Mississippi House Bill HB1134

Mississippi 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/20/25
• Refer: 1/20/25
• Failed: 2/4/25

Caption

Early Learning Collaboratives; expand to provide in every school district by the start of the 2029-2030 school year.

Impact

The impact of HB1134 on Mississippi's educational framework is substantial. The bill addresses early childhood education access and aims to improve educational outcomes for preschool-aged children. By requiring local collaboratives comprising public and private educational entities, the bill promotes a coordinated effort to provide quality prekindergarten education. This will not only allow children to receive early educational benefits but also addresses disparities in academic achievement among young learners by ensuring communities with lower levels of existing quality prekindergarten options can receive support.

Summary

House Bill 1134 proposes a significant amendment to Section 37-21-51 of the Mississippi Code of 1972, mandating the phased-in expansion of Early Learning Collaboratives across all school districts in the state by the 2029-2030 school year. The bill establishes a framework whereby each of Mississippi's 137 school districts will eventually offer a voluntary prekindergarten program, aiming to enhance early childhood education. The expansion will commence with the 2025-2026 school year, with the goal of implementing at least twenty collaboratives annually until the target is met.

Contention

While the bill indicates a positive step toward enhancing early education, it does not come without potential points of contention. There may be concerns regarding funding requirements, as participating collaboratives are expected to match state funds on a one-to-one basis through local contributions. Opponents may argue that the requirement for matching funds could disadvantage lower-income districts unable to raise sufficient local funds. Additionally, the long-term implementation phases may lead to varied developmental timelines across different districts, potentially creating inequities in access and quality of early education in various regions of the state.