MS HB1071

Creates the Education Achievement Council with 23 members including legislative leadership, state officials, university and community college representatives, and business leaders to work toward increasing the state's educational attainment to the national average by 2025.

Council shall establish education achievement goals, develop planning processes, create benchmarks for measuring progress (including degrees awarded per 100 full-time equivalent students), and contract for professional services as needed.

Requires the council to prepare an annual state report card compiled from reports submitted by each state institution of higher learning and community and junior college, posted on the council's website and the websites of the Board of Trustees and State Board for Community and Junior Colleges.

Mandates each higher education institution publish an annual report in a newspaper with general circulation in its county and on its website by November 1 each year, with public notice including the report's availability and locations where copies can be obtained.

Authorizes the Legislature to appropriate funds to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning for the council's administrative, contractual, travel and other expenses; Council members may receive per diem and mileage reimbursement as authorized by law.