Hope Program; establish and develop system to re-enroll high school dropouts in programs leading to a high school diploma.

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To: Education;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Scott

HOUSE BILL NO. 163

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY PATHWAYS THROUGH 1
EDUCATION (HOPE) PROGRAM, WHICH SHALL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE STATE 2
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE GOAL OF THE HOPE 3
PROGRAM IS TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM TO RE-ENROLL HIGH 4
SCHOOL DROPOUTS IN PROGRAMS THAT WILL ENABLE THEM TO EARN THEIR 5
HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA; TO PROVIDE THAT THE HOPE PROGRAM SHALL AWARD 6
GRANTS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ASSIST IN ESTABLISHING INSTRUCTIONAL 7
PROGRAMS AND OTHER SERVICES DESIGNED TO RE-ENROLL HIGH SCHOOL 8
DROPOUTS; TO REQUIRE A STUDENT IN THE HOPE PROGRAM WHO WISHES TO 9
EARN A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA TO MEET THE GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS OF 10
THE STUDENT'S DISTRICT OF RESIDENCE; TO PROVIDE THAT IN ORDER TO 11
BE ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING, A SCHOOL DISTRICT MUST DEVELOP A HOPE 12
PLAN APPROVED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION; TO PROVIDE THAT A 13
SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY OPERATE ITS OWN PROGRAM OR ENTER INTO A 14
CONTRACT WITH OTHER NOT-FOR-PROFIT ENTITIES TO OPERATE A PROGRAM; 15
TO PROVIDE THAT HOPE PROGRAM FUNDING MUST BE DISTRIBUTED BASED 16
UPON THE PROPORTION OF DROPOUTS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO THE 17
TOTAL NUMBER OF DROPOUTS IN THIS STATE; TO PROVIDE THAT A SCHOOL 18
DISTRICT MAY RECEIVE ADEQUATE EDUCATION PROGRAM FUNDS FOR STUDENTS 19
ENROLLED IN A HOPE PROGRAM IF CERTAIN CRITERIA ARE MET; TO SPECIFY 20
CATEGORIES OF PROGRAMMING IN THE HOPE PROGRAM; TO SPECIFY THE 21
MINIMUM COMPONENTS FOR PROGRAMS TO BE FUNDED THROUGH THE HOPE 22
PROGRAM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 23
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 24
SECTION 1. (1) There is established the Hope and 25
Opportunity Pathways through Education (HOPE) Program. The State 26
Department of Education shall implement and administer the HOPE 27
Program. The goal of the HOPE Program is to develop a 28
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comprehensive system in this state to re—enroll significant 29
numbers of high school dropouts in programs that will enable them 30
to earn their high school diploma. 31
(2) Through the HOPE Program, the State Department of 32
Education shall award grants, subject to appropriation for this 33
purpose, to school districts to assist in establishing 34
instructional programs and other services designed to 35
re—enroll high school dropouts. 36
The HOPE Program may provide incentive grant funds for a 37
school district to develop partnerships with other school 38
districts, public community colleges and community groups to build 39
comprehensive plans to re—enroll high school dropouts in their 40
regions or districts. 41
Programs funded through the HOPE Program must allow high 42
school dropouts, up to and including persons twenty-one (21) years 43
of age, to re-enroll in an educational program in conformance with 44
rules adopted by the State Board of Education. Programs may 45
include, without limitation, comprehensive year—round programming, 46
evening school, summer school, community college courses, adult 47
education, vocational training, work experience, programs to 48
enhance self-concept and parenting courses. Any student in the 49
HOPE Program who wishes to earn a high school diploma must meet 50
the prerequisites to receiving a high school diploma and any other 51
graduation requirements of the student's school district of 52
residence. Any student who successfully completes the 53
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requirements for his or her graduation must be awarded a diploma 54
identifying the student as graduating from his or her school 55
district of residence. 56
(3) In order to be eligible for funding under the HOPE 57
Program, a school district must develop a HOPE Plan to be approved 58
by the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education 59
shall develop rules for the HOPE Program which set forth the 60
requirements for the development of the HOPE Plan. Each plan must 61
involve school districts, public community colleges and key 62
community programs that work with high school dropouts. No HOPE 63
Program funds may be distributed to a school district until the 64
State Board of Education approves the plan. 65
(4) A school district may operate its own program funded by 66
the HOPE Program or enter into a contract for the operation of the 67
program by other not-for-profit entities, including other school 68
districts, public community colleges and not—for—profit 69
community—based organizations. 70
A school district that receives a HOPE grant from the State 71
Department of Education may provide funds under a sub—grant, as 72
specified in the HOPE Plan, to other not—for-profit entities to 73
provide services according to the HOPE Plan that was developed. 74
These other entities may include other school districts, public 75
community colleges, not—for—profit community-based organizations 76
or a cooperative partnership among these entities. 77
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(5) In order to ensure the delivery of programs that will 78
have the greatest impact, HOPE Program funding must be distributed 79
based upon the proportion of dropouts in the school district to 80
the total number of dropouts in this state. This formula must 81
employ the dropout data provided by school districts to the State 82
Board of Education. 83
A school district may include those students enrolled in a 84
program funded by the HOPE Program in the district's average daily 85
attendance under the adequate education program if the State Board 86
of Education has approved the HOPE Plan and the students are 87
receiving services that are meeting the requirements for receipt 88
of a high school diploma and otherwise are eligible to be included 89
in the district's average daily attendance for adequate education 90
program funding. 91
(6) Categories of programming in the HOPE Program may 92
include the following: 93
(a) Full—time programs that are comprehensive, 94
year-round programs; 95
(b) Part—time programs combining work and study 96
scheduled at various times which are flexible to the needs of 97
students; 98
(c) Online programs and courses in which students take 99
courses and complete on—site, supervised tests that measure each 100
student's mastery of a specific course needed for graduation. 101
Students may take courses online and earn credit, or students may 102
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prepare to take supervised tests for specific courses for credit 103
leading to receipt of a high school diploma; and 104
(d) Dual enrollment in which students attend high 105
school classes in combination with community college classes or 106
students attend community college classes while simultaneously 107
earning high school credit and eventually a high school diploma. 108
(7) In order to have successful comprehensive programs 109
re-enrolling and graduating low-skilled high school dropouts, 110
programs funded through the HOPE Program must include all of the 111
following components: 112
(a) Small programs, ideally seventy (70) to one hundred 113
(100) students, at a separate school site with a distinct 114
identity. Programs may be larger with specific need and 115
justification, keeping in mind that it is crucial to keep programs 116
small to be effective; 117
(b) Specific performance-based goals and outcomes and 118
measures of enrollment, attendance, skills, credits, graduation, 119
and the transition to college, training and employment; 120
(c) Strong, experienced leadership and teaching staff 121
who are provided with ongoing professional development; 122
(d) Voluntary enrollment; 123
(e) High standards for student learning, integrating 124
work experience, and education, including during the school year 125
and after school, and summer school programs that link 126
internships, work and learning; 127
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ST: Hope Program; establish and develop system
to re-enroll high school dropouts in programs
leading to a high school diploma.
(f) Comprehensive programs providing extensive support 128
services; 129
(g) Small teams of students supported by full—time paid 130
mentors who work to retain and help those students graduate; 131
(h) A comprehensive technology learning center with 132
Internet access and broad-based curriculum focusing on academic 133
and career subject areas; and 134
(i) Learning opportunities that incorporate action into 135
study. 136
(8) Programs funded through the HOPE Program must report 137
data to the State Board of Education as requested. This 138
information may include, but is not limited to, student enrollment 139
figures, attendance information, course completion data, 140
graduation information and post—graduation information, as 141
available. 142
(9) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules and 143
regulations setting forth the funding distribution process to 144
school districts, the planning and the conditions upon which a 145
HOPE Plan will be approved by the board, and other rules and 146
regulations as necessary to develop the HOPE Program. 147
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 148
and after July 1, 2026. 149