Bill Text: MS SB2698 | 2010 | Regular Session | Engrossed

Mississippi Senate Bill 2698 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Mississippi Education Achievement Council; establish to set higher education benchmarks.

Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Failed) 2010-03-25 - Died On Calendar [SB2698 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2010-SB2698-Engrossed.html

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2010 Regular Session

To: Universities and Colleges; Appropriations

By: Senator(s) Davis, Dearing

Senate Bill 2698

(As Passed the Senate)

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE MISSISSIPPI EDUCATION ACHIEVEMENT COUNCIL TO SET AND MONITOR HIGHER EDUCATION GOALS; TO DIRECT THE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO ASSIST THE COUNCIL AND PUBLISH ANNUAL REPORTS AS REQUIRED; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

WHEREAS, it is the intent of the Legislature and the expectation of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges, as well as each institution of higher learning and community and junior college in the state, that all students in such institutions receive a quality education and graduate from such institutions; and

WHEREAS, the 2009 Regular Session of the Mississippi Legislature established the Graduation Rate Task Force to assist the Legislature in shaping public policy to improve student outcomes and educational opportunities for all students in such institutions of higher learning by focusing on the means and methods to improve graduation rates and numbers; and

WHEREAS, the Graduation Rate Task Force completed its work on December 16, 2009, and submitted its report; and

WHEREAS, the Graduation Rate Task Force recommended increasing the educational attainment and skill levels of the state's working-age population benchmarked to the national average by 2025 to prepare a globally competitive workforce, enhance the state's future economy, and improve the quality of life for the state's citizens; and

WHEREAS, the Graduation Rate Task Force further recommended establishing the Education Achievement Council to sustain attention by leading this agenda in partnership with the governing and coordinating roles of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges; and

WHEREAS, the Graduation Rate Task Force identified several key components of this agenda to include alignment of K-12 and higher education expectations for college-level learning; teacher preparation; admissions requirements and developmental education; implementation of a longitudinal data system; revise and strengthen transfer and articulation processes and policies; create incentives for regional collaboration to ensure more students get through the system to higher levels of achievement; redesign student financial aid; align financing policy with these long-term goals; and improve student recruitment, retention, persistence and completion; NOW, THEREFORE,

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is created the Mississippi Education Achievement Council whose purpose is to sustain attention to the state's goal of increasing the educational attainment and skill levels of the state's working-age population benchmarked to the national average by 2025.

(2) The Education Achievement Council shall consist of seventeen (17) members:

(a) The Chairmen of the House and Senate Universities and Colleges Committees;

(b) The Chairmen of the House and Senate Education Committees;

(d) President of the IHL Board of Trustees or designee;

(e) Chairman of the State Board of Education or designee;

(f) Chairman of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges or designee;

(g) State Superintendent of Education or designee;

(h) Commissioner of Higher Education or designee;

(i) Executive Director of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges or designee;

(j) Two (2) university presidents appointed by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning;

(k) Two (2) community and junior college presidents appointed by the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges;

(l) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health or designee; and

(m) The President and CEO of the Mississippi Economic Council.

(3) The Education Achievement Council shall work collaboratively with the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges to achieve the state's goal, and shall not displace any governing or coordinating responsibilities.

(4) The Education Achievement Council will establish the education achievement goals for the state; develop and prescribe appropriate planning processes; establish appropriate benchmarks to measure progress, including degrees awarded per one hundred (100) full-time equivalent (FTE) students calculated using completed credit hours; conduct the necessary studies and analysis; and contract for any professional services that it deems necessary to complete its work.

(5) The Education Achievement Council shall monitor and report on the state's progress toward these education achievement goals by preparing an annual state report card compiled from the annual reports prepared and submitted by each institution of higher learning and community and junior college in the state. The state's annual report shall be made available on the Education Achievement Council Web site, as well as the Web sites of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges.

(6) Each institution of higher learning and community and junior college shall be required to develop and publish an annual report as prescribed by the Education Achievement Council. By November 1 of each year, as prescribed by the Education Achievement Council, each institution's annual report shall be published in a newspaper having general circulation in the county and posted on the institution's Web site in printable form. The public notice shall include information on the report's availability on the institution's Web site, with the Web site address, and the location(s) where a copy of the report can be obtained.

(7) Within sixty (60) days of the effective date of this legislation, the Education Achievement Council shall meet and organize by selecting from its membership a chairman, vice chairman and secretary, each for a one-year term of office. A majority of the membership will constitute a quorum. In the selection of its officers and the adoption of rules, resolutions and reports, an affirmative majority vote shall be required. All members must be notified in writing of all meetings at least five (5) days before the date on which a meeting is scheduled.

(8) The Legislature may appropriate funding to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning for the administrative, contractual costs, travel, and other expenses of the Education Achievement Council.

(9) Members of the Education Achievement Council who are not legislators, state officials or state employees shall be compensated at the per diem rate authorized by Section 25-3-41 for mileage and actual expense incurred in the performance of their duties. Legislative members of the Education Achievement Council shall be paid from the contingent expense funds of their respective house for attending meetings or other actual business of the council when the Legislature is not in session, but only if specifically authorized by the Rules Committee of the respective house; however, no per diem or expense for attending meetings of the Education Achievement Council when the Legislature is in session. Nonlegislative members may be paid from any funds made available for that purpose.

(10) The Commissioner of Higher Education or his designee shall serve as the principal staff to support the Education Achievement Council. The Commissioner of Higher Education and the Executive Director of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges will provide appropriate staff to support the work of the Education Achievement Council.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2010.