NEWS RELEASE

Release Date: June 23, 2009

Contact: Pete Smith Director of Communications, 601-359-1336

Mississippi Board of Education meets in Jackson

The Mississippi Board of Education met recently in Jackson and approved the following:

Approved:

•The Qualified School Construction Bond (QSCB) application. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides construction bond money for qualified school districts to use to finance the construction, rehabilitation or repair of a public school facility, for the acquisition of land on which such a facility is to be constructed or for the acquisition of equipment to be used in that portion of the school facility.

•To begin the Administrative Procedures Act Process: To approve a
revision to the licensure guidelines for American Board Certification for Teacher Excellence (ABCTE) alternate route program. This provision amends the mentoring requirements as recommended by the Commission on Teacher and Administrator Education, Certification and Licensure Development. All Mississippi approved alternate route programs require candidates to complete a one-year teaching internship.

•To begin the Administrative Procedures Act Process: To approve a proposal from vocational education for new occupational and technical competencies for vocational licensure as recommended by the Commission on Teacher and Administrator Education, Certification and Licensure Development. For many years, all vocational licensure applicants applying for certification in occupational trade areas have been required to pass a NOCTI test in that trade area. The NOCTI test is now obsolete and has been discontinued.

•To begin the Administrative Procedures Act Process: To approve four new Praxis II subject area exams and cut scores as recommended by the Commission on Teacher and Administrator Education, Certification and Licensure. The recommendations from the subcommittee for passing scores on these new test are:
Economics - 490
Health Education - 600
Latin - 610
Physical Science - 147

•To offer a master's level program in Early Oral Intervention for children who are deaf and hard of hearing at the University of Southern Mississippi. The University of Southern Mississippi developed this specialized master's degree program to train teachers who will work specifically with preschool children that are deaf and hard of hearing.

•The methodology to award education for homeless children and youth, using recovery act grant dollars under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to local educational agencies. The ARRA of 2009 provides funds to states and local educational agencies under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, in support of addressing the needs of homeless children during the current economic crisis of the United States.

•Mississippi State Board of Education to establish a memorandum of understanding with the National Association of State Boards of Education for school health to support the relationship between the health of students and academic achievement. Mississippi was one of two states selected by NASBE to host a nutrition policy planning summit. The memorandum of understanding will help support this effort.

•A $1.2 million loan from the School District Emergency Assistance Fund to the Tate County School District. The State Board of Education may loan monies from the school district emergency assistance fund to a district that is under a state of emergency.

•To begin the Administrative Procedures Act Process: To revise State Board Policy 4906 for the selection of successful districts used in calculation of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program base student cost. Every four years, the State Department of Education is required to update the four cost components of the MAEP base student cost using updated expenditure and efficiency screening data.

Appointed:

•The Commission on School Accreditation

Congressional District 1
Re-appointment of Susan L. Burchfield, Teacher
Re-appointment of Lee Childress, Superintendent

Congressional District 2
Jeanette Brown, School Board Member

Congressional District 3
Re-appointment of Blake Wilson, Non-Educator

Congressional District 4
Re-appointment of Chuck Blackwell, Non-Educator

Congressional District 5
Re-appointment of Dennis Penton, Superintendent

•Dr. Carol N. Alderman as interim Executive Director of the Mississippi School of the Arts. Dr. Alderman currently works as a school improvement consultant for JBHM Education Group, LLC and has more than 24 years of education experience. Dr. Alderman holds a bachelor's and master's degree from the University of Mississippi and a doctorate from the University of Southern Mississippi.

•Dr. George Gilreaht as interim Conservator for the Indianola School District.

Board Recognitions:

Mississippi Board of Education Chair Bill Jones (second back left) and State Superintendent of Education Dr. Hank M. Bounds (far right) congratulate Rev. Troy D. Truly, Sr. for being named the 2009 Mississippi Parent of the Year. Pictured from left (back row): Dr. John Walls, Carla Nicks, Rev. Larry Nicks, Dwayne Sims, (front row from left): Sharon Williams, Rev. Troy Truly, Maria Truly, Joan Truly and Bobbie Harrington.

Mississippi Board of Education Chair Bill Jones (second from left) and State Superintendent of Education Dr. Hank M. Bounds (far right) congratulate Michael and Pam Brown as Parents of the Year representing the First Congressional District. (from left): Lacia Stubblefield, Pam Brown, Michael Brown and Jackie Ford.

Mississippi Board of Education Chair Bill Jones (third from the left) and State Superintendent of Education Dr. Hank M. Bounds (far right) congratulate Haley Guest as Parent of the Year representing the Third Congressional District. (from left): Dr. Lynn Weathersby, Marisa Martin, Haley Guest, Patton Guest, Kennedy Guest, Phyllis Kennedy and Tom Kennedy.

Mississippi Board of Education Chair Bill Jones (far left) and State Superintendent of Education Dr. Hank M. Bounds (far right) congratulate Paula Walters for being named a Parent of the Year representing the Fourth Congressional District. (from left): Paula Walters, Mike Walters, Laura Lee Walters, Steve Thrash and Chuck Benigno.

Mississippi Board of Education Chair Bill Jones (far left) and State Superintendent of Education Dr. Hank M. Bounds (far right) congratulate Elizabeth Seratt for being named a Prudential Spirit of Community Award winner. ( from left): Bill Seratt, Sue Seratt Elizabeth Seratt and Charles Brown.

Mississippi Board of Education Chair Bill Jones (far left) and State Superintendent Dr. Hank M. Bounds (far right) congratulate Courtney Ramsey for placing in the top five at the Intel International Science Fair. (from left): L.T. Gosa, Delores Ramsey, Courtney Ramsey, Charles Brown and Rick Smith.

Mississippi Board of Education Chair Bill Jones (second from the left) and State Superintendent of Education Dr. Hank M. Bounds (far right) congratulate Jasmine Murray for reaching the Top 13 of “American Idol.” (from left): Dr. Vicki Lambert, Jasmine Murray, Lisa Murray and Jana Perry.

Mississippi Board of Education Chair Bill Jones (left) and State Superintendent of Education Dr. Hank M. Bounds (right) congratulate Chauncey Spears for being named Mississippi Department of Education's Employee of the Month.

Mississippi Board of Education Chair Bill Jones presents Dr. David Sistrunk a Board resolution commending his years of service as a member of the Mississippi Board of Education. Dr. Sistrunk's term expires July 2009.

Mississippi Board of Education Chair Bill Jones presents Sondra Caillavett a Board resolution commending her years of service as a member of the Mississippi Board of Education. Sondra Caillavett's term expires July 2009.  

Next Meeting:

On Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. there will be a special called meeting of the Mississippi Board of Education to discuss matters related to the FY 2010 budget regarding grant allocations and contracts with former state employees. The Board will also discuss FY 2009 contracts with former state employees.

Although the meeting shall commence as an open meeting, the Board anticipates the need to declare an executive session due to the subject matter of the meeting. The meeting will be held in the Board Room at the Mississippi Department of Education, Central High School Building, Jackson, Mississippi. The public is invited to attend.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Mississippi Board of Education (MBE) will be July 16, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. in the Board Room on the 4th Floor of the Central High School Building, 359 North West Street, Jackson, MS. The MBE will also meet on Friday, July 17, 2009 beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Board Room.