Gov. Tate Reeves signed a bill into law that proponents say will strengthen Mississippi’s educational system. Senate Bill 2294, adopted through conference report, includes several measures that died in the legislature and will set new standards for literacy, math, computer science, civics and financial literacy education in the state. The House and Senate voted unanimously to adopt the report.
“Fifty-four point five percent of students scored proficient or advanced in mathematics overall,” Sen. Nicole Boyd, R-Oxford, told the Senate on Feb. 5. “And this reflects long-term gains since the pandemic dip. But nearly half of all students are not meeting proficiency, indicating there is much room for improvement.”
“Fourth-grade math and average scores match the national average and proficiency has increased modestly,” she continued. “But when it comes to eighth-grade math, we scored slightly below the national average, with only 22% of our students recognized as proficient or advanced. This demonstrates a significant drop off in the performance and student progress, particularly in regards to middle school, a key indicator that early screening and algebra readiness work is definitely needed.”
The Mississippi Math Act creates the Moving Mathematics in Mississippi Program, which incorporates standards similar to the state’s successful literacy initiative. The comprehensive new law retains much of the language of SB 2242 sponsored by Boyd and others and also includes language from HB 1254 sponsored by Rep. Kent McCarty, R-Hattiesburg, both of which died in committee. The law requires the Mississippi Department of Education to establish math coaches for teachers in grades second through sixth and mandates professional development for teachers through a dedicated Moving Mathematics in Mississippi Fund. It establishes universal screenings and intervention support for kindergarten through fifth-grade students. The law also introduces an algebra readiness indicator that requires students to earn a specific score on the fifth-grade Mississippi Academic Assessment Program.
“Ladies and gentlemen, out of everything we’ve done this session, I think this bill is probably one of the most important things that we’ll be doing for our school districts,” Mississippi House Education Committee Chairman Rep. Rob Roberson, R-Starkville, told the House before reading the conference report on April 1.
The law also expands the state’s current literacy initiative, which has led to significant gains in Mississippi reading scores. The state’s literacy-based Promotion Act currently provides support and interventions primarily through third grade. Students must achieve a certain score on the third-grade Mississippi Academic Assessment Program test, commonly known as the third-grade reading gate. Under the new law, the state will extend intervention and implementation of literacy strategies through the eighth grade. Districts must notify parents within 10 days of identifying a reading deficit in a student, and all districts must employ at least one reading intervention or dyslexia specialist. It also includes training for all staff members on the Science of Reading.
“As you remember, (in grades) K-3, we’re doing very well. However, (in grades) four through eight our scores are dropping, and our proficiency is declining,” Senate Education Committee Chair Dennis Debar, R-Leakesville, told the chamber on April 1. “This will hopefully raise those scores and allow literacy proficiency.”
The provision removed the eighth-grade reading gate originally approved in the Senate version of the bill.
“Feedback from the House and Senators in this chamber (showed) the gate was something that was not desired, so basically they’re going to allow them to progress,” DeBar said. “However, they will receive intensive intervention to help them become proficient in literacy and reading.”
Roberson told representatives that an eighth-grade gate could increase the dropout rate.
“If you hold a child back in the eighth grade, you’re probably going to lose that child,” Roberson told the chamber on April 1. “That’s a kid that’s probably going to quit school or take the GED. Which there’s nothing wrong with taking the GED, but I want our kids in school.”
Mississippi schools will also incorporate financial literacy into middle school curricula beginning in the 2027-28 school year. The J.P. Wilemon, Jr., Financial Literacy Act requires all graduates—beginning with the class of 2032— to earn either a half-credit Carnegie unit in a personal finance course or to pass a full-credit course in which at least half the standards involve financial literacy. The act was originally SB 2483, which died in the House.
The law also includes language from a bill authored by Sen. Bryce Wiggins, R-Pascagoula, mandating that all public and charter schools must teach civics beginning in eighth grade and before completion of 12th grade. The standards will be incorporated into existing history courses and will be effective beginning in the 2027-28 school year.
“When it came before us previously, this was a standalone course,” DeBar told the chamber. “We did not want to create more work and more classes for our teachers and our students so we are incorporating that into a present course of study that is being taken by the student, which is going to be the U.S. government class or something similar, as the district so desires.”
Finally, the package includes the Mississippi Future Innovators Act, originally introduced by Sen. Chris Johnson, R-Hattiesburg, which died in committee. The provision requires students to earn a computer science Carnegie unit, which includes instruction on “the fundamental concepts of emerging computer science technologies, such as artificial intelligence,” beginning with the 2029-30 ninth-grade class.
