Minutes of the Education Achievement Council August 24, 2017 ▪ 1

Minutes of the Education Achievement Council Meeting

Thursday, August 24, 2017

BE IT REMEMBERED, that the Education Achievement Council (EAC) met in the

Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Board Room in Jackson, Mississippi at 10:30

a.m. on August 24, 2017.

Council Members Present:

Mr. Milton Anderson, President, Mississippi Association of Proprietary Schools

Dr. Kim Benton, Mississippi Department of Education, representing Dr. Carey Wright

Mr. Lee Bush, Chair, Mississippi Community College Board

Dr. Jim Borsig, President, Mississippi University for Women

Dr. Glenn Boyce, Commissioner, Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning

Dr. Kim Benton, representing Dr. Carey Wright, State Superintendent, Mississippi Department

of Education

Dr. Harold Fisher, Executive Director, Mississippi Association of Independent Colleges and

Universities

Dr. Jim Haffey, President, Holmes Community College

Dr. Andrea Mayfield, Executive Director, Mississippi Community College Board, via

teleconference

Chairman John Moore, Chairman, House of Representatives Education Committee

Chairman John Read, Chairman, House of Representatives Appropriations Committee

Mr. C.D. Smith, Trustee, Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, via teleconference

Dr. Jesse Smith, President, Jones County Junior College

Dr. Billy Stewart, President, East Central Community College, via teleconference

Mrs. Cheryl Thurmond, Board Member, Mississippi Community College Board

Chairman Gray Tollison, Chairman, Senate Education Committee

Council Members Absent:

Mrs. Rosemary Aultman, President, Mississippi Board of Education

Dr. William Bynum, President, Jackson State University

Chairman Eugene Clarke, Chairman, Senate Appropriations Committee

Mr. Tom Duff, Trustee, Institutions of Higher Learning

Chairman Josh Harkins, Chairman, Senate Universities and Colleges Committee

Chairman Nolan Mettetal, Chairman, House of Representatives Universities and Colleges

Committee

Mr. Adam Moore, Mississippi Department of Mental Health

Dr. Laurie Smith, Education Policy Advisor, Office of Governor Phil Bryant

Mr. Blake Wilson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mississippi Economic Council

Minutes of the Education Achievement Council August 24, 2017 ▪ 2

Others Present:

Mr. Eric Atchison, Director of System Analysis, Research, & Enrollment Management,

Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning

Mrs. Stephanie Bullock, Complete 2 Compete Project Coordinator, Mississippi Institutions of

Higher Learning

Ms. Melia Dicker, Woodward Hines Education Foundation/Get2College

Ms. Kim Gallaspy, Director of Legislative Services, Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning

Ms. Chellese Hall, Woodward Hines Education Foundation

Ms. Audra Kimble, Assistant Executive Director for Academic and Student Affairs, Mississippi

Community College Board

Ms. Kierstan Knaus, Woodward Hines Education Foundation/Get2College

Dr. Shawn Mackey, Deputy Executive Director for Programs and Accountability, Mississippi

Community College Board

Ms. Jean Massey, Associate Superintendent, Mississippi Department of Education

Mr. James McHale, President & CEO, Woodward Hines Education Foundation

Ms. Heather Morrison, P-20 Project Coordinator, Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning

Ms. Amber Palmer, Project Coordinator, Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning

Ms. Lee Anne Robinson, Budget Officer, House of Representatives

Ms. Jennifer Rogers, Director, Office of Student Financial Aid

Ms. Stacy Sneed, Woodward Hines Education Foundation

Mr. Kell Smith, Director of Communications, Mississippi Community College Board

Dr. Jim Turcotte, Chairman, Mississippi Post-Secondary Education Financial Assistance Board

Dr. Casey Turnage, Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives, Mississippi Institutions of Higher

Learning

Ms. Kim Verneuille, Director of Proprietary Schools, Mississippi Community College Board

Ms. Apryll Washington, Director of Policy and Planning, Office of Student Financial Aid

Ms. Shanell Watson, Associate Program Officer, Woodward Hines Education Foundation

I. Welcome

Dr. Jim Borsig opened the meeting and requested that members review the minutes.

II. Approval of Minutes

Accepted as corrected.

III. Elevating Mississippi to a Higher Degree: Presentation from Woodward Hines

Education Foundation

Mr. McHale presented a report on the establishment of the Woodward Hines Education

Foundation. The organization began as a secondary market for student loans and an organization

to assist students with college access. The Get2College program is a statewide initiative to help

students prepare for college. WHEF priorities are access and entry, persistence and completion,

and connection to meaningful employment.

Minutes of the Education Achievement Council August 24, 2017 ▪ 3

A copy of the presentation is attached to these minutes.

IV. Update on SREB Ready Courses

Ms. Jean Massey gave an update on the SREB Ready Courses. They have been re-named

Essentials for College Math and Essentials for College Literacy. The data presented by Ms.

Massey shows progress of students in the courses. The SBE board policy mandates that all

schools offer the courses beginning in the 2918-19 school year. A copy of the handout is

attached to these minutes.

V. Update on Complete 2 Compete Website Launch

Stephanie Bullock demonstrated the Complete2Compete website and presented information

about website traffic and applications. Paid Google and Facebook ads promoting the website are

beginning today. In mid-September, a marketing campaign will begin to contact Mississippians

who may have earned enough credits to be awarded a degree without additional coursework.

The website address is www.msC2C.org. More information about the campaign will be shared

at the October meeting.

VI. Discussion of Plans for EAC

Dr. Borsig opened a discussion about reducing the number of meetings and focusing more

directly on the role of sustaining attention to increasing educational attainment as required in the

EAC statute, Mississippi Code §37-163-1.

After discussion, the consensus was to develop a proposal for a two or three meeting format for

consideration at the October meeting. The schedule may include a meeting/presentation during

Legislative Session to the Education and Universities and Colleges Committees so more

legislators can hear about the work of the Council. The October meeting will also include

presentations of the report cards and longitudinal analysis of the data.

VI. Other Business

Dr. Jesse Smith announced that he is stepping down as Co-Chair of the Council. He praised the

progress made so far.

VII. Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Education Achievement Council will be held on October 26, 2017 in the

IHL Board Room.

IX. Adjourn

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

10/24/2017

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Elevating Mississippi to a Higher Degree

Vision and Mission

ELEVATING MISSISSIPPI TO A HIGHERDEGREE

Our mission is to help more Mississippians obtain postsecondary credentials, college certificates, and degrees that lead to meaningful employment.

We envision a Mississippi where all people can secure the training and education beyond high school that will allow them to enhance their quality of life, strengthen their communities, and contribute to a vibrant and prosperous future for our state.

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Our Priorities

ELEVATING MISSISSIPPI TO A HIGHERDEGREE

• Access and Entry 

• Persistence and Completion 

• Connection to Meaningful Employment 

Priorities 2017-2020

ELEVATING MISSISSIPPI TO A HIGHERDEGREE

Scaling Get2College:Seed innovation and new collaborations

Shape institutional policies and practices

Grant Making

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ELEVATING MISSISSIPPI TO A HIGHERDEGREE

Get2College received a $55,000 grant from the National College Access Network (NCAN) through the Kresge Foundation to increase the level of FAFSA completion in the Jackson Public School District. 

NCAN Grant FAFSA Completion Grant partners:

ELEVATING MISSISSIPPI TO A HIGHERDEGREE

FAFSA Completion Grant Partners:

100 Black Men of Jackson, Inc.Belhaven UniversityCity Council of JacksonCity of JacksonGreater Bethlehem Temple ChurchGreater Jackson Chamber PartnershipJackson Public SchoolsJackson State UniversityMississippi Department of EducationMississippi Institutions of Higher Learning

Mississippi Office of Student Financial AidMississippi Public BroadcastingMississippi State UniversityMississippi University for WomenNew Horizon Church InternationalPhi Theta Kappa Honors SocietyTougaloo CollegeUniversity of Mississippi Medical CenterUniversity of MississippiUnited Way of the Capital Area

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ELEVATING MISSISSIPPI TO A HIGHERDEGREE

Pilot School Locations

ELEVATING MISSISSIPPI TO A HIGHERDEGREE

Pilot School Services

• Professional Development for Counselors and Teachers

• One‐on‐one Individual Counseling Days with Students

• Student Workshops

• Parent Engagement

• College Application Completion Days

• FAFSA Completion Days

• College Tours

• Signing Days

• Transition Workshops

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Elevating Mississippi to a Higher Degree

woodwardhines.org