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To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representatives Felsher, Nelson, Scott
HOUSE BILL NO. 1035
AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI FUTURE INNOVATORS ACT; TO 1
CREATE NEW SECTION 37-13-215, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE 2
THAT, BEGINNING WITH THE ENTERING NINTH-GRADE CLASS OF 2029-2030, 3
A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT SHALL, BEFORE GRADUATION, BE REQUIRED 4
TO EARN ONE UNIT OF CREDIT IN A HIGH SCHOOL COMPUTER SCIENCE 5
COURSE, OR ONE UNIT OF CREDIT IN AN INDUSTRY-ALIGNED CAREER AND 6
TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE) WITH EMBEDDED COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSE; 7
TO PROVIDE THE STATE GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS THAT MAY BE SATISFIED 8
BY EITHER OF THESE COURSES; TO REQUIRE THAT SUCH COURSES INCLUDE 9
INSTRUCTION ON THE FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF EMERGING COMPUTER 10
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGIES, SUCH AS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE; TO AMEND 11
SECTION 37-13-205, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DEFINE "CAREER AND 12
TECHNICAL EDUCATION WITH EMBEDDED COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSE" FOR 13
PURPOSES OF THE MISSISSIPPI COMPUTER SCIENCE AND CYBER EDUCATION 14
EQUALITY ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 15
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 16
SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the 17
"Mississippi Future Innovators Act." 18
SECTION 2. The following shall be codified as Section 19
37-13-215, Mississippi Code of 1972: 20
37-13-215. (1) Beginning with the entering ninth-grade 21
class of 2029-2030, a public high school student shall, before 22
graduation, be required to earn one (1) unit of credit in a high 23
school computer science course, or one (1) unit of credit in an 24
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industry-aligned career and technical education (CTE) with 25
embedded computer science course providing instruction in the 26
foundations of computer science. Either credit unit must be 27
approved by the State Board of Education. This computer science 28
requirement shall not increase the number of state-required 29
credits for graduation. 30
(2) For a traditional diploma, each credit earned for State 31
Board of Education approved computer science course or CTE with 32
embedded computer science course shall meet state graduation 33
requirements for computer science and requirements met for one (1) 34
of the following Mississippi High School Graduation Requirements: 35
(a) One (1) credit in mathematics (excluding Algebra I, 36
Geometry and Algebra II requirements); or 37
(b) One (1) credit in science (excluding biology and 38
one (1) physical science requirement). 39
(3) The computer science course or courses fulfilling this 40
graduation requirement must include instruction on the fundamental 41
concepts of emerging computer science technologies, such as 42
artificial intelligence (AI), including an understanding of what 43
AI is, how it works, and its impact on society. 44
SECTION 3. Section 37-13-205, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 45
amended as follows: 46
37-13-205. As used in Sections 37-13-201 through * * * 47
37-13-215, the following terms shall have the meaning ascribed in 48
this section: 49
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(a) "Career and technical education with embedded 50
computer science course" means a high school career and technical 51
education (CTE) course that, in addition to its primary content, 52
provides instruction in the foundations of computer science and is 53
approved by the State Board of Education as a "career and 54
technical education with embedded computer science course." 55
( * * *b) "Computer science" means the study of 56
computers, algorithmic processes, coding, and logical thinking, 57
including computer principles, their hardware and software 58
designs, artificial intelligence (AI), other emerging 59
technologies, their implementation and their impact on society. 60
( * * *c) "Computer science courses" means high school 61
and middle school courses that teach computer science as 62
stand-alone implementations; and elementary curriculum that 63
provides instruction in computer science as stand-alone 64
implementations or embedded in other subjects and focuses on how 65
to create and understand technology, rather than simply using 66
technology. 67
( * * *d) "Offer" means providing instruction with 68
appropriately endorsed teachers, for any computer science course 69
which awards a Carnegie unit. At the elementary level, 70
instruction may be offered by a licensed teacher or 71
paraprofessional who is under the guidance or supervision of a 72
licensed teacher, and who has received training for computer 73
science instruction approved by the State Department of Education: 74
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ST: MS Future Innovators Act; enact to require
high school computer science or CTE with
embedded computer science course.
(i) Who is onsite at the physical location of the 75
school; or 76
(ii) Who is not onsite at the physical location of 77
the school but conducts the course through virtual means with a 78
proctor onsite at the physical location of the school. 79
( * * *e) "Paraprofessional" consists of school 80
employees who support instructional delivery and are deemed to be 81
qualified and have received the professional learning 82
opportunities to perform the job functions associated with 83
providing instruction. 84
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from 85
and after July 1, 2026. 86