"Health Careers Academy"; create for students in Grades 9 through 12.

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To: Education;
Appropriations A
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Scott

HOUSE BILL NO. 166

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE 1
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING TO 2
ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM KNOWN AS THE "HEALTH CAREERS 3
ACADEMY" FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS IN GRADES 9 THROUGH 12; TO 4
PROVIDE THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE ACADEMY WILL BE TO STIMULATE 5
INTEREST IN SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, LANGUAGE ARTS, CRITICAL THINKING 6
AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONS; TO REQUIRE THE ACADEMY TO BE 7
CONDUCTED AS A SIX-WEEK NONRESIDENTIAL SUMMER PROGRAM AT THE 8
UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER; TO REQUIRE THE STATE 9
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE 10
INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING TO JOINTLY DEVELOP THE CRITERIA 11
AND PROCESS TO BE USED IN A RANDOM SELECTION OF CANDIDATES; TO 12
REQUIRE THAT THE CRITERIA AND PROCESS USED BE NONDISCRIMINATORY IN 13
NATURE; TO PRESCRIBE THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR 14
PARTICIPATION IN THE ACADEMY; TO PRESCRIBE THE COMPONENTS TO BE 15
INCLUDED IN THE ACADEMY; TO REQUIRE THE ACADEMY TO PROVIDE 16
FULL-DAY INSTRUCTION DURING THE COURSE OF THE PROGRAM; TO REQUIRE 17
PARTICIPATING STUDENTS TO COMPLETE CERTAIN TASKS AND RESEARCH 18
PROJECTS; TO LIMIT PARTICIPATION IN THE ACADEMY TO MISSISSIPPI 19
RESIDENTS IN GRADES 9 THROUGH 12 WHO ATTEND A PUBLIC SCHOOL; TO 20
REQUIRE ELIGIBLE PERSONS TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR 21
PARTICIPATION TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION; TO REQUIRE THE 22
DEPARTMENT TO MAKE THE APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE TO ALL SCHOOL 23
DISTRICTS BY A CERTAIN DATE AND TO ESTABLISH THE DEADLINE FOR 24
ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATIONS; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO FORWARD 25
THE COMPLETED APPLICATIONS TO THE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR HEALTH 26
AFFAIRS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER AT THE 27
CLOSING DATE FOR ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATIONS; TO PROVIDE AN 28
INCENTIVE IN THE FORM OF A STIPEND FOR STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN 29
THE ACADEMY; TO ESTABLISH THE HEALTH CAREERS ACADEMY TRUST FUND IN 30
THE STATE TREASURY TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS 31
AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER FOR START-UP 32
COSTS AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IMPLEMENTING AND OPERATING THE 33
ACADEMY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 34
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WHEREAS, the Mississippi Legislature emphasizes the 35
importance of fostering high standards for educating the state's 36
students enrolled in and attending public schools by increasing 37
efforts to prepare these students for the pursuit of continued 38
educational success and the professional careers that are obtained 39
as a result; and 40
WHEREAS, with a nationally growing demand for health care 41
professionals, the Mississippi Legislature finds it incumbent upon 42
itself to take proper measures to reduce shortages in the health 43
care profession, as these shortages directly impact the medical 44
workforce and the availability of health care throughout our 45
state; and 46
WHEREAS, with education being the fundamental building block 47
for the grooming and development of the impressionable minds of 48
our state's educable children for the educational and career paths 49
upon which they will embark, there exists a great need for the 50
implementation of a more rigorously enhanced scientific, 51
mathematic and language arts curriculum in the public school 52
setting to facilitate an increased educational capacity in health 53
care programs; and 54
WHEREAS, to accomplish the pertinent goal of producing a 55
capable and knowledgeable health care workforce, a collaborative 56
effort must be undertaken by the state's medical university and 57
research institution, the State Department of Education and local 58
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school districts to afford students every reasonable opportunity 59
to explore a career in the field of health care; and 60
WHEREAS, it is the intent of the Mississippi Legislature to 61
promote the educational accountability of public schools and the 62
students educated therein through the implementation of 63
informational, analytical and research-based programs of 64
instruction to heighten public school students' awareness and 65
interests in health care professions: NOW, THEREFORE, 66
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 67
SECTION 1. (1) Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, 68
the State Department of Education, in conjunction with the Board 69
of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning acting for 70
and on behalf of the University of Mississippi Medical Center 71
(UMMC), shall establish and implement a program known as the 72
"Health Careers Academy" for public school students in Grades 9 73
through 12, the purpose of which will be to stimulate interest in 74
science, mathematics, language arts, critical thinking and the 75
health care professions, especially among underserved and 76
underrepresented populations in Mississippi, to increase awareness 77
of the urgent need for health care professionals in our state and 78
to raise ACT scores through preparatory instruction. 79
(2) The academy established under subsection (1) of this 80
section for the introduction of students to a potential career in 81
the health care professions must be a six-week nonresidential 82
summer program at UMMC, during which time students must be 83
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provided onsite hands-on instruction to increase the students' 84
preparation for a premedical or allied health curriculum and to 85
strengthen academic competitiveness. The lecture-based portions 86
of instruction in the academy must be conducted by instructors 87
with adequate certification in science, mathematics and language 88
arts who are licensed by the State Department of Education or who 89
teach those subject areas at the collegiate level. 90
(3) The State Department of Education and the Board of 91
Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning shall develop 92
jointly the criteria and process to be used in a random selection 93
of candidates to participate in the academy. The criteria and 94
process must be nondiscriminatory in nature and may not refuse 95
admission into the academy on the basis of race, color, age, 96
disability, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation 97
or prior academic achievement. 98
(4) Eligibility for participation in the academy is limited 99
to students who: 100
(a) Maintain a cumulative 2.25 grade point average on a 101
4.0 scale; 102
(b) Are recommended by their science or mathematics 103
teachers, or both; 104
(c) Have a consistent record of attendance; 105
(d) Display positive attitudes, character and 106
citizenship; 107
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(e) Express a desire to expand their knowledge of 108
health care and medicine; 109
(f) Are residents of Mississippi; and 110
(g) Present proof of having health insurance or 111
Medicaid. 112
However, before any student is accepted for participation 113
under the criteria of this subsection, that student's parent, 114
legal guardian or custodian must submit written authorization 115
agreeing to the student's participation in the academy. 116
(5) The Health Careers Academy must include, but not be 117
limited to, the following components: 118
(a) An orientation, which the parents are encouraged to 119
attend; 120
(b) Classes in mathematics, science, language arts, 121
critical thinking and study skills; 122
(c) ACT instruction and practice exams; 123
(d) Instructional interaction with UMMC medical 124
students; 125
(e) Presentations from UMMC professionals; 126
(f) Health-related hands-on activities; 127
(g) CPR certification; 128
(h) A graduation ceremony; and 129
(i) ACT registration as needed. 130
(6) The Health Careers Academy must consist of a full day of 131
academic, research or laboratory instruction beginning at 8:00 132
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a.m. and lasting until 3:00 p.m. daily on Monday through Friday of 133
each week during the six (6) weeks of the academy. During each 134
week, two (2) afternoons must be dedicated to ACT preparation and 135
the remaining three (3) days must be dedicated to health care 136
career preparation and volunteerism. 137
(7) Students participating in the academy must complete a 138
series of tasks designed to enhance their knowledge of the health 139
care professions and must complete a research project to be judged 140
by the faculty of UMMC. 141
SECTION 2. Participation in the academy must be limited to 142
Mississippi residents who are entering Grades 9 through 12 in a 143
public school and who have submitted to the State Department of 144
Education a completed application on the form designed and 145
supplied by the department and the Board of Trustees of State 146
Institutions of Higher Learning. The department shall make 147
applications available to each school district on October 1 of 148
each year and shall establish the deadline for accepting 149
applications. Upon the closing date for acceptance of 150
applications, the department shall forward the completed 151
applications to the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs at the 152
University of Mississippi Medical Center, who shall determine the 153
number of openings available for participation in the academy. 154
SECTION 3. Students selected to participate in the academy 155
must be provided, as an incentive to participate, a stipend in an 156
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ST: "Health Careers Academy"; create for
students in Grades 9 through 12.
amount not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) for the 157
completion of the academy. 158
SECTION 4. (1) There is established in the State Treasury a 159
fund to be known as the "Health Careers Academy Trust Fund." The 160
purpose of the fund is to provide financial support to local 161
school districts and UMMC for start-up costs and costs associated 162
with implementing and operating the Health Careers Academy. The 163
fund may consist of monies obtained from grants from the federal 164
government, funds made available by the Legislature, and grants, 165
gifts, devises and donations from any public or private source. 166
The State Board of Education and the Board of Trustees of State 167
Institutions of Higher Learning shall administer the fund and may 168
apply for any grants from the federal government or private 169
sources. 170
(2) The State Board of Education and the Board of Trustees 171
of State Institutions of Higher Learning jointly shall adopt rules 172
and regulations necessary for the implementation of this section. 173
If sufficient funds are available for this purpose, monies from 174
the Health Careers Academy Trust Fund must be allocated to UMMC in 175
accordance with the procedures established by the State Board of 176
Education and the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of 177
Higher Learning. 178
SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from 179
and after July 1, 2026. 180