CTE; remove stipulation that only certain programs leading to industry certification are considered for statewide accountability.

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To: Education; Workforce
Development
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives McCarty, Porter, Scott

HOUSE BILL NO. 1204

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-153-15, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO PROVIDE THAT CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION GRANT FUNDS MAY BE 2
USED TO PURCHASE EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED BY 3
SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT LEAD TO QUALIFYING INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS; 4
TO REMOVE THE PROHIBITION ON THE USE OF SUCH GRANT FUNDS TO 5
SUPPLANT FUNDS FOR THE BASIC OPERATION OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL 6
EDUCATION PROGRAMS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. Section 37-153-15, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 9
amended as follows: 10
37-153-15. (1) As used in this article: 11
(a) The words "industry certification" mean a process 12
through which students are assessed by an independent, third-party 13
certifying entity using predetermined standards for knowledge, 14
skills and competencies, resulting in the award of a credential 15
that is nationally recognized and must be at least one (1) of the 16
following: 17
(i) Within an industry that addresses a critical 18
local, regional or statewide economic need; 19
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(ii) Linked to an occupation that is included in 20
the State Department of Employment Security's occupations in 21
high-demand list; or 22
(iii) Linked to an occupation that is identified 23
as emerging. 24
(b) The words "qualifying industry certification" mean 25
an industry certification that is linked to an occupation with 26
wages of at least seventy percent (70%) of the median state income 27
unless the industry certification is stackable to another 28
postsecondary or professional credential which is linked to an 29
occupation which meets the wage criterion. 30
(2) The State Workforce Investment Board shall provide the 31
State Board of Education annually with a list of qualifying 32
industry certifications. If the occupations identified in the 33
list are not substantially the same as those occupations 34
identified in the prior year, the State Board of Education shall 35
provide reasonable notice of the changes to school districts. 36
(3) Beginning in fiscal year 2019-2020 and subject to 37
available funding, the Department of Education shall pay a career 38
and technical education incentive grant to the public school for 39
each student enrolled in the public school who earns a qualifying 40
industry certification. The amount per student for the career and 41
technical education incentive grant shall be Six Hundred Dollars 42
($600.00). If the statewide sum of the career and technical 43
education incentive grants awarded pursuant to this section 44
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exceeds the amount of available funds appropriated for the grants, 45
the grants per student shall be reduced proportionately to cover 46
all eligible grants under this section. Any costs accrued during 47
one (1) fiscal year may be claimed and reimbursed in the following 48
fiscal year. 49
(4) The grants may be used for qualifying industry 50
certification examination fees, professional development for 51
teachers in career and technical education programs under this 52
section, student instructional support for programs that lead to 53
qualifying industry certifications * * * to increase access to 54
qualifying industry certifications, or to purchase equipment 55
needed for programs that lead to qualifying industry 56
certifications. Any grants awarded under this section may not be 57
used to supplant funds provided for the basic operation of the 58
career and technical education programs. 59
(5) On or before October 1 of each year, the Department of 60
Education, working in collaboration with the Office of Workforce 61
Development and any other entities as necessary, shall submit a 62
report to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of 63
the House of Representatives, the Chairmen of the House and Senate 64
Education Committees, the Chairman of the House Workforce 65
Development Committee and the Chairman of the Senate Economic and 66
Workforce Development Committee on the following: 67
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ST: CTE; remove stipulation that only certain
programs leading to industry certification are
considered for statewide accountability.
(a) The number of students who enrolled in a career and 68
technical education course or program that leads to a qualifying 69
industry certification. 70
(b) The number of students who earned a qualifying 71
industry certification by certification. 72
(c) The amount of career and technical education 73
incentive grants awarded by the school. 74
(d) The amount of career and technical education 75
incentive grants awarded per student. 76
(e) Aggregated demographic data on the students who 77
earned a qualifying industry certification, including the 78
qualifying industry certifications earned by rural and urban 79
students. 80
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 81
and after July 1, 2026. 82