Jackson Free Press

Sections of Rep. Omeria Scott's failed Mississippi Save Our Children Act have ended up into another education bill as an amendment weeks after it was added to the already-controversial Parent Involvement and Accountability Act. The Laurel Democrat wants dress-code requirements for both students and school employees, accountability for "bad citizenship" and required participation activities for parents, among other legal requirements.

Sen. Gray Tollison's SB 2388 amends 2014's Literacy-Based Promotion Act to create criteria for selecting students who will participate in reading intervention programs, expanding their availability to select C-rated districts and schools in addition to D and F ones. Those students who perform in the lowest two achievement levels on any state "reading assessments, screening results and other relevant data" would have access to data coaches whose job is to improve reading levels and literacy.

The Oxford Republican's bill requires data coaches to be "experts in both pedagogy and data analysis" whose responsibilities, besides improving general literacy, would be using research-based methods in order to facilitate long-term success and professional development amongst educators and district leaders.

Research shows that generational poverty and a grave adult literacy rate coupled with underfunded public schools and a shortage of resources for early childhood education in Mississippi contribute heavily to poor childhood literacy rates and dismal scores on statewide reading and language arts assessments. Though these new requirements represent, in some part, a shift toward data-driven policy on the part of Mississippi lawmakers, Scott's amendment goes a step further in an attempt to ensure academic achievement.

Should the bill pass, students would be required to read and write a report on one book per subject in which they're enrolled a month and have daily reading, writing and homework assignments. They would also be held accountable for "bad citizenship" at parent-teacher conferences, with students in alternative schools attending school on one Saturday a month for designed "Attitude Adjustment" days. Parents would also be required to participate in one "supportive service" for the school district a month, such as tutoring, mentoring, joining the PTA or volunteering at athletic events.

Rep. Toby Barker, R-Hattiesburg, an active member of the House Education Committee, voted against the bill when it came back to the House. "It's an amendment that's been offered before by Representative Scott. I think it comes from a good place; however, I'm not sure that those types of details should be in the Mississippi Code," Barker told the Jackson Free Press.

At press time, neither Tollison nor Scott could be reached for comment.

Sierra Mannie is an education reporting fellow for the Jackson Free Press and the Hechinger Report. Email her at [email protected]. For more education stories visit jfp.ms/education.