Read the full stored bill text
S. B. No. 2067 *SS36/R163* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/SS36/R163
PAGE 1 (icj\kr)
To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) Blackwell
SENATE BILL NO. 2067
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-16-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
REQUIRE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES TO PASS AT LEAST 60% OF THE CIVICS 2
PORTION OF THE NATURALIZATION TEST USED BY THE IMMIGRATION 3
SERVICES; TO AMEND SECTION 37-35-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 4
REQUIRE HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA APPLICANTS TO PASS AT 5
LEAST 60% OF THE CIVICS PORTION OF THE NATURALIZATION TEST USED BY 6
THE IMMIGRATION SERVICES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. Section 37-16-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 9
amended as follows: 10
37-16-7. (1) Each district school board shall establish 11
standards for graduation from its schools which shall include as a 12
minimum: 13
(a) Mastery of minimum academic skills as measured by 14
assessments developed and administered by the State Board of 15
Education. 16
(b) Completion of a minimum number of academic credits, 17
and all other applicable requirements prescribed by the district 18
school board. 19
S. B. No. 2067 *SS36/R163* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R163
PAGE 2 (icj\kr)
(c) (i) Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, 20
fulfillment of a requirement to correctly answer at least sixty 21
(60) of the one hundred (100) questions listed on a test that is 22
identical to the civics portion of the Naturalization Test used by 23
the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. 24
(ii) The local school board may determine the 25
method and manner in which to administer a test that is identical 26
to the civics portion of the Naturalization Test used by the 27
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. 28
(iii) A student who does not obtain a passing 29
score on the test that is identical to the civics portion of the 30
Naturalization Test may retake the test until the student obtains 31
a passing score. 32
(iv) A student who has passed a similar test 33
within the previous three (3) years shall not be required to take 34
the test under this paragraph (c). 35
(v) Provisions of this paragraph (c) shall be 36
subject to the requirements and accommodations of a student's 37
Individualized Education Program. 38
( * * * d) By school, information on high school 39
graduation rates. High schools with graduation rates lower than 40
eighty percent (80%) must submit a detailed plan to the 41
Mississippi Department of Education to restructure the high school 42
experience to improve graduation rates. 43
S. B. No. 2067 *SS36/R163* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R163
PAGE 3 (icj\kr)
(2) A student who meets all requirements prescribed in 44
subsection (1) of this section shall be awarded a standard diploma 45
in a form prescribed by the State Board of Education. 46
(3) The State Board of Education may establish student 47
proficiency standards for promotion to grade levels leading to 48
graduation. 49
(4) The State Board of Education shall develop a curriculum 50
related to the study of sign language. Any such class developed 51
by the board may count as an academic credit for foreign languages 52
for the purposes of high school graduation requirements. 53
SECTION 2. Section 37-35-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 54
amended as follows: 55
37-35-9. (1) The Mississippi Community College Board is 56
authorized to develop and establish general educational 57
development preparatory classes in secondary schools and 58
community/junior colleges and to provide financial assistance from 59
the state for the specific purpose of preparing persons sixteen 60
(16) years of age and older, not enrolled in school or required to 61
be enrolled in school by the Compulsory School Attendance Law 62
(Section 37-13-91) to successfully write the general educational 63
development test and earn a certificate of equivalency which is 64
equivalent to the high school diploma. 65
(2) (a) The Mississippi Community College Board is 66
authorized to administer the High School Equivalency Diploma 67
Testing Program in accordance with the policies and guidelines of 68
S. B. No. 2067 *SS36/R163* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R163
PAGE 4 (icj\kr)
the High School Equivalency Diploma Testing Service of the 69
American Council on Education. Such administration shall include 70
the approval of rules and regulations for the administration, 71
scoring, issuing of transcripts and awarding of diplomas for the 72
High School Equivalency Diploma Testing Program. The Mississippi 73
Community College Board is hereby authorized to assess a fee in an 74
amount not to exceed Five Dollars ($5.00) for issuing an 75
additional copy of a High School Equivalency Diploma transcript. 76
(b) (i) Beginning January 1, 2026, the Mississippi 77
Community College Board shall require that a person must correctly 78
answer at least sixty (60) of the one hundred (100) questions 79
listed on a test that is identical to the civics portion of the 80
Naturalization Test used by the United States Citizenship and 81
Immigration Services in order to obtain a High School Equivalency 82
Diploma. 83
(ii) The Mississippi Community College Board may 84
determine the method and manner in which to administer a test that 85
is identical to the civics portion of the Naturalization Test used 86
by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. 87
(iii) A person who does not obtain a passing score 88
on the test that is identical to the civics portion of the 89
Naturalization Test may retake the test until the person obtains a 90
passing score. 91
S. B. No. 2067 *SS36/R163* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/SS36/R163
PAGE 5 (icj\kr)
ST: Civics Test; require passing score for high
school graduates and high school equivalency
diploma applicants.
(iv) A person who has passed a similar test within 92
the previous three (3) years shall not be required to take the 93
test under this paragraph (b). 94
(3) This program shall be administered by the Mississippi 95
Community College Board through the secondary schools and 96
community/junior colleges as the local needs indicate and are 97
practical. 98
(4) Full and general supervision over the program by the 99
Mississippi Community College Board shall * * * ensure that 100
duplication of effort by secondary schools and community/junior 101
colleges will be eliminated; however, nothing in this section 102
shall be construed to prohibit a school district from implementing 103
a program of High School Equivalency Diploma preparatory 104
instruction. 105
(5) Adult students for general educational development 106
preparatory classes may be accepted by schools and junior colleges 107
from any area of the state provided students are bona fide 108
residents of Mississippi. 109
(6) Instructors, counselors and supervisors utilized in the 110
teaching of general educational development preparatory classes 111
shall be licensed in the appropriate area as required by the 112
Mississippi Community College Board. 113
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 114
and after January 1, 2026. 115