Teacher licensure; revise provisions related to educator preparation programs and criteria for entry.

H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 1 (DJ\KW)

To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Roberson, Hale

HOUSE BILL NO. 1528
(As Passed the House)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-3-2, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
REVISE PROVISIONS RELATING TO TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATOR LICENSURE, 2
TO COINCIDE WITH COLLEGIATE EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS; TO 3
REVISE THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR ENTRY INTO EDUCATOR PREPARATION 4
PROGRAMS BY REMOVING THE MINIMUM 21 ACT SCORE OR SAT EQUIVALENT, 5
PRAXIS PASSING SCORE AND 3.0 GPA REQUIREMENT NECESSARY PRIOR TO 6
ADMISSION INTO AN APPROVED EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAM FOR 7
TRADITIONAL AND NONTRADITIONAL TEACHING ROUTES TO RECEIVE A 8
STANDARD LICENSE; TO REQUIRE PARTICIPANTS IN THE TEACH MISSISSIPPI 9
INSTITUTE TO COMPLETE TWO SEMESTER, SIX-HOUR INTERNSHIPS, AND AN 10
ALLOWANCE OF A MAXIMUM OF 15 CREDIT HOURS FOR RECEIPT OF A 11
PROVISIONAL TEACHING LICENSE; TO ESTABLISH THE MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL 12
EDUCATION PIPELINE AND READINESS ACT; TO STATE THE PURPOSE OF THE 13
ACT IS TO ESTABLISH A COORDINATED MEDICAL EDUCATION PIPELINE 14
BEGINNING IN HIGH SCHOOL AND CONTINUING THROUGH UNDERGRADUATE 15
STUDY, SET UNIFORM READINESS STANDARDS FOR STUDENTS PURSUING 16
MEDICAL EDUCATION, INCREASE THE NUMBER OF MISSISSIPPI STUDENTS 17
ADMITTED TO MEDICAL SCHOOL, IMPROVE DIVERSITY IN THE MEDICAL 18
WORKFORCE, AND STRENGTHEN THE STATE'S HEALTH CARE DELIVERY 19
CAPACITY; TO ESTABLISH THE MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL EDUCATION PIPELINE 20
PROGRAM, A STATEWIDE INITIATIVE JOINTLY ADMINISTERED BY THE 21
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF 22
STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING AND THE UNIVERSITY OF 23
MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER, WHICH SHALL PROVIDE A STRUCTURED 24
PATHWAY FROM HIGH SCHOOL THROUGH COLLEGE FOR STUDENTS SEEKING 25
ADMISSION TO MEDICAL SCHOOL; TO PRESCRIBE THE DUTIES OF MDE, IHL 26
AND UMMC; TO PROVIDE THAT STUDENTS MAY APPLY TO ENTER THE PIPELINE 27
BEGINNING IN THE 9TH GRADE; TO PROVIDE THAT MDE, IHL AND UMMC 28
SHALL JOINTLY PUBLISH AN ANNUAL REPORT; TO REQUIRE MDE, IHL AND 29
UMMC TO JOINTLY PROMULGATE RULES NECESSARY FOR THE PROGRAM'S 30
IMPLEMENTATION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 31
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 32
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 2 (DJ\KW)

SECTION 1. Section 37-3-2, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 33
amended as follows: 34
37-3-2. (1) There is established within the State 35
Department of Education the Commission on Teacher and 36
Administrator Education, Certification and Licensure and 37
Development. It shall be the purpose and duty of the commission 38
to make recommendations to the State Board of Education regarding 39
standards for the certification and licensure and continuing 40
professional development of those who teach or perform tasks of an 41
educational nature in the public schools of Mississippi. 42
(2) (a) The commission shall be composed of fifteen (15) 43
qualified members. The membership of the commission shall be 44
composed of the following members to be appointed, three (3) from 45
each of the four (4) congressional districts, as such districts 46
existed on January 1, 2011, in accordance with the population 47
calculations determined by the 2010 federal decennial census, 48
including: four (4) classroom teachers; three (3) school 49
administrators; one (1) representative of schools of education of 50
public institutions of higher learning located within the state to 51
be recommended by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of 52
Higher Learning; one (1) representative from the schools of 53
education of independent institutions of higher learning to be 54
recommended by the Board of the Mississippi Association of 55
Independent Colleges; one (1) representative from public community 56
and junior colleges located within the state to be recommended by 57
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 3 (DJ\KW)

the Mississippi Community College Board; one (1) local school 58
board member; and four (4) laypersons. Three (3) members of the 59
commission, at the sole discretion of the State Board of 60
Education, shall be appointed from the state at large. 61
(b) All appointments shall be made by the State Board 62
of Education after consultation with the State Superintendent of 63
Public Education. The first appointments by the State Board of 64
Education shall be made as follows: five (5) members shall be 65
appointed for a term of one (1) year; five (5) members shall be 66
appointed for a term of two (2) years; and five (5) members shall 67
be appointed for a term of three (3) years. Thereafter, all 68
members shall be appointed for a term of four (4) years. 69
(3) The State Board of Education when making appointments 70
shall designate a chairman. The commission shall meet at least 71
once every two (2) months or more often if needed. Members of the 72
commission shall be compensated at a rate of per diem as 73
authorized by Section 25-3-69 and be reimbursed for actual and 74
necessary expenses as authorized by Section 25-3-41. 75
(4) (a) An appropriate staff member of the State Department 76
of Education shall be designated and assigned by the State 77
Superintendent of Public Education to serve as executive secretary 78
and coordinator for the commission. No less than two (2) other 79
appropriate staff members of the State Department of Education 80
shall be designated and assigned by the State Superintendent of 81
Public Education to serve on the staff of the commission. 82
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 4 (DJ\KW)

(b) An Office of Educator Misconduct Evaluations shall 83
be established within the State Department of Education to assist 84
the commission in responding to infractions and violations, and in 85
conducting hearings and enforcing the provisions of subsections 86
(11), (12), (13), (14) and (15) of this section, and violations of 87
the Mississippi Educator Code of Ethics. 88
(5) It shall be the duty of the commission to: 89
(a) Set standards and criteria, subject to the approval 90
of the State Board of Education, for all educator preparation 91
programs in the state; 92
(b) Recommend to the State Board of Education each year 93
approval or disapproval of each educator preparation program in 94
the state, subject to a process and schedule determined by the 95
State Board of Education; 96
(c) Establish, subject to the approval of the State 97
Board of Education, standards for initial teacher certification 98
and licensure in all fields; 99
(d) Establish, subject to the approval of the State 100
Board of Education, standards for the renewal of teacher licenses 101
in all fields; 102
(e) Review and evaluate objective measures of teacher 103
performance, such as test scores, which may form part of the 104
licensure process, and to make recommendations for their use; 105
(f) Review all existing requirements for certification 106
and licensure; 107
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 5 (DJ\KW)

(g) Consult with groups whose work may be affected by 108
the commission's decisions; 109
(h) Prepare reports from time to time on current 110
practices and issues in the general area of teacher education and 111
certification and licensure; 112
(i) Hold hearings concerning standards for teachers' 113
and administrators' education and certification and licensure with 114
approval of the State Board of Education; 115
(j) Hire expert consultants with approval of the State 116
Board of Education; 117
(k) Set up ad hoc committees to advise on specific 118
areas; 119
(l) Perform such other functions as may fall within 120
their general charge and which may be delegated to them by the 121
State Board of Education; and 122
(m) Establish standards, subject to the approval of the 123
State Board of Education, for supplemental endorsements, provided 124
that the standards allow teachers as many options as possible to 125
receive a supplemental endorsement, including, but not limited to, 126
the option of taking additional coursework or earning at least the 127
minimum qualifying score or higher on the required licensure 128
subject assessment relevant to the endorsement area for which the 129
licensure is sought. The subject assessment option shall not 130
apply to certain subject areas, including, but not limited to, 131
Early/Primary Education PreK-3, Elementary Education, or Special 132
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 6 (DJ\KW)

Education, except by special approval by the State Board of 133
Education. 134
(6) (a) Standard License - Approved Program Route. An 135
educator entering the school system of Mississippi for the first 136
time and meeting all requirements as established by the State 137
Board of Education shall be granted a standard five-year license. 138
Persons who possess two (2) years of classroom experience as an 139
assistant teacher or who have taught for one (1) year in an 140
accredited public or private school shall be allowed to fulfill 141
student teaching requirements under the supervision of a qualified 142
participating teacher approved by an accredited * * * educator 143
preparation provider. The local school district in which the 144
assistant teacher is employed shall compensate such assistant 145
teachers at the required salary level during the period of time 146
such individual is completing student teaching requirements. 147
Applicants for a standard license shall submit to the department: 148
(i) An application on a department form; 149
(ii) An official transcript of completion of 150
* * * an educator preparation program approved by the 151
department * * *, subject to the following: Licensure to teach in 152
Mississippi prekindergarten through kindergarten classrooms shall 153
require completion of * * * an educator preparation program or a 154
Bachelor of Science degree with child development emphasis from a 155
preparation program * * * in accordance with the standards set 156
forth by the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences 157
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 7 (DJ\KW)

(AAFCS) or by the National Association for Education of Young 158
Children (NAEYC) or by the * * * national accreditor(s) for 159
educator preparation providers. Licensure to teach in 160
Mississippi * * * is as approved by the State Board of Education. 161
All applicants for standard licensure shall demonstrate that such 162
person's college preparation in those fields was in accordance 163
with the standards set forth by the * * * national accreditor(s) 164
for educator preparation providers recognized by the Council for 165
Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and as approved by the State 166
Board of Education or the National Association of State Directors 167
of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) or, for those 168
applicants who have a Bachelor of Science degree with child 169
development emphasis, the American Association of Family and 170
Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). * * * 171
* * * 172
( * * *iii) From and after July 1, * * *2026, no 173
teacher candidate shall be licensed to teach in Mississippi who 174
did not meet the * * * requirements established by the State Board 175
of Education. 176
* * * 177
(b) (i) Standard License - Nontraditional Teaching 178
Route. From and after July 1, * * *2026, no teacher candidate 179
shall be licensed to teach in Mississippi under the alternate 180
route who did not meet the * * * requirements established by the 181
State Board of Education. 182
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 8 (DJ\KW)

* * * 183
(ii) Beginning July 1, * * *2026, an individual 184
who * * * meets the requirements of this paragraph (b) may apply 185
for admission to the Teach Mississippi Institute (TMI) program to 186
teach students in Grades 7 through 12 * * *. The State Board of 187
Education shall adopt rules requiring that * * * educator 188
preparation * * * providers (EPPs) which provide the Teach 189
Mississippi Institute (TMI) program for the preparation of 190
nontraditional teachers shall meet the standards and comply with 191
the provisions of this paragraph. 192
1. The Teach Mississippi Institute (TMI) 193
shall include * * * a nine-semester-hour summer program or a 194
curriculum of study in which the student matriculates in the fall 195
or spring semester, which shall include, but not be limited to, 196
instruction in education, * * * instruction in teaching strategies 197
for students with disabilities, classroom management, state 198
curriculum requirements, planning and instruction, instructional 199
methods and pedagogy, using test results to improve instruction, 200
and a * * * two (2) semester * * * six-hour supervised internship 201
to be completed while the teacher is employed as a full-time 202
teacher intern in a local school district. * * * TMI * * * 203
courses * * * may be offered at * * * any educator preparation 204
program (EPP) with a State Board of Education approved TMI 205
program. 206
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 9 (DJ\KW)

2. The school sponsoring the teacher intern 207
shall enter into a written agreement with the * * * educator 208
preparation program (EPP) providing the Teach Mississippi 209
Institute (TMI) program, under terms and conditions as agreed upon 210
by the contracting parties, providing that the school district 211
shall provide teacher interns seeking a nontraditional provisional 212
teaching license with a one-year internship and classroom teaching 213
experience. The teacher intern shall successfully complete 214
the * * * two (2) semester * * * six-hour intensive internship in 215
the school district * * * one-year classroom teaching experience. 216
3. Upon completion of the nine-semester-hour 217
TMI or the fall or spring semester option, the individual shall 218
submit his transcript to the commission for provisional licensure 219
of the intern teacher, and the intern teacher shall be issued a 220
provisional teaching license by the commission, which will allow 221
the individual to legally serve as a teacher while the person 222
completes a nontraditional * * * educator preparation internship 223
program. 224
4. During the semester of internship in the 225
school district, the * * * educator preparation program (EPP) and 226
school district shall monitor the performance of the intern 227
teacher. The school district that employs the provisional teacher 228
shall supervise the provisional teacher during the teacher's 229
intern year of employment under a nontraditional provisional 230
license, and shall, in consultation with the teacher intern's 231
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 10 (DJ\KW)

mentor at the school district of employment, submit to the 232
commission a comprehensive evaluation of the teacher's performance 233
sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the nontraditional 234
provisional license. If the comprehensive evaluation establishes 235
that the provisional teacher intern's performance fails to meet 236
the standards of the approved nontraditional * * * educator 237
preparation internship program, the individual shall not be 238
approved for a standard license. 239
5. An individual issued a provisional 240
teaching license under this nontraditional route shall 241
successfully complete, at a minimum, a one-year beginning teacher 242
mentoring and induction program administered by the employing 243
school district with the assistance of the State Department of 244
Education. 245
6. Upon successful completion of the TMI and 246
the internship provisional license period, applicants for a 247
Standard License - Nontraditional Route shall submit to the 248
commission a transcript of successful completion of the * * * 249
fifteen (15) semester hours required in the internship program, 250
and the employing school district shall submit to the commission a 251
recommendation for standard licensure of the intern. If the 252
school district recommends licensure, the applicant shall be 253
issued a Standard License - Nontraditional Route which shall be 254
valid for a five-year period and be renewable. 255
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 11 (DJ\KW)

7. At the discretion of the * * * educator 256
preparation program (EPP), the individual shall be allowed to 257
credit the * * * fifteen (15) semester hours earned in the 258
nontraditional teacher internship program toward the graduate 259
hours required for a Master of Arts in Teacher (MAT) Degree. 260
8. The local school district in which the 261
nontraditional teacher intern or provisional licensee is employed 262
shall compensate such teacher interns at Step 1 of the required 263
salary level during the period of time such individual is 264
completing teacher internship requirements and shall compensate 265
such Standard License - Nontraditional Route teachers at Step 3 of 266
the required salary level when they complete license requirements. 267
(iii) Implementation of the TMI program provided 268
for under this paragraph (b) shall be contingent upon the 269
availability of funds appropriated specifically for such purpose 270
by the Legislature. Such implementation of the TMI program may 271
not be deemed to prohibit the State Board of Education from 272
developing and implementing additional alternative route teacher 273
licensure programs, as deemed appropriate by the board. The 274
emergency certification program in effect prior to July 1, 2002, 275
shall remain in effect. 276
(iv) A Standard License - Approved Program Route 277
shall be issued for a five-year period, and may be renewed. 278
Recognizing teaching as a profession, a hiring preference shall be 279
granted to persons holding a Standard License - Approved Program 280
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 12 (DJ\KW)

Route or Standard License - Nontraditional Teaching Route over 281
persons holding any other license. 282
(c) Special License - Expert Citizen. In order to 283
allow a school district to offer specialized or technical courses, 284
the State Department of Education, in accordance with rules and 285
regulations established by the State Board of Education, may grant 286
a five-year expert citizen-teacher license to local business or 287
other professional personnel to teach in a public school or 288
nonpublic school accredited or approved by the state. Such person 289
shall be required to have a high school diploma, an 290
industry-recognized certification related to the subject area in 291
which they are teaching and a minimum of five (5) years of 292
relevant experience but shall not be required to hold an associate 293
or bachelor's degree, provided that he or she possesses the 294
minimum qualifications required for his or her profession, and may 295
begin teaching upon his employment by the local school board and 296
licensure by the Mississippi Department of Education. If a school 297
board hires a career technical education pathway instructor who 298
does not have an industry certification in his or her area of 299
expertise but does have the required experience, the school board 300
shall spread their decision on the minutes at their next meeting 301
and provide a detailed explanation for why they hired the 302
instructor. Such instructor shall present the minutes of the 303
school board to the State Department of Education when he or she 304
applies for an expert citizen license. The board shall adopt 305
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 13 (DJ\KW)

rules and regulations to administer the expert citizen-teacher 306
license. A Special License - Expert Citizen may be renewed in 307
accordance with the established rules and regulations of the State 308
Department of Education. 309
(d) Special License - Nonrenewable. The State Board of 310
Education is authorized to establish rules and regulations to 311
allow those educators not meeting requirements in paragraph (a), 312
(b) or (c) of this subsection (6) to be licensed for a period of 313
not more than three (3) years, except by special approval of the 314
State Board of Education. 315
(e) Nonlicensed Teaching Personnel. A nonlicensed 316
person may teach for a maximum of three (3) periods per teaching 317
day in a public school district or a nonpublic school 318
accredited/approved by the state. Such person shall submit to the 319
department a transcript or record of his education and experience 320
which substantiates his preparation for the subject to be taught 321
and shall meet other qualifications specified by the commission 322
and approved by the State Board of Education. In no case shall 323
any local school board hire nonlicensed personnel as authorized 324
under this paragraph in excess of five percent (5%) of the total 325
number of licensed personnel in any single school. 326
(f) Special License - Transitional Bilingual Education. 327
Beginning July 1, 2003, the commission shall grant special 328
licenses to teachers of transitional bilingual education who 329
possess such qualifications as are prescribed in this section. 330
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 14 (DJ\KW)

Teachers of transitional bilingual education shall be compensated 331
by local school boards at not less than one (1) step on the 332
regular salary schedule applicable to permanent teachers licensed 333
under this section. The commission shall grant special licenses 334
to teachers of transitional bilingual education who present the 335
commission with satisfactory evidence that they (i) possess a 336
speaking and reading ability in a language, other than English, in 337
which bilingual education is offered and communicative skills in 338
English; (ii) are in good health and sound moral character; (iii) 339
possess a bachelor's degree or an associate's degree in teacher 340
education from an accredited institution of higher education; (iv) 341
meet such requirements as to courses of study, semester hours 342
therein, experience and training as may be required by the 343
commission; and (v) are legally present in the United States and 344
possess legal authorization for employment. A teacher of 345
transitional bilingual education serving under a special license 346
shall be under an exemption from standard licensure if he achieves 347
the requisite qualifications therefor. Two (2) years of service 348
by a teacher of transitional bilingual education under such an 349
exemption shall be credited to the teacher in acquiring a Standard 350
Educator License. Nothing in this paragraph shall be deemed to 351
prohibit a local school board from employing a teacher licensed in 352
an appropriate field as approved by the State Department of 353
Education to teach in a program in transitional bilingual 354
education. 355
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 15 (DJ\KW)

(g) In the event any school district meets the highest 356
accreditation standards as defined by the State Board of Education 357
in the accountability system, the State Board of Education, in its 358
discretion, may exempt such school district from any restrictions 359
in paragraph (e) relating to the employment of nonlicensed 360
teaching personnel. 361
* * * 362
(7) Administrator License. The State Board of Education is 363
authorized to establish rules and regulations and to administer 364
the licensure process of the school administrators in the State of 365
Mississippi. There will be four (4) categories of administrator 366
licensure with exceptions only through special approval of the 367
State Board of Education. 368
(a) Administrator License - Nonpracticing. Those 369
educators holding administrative endorsement but having no 370
administrative experience or not serving in an administrative 371
position on January 15, 1997. 372
(b) Administrator License - Entry Level. Those 373
educators holding administrative endorsement and having met the 374
department's qualifications to be eligible for employment in a 375
Mississippi school district. Administrator License - Entry Level 376
shall be issued for a five-year period and shall be nonrenewable. 377
(c) Standard Administrator License - Career Level. An 378
administrator who has met all the requirements of the department 379
for standard administrator licensure. 380
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 16 (DJ\KW)

(d) Administrator License - Nontraditional Route. The 381
board may establish a nontraditional route for licensing 382
administrative personnel. Such nontraditional route for 383
administrative licensure shall be available for persons holding, 384
but not limited to, a master of business administration degree, a 385
master of public administration degree, a master of public 386
planning and policy degree or a doctor of jurisprudence degree 387
from an accredited college or university, with five (5) years of 388
administrative or supervisory experience. Successful completion 389
of the requirements of alternate route licensure for 390
administrators shall qualify the person for a standard 391
administrator license. 392
Individuals seeking school administrator licensure under 393
paragraph (b), (c) or (d) shall successfully complete a training 394
program and an assessment process prescribed by the State Board of 395
Education. All applicants for school administrator licensure 396
shall meet all requirements prescribed by the department under 397
paragraph (b), (c) or (d), and the cost of the assessment process 398
required shall be paid by the applicant. 399
(8) Reciprocity. The department shall grant a standard 400
five-year license to any individual who possesses a valid standard 401
license from another state, or another country or political 402
subdivision thereof, within a period of twenty-one (21) days from 403
the date of a completed application. The issuance of a license by 404
reciprocity to a military-trained applicant, military spouse or 405
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 17 (DJ\KW)

person who establishes residence in this state shall be subject to 406
the provisions of Section 73-50-1 or 73-50-2, as applicable. 407
(9) Renewal and Reinstatement of Licenses. The State Board 408
of Education is authorized to establish rules and regulations for 409
the renewal and reinstatement of educator and administrator 410
licenses. Effective May 15, 1997, the valid standard license held 411
by an educator shall be extended five (5) years beyond the 412
expiration date of the license in order to afford the educator 413
adequate time to fulfill new renewal requirements established 414
pursuant to this subsection. An educator completing a master of 415
education, educational specialist or doctor of education degree in 416
May 1997 for the purpose of upgrading the educator's license to a 417
higher class shall be given this extension of five (5) years plus 418
five (5) additional years for completion of a higher degree. For 419
all license types with a current valid expiration date of June 30, 420
2021, the State Department of Education shall grant a one-year 421
extension to June 30, 2022. Beginning July 1, 2022, and 422
thereafter, applicants for licensure renewal shall meet all 423
requirements in effect on the date that the complete application 424
is received by the State Department of Education. 425
(10) All controversies involving the issuance, revocation, 426
suspension or any change whatsoever in the licensure of an 427
educator required to hold a license shall be initially heard in a 428
hearing de novo, by the commission or by a subcommittee 429
established by the commission and composed of commission members, 430
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 18 (DJ\KW)

or by a hearing officer retained and appointed by the commission, 431
for the purpose of holding hearings. Any complaint seeking the 432
denial of issuance, revocation or suspension of a license shall be 433
by sworn affidavit filed with the Commission on Teacher and 434
Administrator Education, Certification and Licensure and 435
Development. The decision thereon by the commission, its 436
subcommittee or hearing officer, shall be final, unless the 437
aggrieved party shall appeal to the State Board of Education, 438
within ten (10) days, of the decision of the commission, its 439
subcommittee or hearing officer. An appeal to the State Board of 440
Education shall be perfected upon filing a notice of the appeal 441
and by the prepayment of the costs of the preparation of the 442
record of proceedings by the commission, its subcommittee or 443
hearing officer. An appeal shall be on the record previously made 444
before the commission, its subcommittee or hearing officer, unless 445
otherwise provided by rules and regulations adopted by the board. 446
The decision of the commission, its subcommittee or hearing 447
officer shall not be disturbed on appeal if supported by 448
substantial evidence, was not arbitrary or capricious, within the 449
authority of the commission, and did not violate some statutory or 450
constitutional right. The State Board of Education in its 451
authority may reverse, or remand with instructions, the decision 452
of the commission, its subcommittee or hearing officer. The 453
decision of the State Board of Education shall be final. 454
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 19 (DJ\KW)

(11) (a) The State Board of Education, acting through the 455
commission, may deny an application for any teacher or 456
administrator license for one or more of the following: 457
(i) Lack of qualifications which are prescribed by 458
law or regulations adopted by the State Board of Education; 459
(ii) The applicant has a physical, emotional or 460
mental disability that renders the applicant unfit to perform the 461
duties authorized by the license, as certified by a licensed 462
psychologist or psychiatrist; 463
(iii) The applicant is actively addicted to or 464
actively dependent on alcohol or other habit-forming drugs or is a 465
habitual user of narcotics, barbiturates, amphetamines, 466
hallucinogens or other drugs having similar effect, at the time of 467
application for a license; 468
(iv) Fraud or deceit committed by the applicant in 469
securing or attempting to secure such certification and license; 470
(v) Failing or refusing to furnish reasonable 471
evidence of identification; 472
(vi) The applicant has been convicted, has pled 473
guilty or entered a plea of nolo contendere to a felony, as 474
defined by federal or state law. For purposes of this 475
subparagraph (vi) of this paragraph (a), a "guilty plea" includes 476
a plea of guilty, entry of a plea of nolo contendere, or entry of 477
an order granting pretrial or judicial diversion; 478
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 20 (DJ\KW)

(vii) The applicant or licensee is on probation or 479
post-release supervision for a felony or conviction, as defined by 480
federal or state law. However, this disqualification expires upon 481
the end of the probationary or post-release supervision period. 482
(b) The State Board of Education, acting through the 483
commission, shall deny an application for any teacher or 484
administrator license, or immediately revoke the current teacher 485
or administrator license, for one or more of the following: 486
(i) If the applicant or licensee has been 487
convicted, has pled guilty or entered a plea of nolo contendere to 488
a sex offense as defined by federal or state law. For purposes of 489
this subparagraph (i) of this paragraph (b), a "guilty plea" 490
includes a plea of guilty, entry of a plea of nolo contendere, or 491
entry of an order granting pretrial or judicial diversion; 492
(ii) The applicant or licensee is on probation or 493
post-release supervision for a sex offense conviction, as defined 494
by federal or state law; 495
(iii) The license holder has fondled a student as 496
described in Section 97-5-23, or had any type of sexual 497
involvement with a student as described in Section 97-3-95; or 498
(iv) The license holder has failed to report 499
sexual involvement of a school employee with a student as required 500
by Section 97-5-24. 501
(12) The State Board of Education, acting through the 502
commission, may revoke, suspend or refuse to renew any teacher or 503
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 21 (DJ\KW)

administrator license for specified periods of time or may place 504
on probation, reprimand a licensee, or take other disciplinary 505
action with regard to any license issued under this chapter for 506
one or more of the following: 507
(a) Breach of contract or abandonment of employment may 508
result in the suspension of the license for one (1) school year as 509
provided in Section 37-9-57; 510
(b) Obtaining a license by fraudulent means shall 511
result in immediate suspension and continued suspension for one 512
(1) year after correction is made; 513
(c) Suspension or revocation of a certificate or 514
license by another state shall result in immediate suspension or 515
revocation and shall continue until records in the prior state 516
have been cleared; 517
(d) The license holder has been convicted, has pled 518
guilty or entered a plea of nolo contendere to a felony, as 519
defined by federal or state law. For purposes of this paragraph, 520
a "guilty plea" includes a plea of guilty, entry of a plea of nolo 521
contendere, or entry of an order granting pretrial or judicial 522
diversion; 523
(e) The license holder knowingly and willfully 524
committing any of the acts affecting validity of mandatory uniform 525
test results as provided in Section 37-16-4(1); 526
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 22 (DJ\KW)

(f) The license holder has engaged in unethical conduct 527
relating to an educator/student relationship as identified by the 528
State Board of Education in its rules; 529
(g) The license holder served as superintendent or 530
principal in a school district during the time preceding and/or 531
that resulted in the Governor declaring a state of emergency and 532
the State Board of Education appointing a conservator; 533
(h) The license holder submitted a false certification 534
to the State Department of Education that a statewide test was 535
administered in strict accordance with the Requirements of the 536
Mississippi Statewide Assessment System; or 537
(i) The license holder has failed to comply with the 538
Procedures for Reporting Infractions as promulgated by the 539
commission and approved by the State Board of Education pursuant 540
to subsection (15) of this section. 541
For purposes of this subsection, probation shall be defined 542
as a length of time determined by the commission, its subcommittee 543
or hearing officer, and based on the severity of the offense in 544
which the license holder shall meet certain requirements as 545
prescribed by the commission, its subcommittee or hearing officer. 546
Failure to complete the requirements in the time specified shall 547
result in immediate suspension of the license for one (1) year. 548
(13) (a) Dismissal or suspension of a licensed employee by 549
a local school board pursuant to Section 37-9-59 may result in the 550
suspension or revocation of a license for a length of time which 551
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 23 (DJ\KW)

shall be determined by the commission and based upon the severity 552
of the offense. 553
(b) Any offense committed or attempted in any other 554
state shall result in the same penalty as if committed or 555
attempted in this state. 556
(c) A person may voluntarily surrender a license. The 557
surrender of such license may result in the commission 558
recommending any of the above penalties without the necessity of a 559
hearing. However, any such license which has voluntarily been 560
surrendered by a licensed employee may only be reinstated by a 561
majority vote of all members of the commission present at the 562
meeting called for such purpose. 563
(14) (a) A person whose license has been suspended or 564
surrendered on any grounds except criminal grounds may petition 565
for reinstatement of the license after one (1) year from the date 566
of suspension or surrender, or after one-half (1/2) of the 567
suspended or surrendered time has lapsed, whichever is greater. A 568
person whose license has been suspended or revoked on any grounds 569
or violations under subsection (12) of this section may be 570
reinstated automatically or approved for a reinstatement hearing, 571
upon submission of a written request to the commission. A license 572
suspended, revoked or surrendered on criminal grounds may be 573
reinstated upon petition to the commission filed after expiration 574
of the sentence and parole or probationary period imposed upon 575
conviction. A revoked, suspended or surrendered license may be 576
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 24 (DJ\KW)

reinstated upon satisfactory showing of evidence of 577
rehabilitation. The commission shall require all who petition for 578
reinstatement to furnish evidence satisfactory to the commission 579
of good character, good mental, emotional and physical health and 580
such other evidence as the commission may deem necessary to 581
establish the petitioner's rehabilitation and fitness to perform 582
the duties authorized by the license. 583
(b) A person whose license expires while under 584
investigation by the Office of Educator Misconduct for an alleged 585
violation may not be reinstated without a hearing before the 586
commission if required based on the results of the investigation. 587
(15) Reporting procedures and hearing procedures for dealing 588
with infractions under this section shall be promulgated by the 589
commission, subject to the approval of the State Board of 590
Education. The revocation or suspension of a license shall be 591
effected at the time indicated on the notice of suspension or 592
revocation. The commission shall immediately notify the 593
superintendent of the school district or school board where the 594
teacher or administrator is employed of any disciplinary action 595
and also notify the teacher or administrator of such revocation or 596
suspension and shall maintain records of action taken. The State 597
Board of Education may reverse or remand with instructions any 598
decision of the commission, its subcommittee or hearing officer 599
regarding a petition for reinstatement of a license, and any such 600
decision of the State Board of Education shall be final. 601
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 25 (DJ\KW)

(16) An appeal from the action of the State Board of 602
Education in denying an application, revoking or suspending a 603
license or otherwise disciplining any person under the provisions 604
of this section shall be filed in the Chancery Court of the First 605
Judicial District of Hinds County, Mississippi, on the record 606
made, including a verbatim transcript of the testimony at the 607
hearing. The appeal shall be filed within thirty (30) days after 608
notification of the action of the board is mailed or served and 609
the proceedings in chancery court shall be conducted as other 610
matters coming before the court. The appeal shall be perfected 611
upon filing notice of the appeal and by the prepayment of all 612
costs, including the cost of preparation of the record of the 613
proceedings by the State Board of Education, and the filing of a 614
bond in the sum of Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) conditioned that 615
if the action of the board be affirmed by the chancery court, the 616
applicant or license holder shall pay the costs of the appeal and 617
the action of the chancery court. 618
(17) All such programs, rules, regulations, standards and 619
criteria recommended or authorized by the commission shall become 620
effective upon approval by the State Board of Education as 621
designated by appropriate orders entered upon the minutes thereof. 622
(18) The granting of a license shall not be deemed a 623
property right nor a guarantee of employment in any public school 624
district. A license is a privilege indicating minimal eligibility 625
for teaching in the public school districts of Mississippi. This 626
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 26 (DJ\KW)

section shall in no way alter or abridge the authority of local 627
school districts to require greater qualifications or standards of 628
performance as a prerequisite of initial or continued employment 629
in such districts. 630
(19) In addition to the reasons specified in subsections 631
(12) and (13) of this section, the board shall be authorized to 632
suspend the license of any licensee for being out of compliance 633
with an order for support, as defined in Section 93-11-153. The 634
procedure for suspension of a license for being out of compliance 635
with an order for support, and the procedure for the reissuance or 636
reinstatement of a license suspended for that purpose, and the 637
payment of any fees for the reissuance or reinstatement of a 638
license suspended for that purpose, shall be governed by Section 639
93-11-157 or 93-11-163, as the case may be. Actions taken by the 640
board in suspending a license when required by Section 93-11-157 641
or 93-11-163 are not actions from which an appeal may be taken 642
under this section. Any appeal of a license suspension that is 643
required by Section 93-11-157 or 93-11-163 shall be taken in 644
accordance with the appeal procedure specified in Section 645
93-11-157 or 93-11-163, as the case may be, rather than the 646
procedure specified in this section. If there is any conflict 647
between any provision of Section 93-11-157 or 93-11-163 and any 648
provision of this chapter, the provisions of Section 93-11-157 or 649
93-11-163, as the case may be, shall control. 650
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 27 (DJ\KW)

(20) The Department of Education shall grant and renew all 651
licenses and certifications of teachers and administrators within 652
twenty-one (21) days from the date of a completed application if 653
the applicant has otherwise met all established requirements for 654
the license or certification. 655
SECTION 2. Short title. This act shall be known and may be 656
cited as the "Mississippi Medical Education Pipeline and Readiness 657
Act". 658
SECTION 3. Legislative findings and purpose. 659
(1) The Legislature finds that: 660
(a) Mississippi faces persistent physician shortages, 661
particularly in rural and underserved communities; 662
(b) Early exposure, structured preparation, and 663
continuous academic support are proven strategies for increasing 664
the number of students who successfully matriculate into medical 665
school; and 666
(c) Mississippi lacks a unified, statewide pipeline 667
connecting K–12 education, public higher education and the 668
University of Mississippi Medical Center. 669
(2) The purpose of this act is to: 670
(a) Establish a coordinated medical education pipeline 671
beginning in high school and continuing through undergraduate 672
study; 673
(b) Set uniform readiness standards for students 674
pursuing medical education; 675
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 28 (DJ\KW)

(c) Increase the number of Mississippi students 676
admitted to medical school; 677
(d) Improve diversity in the medical workforce; and 678
(e) Strengthen the state's health care delivery 679
capacity. 680
SECTION 4. Creation of the Mississippi Medical Education 681
Pipeline Program. There is established the Mississippi Medical 682
Education Pipeline Program (MMEPP), a statewide initiative jointly 683
administered by: 684
(a) The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE); 685
(b) The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of 686
Higher Learning (IHL); and 687
(c) The University of Mississippi Medical Center 688
(UMMC). 689
The program shall provide a structured pathway from high 690
school through college for students seeking admission to medical 691
school. 692
SECTION 5. Duties of the Mississippi Department of 693
Education. MDE shall: 694
(a) Establish a Pre-Medical Career Pathway within 695
Career and Technical Education (CTE); 696
(b) Align high school coursework with medical school 697
readiness standards, including: 698
(i) Biology; 699
(ii) Chemistry; 700
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 29 (DJ\KW)

(iii) Physics; 701
(iv) Algebra II and higher mathematics; 702
(v) Statistics; 703
(vi) Health sciences; and 704
(vii) Medical ethics; 705
(c) Coordinate with IHL and UMMC to provide: 706
(i) Summer bridge programs; 707
(ii) Dual-enrollment options; 708
(iii) Medical career exploration; and 709
(iv) Shadowing and mentorship; 710
(d) Develop a statewide advising and counseling 711
framework for pipeline students; and 712
(e) Collect and report annual participation and outcome 713
data to the Legislature. 714
SECTION 6. Duties of the Board of Trustees of State 715
Institutions of Higher Learning. The Board of Trustees of State 716
Institutions of Higher Learning shall: 717
(a) Designate participating public universities and 718
colleges; 719
(b) Establish standardized Pre-Medical Readiness 720
Benchmarks for undergraduate students, including: 721
(i) Required coursework; 722
(ii) Minimum GPA thresholds; 723
(iii) Clinical exposure hours; 724
(iv) Research participation; 725
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 30 (DJ\KW)

(v) Community service; and 726
(vi) Leadership development. 727
(c) Create structured pre-med advising offices at 728
participating institutions; 729
(d) Guarantee conditional or priority interview 730
consideration for students who complete the pipeline benchmarks, 731
subject to the University of Mississippi Medical Center's 732
admissions policies; 733
(e) Provide academic support services, including: 734
(i) Tutoring; 735
(ii) MCAT preparation; 736
(iii) Peer mentoring; and 737
(iv) Faculty mentoring. 738
(f) Develop articulation agreements with the State 739
Department of Education for dual-credit and early-college options. 740
SECTION 7. Duties of the University of Mississippi Medical 741
Center. The University of Mississippi Medical Center shall: 742
(a) Establish medical school readiness standards 743
aligned with the pipeline; 744
(b) Provide early exposure opportunities, including: 745
(i) Summer medical academies; 746
(ii) Clinical observation programs; 747
(iii) Simulation lab experiences; and 748
(iv) Medical research internships. 749
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 31 (DJ\KW)

(c) Assign medical student and physician mentors to 750
pipeline participants; 751
(d) Offer conditional acceptance or early assurance 752
pathways for students meeting established benchmarks; 753
(e) Develop holistic admissions considerations for 754
pipeline completers; and 755
(f) Provide annual reports on admissions, retention and 756
completion outcomes. 757
SECTION 8. Student eligibility and participation. 758
(1) Students may apply to enter the pipeline beginning in 759
the 9th grade. Eligibility criteria shall include: 760
(a) Demonstrated academic interest in health or medical 761
sciences; 762
(b) Commitment to program requirements; and 763
(c) Mississippi residency. 764
(2) No minimum GPA may be required for initial high school 765
entry. No student shall be excluded on the basis of race, gender, 766
disability, or economic status. 767
SECTION 9. Data reporting and accountability. The State 768
Department of Education, Board of Trustees of State Institutions 769
of Higher Learning and the University of Mississippi Medical 770
Center shall jointly publish an annual report including: 771
(a) Enrollment numbers; 772
(b) Demographic breakdowns; 773
(c) Retention rates; 774
H. B. No. 1528 *HR26/R2138PH* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R2138PH
PAGE 32 (DJ\KW)
ST: Teacher licensure; revise provisions
related to educator preparation programs and
criteria for entry.
(d) College matriculation rates; 775
(e) Medical school application rates; 776
(f) Acceptance rates; and 777
(g) Graduation outcomes. 778
SECTION 10. Rulemaking authority. The State Department of 779
Education, Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher 780
Learning and the University of Mississippi Medical Center shall 781
jointly promulgate rules necessary to implement this act. 782
SECTION 11. This act shall take effect and be in force from 783
and after July 1, 2026. 784