MCA Chapter 160

in effect

Miss. Code Ann. § 37-160-1 Short title; purpose.

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Teach for America Act.” The following are the purposes of this chapter: To increase the number of highly accomplished recent college graduates teaching in school districts in geographical areas of the state which are economically challenged and in which there exists a critical shortage of teachers. To increase the number of recent college graduates teaching in the Teach For America partnering school districts on July 1, 2008, and to bring teachers from a nationally recruited corps of outstanding new teachers to additional communities in Mississippi by expanding the Teach For America program to additional school districts. To build a broader resource of talented and experienced future leaders in public education and education reform for the State of Mississippi. To authorize state funds to be used as matching funds by Teach For America, Inc., in order to raise additional funding to cover the programmatic costs of recruiting, selecting, training and providing appropriate support to the Teach For America teachers teaching in Mississippi.

Miss. Code Ann. § 37-160-3 Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the following words and phrases have the meanings ascribed in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: “Grantee” means the Mississippi office of Teach For America, Inc., known as “Teach For America Delta.” “High need school district” means a school district experiencing a shortage of highly qualified teachers and includes, but is not necessarily limited to, those school districts in a geographical area of the state designated by the State Board of Education as having a critical shortage of teachers under the Mississippi Critical Teacher Shortage Act of 1998 (Sections 37-159-1 through 37-159-17).

Miss. Code Ann. § 37-160-5 Award of grants to Teach For America-Delta to recruit new teachers; use of funds.

The State Superintendent of Public Education may award annually a grant or grants to Teach For America Delta for the purpose of recruiting to Mississippi outstanding new teachers who commit to teach no less than two (2) years in an underserved community in the state. Each year, the Legislature may appropriate to the State Department of Education an amount that may be necessary for making a grant or grants under this section. In awarding grants to Teach For America Delta, the superintendent shall enter into an agreement with the grantee under which the grantee agrees to use the grant funds to raise additional funds for the following purposes: To provide highly qualified teachers to high need school districts in the state; To pay the costs of recruiting, selecting, training and supporting new teachers; and To serve the educational needs of a substantial number and percentage of underserved students. The grantee shall use all funds received under this chapter to support activities related directly to the recruitment, selection, training and support of teachers. Specifically, grant funds shall be used to carry out each of the following activities: Recruiting and selecting Teach For America teachers through a highly selective national process. Providing preservice training to the Teach For America teachers through a rigorous summer institute that includes hands-on teaching experience and significant exposure to education coursework and theory. Placing the Teach For America teachers in schools and positions designated by officials in those school districts participating in programs under the Mississippi Critical Teacher Shortage Act of 1998 as high need placements serving underserved students. Providing ongoing professional development activities for each Teach For America teacher’s first two (2) years in the classroom, including regular classroom observations and critical feedback, and ongoing training and support that leads to a standard five-year teaching license.

Miss. Code Ann. § 37-160-7 Grantee to provide written status report; report contents.

Before December 1 of each year, the grantee shall submit a written report to the State Superintendent of Public Education on the status of Teach For America Delta. The report must include no less than the following: Data on the Teach For America teachers under contract and teaching in a geographical critical teacher shortage area, including a list of those school districts that are partnering with Teach For America through funds provided under this chapter and the grades or subjects that are being taught by Teach For America teachers in those school districts; Data on each Teach For America teacher relating to the background of the teacher and the teacher’s training and professional development; The retention rate of Teach For America teachers in Mississippi; The results of an externally conducted biannual analysis of the satisfaction rate of local principals regarding the quality and effect of Teach For America teachers in the principals’ respective schools; and Any other information requested for the report by the State Superintendent of Public Education.