MS HB947

State Board of Education shall establish a Trimester School Year Pilot Program during the 2011-2012 school year and select up to 12 eligible school districts to participate in the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years, with at least one district per congressional district if applications are received.

Participating school districts must follow a trimester calendar with the school year opening the Tuesday after the first Monday in September, each trimester consisting of at least 75 days with 15-day breaks between trimesters, for a minimum 225-day school year.

Core curriculum for grades 4-12 must include five courses (Language Arts, Math, Foreign Language, Social Studies, and Science), each with minimum 18 trimester units, with standardized testing administered statewide in pass/fail format and scored by machine.

State Board of Education shall increase funding for participating districts under the Mississippi Adequate Education Program based on a formula comparing the 225-day pilot program calendar to the average attendance days in non-participating districts.

State Board of Education must submit a report to the House and Senate Education Committee Chairmen before January 1, 2014, with results and recommendations on whether to implement a trimester calendar statewide.