Senate Bill 2162; Senate Bill 2612; Senate Bill 2245; Senate Bill 2601

March 6, 2025March 27, 2025 Bill Tracker

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SB 2162, SB 2612, SB 2245, and SB 2601 died in the House Education Committee on March 4.

Explanation of the Bills

Senate Bill 2162 would change the Cardiac Emergency Response Plan to the Cardiac and Choking Emergency Response Plan. 

The current law requires public schools to develop emergency response plans in the case of cardiac emergencies. SB 2162 would additionally require schools to develop response plans for choking emergencies, which include instances when an individual’s airway is blocked, beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. 

With the revisions to the law, emergency response plan would be required to:

• Establish a cardiac and choking emergency response team;
• Include information about activating the team in case of emergency;
• Include information about using Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and Airway Clearance Devices (ACD), in accordance with evidence-based standards;
• Implement ongoing staff training in CPR, AED, and ACD use; and
• Establish annual drills.

Plans would be disseminated throughout the school campus and would be reviewed on an ongoing basis. 

This act would take effect upon its passage.

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Senate Bill 2612 would revise the requirements for receiving a standard educator’s license. 

Licensure Bodies

To receive a standard teaching license through the traditional route, the law currently requires educator candidates to complete the requirements at an “accredited college of education.” SB 2612 would change this to “educator preparation provider,” which is a more expansive term. 

References to National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education

SB 2612 would remove references in the law to the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, which merged with the Teacher Education Accreditation Council to form the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation in 2013. SB 2612 would replace these references to a general term, “national accreditors for educator preparation providers.”

Licensure Requirements

SB 2612 would remove language that requires teacher candidates from traditional and alternative pathways to receive an ACT score of 21 (or the SAT equivalent), a qualifying score on the Praxis exam, and a minimum GPA of 3.0 on coursework prior to their teacher education program in order to become licensed as a teacher. Instead, it would require teacher candidates to meet the requirements set out by the State Board of Education (SBE) in order to become licensed.

Teach Mississippi Institute 

SB 2612 would remove current language that requires individuals to attain a passing score on the Praxis Core Assessment, an ACT score of 21, or a minimum GPA of 3.0, and a passing score on a Praxis Subject Assessment to apply for admission to the Teach Mississippi Institute (TMI). Instead, it would require individuals to meet criteria established by the SBE to apply for admission to the TMI. 

SB 2612 would remove a provision that requires the TMI curriculum of study to last 8 weeks, though it retains a current provision that requires the curriculum to include nine semester hours. It adds a new requirement to the TMI curriculum, stating that curriculum must include strategies for teaching students with disabilities. It also increases the length of the program’s teaching internship from one semester and three credit hours to two semesters and six credit hours. 

SB 2612 would allow TMI courses to be offered at any educator preparation provider that has a TMI program approved by the State Board of Education. It removes current requirements that require TMI to be implemented on a pilot program basis, with courses to be offered at up to four locations in the state. 

This act would take effect on July 1, 2025.

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As amended, Senate Bill 2245 would revise provisions related to the sale of minerals on sixteenth section lands. 

The bill would authorize local boards of education and local superintendents to work with the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) to sell minerals in and on sixteenth section lands. 

These three authorities would determine the conditions for the sale. 

These three authorities may also enter into a written agreement with an entity operating an industrial project on sixteenth section lands. Such an agreement would ensure that the state would not access minerals under the surface of the land where the project is located. 

This act would take effect on July 1.

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As amended, Senate Bill 2601 would make revisions to the Education Scholarship Account (ESA) program. The ESA program allows students with special needs to receive funding from the state to attend special purpose schools or nonpublic schools. 

Reimbursement of Funds
SB 2601 would clarify parents’ or guardians’ ability to receive reimbursements from the ESA program. If their student were to return to their home district, the parent or guardian could request reimbursement for qualifying expenses up to 30 calendar days after the student’s return to the home district. If the student returned on or after May 1, the parent or guardian could request reimbursement until June 30. Any funds remaining in the ESA account would be distributed to the student’s home school district. 

If the student did not return to their home district, any funds remaining in the ESA account would be returned to the State General Fund. 

Program Allotment

The current law allows a maximum of 500 new students to enroll in the ESA program each year. SB 2601 would remove this cap. Enrollment would be subject to appropriation from the State General Fund. ESA accounts would be funded at an amount equivalent to the base amount under the Mississippi Student Funding Formula. 

MDE Requirements

SB 2601 removes a provision from the current law that allows the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) to deduct up to 6% of ESA program funds to cover the costs of administering the ESA program. 

It also requires the MDE to implement an application or authorization process to determine the eligibility of nonpublic schools to participate in the ESA program. 

Parent Advising 

SB 2601 would require eligible schools to advise parents to apply for scholarship programs other than the ESA program, such as Nate Rogers scholarships or Dyslexia Therapy scholarships, if their students are eligible for these other programs. 

Student Assessment 

Current law requires students participating in the ESA program to take a pre-assessment at the beginning of the school year and post-assessment at the end of the school year. SB 2601 specifies that these pre- and post-assessments must be the same. 

Current law requires schools to select their current assessment, a nationally-standardized achievement test, or a state board-approved screener as their pre- and post-assessments. SB 2601 would not allow the school to use their current assessment if it was not nationally standardized or state board approved. 

However, if a student’s disability prevented them from being able to take an eligible assessment, the school would be required to provide them with an appropriate performance-based assessment. 

Reporting Requirements

SB 2601 would require participating schools to submit information to the MDE about the specific special education services that were provided to students in the ESA program, in addition to the other information that schools are currently required to submit on student performance. 

The act would take effect on July 1, 2025..

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