Bill Text: MS SB2854 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: High school alternative career track programs and diplomas; provide conditions for schools to offer.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2010-02-02 - Died In Committee [SB2854 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2010-SB2854-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2010 Regular Session
To: Education
By: Senator(s) Hopson
Senate Bill 2854
AN ACT TO CODIFY SECTION 37-16-17, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE FOR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER OPTION PROGRAMS AND CAREER TRACK CURRICULA FOR STUDENTS NOT WISHING TO PURSUE A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE; TO AUTHORIZE DUAL ENROLLMENT AND DUAL CREDIT FOR STUDENTS PURSUING A CAREER TRACK; TO PROVIDE CERTAIN CONDITIONS FOR STUDENTS TO ENROLL IN CAREER TRACK PROGRAMS; TO AMEND SECTION 37-15-38, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY AND TO PROVIDE CERTAIN STANDARDS FOR DUAL ENROLLMENT-DUAL CREDIT PROGRAMS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. The following provision shall be codified as Section 37-16-17, Mississippi Code of 1972:
37-16-17. (1) Purpose. (a) The purpose of this section is to create a quality option in Mississippi's high schools for students not wishing to pursue a baccalaureate degree, which shall consist of challenging academic courses and modern career-technical studies. The goal for students pursuing the career track is to graduate from high school with a standard diploma or a career diploma and community college certification in a career-technical field. These students shall also be encouraged to take the national assessment in the career-technical field in which they become certified.
(b) The State Board of Education shall develop and adopt course and curriculum requirements for career track programs offered by local public school boards in accordance with the provisions of this section and shall issue an alternative career diploma and/or career track to a standard diploma to any student who successfully completes the requirements established for the approved career track program curriculum. The State Board for Community and Junior Colleges and the State Board of Education shall jointly determine course and curriculum requirements for the career and technical education component of the alternative career diploma/career track program.
(c) It is the intention of the Legislature that graduation from a Mississippi public high school by a student with an alternative career track shall in no way restrict the right of a student who is otherwise eligible to enter into a Mississippi public community college or institution of higher learning.
(d) An alternative career diploma issued by the State Board of Education shall be considered a regular standard diploma and shall be recognized by all Mississippi public community colleges or state institutions of higher learning.
(2) Alternative career track; description; curriculum. (a) A career track shall provide a student with greater technical skill and a strong academic core and shall be offered to each high school student enrolled in a public school district. Such a career track program shall be linked to postsecondary options and shall prepare students to pursue either a degree or certification from a postsecondary institution, an industry-based training or certification, an apprenticeship, the military, or immediate entrance into a career field. Such a career track shall be primarily designed for those students who are not initially college bound and shall provide them with alternatives to immediate entrance into a four-year university or college after high school graduation.
(b) Students pursuing a career track shall be afforded the opportunity to dually enroll in a community or technical college or participate in a business internship or work-study program, when such opportunities are available and appropriate.
(c) Each public school district shall offer a career track program approved by the State Board of Education.
(d) Students in a career track program shall complete an academic core of courses and a career and technical sequence of courses.
(e) The twenty-one (21) course unit requirements for the alternative career track shall consist of the following:
(i) At least four (4) English credits, including English I, English II, English III and Integrated English IV which may include the following topics consistent with career-technical study: Technical/practical/business writing; listening skills; oral communication/presentation skills; reading-using instructional manuals; career vocabulary; and dealing with different languages in the workplace.
(ii) At least three (3) mathematics credits, including Algebra I, Survey of Mathematical Topics, and Integrated Mathematics which may include the following topics consistent with career-technical study: business math; industry standards for math; and life skills math.
(iii) At least three (3) science credits, including one (1) unit of biology and Integrated Science which may include the following topics consistent with career-technical study: reasoning; environmental; health/safety; and industry standards for science.
(iv) At least three (3) social studies credits, including one (1) unit of American History, and one (1) unit of Mississippi Studies/American Government and Integrated Social Studies which may include the following topics consistent with career-technical study: geography; workplace economic principles; political process; workplace ethics; business law; OSHA regulations; and employment compensation.
(v) At least one (1) credit in health and physical education.
(vi) At least four (4) credits in career and technical education courses in the dual enrollment-dual credit programs authorized under Section 37-15-38.
(vii) At least one (1) credit in integrate technology with optional end of course testing.
(viii) At least two (2) credits in additional electives or career and technical education courses required by the local school board as approved by the State Board of Education.
SECTION 2. Section 37-15-38, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-15-38. (1) A local school board, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges shall establish a dual enrollment system under which students in the school district who meet the prescribed criteria of this section may be enrolled in a postsecondary institution in Mississippi while they are still in school.
(2) Student eligibility. Before credits earned by a qualified high school student from a community or junior college or state institutions of higher learning may be transferred to the student's home school district, the student must be properly enrolled in a dual enrollment program.
(3) Admission criteria for dual enrollment in community and junior college or university programs. The boards of trustees of the community and junior college districts and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning may recommend admission criteria for dual enrollment programs under which high school students may enroll at a community or junior college or university while they are still attending high school and enrolled in high school courses. Students may be admitted to enroll in community or junior college courses under the dual enrollment programs if they meet that individual institution's stated admission requirements.
(4) Tuition and cost responsibility. Tuition and costs for university-level courses and community and junior college courses offered under a dual enrollment program may be paid for by the postsecondary institution, the local school district, the parents or legal guardians of the student, or by grants, foundations or other private or public sources. Payment for tuition and any other costs must be made directly to the credit-granting institution.
(5) Transportation responsibility. Any transportation required by a student to participate in the dual enrollment program is the responsibility of the local school district. * * * Transportation costs may be paid from any available public or private sources.
(6) School district average daily attendance credit. When dually enrolled, the student may be counted, for adequate education program funding purposes, in the average daily attendance of the public school district in which the student attends high school.
(7) High school student transcript transfer requirements. Grades and college credits earned by students admitted to a dual enrollment program must be recorded on the college transcript and high school student record at the university, community or junior college, or high school where the student attends classes. The transcript of the university or community or junior college coursework may be released to another institution or applied toward college graduation requirements.
(8) Determining factor of prerequisites for enrollment in dual credit courses. Each university and community or junior college participating in a dual enrollment program shall determine course prerequisites for enrolling and receiving dual credit.
(9) Process for determining articulation of curriculum between high school, university, and community and junior college courses. Postsecondary curricula for eligible courses currently offered through Mississippi Curriculum Frameworks must meet the prescribed competencies requirements. Eligible courses not offered in Mississippi Curriculum Frameworks must meet the standards established at the postsecondary level. Postsecondary level developmental courses may not be considered as meeting the requirements of the dual enrollment program. Dual credit memorandum of understandings must be established between each postsecondary institution and the school district implementing a dual credit program.
(10) Ineligible courses for dual credit programs. Any course that is required for subject area testing as a requirement for graduation from a public school in Mississippi is not eligible for dual credit.
(11) Eligible courses for dual credit programs. Courses eligible for dual credit include, but are not necessarily limited to, foreign languages, advanced math courses, advanced science courses, performing arts, advanced business and technology, and career and technical courses. These courses and any additional courses considered for dual credit must receive unconditional approval from the superintendent of the local school district and the chief academic officer at the participating community or junior college or university. A university or community or junior college shall make the final decision on what courses are eligible for semester hour credits. The local school superintendent shall make the final decision on the transfer of college or university courses credited to the student's high school transcript. Provided, however, that any course available to a student pursuing a career track program approved by the State Board of Education pursuant to Section 37-16-17 shall be considered eligible for dual credit under this section.
(12) High school Carnegie unit equivalency. One (1) three-hour university or community or junior college course is equal to one-half (1/2) high school Carnegie unit. A full Carnegie unit may be awarded for a three-hour university or college course upon approval of the local superintendent. Partial credit agreements for postsecondary courses that are less than three (3) hours may be developed between a local school district and the participating postsecondary institution.
(13) Course alignment. Once alignment is achieved between university courses, community and junior college courses and the State Board of Education approved high school courses, the universities, community and junior colleges and high schools shall review their respective policies and assess the place of dual credit courses within the context of their traditional offerings.
(14) Maximum dual credits allowed. It is the intent of the dual enrollment program to make it possible for every student who desires to earn a semester's worth of college credit in high school to do so. A qualified dually enrolled high school student must be allowed to earn an unlimited number of college or university credits for dual credit as long as a B average is earned on the first two (2) approved dual credit courses. If a B average is not maintained after the completion of the student's first two (2) dual credit courses, the student may not continue in the dual credit program.
(15) Dual credit program allowances. A student may be granted credit delivered through the following means:
(a) Examination preparation taught at a high school by qualified teacher. A student may receive credit at the secondary level after completion of an approved course and passing the standard examination, such as an Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate course through which a high school student is allowed CLEP credit by making a three (3) or higher on the end-of-course examination.
(b) School-based courses taught at a high school or designated postsecondary site by a qualified teacher who is an employee of the school district and approved as an instructor by the collaborating college or university.
(c) College or university-based courses taught at a college, university or high school by an instructor employed by the college or university and approved by the collaborating school district.
(d) Online courses, including eligible courses offered by the Mississippi Virtual Public School or any postsecondary institution.
(16) Qualifications of dual credit instructors. A dual credit academic instructor must have, at a minimum, a master's degree with at least eighteen (18) graduate semester hours in the instructor's field of expertise. University and community and junior college personnel have the sole authority in the selection of dual credit instructors.
A dual credit career and technical education instructor must meet the requirements set forth by the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges in the qualifications manual for postsecondary career and technical personnel. * * *
(17) Guidance on local agreements. The Chief Academic Officer of the State Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and the Chief Academic Officer of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges and the State Department of Education, working collaboratively, shall develop a template to be used by the individual community and junior colleges and institutions of higher learning for consistent implementation of the dual enrollment program throughout the State of Mississippi.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2010.
