Mississippi House Bill HB475

Mississippi 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/13/23
• Refer: 1/13/23
• Failed: 1/31/23

Caption

End-of-course subject area tests; discontinue and require ACT test for all students.

Impact

The proposed changes will amend multiple sections of the Mississippi Code, which will result in local school boards no longer being able to require end-of-course tests as part of graduation criteria. Instead, the ACT test will be the sole mandatory test, which, notably, will not be a graduation requirement. This change is expected to have several impacts on educational practices, including a shift in how schools prepare students for graduation and college readiness.

Summary

House Bill 475 aims to reform the testing requirements for public high schools in Mississippi by eliminating end-of-course subject area tests and mandating that all high school students take the ACT test instead. This bill is intended to simplify the assessment process for students while still providing a measure of their academic proficiency. It represents a significant shift in the state's approach to high school testing and graduation requirements.

Contention

There may be contention around the decision to eliminate the end-of-course tests, as some stakeholders believe these assessments help ensure that students possess essential knowledge in specific subjects. Critics of the bill may argue that without these tests, there could be a decrease in academic accountability. On the other hand, supporters of the bill contend that the focus should be shifted toward a standardized test like the ACT, which is widely recognized for college admissions and could better serve students' interests in transitioning to higher education.