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To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) DeBar
SENATE BILL NO. 2485
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-21-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO 1
LIMIT THE EXEMPTION OF CHARTER SCHOOL TEACHERS FROM THE SECTION'S 2
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS TO THOSE TEACHERS EMPLOYED 3
IN PROGRAMS NOT RECEIVING GRANT FUNDING FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT 4
OF EDUCATION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 6
SECTION 1. Section 37-21-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 7
amended as follows: 8
37-21-3. (1) No person shall act in the capacity of master 9
teacher, teacher or assistant teacher in any federal or 10
state-funded program of early childhood education or "Head Start," 11
or perform any of the functions, duties or powers of the same, 12
unless that person shall be qualified in the following manner: 13
(a) A master teacher or any other employee or 14
consultant receiving a salary or fee equivalent to that of a 15
master teacher shall meet the qualifications of a teacher in this 16
section, including the requirement that a teacher may be required 17
to hold a state teaching license by the State Department of 18
Education, and have demonstrated effectiveness as an early 19
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childhood educator. Effectiveness as an early childhood educator 20
may be demonstrated by a rating of highly effective on a state 21
evaluation of teaching, if available, or with evidence that the 22
teacher has a record of raising the achievement outcomes of 23
prekindergarten students. 24
(b) A teacher shall possess a bachelor's degree in 25
early childhood education, child development or an equivalent 26
field. A teacher may also possess a bachelor's degree in any 27
field as well as have at least twelve (12) credit hours of 28
coursework in early childhood education, child development, or an 29
equivalent field approved by an institution granting a bachelor's 30
degree in the early childhood education, child development or an 31
equivalent field; or have a bachelor's degree in any field as well 32
as have completed a specialized early childhood training program 33
deemed equivalent by the State Department of Education to twelve 34
(12) hours of approved coursework. 35
(c) An assistant teacher shall possess an associate's 36
degree in early childhood education, child development or an 37
equivalent field; or an associate's degree in any field and a 38
Child Development Associate credential, a Montessori certification 39
or an equivalent certification; or a high school diploma/GED and a 40
Child Development Associate credential, a Montessori certification 41
or an equivalent certification. Public school assistant teachers 42
in the voluntary prekindergarten program established by the Early 43
Learning Collaborative Act of 2013 may be required by the State 44
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ST: Charter school teachers; limit exemption
from educational qualifications to programs not
receiving grants from MDE.
Department of Education to meet the definition of a highly 45
qualified paraprofessional in addition to these requirements. 46
The State Department of Education shall adopt any necessary 47
rules, policies or procedures to implement this section. 48
(2) Persons employed as a teacher, assistant teacher or in 49
any other capacity in a prekindergarten or early childhood 50
education program in a charter school authorized by the 51
Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board are exempt from the 52
requirements of this section, if the program does not receive 53
grant funding from the State Department of Education. 54
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 55
and after July 1, 2026. 56