JACKSON - As governor, Phil Bryant said he wants to work on ways to reduce the state's dropout rate and teenage pregnancy rate - both of which are among the worst in the nation - and to increase the average household income, which is among the lowest in the nation.

On Thursday, the Republican governor-elect held a policy summit where about 300 Mississippians were asked to provide input on those issues and others. The goal, Bryant said, is to incorporate the ideas from the policy summit into his legislative agenda, which he plans to release in greater detail at some point before the 2012 session begins Jan. 3.

"I think we are trying to get everyone to agree on a set of principles - having people to understand we are not trying to politicize one thing or another," Bryant said Thursday in a Jackson hotel during a break in the summit. "...This is not a political exercise."

Bryant said the goal will be to agree on a set of policies that help the state move forward. He said goals most likely will include parts of the Blueprint Mississippi proposals developed by the Mississippi Economic Council.

Blueprint Mississippi, which was formed through input from a diverse, statewide group, deals with such issues as improving the education attainment of the state's residents and bridging racial divides. The specific Blueprint proposals are diverse, ranging from making all superintendents appointed to enhancing early childhood education.

One item Bryant said will be high on his agenda will be to revamp the state's budgeting process to make it more performance-based.

"The budget system as I have said so many times is broken," he said.

Bryant established 11 policy committees to work on various issues. They are education, agriculture, budget, energy, government accountability, health care, information technology, public safety, regulatory, tourism and jobs.

Bryant's transition team reached out to some people requesting policy summit participation. He said anyone who also contacted his office asking to participate was added to a committee.

"We have a great team in place to put together a comprehensive policy agenda for Gov-elect Bryant to begin this coming year," said Mark Garriga, who served as chief of staff for Gov. Kirk Fordice in the 1990s, and who led the policy summit.

Bryant, the current lieutenant governor, was elected Nov. 8 to succeed Gov. Haley Barbour, who is constitutionally prohibited from seeking a third term.

bobby.harrison@journalinc.com