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HB189 • 2026

Mississippi High School Dropout Prevention Act of 2026; create.

AN ACT TO CREATE THE "MISSISSIPPI HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT PREVENTION ACT OF 2026"; TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO WORK WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE THE LOWEST HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP METHODS OF TARGETED INTERVENTION FOR LOW PERFORMING SCHOOL DISTRICTS; TO PROVIDE THAT CHILDREN OF A CERTAIN AGE MAY NOT WITHDRAW FROM SCHOOL UNLESS CERTAIN CONDITIONS ARE MET; 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 bill did not pass in the session it was introduced, so there are no further details or actions taken beyond its introduction.

Mississippi High School Dropout Prevention Act of 2026

This act requires the State Department of Education to work with low-performing school districts and develop targeted intervention methods, while also setting conditions for students aged seventeen to withdraw from school.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the State Department of Education to collaborate with school districts that have the lowest high school graduation rates.
  • Directs the department to develop specific methods of targeted intervention or identify appropriate existing methods for low-performing school districts, including early support for struggling students and alternative programs.
  • Gathers data on student performance and dropout prevention strategies to ensure all programs are research-based and data-driven.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Students in low-performing school districts
  • School administrators

Terms To Know

Progressive support and intervention
A system where the State Department of Education provides additional help to schools that are not meeting graduation goals.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and therefore has no legal effect.
  • It does not specify funding sources for new programs or interventions.

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

Mississippi High School Dropout Prevention Act of 2026; create.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
H. B. No. 189 *HR26/R1232* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R1232
PAGE 1 (DJ\KW)

To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Scott

HOUSE BILL NO. 189

AN ACT TO CREATE THE "MISSISSIPPI HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT 1
PREVENTION ACT OF 2026"; TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF 2
EDUCATION TO WORK WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE THE LOWEST HIGH 3
SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES; TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT TO DEVELOP 4
METHODS OF TARGETED INTERVENTION FOR LOW PERFORMING SCHOOL 5
DISTRICTS; TO PROVIDE THAT CHILDREN OF A CERTAIN AGE MAY NOT 6
WITHDRAW FROM SCHOOL UNLESS CERTAIN CONDITIONS ARE MET; AND FOR 7
RELATED PURPOSES. 8
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 9
SECTION 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the 10
"Mississippi High School Dropout Prevention Act of 2026." 11
SECTION 2. (1) The State Department of Education shall work 12
with the school districts that have the lowest high school 13
graduation rates. The department shall incorporate into its 14
progressive support and intervention specific dropout prevention 15
strategies, target resources, and gather data that will include 16
graduation rates and educational outcomes in all public schools. 17
(2) The department shall develop specific methods of 18
targeted intervention or identify appropriate existing methods for 19
low performing school districts. These intervention methods may 20
include the following: 21
H. B. No. 189 *HR26/R1232* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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(a) Early intervention for students who fail Algebra I 22
or any Grade 9 math class and have insufficient credits to be 23
promoted; 24
(b) Alternative programs designed to reengage dropouts, 25
including dual enrollment courses at the community college level; 26
(c) Increased availability of advanced placement 27
courses; 28
(d) Offering full course fee waivers for students 29
eligible for free and reduced lunches, when enrolled in dual 30
credit courses; 31
(e) Flexible programs for older students who currently 32
are not enrolled; 33
(f) Comprehensive supplemental education programs for 34
middle school students who are below grade level in reading and 35
math; 36
(g) Teacher advisories and other supports that are 37
designed to specifically address the needs of youth most at risk 38
of dropping out of school; 39
(h) Strategies that are specifically designed to 40
improve high school graduation rate of teens at highest risk for 41
dropping out, including youth in the foster care system, pregnant 42
and parenting youth, English as a second language learners, and 43
teens with special education needs; and 44
H. B. No. 189 *HR26/R1232* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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(i) Communicating with parents and students about the 45
availability of local afterschool programs and the academic 46
enrichment and other activities the programs offer. 47
(3) The department shall gather the following data to ensure 48
that all programs are research-based and data-driven and use such 49
data for continuous program improvement: 50
(a) The total number of high school suspensions related 51
to truancy; 52
(b) Total number of students enrolled in alternative 53
programs; 54
(c) Total number of students who have been reenrolled 55
in programs with flexible schedules or community college programs; 56
(d) Total number of freshmen who have individualized 57
educational programs (IEPs); 58
(e) Total number of students who have failed Algebra I 59
or Grade 9 math; 60
(f) Total number of students who are repeating Grade 9; 61
(g) Total number of students receiving remedial 62
programming in Grade 9; and 63
(h) The percentage of children in the care of the 64
Mississippi Department of Human Services who do not graduate from 65
high school. 66
(4) In school districts involved in progressive support 67
intervention, the department shall prepare and submit each year a 68
written report that documents the following: 69
H. B. No. 189 *HR26/R1232* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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(a) The outcomes of the dropout prevention strategies 70
to date, at the school district level; and 71
(b) How the school district dropout prevention 72
strategies and activities will be modified, based on the data. 73
SECTION 3. (1) Children who are seventeen (17) years of age 74
may not withdraw from school before graduation unless: 75
(a) The student, student's parent or guardian, and an 76
administrator agree to the withdrawal; 77
(b) At the exit interview, the student and the 78
student's parent or guardian provide written acknowledgement of 79
the withdrawal that meets the requirements of paragraph (d) of 80
this subsection; 81
(c) The school principal provides written consent for 82
the student to withdraw from school; and 83
(d) The withdrawal is: 84
(i) Due to documented financial hardship and the 85
need of the individual to be employed to support the individual's 86
family or a dependent; 87
(ii) Due to documented illness; 88
(iii) By order of a court that has jurisdiction 89
over the student; and 90
(iv) Accompanied by a written acknowledgement of a 91
withdrawal under paragraph (b) of this subsection which must 92
include a statement that the student and the student's parent or 93
guardian understand that withdrawal from school is likely to 94
H. B. No. 189 *HR26/R1232* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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PAGE 5 (DJ\KW)
ST: Mississippi High School Dropout Prevention
Act of 2026; create.
reduce the student's future earnings and increase the student's 95
likelihood of being unemployed in the future. 96
(2) If a child of the age described in subsection (1) is 97
habitually absent from school and the school is unable to contact 98
the parent or guardian, the school may withdraw the child from 99
enrollment if its attempts to contact the parent or guardian by 100
telephone, regular and registered mail, and home visit are 101
documented. If a child who has been withdrawn from enrollment 102
under this subsection returns to school, or if the school 103
mistakenly withdraws the child from enrollment, the child shall be 104
reenrolled promptly. 105
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from 106
and after July 1, 2026. 107