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HB1574 • 2026

Teachers education; require partnership between community colleges and 4-year colleges to facilitate streamlined process to degree.

AN ACT TO FACILITATE IN THE EDUCATION OF PERSONS DESIRING TO PURSUE A CAREER IN TEACHING BY REQUIRING COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGE PRESIDENTS TO SECURE PARTNERSHIPS WITH FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES; TO REQUIRE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS TO PROVIDE FOR THE STREAMLINED TRANSFER OF CREDITS FROM A COMMUNITY OR JUNIOR COLLEGE TO A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY; TO ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES TO PURSUE AGREEMENTS WITH AT LEAST ONE DEGREE-GRANTING INSTITUTION OFFERING CLASSES IN THE COMMUNITY OR JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT; TO REQUIRE A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT TO BE REDUCED TO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Education
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Sanford
Last action
2026-02-03
Official status
Dead
Effective date
July 1, 20

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Teachers Education Partnership Act

This bill requires community college presidents to create partnerships with four-year colleges or universities to make it easier for students to transfer credits and complete a bachelor's degree in teaching.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the president of each community and junior college to enter into partnership agreements with one or more four-year colleges or universities that offer teacher education programs.
  • Ensures these partnerships streamline credit transfers from community or junior colleges to four-year institutions, making it easier for students to complete a bachelor's degree in teaching.
  • Encourages community and junior college presidents to seek out partnerships with at least one four-year institution offering classes within their district.
  • Requires that all partnership agreements be written down as Memorandums of Understanding between the involved institutions.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Community and junior college presidents
  • Four-year colleges and universities
  • Students pursuing a career in teaching

Terms To Know

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
A written agreement between two or more parties that outlines the terms of their partnership.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and therefore has no legal effect.
  • It is unclear how many partnerships will be formed as a result of this act if it were to become law.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-19 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/19 (H) Referred To Universities and Colleges

Official Summary Text

Teachers education; require partnership between community colleges and 4-year colleges to facilitate streamlined process to degree.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 1574 *HR26/R1743* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R1743
PAGE 1 (RKM\KW)

To: Universities and
Colleges
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Sanford

HOUSE BILL NO. 1574

AN ACT TO FACILITATE IN THE EDUCATION OF PERSONS DESIRING TO 1
PURSUE A CAREER IN TEACHING BY REQUIRING COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR 2
COLLEGE PRESIDENTS TO SECURE PARTNERSHIPS WITH FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES 3
AND UNIVERSITIES; TO REQUIRE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS TO PROVIDE FOR 4
THE STREAMLINED TRANSFER OF CREDITS FROM A COMMUNITY OR JUNIOR 5
COLLEGE TO A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY; TO ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY AND 6
JUNIOR COLLEGES TO PURSUE AGREEMENTS WITH AT LEAST ONE DEGREE-7
GRANTING INSTITUTION OFFERING CLASSES IN THE COMMUNITY OR JUNIOR 8
COLLEGE DISTRICT; TO REQUIRE A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT TO BE REDUCED 9
TO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 10
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 11
SECTION 1. (1) The purpose of this act is to facilitate the 12
education and teacher training of persons in this state desiring 13
to pursue a career in education, particularly in those 14
geographical and subject-matter areas in which there exists a 15
critical shortage, in efforts to reverse the growing shortage of 16
teachers by creating an affordable and streamlined path to 17
attaining a bachelor's degree in teacher education. 18
(2) The president of each community and junior college shall 19
take such steps as may be necessary to enter into a partnership 20
agreement with one or more colleges or universities, whether 21
public or private, which offer a teacher education program 22
H. B. No. 1574 *HR26/R1743* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1743
PAGE 2 (RKM\KW)
ST: Teachers education; require partnership
between community colleges and 4-year colleges
to facilitate streamlined process to degree.
approved by the Commission on Teacher and Administrator Education, 23
Certification and Licensure and Development. The agreement must 24
be designed to streamline credit transfer from the community or 25
junior college to the four-year university or college, ensuring 26
that a student's general education credits are accepted towards a 27
teacher training program or other four-year degree that will allow 28
the student to pursue a career in teaching, thereby reducing the 29
time and cost required to earn a bachelor's degree. 30
(3) A community or junior college may enter into as many 31
partnership agreements under this section as desirable so that a 32
student enrolled in the community or junior college has options 33
when selecting an institution from which the student will earn a 34
bachelor's degree. In order to make the bachelor's degree program 35
as feasible as possible, community and junior college presidents 36
are encouraged to pursue a partnership agreement with at least one 37
(1) four-year institution having a campus or offering appropriate 38
classes in the area comprising the community or junior college 39
district. 40
(4) A partnership agreement entered into between a community 41
or junior college and a four-year degree granting education shall 42
be reduced to writing in a Memorandum of Understanding executed by 43
the two (2) institutions involved. 44
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 45
and after July 1, 2026. 46