Legislation aimed at career tech student aid gains momentum

Funding for Mississippi Promise will concentrate on profession and technical packages to deal with workforce wants within the state.

Offering extra funding to assist prepare and develop Mississippi’s workforce has been a precedence in the course of the 2024 legislative session.

A earlier invoice, HB 994, authored by State Consultant Donnie Scoggin (R), proposed to develop the Mississippi Resident Tuition Help Grant (MTAG) program and improve the awards primarily based on earnings, however it died within the Home Appropriations Committee earlier this session.

Now, an analogous invoice, SB 2724, authored by State Senator Nicole Boyd (R) is transferring ahead after the Senate adopted a committee substitute by a vote of 48-3.

The invoice was moved to the Home and introduced earlier than the Home Universities and Schools Committee by Chairman Scoggin this week. The laws now consists of the Mississippi Profession Promise program which focuses on growing the state’s workforce by serving to these highschool graduates who’re all in favour of a profession tech certification program at neighborhood faculties within the state.

Wednesday’s modification means the laws would initially embrace the profession fields of nursing, car and cell gear mechanics, industrial upkeep, specialty steel works, electrical energy, electricians, electrical gear, line staff, respiratory and radiation therapists, heating and air, electrical engineering and paramedics. Rep. Scoggin mentioned these fields had been chosen as a result of they’re in excessive demand. 

The Mississippi Profession Promise program might be capped at $3.5 million within the first 12 months. As such, it is not going to present full funding for college students to obtain these certifications, however slightly be a part of a sequence of grants and scholarships. College students would nonetheless want to use for all accessible scholarships, in addition to state and federal monetary assist. 

“It will merely be the final greenback. They are going to nonetheless must get their monetary assist, they’ll get their PELL grant, scholarships and every little thing else, however this can simply be the final greenback,” Rep. Scoggin described.

If this system is profitable, it might be expanded sooner or later. 

“We’re selling it as a pilot program simply merely to see the way it goes. If it really works and works properly relying on the quantity of people who entry this then we might can develop it to full neighborhood faculties or regardless of the Lt. Governor needs to do,” Rep. Scoggin added. 

If the scholar receives sufficient in Promise funds, federal grants, scholarships and state funds, it might imply their tuition is free.

Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann (R) has beforehand mentioned that he needs to supply free neighborhood school to all Mississippi residents. The plan to supply free neighborhood school for all was anticipated to price the state about $41 million, Rep. Scoggin informed his Home committee.

The invoice was double referred within the Home, that means it should now clear the Home Appropriations Committee earlier than being thought-about by the complete chamber.