Bill Text: MS HB778 | 2015 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Alternative school; require school boards to adopt policy regarding referral of children transitioning from out-of-home placement to.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Failed) 2015-02-03 - Died In Committee [HB778 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2015-HB778-Introduced.html

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MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2015 Regular Session

To: Education

By: Representative Faulkner

House Bill 778

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-13-92, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE ALL LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS TO ADOPT A POLICY CONCERNING THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL PLACEMENT OF CHILDREN TRANSITIONING FROM AN OUT-OF-HOME PLACEMENT AND TO PRESCRIBE CERTAIN PROVISIONS WHICH MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE POLICY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

     SECTION 1.  Section 37-13-92, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

 * * *[Through June 30, 2015, this section shall read as follows:]

37‑13‑92.  (1)  Beginning with the school year 2004‑2005, the school boards of all school districts shall establish, maintain and operate, in connection with the regular programs of the school district, an alternative school program or behavior modification program as defined by the State Board of Education for, but not limited to, the following categories of compulsory‑school‑age students:

  (a)  Any compulsory‑school‑age child who has been suspended for more than ten (10) days or expelled from school, except for any student expelled for possession of a weapon or other felonious conduct;

  (b)  Any compulsory‑school‑age child referred to such alternative school based upon a documented need for placement in the alternative school program by the parent, legal guardian or custodian of such child due to disciplinary problems;

  (c)  Any compulsory‑school‑age child referred to such alternative school program by the dispositive order of a chancellor or youth court judge, with the consent of the superintendent of the child's school district;

  (d)  Any compulsory‑school‑age child whose presence in the classroom, in the determination of the school superintendent or principal, is a disruption to the educational environment of the school or a detriment to the interest and welfare of the students and teachers of such class as a whole; and

  (e)  No school district is required to place a child returning from out‑of‑home placement in the mental health, juvenile justice or foster care system in alternative school. Placement of a child in the alternative school shall be done consistently, and for students identified under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), shall adhere to the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004.  If a school district chooses to place a child in alternative school the district will make an individual assessment and evaluation of that child in the following time periods:

   (i)  Five (5) days for a child transitioning from a group home, mental health care system, and/or the custody of the Department of Human Services, Division of Youth and Family Services;

   (ii)  Ten (10) days for a child transitioning from a dispositional placement order by a youth court pursuant to Section 43‑21‑605; and

   (iii)  An individualized assessment for youth transitioning from out‑of‑home placement to the alternative school shall include:

    1.  A strength needs assessment.

    2.  A determination of the child's academic strengths and deficiencies.

   3.  A proposed plan for transitioning the child to a regular education placement at the earliest possible date.

(2)  The principal or program administrator of any such alternative school program shall require verification from the appropriate guidance counselor of any such child referred to the alternative school program regarding the suitability of such child for attendance at the alternative school program.  Before a student may be removed to an alternative school education program, the superintendent of the student's school district must determine that the written and distributed disciplinary policy of the local district is being followed.  The policy shall include standards for:

  (a)  The removal of a student to an alternative education program that will include a process of educational review to develop the student's individual instruction plan and the evaluation at regular intervals of the student's educational progress; the process shall include classroom teachers and/or other appropriate professional personnel, as defined in the district policy, to ensure a continuing educational program for the removed student;

  (b)  The duration of alternative placement; and

  (c)  The notification of parents or guardians, and their appropriate inclusion in the removal and evaluation process, as defined in the district policy.  Nothing in this paragraph should be defined in a manner to circumvent the principal's or the superintendent's authority to remove a student to alternative education.

(3)  The local school board or the superintendent shall provide for the continuing education of a student who has been removed to an alternative school program.

(4)  A school district, in its discretion, may provide a program of High School Equivalency Diploma preparatory instruction in the alternative school program.  However, any High School Equivalency Diploma preparation program offered in an alternative school program must be administered in compliance with the rules and regulations established for such programs under Sections 37‑35‑1 through 37‑35‑11 and by the Mississippi Community College Board.  The school district may administer the High School Equivalency Diploma Testing Program under the policies and guidelines of the Testing Service of the American Council on Education in the alternative school program or may authorize the test to be administered through the community/junior college district in which the alternative school is situated.

(5)  Any such alternative school program operated under the authority of this section shall meet all appropriate accreditation requirements of the State Department of Education.

(6)  The alternative school program may be held within such school district or may be operated by two (2) or more adjacent school districts, pursuant to a contract approved by the State Board of Education.  When two (2) or more school districts contract to operate an alternative school program, the school board of a district designated to be the lead district shall serve as the governing board of the alternative school program.  Transportation for students attending the alternative school program shall be the responsibility of the local school district.  The expense of establishing, maintaining and operating such alternative school program may be paid from funds contributed or otherwise made available to the school district for such purpose or from local district maintenance funds.

(7)  The State Board of Education shall promulgate minimum guidelines for alternative school programs.  The guidelines shall require, at a minimum, the formulation of an individual instruction plan for each student referred to the alternative school program and, upon a determination that it is in a student's best interest for that student to receive High School Equivalency Diploma preparatory instruction, that the local school board assign the student to a High School Equivalency Diploma preparatory program established under subsection (4) of this section.  The minimum guidelines for alternative school programs shall also require the following components:

  (a)  Clear guidelines and procedures for placement of students into alternative education programs which at a minimum shall prescribe due process procedures for disciplinary and High School Equivalency Diploma placement;

  (b)  Clear and consistent goals for students and parents;

  (c)  Curricula addressing cultural and learning style differences;

  (d)  Direct supervision of all activities on a closed campus;

  (e)  Attendance requirements that allow for educational and workforce development opportunities;

  (f)  Selection of program from options provided by the local school district, Division of Youth Services or the youth court, including transfer to a community‑based alternative school;

  (g)  Continual monitoring and evaluation and formalized passage from one (1) step or program to another;

  (h)  A motivated and culturally diverse staff;

  (i)  Counseling for parents and students;

  (j)  Administrative and community support for the program; and

  (k)  Clear procedures for annual alternative school program review and evaluation.

(8)  On request of a school district, the State Department of Education shall provide the district informational material on developing an alternative school program that takes into consideration size, wealth and existing facilities in determining a program best suited to a district.

(9)  Any compulsory‑school‑age child who becomes involved in any criminal or violent behavior shall be removed from such alternative school program and, if probable cause exists, a case shall be referred to the youth court.

(10)  The State Board of Education shall promulgate guidelines for alternative school programs which provide broad authority to school boards of local school districts to establish alternative education programs to meet the specific needs of the school district.

(11)  Each school district having an alternative school program shall submit a report by July 31 of each calendar year to the State Department of Education describing the results of its annual alternative school program review and evaluation undertaken pursuant to subsection (7)(k).  The report shall include a detailed account of any actions taken by the school district during the previous year to comply with substantive guidelines promulgated by the State Board of Education under subsection (7)(a) through (j).  The Mississippi Department of Education shall sanction each district which fails to file the mandatory annual report.  Each district shall pay a penalty for each day each student is enrolled in the alternative school past the report deadline at the rate the school receives in federal funding for the child's enrollment/attendance in the district.

[From and after July 1, 2015, this section shall read as follows:]

     37-13-92.  (1)  * * * Beginning with the school year 2004‑2005, tThe school boards of all school districts shall establish, maintain and operate, in connection with the regular programs of the school district, an alternative school program or behavior modification program as defined by the State Board of Education for, but not limited to, the following categories of compulsory-school-age students:

          (a)  Any compulsory-school-age child who has been suspended for more than ten (10) days or expelled from school, except for any student expelled for possession of a weapon or other felonious conduct;

          (b)  Any compulsory-school-age child referred to such alternative school based upon a documented need for placement in the alternative school program by the parent, legal guardian or custodian of such child due to disciplinary problems;

          (c)  Any compulsory-school-age child referred to such alternative school program by the dispositive order of a chancellor or youth court judge, with the consent of the superintendent of the child's school district; and

          (d)  Any compulsory-school-age child whose presence in the classroom, in the determination of the school superintendent or principal, is a disruption to the educational environment of the school or a detriment to the interest and welfare of the students and teachers of such class as a whole * * *; and.

     ( * * *e2)  No school district is required to place a child returning from out-of-home placement in the mental health, juvenile justice or foster care system in alternative school. Placement * * * of a child in the alternative school * * * shall be done consistently, and forof students identified under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) * * *, shall adhere to the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004.  * * * If a school district chooses to place a child in alternative school the district will make an individual assessment and evaluation of that child in the following time periods:The school board of each school district shall adopt a policy concerning the placement of youth transitioning from an out-of-home placement in an alternative school.  The policy must provide that a student may not remain at the alternative school for longer than ten (10) days as part of a transition from an out-of-home placement unless the school district has a separate basis for the student's placement in the alternative school.  The policy also must require the following:

          (a)  The school district must make an individualized placement determination for each child and may not automatically place a child exiting an out-of-home placement in an alternative school.  In making the determination, the school district must consider the following factors:

              (i)  Whether or not the misconduct occurred on school property or at a school-related activity;

              (ii)  Whether or not the child received educational services in the out-of-home placement; and

              (iii)  Whether or not the child was attending the school in which the child was enrolled before the out-of-home placement;

          (b)  The school district must provide written notice to the parent, legal guardian or custodian of the child within three (3) days of the school district's decision, which notice must  state why the district determined that the alternative school placement is appropriate, the child's length of placement at the alternative school and the procedure by which the parent, legal guardian or custodian may appeal the decision to the school board of the school district or a review committee designated by the board; and

          (c)  The school district must make an individual assessment and evaluation of a child within(i) five (5) days for a child transitioning from a group home, mental health care system, and/or the custody of the Department of Human Services, Division of Youth and Family Services * * *;

   (ii)  Ten (10) days for a child transitioning, or from a dispositional placement order by a youth court pursuant to Section 43-21-605 * * *; and.

          ( * * *iiid)  An individualized assessment for youth transitioning from out-of-home placement to the alternative school shall include:

               * * * 1.(i)  A strength needs assessment.

               * * * 2.(ii)  A determination of the child's academic strengths and deficiencies.

               * * * 3.(iii)  A proposed plan for transitioning the child to a regular education placement at the earliest possible date.

     ( * * *23)  The principal or program administrator of any such alternative school program shall require verification from the appropriate guidance counselor of any such child referred to the alternative school program regarding the suitability of such child for attendance at the alternative school program.  Before a student may be removed to an alternative school education program, the superintendent of the student's school district must determine that the written and distributed disciplinary policy of the local district is being followed.  The policy shall include standards for:

          (a)  The removal of a student to an alternative education program that will include a process of educational review to develop the student's individual instruction plan and the evaluation at regular intervals of the student's educational progress; the process shall include classroom teachers and/or other appropriate professional personnel, as defined in the district policy, to ensure a continuing educational program for the removed student;

          (b)  The duration of alternative placement; and

          (c)  The notification of parents or guardians, and their appropriate inclusion in the removal and evaluation process, as defined in the district policy.  Nothing in this paragraph should be defined in a manner to circumvent the principal's or the superintendent's authority to remove a student to alternative education.

     ( * * *34)  The local school board or the superintendent shall provide for the continuing education of a student who has been removed to an alternative school program.

     ( * * *45)  A school district, in its discretion, may provide a program of High School Equivalency Diploma preparatory instruction in the alternative school program.  However, any High School Equivalency Diploma preparation program offered in an alternative school program must be administered in compliance with the rules and regulations established for such programs under Sections 37-35-1 through 37-35-11 and by the Mississippi Community College Board.  The school district may administer the High School Equivalency Diploma Testing Program under the policies and guidelines of the Testing Service of the American Council on Education in the alternative school program or may authorize the test to be administered through the community/junior college district in which the alternative school is situated.

     ( * * *56)  Any such alternative school program operated under the authority of this section shall meet all appropriate accreditation requirements of the State Department of Education.

     ( * * *67)  The alternative school program may be held within such school district or may be operated by two (2) or more adjacent school districts, pursuant to a contract approved by the State Board of Education.  When two (2) or more school districts contract to operate an alternative school program, the school board of a district designated to be the lead district shall serve as the governing board of the alternative school program.  Transportation for students attending the alternative school program shall be the responsibility of the local school district.  The expense of establishing, maintaining and operating such alternative school program may be paid from funds contributed or otherwise made available to the school district for such purpose or from local district maintenance funds.

     ( * * *78)  The State Board of Education shall promulgate minimum guidelines for alternative school programs.  The guidelines shall require, at a minimum, the formulation of an individual instruction plan for each student referred to the alternative school program and, upon a determination that it is in a student's best interest for that student to receive High School Equivalency Diploma preparatory instruction, that the local school board assign the student to a High School Equivalency Diploma preparatory program established under subsection ( * * *45) of this section.  The minimum guidelines for alternative school programs shall also require the following components:

          (a)  Clear guidelines and procedures for placement of students into alternative education programs which at a minimum shall prescribe due process procedures for disciplinary and High School Equivalency Diploma placement;

          (b)  Clear and consistent goals for students and parents;

          (c)  Curricula addressing cultural and learning style differences;

          (d)  Direct supervision of all activities on a closed campus;

          (e)  Attendance requirements that allow for educational and workforce development opportunities;

          (f)  Selection of program from options provided by the local school district, Division of Youth Services or the youth court, including transfer to a community-based alternative school;

          (g)  Continual monitoring and evaluation and formalized passage from one (1) step or program to another;

          (h)  A motivated and culturally diverse staff;

          (i)  Counseling for parents and students;

          (j)  Administrative and community support for the program; and

          (k)  Clear procedures for annual alternative school program review and evaluation.

     ( * * *89)  On request of a school district, the State Department of Education shall provide the district informational material on developing an alternative school program that takes into consideration size, wealth and existing facilities in determining a program best suited to a district.

     ( * * *910)  Any compulsory-school-age child who becomes involved in any criminal or violent behavior shall be removed from such alternative school program and, if probable cause exists, a case shall be referred to the youth court.

     ( * * *1011)  The State Board of Education shall promulgate guidelines for alternative school programs which provide broad authority to school boards of local school districts to establish alternative education programs to meet the specific needs of the school district.

     ( * * *1112)  Each school district having an alternative school program shall submit a report by July 31 of each calendar year to the State Department of Education describing the results of its annual alternative school program review and evaluation undertaken pursuant to subsection ( * * *78)(k).  The report shall include a detailed account of any actions taken by the school district during the previous year to comply with substantive guidelines promulgated by the State Board of Education under subsection ( * * *78)(a) through (j).  In the report to be implemented under this section, the State Department of Education shall prescribe the appropriate measures on school districts that fail to file the annual report.  The report should be made available online via the department's website to ensure transparency, accountability and efficiency.

     SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2015.

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