KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Mississippi

HB171 • 2026

Eleventh grade students; require to take GED or High School Equivalency Test for senior early release privilege eligibility.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-16-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS TO ASSESS THE STUDENT PERFORMANCE OF ALL ELEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS USING THE GENERAL EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OR HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY TEST PROGRAM; TO PROHIBIT STUDENTS DETERMINED BY THE ASSESSMENT TO BE PERFORMING BELOW GRADE LEVEL FROM EXERCISING ANY SENIOR PRIVILEGE OF EARLY RELEASE FROM SCHOOL; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

The official source does not specify a deadline for completing the assessment other than it should be done before the conclusion of the school year in which a student is enrolled in Grade 11.

Eleventh Grade Students Must Take GED or HSE Test

This bill requires eleventh grade students to take a GED or High School Equivalency test and prohibits those who score below grade level from getting early release privileges.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires local school boards to assess the performance of all eleventh-grade students using the General Educational Development (GED) or High School Equivalency Test program.
  • Prohibits eleventh-grade students who are assessed as performing below grade level from receiving any senior privilege, such as early release from school.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Eleventh-grade students in Mississippi
  • Local school boards and administrators

Terms To Know

General Educational Development (GED)
A test that measures a person's knowledge of high school-level subjects.
High School Equivalency Test
An exam that certifies someone has the same level of education as a typical high school graduate.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and therefore its provisions are not in effect.
  • It is unclear how schools will implement this requirement or what specific actions will be taken against students who do not meet grade-level performance standards.

Bill History

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

    02/03 (H) Died In Committee

  2. 2026-01-07 Mississippi Legislative Bill Status System

    01/07 (H) Referred To Education

Official Summary Text

Eleventh grade students; require to take GED or High School Equivalency Test for senior early release privilege eligibility.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 171 *HR43/R1196* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R1196
PAGE 1 (DJ\KP)

To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Scott

HOUSE BILL NO. 171

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-16-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
REQUIRE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS TO ASSESS THE STUDENT PERFORMANCE OF 2
ALL ELEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS USING THE GENERAL EDUCATIONAL 3
DEVELOPMENT OR HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY TEST PROGRAM; TO PROHIBIT 4
STUDENTS DETERMINED BY THE ASSESSMENT TO BE PERFORMING BELOW GRADE 5
LEVEL FROM EXERCISING ANY SENIOR PRIVILEGE OF EARLY RELEASE FROM 6
SCHOOL; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. Section 37-16-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 9
amended as follows: 10
37-16-5. (1) The school board of every district in this 11
state shall periodically assess student performance and 12
achievement in each school. Such assessment programs shall be 13
based upon local goals and objectives which are compatible with 14
the state's plan for education and which supplement the minimum 15
performance standards approved by the State Board of Education. 16
Data from district assessment programs shall be provided to the 17
State Department of Education when such data is required in order 18
to evaluate specific instructional programs or processes or when 19
the data is needed for other research or evaluation projects. 20
H. B. No. 171 *HR43/R1196* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R1196
PAGE 2 (DJ\KP)
ST: Eleventh grade students; require to take
GED or High School Equivalency Test for senior
early release privilege eligibility.
Each district may provide acceptable, compatible district 21
assessment data to substitute for any assessment data needed at 22
the state level when the State Department of Education certifies 23
that such data is acceptable for the purposes of Section 37-16-3. 24
(2) The school board of every school district shall assess 25
the performance of each student in Grade 11 through the 26
administration of the general educational development or High 27
School Equivalency Diploma Test Program as used by the Mississippi 28
Community College Board for adult basic education. The assessment 29
must be administered before the conclusion of the year in which a 30
student is enrolled in Grade 11. Any student whose performance on 31
the assessment demonstrates that the student is performing below 32
grade level may not exercise any privilege that may be granted by 33
the school district to seniors in that district for early release 34
during regular school hours upon completion of all academic 35
classes required for the day. 36
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 37
and after July 1, 2026. 38