HB167 • 2026

Prekindergarten; require State Department of Education to create the "ABC Program" to provide instruction via Internet.

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH A PROGRAM TO BE KNOWN AS "A BETTER CHANCE" OR THE "ABC PROGRAM" FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING PREKINDERGARTEN INSTRUCTION THROUGHOUT THE STATE VIA THE INTERNET; TO REQUIRE THE PROGRAM TO INCLUDE CERTAIN COMPONENTS, INCLUDING THE DAILY DELIVERY OF REAL-TIME INSTRUCTION BY A LICENSED PREKINDERGARTEN TEACHER; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS REGULARLY PARTICIPATING IN THE ABC PROGRAM AND TO REPORT TO THE HOUSE AND SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEES ON THE PROGRAM BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2028; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Children Education

Did Not Pass

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

Sponsor: Scott
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.

ABC Program for Prekindergarten

This bill requires the State Department of Education to create a program called 'A Better Chance' or 'ABC Program', which provides prekindergarten instruction through the internet.

What This Bill Does

Creates a new program called 'A Better Chance' or 'ABC Program'.
Requires daily real-time online lessons taught by licensed teachers for prekindergarten children.
Includes downloadable educational materials based on Mississippi's curriculum.
Ensures that daily lessons are available at least three different times each day to help parents and caregivers participate.
Requires the State Department of Education to report on the program's success before January 1, 2028.

Who It Names or Affects

Prekindergarten children in Mississippi
Parents or caregivers of prekindergarten children
Licensed prekindergarten teachers

Terms To Know

Real-time instruction: Live online lessons where students can interact with the teacher.
Mississippi Prekindergarten Curriculum: The official educational guidelines for prekindergarten in Mississippi.

Limits and Unknowns

This bill did not pass and was not signed into law.
It is unclear how many children will participate or if the program will be successful.

Bill History

2026-02-03 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
02/03 (H) Died In Committee
2026-01-07 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System
01/07 (H) Referred To Education

Official Summary Text

Prekindergarten; require State Department of Education to create the "ABC Program" to provide instruction via Internet.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

H. B. No. 167 *HR43/R1187* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R1187
PAGE 1 (DJ\KP)

To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Scott

HOUSE BILL NO. 167

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO 1
ESTABLISH A PROGRAM TO BE KNOWN AS "A BETTER CHANCE" OR THE "ABC 2
PROGRAM" FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING PREKINDERGARTEN INSTRUCTION 3
THROUGHOUT THE STATE VIA THE INTERNET; TO REQUIRE THE PROGRAM TO 4
INCLUDE CERTAIN COMPONENTS, INCLUDING THE DAILY DELIVERY OF 5
REAL-TIME INSTRUCTION BY A LICENSED PREKINDERGARTEN TEACHER; TO 6
REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS 7
REGULARLY PARTICIPATING IN THE ABC PROGRAM AND TO REPORT TO THE 8
HOUSE AND SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEES ON THE PROGRAM BEFORE 9
JANUARY 1, 2028; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 10
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 11
SECTION 1. (1) The State Department of Education shall 12
establish and implement a program to be known as "A Better Chance" 13
or the "ABC Program," the purpose of which is to make 14
prekindergarten instruction available to students and their 15
families or caregivers throughout the state. Beginning with the 16
2026-2027 school year, the program of instruction must be 17
delivered via the Internet and must consist of daily 18
age-appropriate instruction and activities, including downloadable 19
educational materials, for children and their parents based on the 20
Mississippi Prekindergarten Curriculum. 21
H. B. No. 167 *HR43/R1187* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1187
PAGE 2 (DJ\KP)
ST: Prekindergarten; require State Department
of Education to create the "ABC Program" to
provide instruction via Internet.
(2) The ABC Program must include a daily period of real-time 22
instruction during which a licensed prekindergarten teacher 23
delivers instruction via the Internet. The department shall 24
determine the duration of the period of real-time instruction. In 25
order to afford parents and caregivers the greatest opportunity to 26
avail children of the prekindergarten instruction, the daily 27
lessons and activities presented during the real-time period of 28
instruction must be scheduled for no less than three (3) different 29
times each school day. At all other times, the period of 30
instruction must be available on the ABC Program's webpage for 31
replay. 32
(3) The department shall develop a method to determine the 33
number of children throughout the state who regularly participate 34
in the ABC Program and to assess the progress being made by those 35
children. Before January 1, 2028, the department shall submit a 36
report to the Education Committees of the House and Senate on the 37
success of the ABC Program. 38
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 39
and after July 1, 2026. 40