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Bill > HB306

MS HB306

MS HB306
"Health Careers Academy"; create for students in Grades 9 through 12.

summary

Introduced
01/10/2025
In Committee
01/10/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
02/04/2025

Introduced Session

2025 Regular Session

Bill Summary

An Act To Require The State Department Of Education And The Board Of Trustees Of State Institutions Of Higher Learning To Establish And Implement A Program Known As The "health Careers Academy" For Public School Students In Grades 9 Through 12; To Provide That The Purpose Of The Academy Will Be To Stimulate Interest In Science, Mathematics, Language Arts, Critical Thinking And Health Care Professions; To Require The Academy To Be Conducted As A Six-week Nonresidential Summer Program At The University Of Mississippi Medical Center; To Require The State Department Of Education And The Board Of Trustees Of State Institutions Of Higher Learning To Jointly Develop The Criteria And Process To Be Used In A Random Selection Of Candidates; To Require That The Criteria And Process Used Be Nondiscriminatory In Nature; To Prescribe The Eligibility Requirements For Participation In The Academy; To Prescribe The Components To Be Included In The Academy; To Require The Academy To Provide Full-day Instruction During The Course Of The Program; To Require Participating Students To Complete Certain Tasks And Research Projects; To Limit Participation In The Academy To Mississippi Residents In Grades 9 Through 12 Who Attend A Public School; To Require Eligible Persons To Submit An Application For Participation To The State Department Of Education; To Require The Department To Make The Applications Available To All School Districts By A Certain Date And To Establish The Deadline For Acceptance Of Applications; To Require The Department To Forward The Completed Applications To The Vice Chancellor For Health Affairs At The University Of Mississippi Medical Center At The Closing Date For Acceptance Of Applications; To Provide An Incentive In The Form Of A Stipend For Students Participating In The Academy; To Establish The Health Careers Academy Trust Fund In The State Treasury To Provide Support To Local School Districts And The University Of Mississippi Medical Center For Start-up Costs And Costs Associated With Implementing And Operating The Academy; And For Related Purposes.

AI Summary

This bill establishes the Health Careers Academy (HCA), a six-week summer program for Mississippi public high school students in grades 9-12, designed to stimulate interest in healthcare careers and academic subjects like science, mathematics, and language arts. The program will be conducted at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) and will provide a full-day, nonresidential academic experience featuring hands-on instruction, ACT preparation, interactions with medical students and professionals, and health-related activities. Student participants must meet specific eligibility criteria, including maintaining a 2.25 GPA, having teacher recommendations, displaying positive character, and expressing interest in healthcare. The program will use a nondiscriminatory random selection process to choose participants and will offer a $1,000 stipend to students who complete the academy. A dedicated trust fund will be established to support the program's implementation, with potential funding from government grants, legislative allocations, and private donations. The State Department of Education and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning will jointly develop and oversee the program, which aims to increase awareness of healthcare profession needs and support underserved populations in Mississippi. The program is set to begin in the 2025-2026 school year.

Committee Categories

Education

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Died In Committee (on 02/04/2025)

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