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To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) Boyd, DeLano, England,
Seymour
SENATE BILL NO. 2484
(As Passed the Senate)
AN ACT TO ENACT THE BUILDING REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR 1
DIVERSE GROWTH IN EDUCATION (BRIDGE) ACT; TO ESTABLISH A UNIFIED 2
STATUTORY FRAMEWORK FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL SPECIAL 3
PURPOSE SCHOOLS IN MISSISSIPPI; TO CREATE TWO DISTINCT PROGRAMS 4
ADDRESSING SPECIAL-NEEDS STUDENTS AND CAREER AND TECHNICAL 5
EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE TRAINING; TO DIRECT THE MISSISSIPPI 6
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO CONDUCT STATEWIDE STUDIES, ISSUE 7
GUIDANCE, AND REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE; AND FOR 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
"Building Regional Infrastructure for Diverse Growth in Education 11
(BRIDGE) Act." 12
SECTION 2. (1) The Legislature finds that Mississippi's 13
public education system must respond to diverse and evolving 14
student needs through regional collaboration, innovation, and 15
strategic partnerships. 16
(2) The Legislature further finds that: 17
(a) Students with disabilities, learning differences, 18
and specialized instructional needs require evidence-based 19
educational models delivered at sufficient scale; and 20
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(b) Students pursuing workforce pathways require 21
expanded access to high-quality, regionally aligned career and 22
technical education and training opportunities. 23
(3) It is the intent of the Legislature to establish a 24
cohesive statutory framework under which the State Department of 25
Education may develop regional, replicable special-purpose school 26
models, while maintaining distinct policy tracks tailored to 27
different student populations and workforce needs. 28
SECTION 3. As used in this article: 29
(a) "Department" means the State Department of 30
Education. 31
(b) "Local education agency" or "LEA" means a school 32
district or other public entity authorized to operate schools in 33
Mississippi. 34
(c) "Special-needs students" include students diagnosed 35
with dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, students with 36
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), students with plans 37
under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and related 38
services, or students requiring specialized instructional supports 39
or related services. 40
(d) "Special-purpose school" means a public school or 41
public program designed to deliver specialized instruction, 42
intervention, related services, and workforce training to students 43
with special needs. 44
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SECTION 4. (1) The Legislature finds that school districts 45
across Mississippi face persistent shortages of qualified 46
special-education teachers, credentialed dyslexia therapists, 47
certified behavioral specialists, and related service providers, 48
particularly in rural and underserved areas, which limits the 49
ability of local education agencies to fully meet student needs 50
and comply with state and federal requirements. 51
(2) The purpose of this article is to establish a statewide 52
framework for the development of regional special-purpose schools 53
serving students with special needs, including students with 54
dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, Individualized Education 55
Programs (IEPs), and Section 504 plans. 56
SECTION 5. (1) The department shall conduct a statewide 57
study and planning process for the development of regional 58
special-purpose schools serving students with special needs. 59
(2) The study shall be statewide in scope and shall not be 60
limited to any single geographic region. 61
(3) The department shall evaluate models under which 62
regional special-purpose schools may: 63
(a) Operate as standalone public schools; 64
(b) Operate in partnership with one or more local 65
education agencies; 66
(c) Operate in collaboration with public universities, 67
community colleges, or other public postsecondary institutions; 68
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(d) Operate as a public charter school, consistent with 69
Mississippi law; or 70
(e) Operate in collaboration with any combination of 71
the models described in this subsection (3). 72
SECTION 6. (1) Not later than October 1, 2026, the 73
department shall submit a written report to the Chairmen of the 74
House and Senate Education Committees. 75
(2) The report shall include: 76
(a) An assessment of regional and statewide need; 77
(b) Identification of LEAs willing to partner; 78
(c) Identification of universities and community 79
colleges willing to partner; 80
(d) Recommended governance and accountability 81
structures; 82
(e) Staffing needs, including credentialed dyslexia 83
therapists and certified behavioral specialists; 84
(f) Workforce pipeline and training opportunities; 85
(g) Estimated costs and funding sources; and 86
(h) A phased pilot implementation plan. 87
SECTION 7. The department may recommend one or more pilot 88
regional special-purpose schools serving students with special 89
needs, giving special consideration to locations in counties in 90
which there is no municipality with a population exceeding fifteen 91
thousand (15,000) persons according to the latest federal 92
decennial census. 93
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SECTION 8. Programs under this article shall align with the 94
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of 95
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and state dyslexia laws and 96
regulations. 97
SECTION 9. The purpose of this article is to establish a 98
statewide framework for the development of regional 99
special-purpose schools focused on career and technical education 100
and workforce training. 101
SECTION 10. As used in this article: 102
(a) "Accelerate Mississippi" means the state workforce 103
development entity charged with coordinating statewide workforce 104
strategy. 105
(b) "Department" means the State Department of 106
Education. 107
(c) "Career and technical education" or "CTE" means 108
organized programs providing academic knowledge, technical skills, 109
employability skills, and industry-recognized credentials. 110
(d) "Local education agency" or "LEA" means a school 111
district or other public entity authorized to operate schools in 112
Mississippi. 113
(e) "Special-purpose school" means a public school or 114
public program designed to deliver career and technical education, 115
workforce training, industry-aligned instruction, and credential 116
pathways. 117
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SECTION 11. (1) The department shall conduct a statewide 118
study and planning process for regional CTE special-purpose 119
schools. 120
(2) The department shall coordinate with Accelerate 121
Mississippi, the Mississippi Community College Board, and other 122
relevant agencies. 123
(3) The department shall evaluate operational models, 124
including LEAs, charters, postsecondary institutions, employers, 125
and hybrid partnerships. 126
(4) Not later than January 1, 2027, the department shall 127
publish a district guide on expanding regional CTE partnerships. 128
SECTION 12. (1) Not later than October 1, 2026, the 129
department shall submit a report to the House and Senate Education 130
and Workforce Development Committees. 131
(2) The report shall include: 132
(a) Workforce demand analysis informed by Accelerate 133
Mississippi; 134
(b) Partnering districts and institutions; 135
(c) Employer participation; 136
(d) Governance and performance metrics; 137
(e) Staffing needs; 138
(f) Cost estimates and funding sources; 139
(g) Perkins V alignment; and 140
(h) Pilot recommendations. 141
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ST: Building Regional Infrastructure for
Diverse Growth in Education (BRIDGE) Act; enact.
SECTION 13. The department may recommend one or more pilot 142
regional CTE special-purpose schools, prioritized by workforce 143
demand, and giving special consideration to locations in counties 144
in which there is no municipality with a population exceeding 145
fifteen thousand (15,000) persons according to the latest federal 146
decennial census. 147
SECTION 14. Programs under this article shall align with the 148
Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century 149
Act (Perkins V) and existing state workforce strategies. 150
SECTION 15. Sections 3 through 14 of this act shall be 151
codified in a new chapter in Title 37, Mississippi Code of 1972. 152
Sections 3 through 8 of this act shall be codified as a separate 153
article in the new chapter. Sections 9 through 14 of this act 154
shall be codified as a separate article in the new chapter. 155
SECTION 16. This act shall take effect and be in force from 156
and after its passage and shall stand repealed on the day before 157
its passage. 158