Vision 2031: An Education Blueprint for Two Thousand Thirty-one; create.

H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 1 (DJ\KW)

To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Scott

HOUSE BILL NO. 217

AN ACT TO BE KNOWN AS "VISION 2031: AN EDUCATION BLUEPRINT 1
FOR TWO THOUSAND THIRTY-ONE"; TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF 2
EDUCATION TO ADOPT A RULE THAT INCLUDES GOALS, OBJECTIVES, 3
STRATEGIES, INDICATORS AND BENCHMARKS; TO ESTABLISH GOALS FOR 4
HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI; TO CREATE AN 5
EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP TO ACHIEVE STATE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES; AND 6
FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. (1) This act shall be known and may be cited as 9
"Vision 2031: An Education Blueprint for Two Thousand 10
Thirty-one." 11
(2) The Legislature finds that: 12
(a) Because the State of Mississippi faces obstacles 13
such as lower family income levels and lower parent education 14
levels, the state must do even more to compete with other states 15
to increase student achievement and ensure that high school 16
graduates are prepared fully for postsecondary education or 17
gainful employment; 18
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 2 (DJ\KW)

(b) A clear plan that includes goals, objectives, 19
strategies, indicators and benchmarks is needed in order to keep 20
the state's education system on track for success; and 21
(c) In order to eliminate any confusion, these goals, 22
objectives, strategies, indicators and benchmarks for public 23
education should be set forth in one (1) rule that is promulgated 24
by the State Board of Education pursuant to this section and which 25
meets the requirements of this section. 26
(3) The purpose of this act is to require that this clear 27
plan be established as part of Vision 2031: An Education 28
Blueprint for Two Thousand Thirty-one. 29
SECTION 2. The following words and phrases have the meanings 30
ascribed in this section unless the context clearly indicates 31
otherwise: 32
(a) "Goals" means those long-term public purposes which 33
are the desired and expected end result and may include only those 34
items listed in Section 3. 35
(b) "Objectives" means the ends to be accomplished or 36
attained within a specified period of time for the purpose of 37
meeting the established goals. 38
(c) "Strategies" means specific activities carried out 39
by the public education system which are directed toward 40
accomplishing specific objectives. 41
SECTION 3. (1) The State Board of Education shall 42
promulgate a rule that includes the following: 43
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 3 (DJ\KW)

(a) The goals set forth in this act and no other goals; 44
(b) At least those objectives set forth in this section 45
and specified periods of time for achieving those objectives and 46
any other objectives that may be included in the rule; 47
(c) Strategies for achieving the specific objectives; 48
(d) Indicators for measuring progress toward the goals 49
and objectives established in this section; and 50
(e) Benchmarks for determining when the goals and 51
objectives have been achieved. 52
(2) The rule must include the following list of exclusive 53
goals for the public education system in Mississippi: 54
(a) Academic achievement according to national and 55
international measures will exceed national and international 56
averages. These national and international measures should 57
include scores on assessments such as the National Assessment of 58
Educational Progress (NAEP), the ACT and the SAT; 59
(b) The public education system will prepare fully all 60
students for postsecondary education or gainful employment; 61
(c) All working-age adults will be functionally 62
literate; 63
(d) The public education system will maintain and 64
promote the health and safety of all students and will develop and 65
promote responsibility, citizenship and strong character in all 66
students; and 67
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 4 (DJ\KW)

(e) The public education system will provide equitable 68
education opportunities to all students. 69
(3) The rule also must include at least the following 70
policy-oriented objectives: 71
(a) Rigorous twenty-first century curriculum and 72
engaging instruction for all students. All students in 73
Mississippi public schools should have access to and benefit from 74
a rigorous twenty-first century curriculum that develops 75
proficiency in core subjects, twenty-first century content, 76
learning skills and technology tools. These students also should 77
have that curriculum delivered through engaging, research-based 78
instructional strategies that develop deep understanding and the 79
ability to apply content to real-world situations. 80
(b) A twenty-first century accountability and 81
accreditation system. The prekindergarten through Grade 12 82
education system should have a public accrediting system that: 83
holds local school districts accountable for the student outcomes 84
that the state values; and provides the public with understandable 85
accountability data for judging the quality of local schools. The 86
outcomes on which the system is based should be rigorous and 87
should align with national and international standards such as the 88
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the ACT and 89
the SAT. The broad standards established for these outcomes 90
should include a focus on mastery of basic skills by all students, 91
closing the achievement gap among student subgroups, and high 92
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 5 (DJ\KW)

levels of proficiency in a wide range of desired twenty-first 93
century measures and processes. The system for determining school 94
and district accreditation should include school and district 95
self-analysis and generate appropriate research-based strategies 96
for improvement. It also should allow opportunities to create 97
innovative approaches to instructional delivery and design. The 98
system will incorporate processes for encouraging innovation, 99
including financial support for successful initiatives and 100
recognition of those practices that can be brought to a district 101
or statewide scale. Although the primary goal of the 102
accreditation system is to drive school improvement, it also will 103
serve as a basis for rewards, sanctions and interventions. 104
(c) A statewide balanced assessment process that 105
includes an individualized student data management system. State, 106
district, school and classroom decisionmaking should be grounded 107
in twenty-first century balanced assessment processes that reflect 108
national and international rigorous performance standards and 109
examine student proficiency in twenty-first century content, 110
skills and technology tools. A balanced assessment system 111
includes statewide summative assessments, local benchmark 112
assessments and classroom assessments for learning. Mississippi's 113
assessment system also should include international benchmarking 114
processes that allow comparison of Mississippi's performance to 115
international performance. To effectively use assessment data, 116
principals and teachers should be provided ready access to results 117
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 6 (DJ\KW)

through student digital data profiles that individually track 118
student performance and provide educators with diagnostic 119
information necessary to make appropriate instructional decisions 120
on behalf of students. 121
(d) A personnel allocation, licensure and funding 122
process that aligns with the needs of twenty-first century school 123
systems and is supported by a quality coordinated professional 124
development delivery system. Increased accountability demands, as 125
well as the focus on twenty-first century learning, require a 126
reexamination of traditional approaches to personnel allocation, 127
licensure and funding. Creating schools of the twenty-first 128
century requires new staffing roles and staffing patterns. It 129
also requires ongoing professional development activities focused 130
on enhancing student achievement and achieving specific goals of 131
the school and district strategic plans. Thus, schools should 132
have the ability to access, organize and deliver high quality 133
embedded professional development that provides staff with 134
in-depth sustained and supported learning. Effective school 135
improvement should be supported by a flexible school calendar that 136
allows opportunity for staff to collectively learn, plan and 137
implement curricular and instructional improvements on behalf of 138
the students they serve. 139
(e) School environments that promote safe, healthy and 140
responsible behavior and provide an integrated system of student 141
support services. Each school should create an environment 142
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 7 (DJ\KW)

focused on student learning and one where students know they are 143
valued, respected and safe. Furthermore, the school should 144
incorporate programs and processes that instill healthy, safe and 145
responsible behaviors and prepare students for interactions with 146
individuals of diverse racial, ethnic and social backgrounds. 147
School and district processes should include a focus on developing 148
ethical and responsible character, personal dispositions that 149
promote personal wellness through planned daily physical activity 150
and healthy eating habits consistent with high nutritional 151
guidelines and multicultural experiences that develop an 152
appreciation of and respect for diversity. The school and school 153
district also should address the needs of students who arrive at 154
school with social, emotional and physical needs that require 155
specialized and diverse services. School districts should have 156
the capability to access, manage and deliver services to these 157
students in an organized integrated system that taps the resources 158
of both the school and the broader community. 159
(f) A leadership recruitment, development and support 160
continuum. Mississippi should have an aligned leadership 161
professional development continuum that attracts, develops and 162
supports educational leadership at the classroom, school and 163
district level. This leadership development continuum should 164
focus on creating: (i) learning-centered schools and school 165
systems; (ii) collaborative processes for staff learning and 166
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 8 (DJ\KW)

continuous improvement; and (iii) accountability measures for 167
student achievement. 168
(g) Equitable access to twenty-first century technology 169
and education resources and school facilities conducive to 170
twenty-first century teaching and learning. A quality educational 171
system of the twenty-first century should have access to 172
technology tools and processes that enhance effective and 173
efficient operation. Administrators should have the digital 174
resources to monitor student performance, manage a variety of data 175
and communicate effectively. In the classroom, every teacher in 176
every school should be provided with the instructional resources 177
and educational technology necessary to deliver the Mississippi 178
content standard and objectives. Schools of the twenty-first 179
century require facilities that accommodate changing technologies, 180
twenty-first century instructional processes and twenty-first 181
century staffing needs and patterns. These school facilities 182
should mirror the best in green construction and must be 183
environmentally and educationally responsive to the communities in 184
which they are located. 185
(h) Aligned public school with postsecondary and 186
workplace readiness programs and standards. An educational system 187
in the twenty-first century should be seen as a continuum from the 188
public school (prekindergarten through Grade 12 program) through 189
postsecondary education. In order to be successful in a global 190
competitive marketplace, learning should be an ongoing, lifelong 191
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 9 (DJ\KW)

experience. Thus, the public schools and the state institutions 192
of higher learning in Mississippi should create a system of common 193
standards, expectations and accountability to enhance 194
opportunities for success and assure a seamless educational 195
process for Mississippi students. 196
(i) A universal prekindergarten system. Every eligible 197
student should be enrolled in a high quality, universal 198
prekindergarten system. The system should promote oral language 199
and preliteracy skills in order to reduce the deficit of these 200
foundational skills through proactive, early intervention. Local 201
school districts should create the supports and provide the 202
resources to assure a quality prekindergarten foundation is 203
available to all eligible students. 204
(4) In addition to the policy-oriented objectives set forth 205
in subsection (3) of this section, the rule established pursuant 206
to this section also must include at least the following 207
performance oriented objectives: 208
(a) All children entering the first grade will be ready 209
for the first grade; 210
(b) The performance of students falling in the lowest 211
quartile on national and international measures of student 212
performance will improve by fifty percent (50%); 213
(c) Ninety percent (90%) of ninth graders will graduate 214
from high school; 215
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 10 (DJ\KW)

(d) By the year 2028, the ten (10) counties with the 216
lowest college-attendance rates as of July 1, 2026, will increase 217
their college-attendance rate to the 2028 state average and the 218
college-attendance rate of the state will equal the 219
college-attendance rate of the member states of the Southern 220
Regional Education Board; and 221
(e) By the year 2031, the ten (10) counties with the 222
lowest college-attendance rates as of July 1, 2026, will increase 223
their college-attendance rate to the 2031 college-attendance rate 224
of the member states of the Southern Regional Education Board, and 225
the college-attendance rate of the state will exceed the 226
college-attendance rate of the member states of the Southern 227
Regional Education Board by five (5) percentage points. 228
SECTION 4. (1) It is the intent of the Legislature in 229
enacting this section to establish state goals for public higher 230
education which benefit the citizens of the State of Mississippi. 231
(2) It is further the intent of the Legislature that this 232
section be read and implemented in conjunction with the 233
accountability system established in Section 5 of this act. 234
(3) The Legislature finds that postsecondary education is 235
vital to the future of Mississippi. For the state to realize its 236
considerable potential in the twenty-first century, it must have a 237
system for the delivery of postsecondary education which is 238
competitive in the changing national and global environment, is 239
affordable for the state and its citizenry and has the capacity to 240
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 11 (DJ\KW)

deliver the programs and services necessary to meet regional and 241
statewide needs. 242
The Legislature further finds that it is vitally important 243
for young people entering the workforce to have the education and 244
skills to succeed in today's high-technology, knowledge-based 245
economy. It is equally important for working-age adults who are 246
the majority of the current and potential workforce also to 247
possess the requisite education and skills to compete successfully 248
in the workplace and to have the opportunity to continue learning 249
throughout their lives. The future of the state rests not only on 250
how well its youth are educated, but also on how well it educates 251
its entire population of any age. 252
The Legislature further finds that providing access to a 253
high-quality and affordable postsecondary education is a state 254
responsibility and that states are not maximizing their investment 255
in higher education. The Legislature recognizes the efforts of 256
the National Conference of State Legislatures' Blue Ribbon 257
Commission on Higher Education in producing a report to assist the 258
states in higher education policymaking. The Legislature 259
acknowledges that according to the commission report, 260
"Transforming Higher Education: National Imperative -- State 261
Responsibility," the United States is losing its competitive 262
advantage in a new, high-tech, highly mobile global economy and 263
that this lack of competitiveness is a matter of the highest 264
urgency for federal and state policymakers. The report goes on to 265
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 12 (DJ\KW)

add that "higher education is both the problem and the solution" 266
because the nation has failed to focus on how higher education 267
energizes American competitiveness and revitalizes the states. 268
Pursuant to these findings, the commission made some specific 269
recommendations addressed to the states, which include the 270
following: 271
(a) Define clear state goals; 272
(b) Identify your state's strengths and weaknesses; 273
(c) Know your state demographic trends for the next ten 274
(10) to thirty (30) years; 275
(d) Identify a place or structure to sustain the public 276
policy agenda; 277
(e) Hold institutions accountable for their 278
performance; 279
(f) Rethink funding formulas and student aid; 280
(g) Make a commitment to access, success and 281
innovation; 282
(h) Encourage partnerships; 283
(i) Give special attention to adult learners; and 284
(j) Focus on productivity. 285
The Legislature declares that all of these recommendations 286
are useful in providing policy guidance and have been given 287
careful consideration in the development of this section. 288
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 13 (DJ\KW)

SECTION 5. In recognition of its importance to the citizens 289
of Mississippi, the Legislature establishes the following goals 290
for public higher education in the state: 291
(a) The ultimate goal of public education is to enhance 292
the quality of life for citizens of the State of Mississippi. 293
(b) The overall focus of public education is on 294
developing and maintaining a process of lifelong learning which is 295
as seamless as possible at all levels, encourages citizens of all 296
ages to increase their knowledge and skills and provides ample 297
opportunities for them to participate in public higher education. 298
(c) Higher education collaborates with public education 299
and other providers to offer education opportunities: 300
(i) To individuals of all ages and socioeconomic 301
backgrounds in all areas of the state; and 302
(ii) To overcome financial barriers to 303
participation for both traditional and nontraditional students. 304
(d) Higher education seeks to enhance state efforts to 305
diversify and expand the economy by focusing available resources 306
on programs and courses that best serve students, provide the 307
greatest opportunity for job creation and retention and are most 308
supportive of emerging high-technology and knowledge-based 309
businesses and industries. 310
(e) Higher education creates a learning environment 311
that is student-friendly and which encourages and assists students 312
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 14 (DJ\KW)

in the completion of degree requirements, certifications or skill 313
sets within a reasonable period of time. 314
(f) The learning environment expands participation for 315
the increasingly diverse student population and responds to the 316
needs of the current workforce and other nontraditional students. 317
(g) Through the establishment of innovative curricula 318
and assessment efforts, state institutions of higher learning 319
ensure that students graduate from nationally recognized and 320
accredited programs and meet or exceed national and international 321
standards for performance in their chosen fields as evidenced 322
through placement and professional licensure examinations. 323
(h) Higher education promotes academic research and 324
innovation to achieve measurable growth in Mississippi's 325
knowledge-based economic sector. 326
(i) State institutions of higher learning emphasize 327
productivity and strive to exceed the performance and productivity 328
levels of peer institutions. In return, and within the 329
constraints of fiscal responsibility, the state seeks to invest in 330
institutions so that they may adequately compensate faculty, 331
classified employees and other employees at a competitive level to 332
attract and retain high quality personnel. 333
(j) State institutions of higher learning are committed 334
to a shared responsibility with faculty, staff, students and their 335
communities to provide access to the knowledge and to promote 336
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 15 (DJ\KW)

acquisition of the skills and abilities necessary to establish and 337
maintain physical fitness and wellness. 338
(i) Programs that encourage healthy lifestyles are 339
essential for the vibrancy of the institutions of higher learning, 340
for the well-being of the communities they serve and for the state 341
as a whole. 342
(ii) Increasing the fitness levels of adults on 343
college and university campuses is critically important for the 344
people of Mississippi, not only for disease prevention, but also, 345
and perhaps most importantly, to enhance the overall quality of 346
life. 347
(iii) While individuals must bear the primary 348
responsibility for their own health, it is imperative that the 349
institutions provide appropriate education and support focused on 350
enriching and expanding the short and longterm views and attitudes 351
toward physical activity, understanding the principles of wellness 352
and their application to a healthy lifestyle, understanding what 353
components are a necessary part of an all-round healthy lifestyle 354
and learning how to set and achieve realistic goals aimed at 355
establishing healthy habits for the benefit of long-term health 356
and well-being. 357
SECTION 6. (1) The State of Mississippi must create and 358
participate in a partnership across various education 359
organizations which recognizes the valuable contributions each 360
member of the group can make. In addition to public education in 361
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 16 (DJ\KW)

Mississippi, and in addition to the State of Mississippi, key 362
members of this partnership must include the state institutions of 363
higher learning, community and junior colleges, the State Board 364
for Community and Junior Colleges and the Board of Trustees of 365
State Institutions of Higher Learning. 366
(2) The state institutions of higher learning and community 367
and junior colleges must serve as the cornerstone of efforts to 368
provide higher education services that meet the needs of state 369
citizens. To varying degrees, and depending upon their missions, 370
these institutions must serve the state in three (3) major ways: 371
(a) Instruction. By providing direct instruction to 372
students along with the student services necessary to support the 373
instructional mission. These services have two (2) primary goals: 374
(i) To produce college graduates who have the 375
knowledge, skills and desire to make valuable contributions to 376
society; and 377
(ii) To provide opportunities for citizens to 378
engage in lifelong learning to enhance their employability and 379
their overall quality of life. 380
(b) Public service. By providing an occupational home 381
for experts in a variety of fields and by serving as the 382
educational home for students. In these capacities, institutions 383
shall create a large and varied pool of high quality human 384
resources capable of making valuable contributions to business and 385
industry, local and state governments and communities. The 386
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 17 (DJ\KW)

following are examples of the types of public service that higher 387
education institutions must offer: 388
(i) Workforce development, primarily through 389
community and junior colleges, to meet the immediate and long-term 390
needs of employers and employees; 391
(ii) Technical assistance to state and local 392
policymakers as they work to address challenges as diverse as 393
ensuring that Mississippi's citizens receive quality health care, 394
assisting in the development of a solid transportation 395
infrastructure and ensuring that public school teachers have 396
enriching professional development opportunities; and 397
(iii) Opportunities to learn and serve in local 398
communities, to teach civic responsibility and to encourage civic 399
engagement. 400
(c) Research. By conducting research at state 401
institutions of higher learning, to enhance the quality of life in 402
Mississippi in the following ways: 403
(i) Targeting cutting-edge research toward solving 404
pressing societal problems; 405
(ii) Promoting economic development by raising the 406
level of education and specialization among the population; and 407
(iii) Creating jobs through development of new 408
products and services. 409
(3) In their role as state-level coordinating boards, the 410
State Board for Community Colleges and the Board of Trustees of 411
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 18 (DJ\KW)

State Institutions of Higher Learning must function as important 412
partners with state policy leaders in providing higher education 413
that meets state needs. The boards shall provide service to the 414
state in the following ways: 415
(a) By developing a public policy agenda for various 416
aspects of higher education which is aligned with state goals and 417
objectives and by defining the role and responsibilities of each 418
coordinating board; 419
(b) By ensuring that institutional missions and goals 420
are aligned with relevant parts of the public policy agenda and 421
that institutions maximize the resources available to them to 422
fulfill their missions and make reasonable progress toward meeting 423
established state goals; 424
(c) By evaluating and reporting on progress in 425
implementing the public policy agenda; 426
(d) By promoting system efficiencies through 427
collaboration and cooperation across institutions and through 428
focusing institutional missions as appropriate; and 429
(e) By conducting research, collecting data and 430
providing objective recommendations to aid elected state officials 431
in making policy decisions. 432
(4) Elected state-level policymakers shall serve the state 433
in the following ways: 434
H. B. No. 217 *HR26/R1180* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR26/R1180
PAGE 19 (DJ\KW)
ST: Vision 2031: An Education Blueprint for Two
Thousand Thirty-one; create.
(a) By establishing goals, objectives and priorities 435
for higher education based on a thoughtful, systematic 436
determination of state needs; 437
(b) By providing resources necessary to address state 438
goals, objectives and priorities for higher education; and 439
(c) By providing incentives for and removing barriers 440
to the achievement of state goals, objectives and priorities. 441
SECTION 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from 442
and after July 1, 2026. 443