Bill Text: MS HB962 | 2011 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Motivating Parents and Children (M.P.A.C.) pilot program; establish within the State Department of Education.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)
Status: (Failed) 2011-03-28 - Died In Conference [HB962 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2011-HB962-Engrossed.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2011 Regular Session
To: Public Health and Human Services; Education
By: Representatives Scott, Burnett, Espy, Gibbs, Harrison, Huddleston (30th), Middleton, Thomas
House Bill 962
(As Passed the House)
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A MOTIVATING PARENTS AND CHILDREN (M.P.A.C.) PILOT PROGRAM WITHIN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING GRANTS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT PROVIDE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT SERVICES TO FAMILIES OF COMPULSORY-SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN; TO SET FORTH THE PURPOSES OF THE M.P.A.C. PILOT PROGRAM; TO AUTHORIZE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT THE M.P.A.C. PILOT PROGRAM; TO PRESCRIBE THE BASIC COMPONENTS OF SERVICES TO BE OFFERED BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS UNDER THE M.P.A.C. PILOT PROGRAM; TO PROVIDE AN APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS PARTICIPATING IN THE M.P.A.C. PILOT PROGRAM; TO AMEND SECTION 37-11-53, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE PARENTS TO ATTEND CONFERENCES AND OTHER FUNCTIONS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS PARTICIPATING IN THE M.P.A.C. PILOT PROGRAM; TO AMEND SECTION 63-1-10, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT CHILDREN UNDER 18 RESIDING IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS PARTICIPATING IN THE M.P.A.C. PILOT PROGRAM WHO WITHDRAW FROM SCHOOL MAY HAVE THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE SUSPENDED; TO AMEND SECTION 63-1-46, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO EXEMPT SUCH MINORS FROM LICENSE REINSTATEMENT FEES; TO AMEND SECTION 63-1-53, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) The Legislature finds that:
(a) Students who exhibit serious behavior problems in school become juvenile and adult offenders;
(b) A major contributing factor to this problem is a lack of positive parental involvement with both their children and school personnel;
(c) Growing numbers of children live in conditions that place them at risk of school failure;
(d) The provision of school and support services to these children and their families by public and nonprofit agencies is fragmented and does not prepare these children to learn effectively and have a successful school experience;
(e) The lack of collaboration among schools, families, local agencies and other groups involved in family support and youth development activities results in the inefficient and ineffective use of resources to meet the needs of these children;
(f) Schools are dedicating an increasing amount of their time and resources to responding to disruptive and violent behavior rather than fulfilling their mission to challenge with high expectations each child to learn, to achieve and to fulfill his or her potential;
(g) The relationships between school failure, disruptive and violent behavior in schools, unemployment and criminal behavior are clear;
(h) Responding to the needs of students who are at-risk of school failure and providing a safe and secure learning environment are cost-effective measures because they enable the state to substitute preventive measures for expensive and reactionary crisis intervention through use of co-location of services and repositioning of staff; and
(i) Differing local needs and local resources necessitate the development of locally generated, community-based plans that coordinate and leverage existing resources, not the imposition of uniform and inflexible state-mandated plans.
(2) Subject to the appropriation of sufficient funds by the Legislature for that purpose, there is established within the State Department of Education the Motivating Parents and Children (M.P.A.C.) pilot program. The purposes of the program are:
(a) To provide school districts innovative local programs that target juvenile crime by coordinating school and support services to children-at-risk and their families with required parental involvement;
(b) To enhance educational attainment through coordinated services to respond to the needs of students who are at risk of school failure and at risk of participation in juvenile crime; and
(c) To provide a safe and secure learning environment.
(3) Motivating Parents and Children (M.P.A.C.) is a proposed pilot program designed for a collaborative effort between the Department of Human Services, Department of Education, Department of Health, Employment Security Commission, Division of Medicaid and the Financial Literacy Foundation to address failing schools, dysfunctional families and poverty stricken communities. Through collaboration and cooperation these entities have agreed to bring their particular expertise to the table to address failing schools. The pilot program will consist of the six (6) school districts which are under conservatorship as well as two (2) other districts that are at risk (Laurel and Shaw).
(4) The State Department of Education shall develop policies and procedures to administer the Motivating Parents and Children (M.P.A.C.) pilot programs.
SECTION 2. A public school district may allow a home school student that resides in the public school district to participate in extracurricular activities.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2011.
