1. DUTY OF THE
COMMISSION
It shall be the purpose and duty of the Commission to make
recommendations to the Mississippi Board of Education regarding standards for
the certification and licensure and continuing professional development of
those who teach or perform tasks of an educational nature in the public schools
of Mississippi. The Commission's specific duties are prescribed further in
Miss. Code Ann. §
37-3-2(5).
2. MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION
The Commission shall be composed of fifteen (15) qualified
members, with representatives as prescribed in Miss. Code Ann. §
37-3-2(2).
3. APPOINTMENT
Each member of the Commission is appointed by the Mississippi
Board of Education after consultation with the State Superintendent of Public
Education.
4. TERMS OF
OFFICE
The length of a regular term is four (4) years. Upon
acceptance of appointment, each member is eligible to serve for two (2)
consecutive terms; however, appointment to a second term shall be at the
discretion of the Mississippi Board of Education, upon the recommendation of
the State Superintendent of Public Education. If a member changes employment or
accepts a position that is no longer reflective of the category for which he or
she was appointed, that member must resign that position. The Mississippi Board
of Education may reassign that member to an open position reflective of their
new category. A new member will be appointed to fill the unexpired term. A
member of the Commission who is appointed to fill an unexpired term is eligible
for appointment to his or her own term of office.
5. OFFICERS and STAFF
a. The Mississippi Board of Education when
making appointments shall designate a Chairperson. The Chairperson shall serve
a two (2) year term and shall continue service thereafter until the Mississippi
Board of Education designates a new Chairperson, or the Chairperson's
membership term expires, whichever occurs first. The Commission may designate a
member to serve as presiding officer if the Chairperson is unable to
preside.
b. An appropriate staff
member of the Mississippi Department of Education shall be designated and
assigned by the State Superintendent of Public Education to serve as Executive
Secretary and coordinator for the Commission.
c. No less than two (2) other appropriate
staff members of the Mississippi Department of Education shall be designated
and assigned by the State Superintendent of Public Education to serve on the
staff of the Commission.
6. MEETINGS
a. The Commission shall meet in accordance
with the requirements prescribed in Miss. Code Ann. §
37-3-2(3).
b. The Commission shall provide notice of the
meetings, which notice shall include the date, time, place, and purpose for the
meeting in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. §
25-41-7.
c. Any member of the Commission may
participate in an official meeting of the Commission by teleconference or video
means. The public shall have access to the Commission meeting at a location
designated in the Notice of Meeting.
7. EXPENSES
Members of the Commission shall be compensated at a rate of
per diem as authorized by Miss. Code Ann. §
25-3-69 and be reimbursed for
actual and necessary expenses as authorized by Miss. Code Ann. §
25-3-41.
8. AGENDA
a. The Executive Secretary, in consultation
with the Chairperson, shall prepare the agenda which is to be considered by the
Commission.
b. All requests to be
placed on the agenda shall be received in writing by the Executive Secretary no
later than ten (10) days before a scheduled meeting. Agenda items received
after this deadline may be added if approved by a majority vote of the
Commission.
c. The Executive
Secretary shall provide the proposed agenda, with supporting documents, to each
Commission member no later than eight (8) days prior to a scheduled
meeting.
d. Further distribution of
the agenda shall be made to all interested parties, all persons appearing
before the Commission, and to the media.
9. MINUTES
a. The minutes of the Commission shall be
prepared by the Executive Secretary. The Executive Secretary may secure such
assistance as is necessary for the preparation of the minutes.
b. All proposed minutes shall be provided to
each Commission member within eight (8) days prior to any Commission
meeting.
c. All proposed minutes
shall become the Official minutes after adoption by the Commission.
10. CONDUCT OF MEETINGS
a. The Chairperson or presiding officer shall
conduct all meetings in accordance with the recognized rules of procedure and
Mississippi law.
b. Any official
action taken by the Commission requires the presence of a quorum, which is
defined as a majority of the Commission membership.
c. A Commission member present may vote for
or against any motion, or the member may abstain. An absent member may not
vote.
11.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
a. Commission recommendations to the
Mississippi Board of Education shall not be changed, revised, or amended prior
to forwarding to the Mississippi Board of Education for approval.
b. Commission recommendations to the
Mississippi Board of Education may be presented by the Chairperson of the
Commission, or the Executive Secretary or his or her designee, at the
appropriate meeting of the Mississippi Board of Education.
12. AD HOC COMMITTEES
Appointment of Commission members and the assignment of
Commission staff to an ad hoc committee shall be made by the Chairperson in
consultation with the Executive Secretary. Commission members shall participate
in sub-committee hearings involving controversies in licensure a minimum of six
(6) times per calendar year.
