Bill Text: MS SB2176 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced

Mississippi Senate Bill 2176 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Public school student high school graduation ceremony requirements; clarify.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2014-02-04 - Died In Committee [SB2176 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2014-SB2176-Introduced.html

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2014 Regular Session

To: Education

By: Senator(s) Stone

Senate Bill 2176

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-16-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT A PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT SHALL BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION CEREMONIES EVEN IF HE HAS NOT PASSED AN END-OF-COURSE SUBJECT AREA TEST IF THE STUDENT HAS EARNED THE CARNEGIE UNIT CREDITS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION AND HAS MET ANY OTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE SCHOOL OR SCHOOL DISTRICT; TO PROVIDE THAT SUCH STUDENT SHALL NOT BE AWARDED A DIPLOMA UNTIL SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF THE END-OF-COURSE SUBJECT AREA TEST; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 37-16-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-16-7. (1) Each district school board shall establish standards for graduation from its schools which shall include as a minimum:

(a) Mastery of minimum academic skills as measured by assessments developed and administered by the State Board of Education.

(b) Completion of a minimum number of academic credits, and all other applicable requirements prescribed by the district school board.

(c) By school, information on high school graduation rates. High schools with graduation rates lower than eighty percent (80%) must submit a detailed plan to the Mississippi Department of Education to restructure the high school experience to improve graduation rates.

Any public school student shall be allowed to participate in high school graduation ceremonies even if the student has not passed an end-of-course subject area test if that student has earned the Carnegie unit credits required for graduation and has met any other requirements of the school or school district; however, such student shall not be awarded a diploma and the student's record shall not indicate graduation until satisfactory completion of the end-of-course subject area test.

(2) A student who meets all requirements prescribed in subsection (1) of this section shall be awarded a standard diploma in a form prescribed by the State Board of Education.

(3) The State Board of Education may establish student proficiency standards for promotion to grade levels leading to graduation.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2014.