House Bill 993

AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI MIDDLE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY-BASED ACADEMY; TO PROVIDE THAT THE ACADEMY SHALL BE A MODEL SCHOOL FOR THE EDUCATION OF SIXTH AND SEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS IN OKTIBBEHA COUNTY AND FOR THE EDUCATION OF TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS ENROLLED IN THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AT MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY; TO PROVIDE THAT THE 2017-2018 SCHOOL YEAR SHALL BE THE ACADEMY'S FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION; TO REQUIRE THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THE STARKVILLE-OKTIBBEHA CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AT MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY TO JOINTLY GOVERN THE ACADEMY; TO REQUIRE THE LEGISLATURE TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE 2017 FISCAL YEAR TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ACADEMY; TO REPEAL SECTION 37-131-15, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH AUTHORIZES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A TEACHER'S DEMONSTRATION OR PRACTICE SCHOOL IN OKTIBBEHA COUNTY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is created the Mississippi Middle School University-based Academy, which shall be a model school for students in the sixth and seventh grades, located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi. The purpose of the school shall be to provide the optimum educational opportunity for sixth and seventh grade students in the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District and a model teaching program for the education of teachers and administrators enrolled in the College of Education at Mississippi State University through an educational partnership between the school district and the College of Education.

(2) The 2017-2018 school year shall be the first year that the academy may admit students for enrollment.

(3) Admission to the Mississippi Middle School University-based Academy must be open to all sixth and seventh grade students residing in the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. The academy may not limit admission based on ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, income level, disabling condition, proficiency in the English language, or academic or athletic ability. If capacity is insufficient to enroll all students who wish to attend the academy, students must be selected through a lottery process that is equitable,

randomized, transparent and impartial in order for every student to have an equal opportunity for enrollment. However, students returning to the academy after completing the sixth grade at the academy must be given an enrollment preference.

(4) The Mississippi Middle School University-based Academy shall be governed jointly by the school board of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District and the College of Education at Mississippi State University. The school board and College of Education shall execute an agreement clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of the school district and the College of Education in the administration and operation of the academy. It shall be the duty of the school board, acting jointly with the College of Education, to:

(a) Develop a detailed plan relating to the construction, opening, operation, maintenance and funding of the academy to be presented to the Legislature before the 2017 Regular Session;

(b) Promulgate policies, rules and regulations necessary for the administration and operation of the academy;

(c) Employ administrators, teachers and other licensed and noninstructional personnel at the appropriate time for the academy;

(d) Develop the annual budget for the academy; and

(e) Undertake any other actions that may be necessary in the establishment and operation of the academy.

(5) The school board of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District and the College of Education at Mississippi State University may solicit assistance from the staff of the State Department of Education and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning as required for the implementation of this act. In addition, the board and College of Education, acting jointly, may enter into such contracts or agreements as may be deemed necessary to carry out the purposes and intent of this act.

(6) The school board of the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District and the College of Education at Mississippi State University may receive contributions, donations, gifts, bequests of money, other forms of financial assistance as well as property, equipment, materials or labor from any public or private source for the construction, operation and support of the Mississippi Middle School University-based Academy.

SECTION 2. For the 2017 fiscal year, the Legislature shall appropriate an amount of not less than Thirty Million Dollars ($30,000,000.00) from any available state funds, including any proceeds of general obligation bonds that may be authorized by

the Legislature for the construction of the Mississippi Middle School University-based Academy, to the State Department of Education for the exclusive purpose of implementation of this act.

SECTION 3. Section 37-131-15, Mississippi Code of 1972, which authorizes Oktibbeha County and the former Starkville Municipal Separate School District to cooperate with the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning in the establishment and operation of a teacher's demonstration or practice school, is repealed.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2016.