYING THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF MISSISSIPPI'S GIFTED EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS WITH REGARD TO IMPROVING ACCESS TO STUDENTS WHO DEMONSTRATE EXEMPLARY ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

     SECTION 1.  (1)  There is created the Task Force on the Future of Gifted Education in Mississippi, which shall be tasked with the following objectives and responsibilities:

          (a)  To cultivate and retain academic talent in all levels of public education through Grade 12;

          (b)  To examine the existing infrastructure of Mississippi's gifted education opportunities and make recommendations with regard to improving access to students who demonstrate exemplary academic, creative or intellectual talent;

          (c)  To assess diverse education offerings in other states and determine best practices to be implemented in the State of Mississippi;

          (d)  To project costs and returns on investment, both short-term and long-term, of offering gifted education at all public school grade levels through Grade 12;

          (e)  To recommend how the state can advance its curriculum offerings with a child's individual progress;

          (f)  To explore adding coding to curriculums throughout the state; and

          (g)  Issue its recommendation to the State Board of Education, the Governor and the appropriate committees of the Legislature not later than January 1, 2016.

     (2)  The task force shall be composed of sixteen (16) members as follows:

          (a)  The Chairman of the House Education Committee, or his designee;

          (b)  The Chairman of the Senate Education Committee, or his designee;

          (c)  Two (2) Representatives appointed by the Speaker;

          (d)  Two (2) Senators appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;

          (e)  One (1) representative of the Mississippi School for Math and Science;

          (f)  One (1) representative of the Karnes Center for Gifted Studies;

          (g)  One (1) nonlegislative member appointed by the Speaker, who must be a current or former gifted education teacher;

          (h)  One (1) nonlegislative member appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, who must be a former gifted education student;

          (i)  One (1) nonlegislative member appointed by the Governor, who must be a parent of a current or former gifted education student;

          (j)  One (1) representative of the State Department of Education, appointed by the State Superintendent of Public Education;

          (k)  One (1) representative of the Mississippi Economic Council;

          (l)  One (1) representative of the Mississippi Brain Drain Task Force;

          (m)  One (1) representative of the State Workforce Investment Board; and

          (n)  The Executive Director of the Mississippi Association for Gifted Children, or his or her designee.

     (3)  Members of the task force shall be appointed by the appointing authority prescribed in subsection (2) of this section within sixty (60) days of the effective date of this act.  The task force shall hold its first meeting no later than September 1, 2015, upon the call of the Chairmen of the House and Senate Education Committees, who shall serve as co-chairman.  Members shall serve without state funded compensation for the performance of their duties as members of the task force.  However, nonlegislative members of the task force may be compensated from any private source of funding provided for the purpose of assisting the task force in accomplishing its objectives.

     (4)  The task force shall meet upon the call of the chairman.  A quorum of the task force shall be nine (9) members.  Any vacancy on the task force shall be filled by the appointing authority.

     (5)  Upon the request of the task force, all state departments and agencies and local governments and their subdivisions shall furnish the task force with any information in their possession or available to them.

     (6)  This section shall stand repealed on June 30, 2016.

     SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.