Mississippi 2025 Regular Session

Mississippi House Bill HB1355 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE 2025 Regular Session To: Education By: Representatives Blackwell, Eubanks House Bill 1355 AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE "SUCCESS SEQUENCE AND CHARACTER EDUCATION ACT OF 2025"; TO REQUIRE INSTRUCTION ON THE VALUE OF COMPLETING HIGH SCHOOL, WORKING FULLTIME, AND MARRYING BEFORE HAVING CHILDREN; TO MANDATE CHARACTER EDUCATION BASED ON RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, FAMILY CARE, KINDNESS, PATRIOTISM, MARRIAGE AND OTHER TRADITIONAL VALUES; TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A K-12 CURRICULUM FOR SUCCESS SEQUENCE AND CHARACTER EDUCATION; TO REQUIRE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ADOPT OR DEVELOP COMPLIANT CURRICULA; TO AUTHORIZE THE USE OF AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR SUPPLEMENTARY INSTRUCTION IN SUCCESS SEQUENCE AND CHARACTER TRAITS; TO PROHIBIT PROSELYTIZING OR POLITICAL INDOCTRINATION IN CORE CURRICULUM; TO ALLOW ACCEPTANCE OF FEDERAL AND PRIVATE FUNDS FOR PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION; TO REQUIRE REPORTING ON PROGRAM IMPACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. This act shall be known, and may be cited as the "Success Sequence and Character Education Act of 2025." SECTION 2. (1) The success sequence and character education curriculum required by this act shall consist exclusively of instruction in the value of finishing high school, working full time, getting married before having children, and instruction in the following character traits and fundamental values deeply rooted in the history and tradition of the United States, particularly the State of Mississippi, which include: (a) Respect for human life; (b) Trustworthiness, including honesty, reliability, punctuality and loyalty; (c) Responsibility, including hard work, accountability, diligence, good judgment, perseverance and self-control; (d) Care for family, including parents, siblings and future spouses and children; (e) Kindness and generosity toward others; (f) Respect for parental authority; (g) Respect for parents' obligations to children; (h) Respect for the property of other people; (i) Respect for legitimate authority and law; (j) Respect for patriotism, service to the community, concern for the common good; (k) Respect for religious faith, morality, wisdom and knowledge; (l) Respect for lifelong marriage, sexual fidelity within marriage and sexual abstinence outside of marriage; (m) Gratitude; (n} Charity; and (o) Courage. (2) Not later than January 1, 2026, the State Department of Education shall integrate gradelevel-appropriate success sequence and character education into the required curriculum for kindergarten through Grade 12 of the public schools and shall develop a success sequence and character education curriculum for use by local public school districts in compliance with subsection (1). The local school board of every public school district shall adopt a policy to implement success sequence and character education into its curriculum in compliance with subsection (1). The local school board shall either develop its own success sequence and character education curriculum in compliance with subsection (1), or shall adopt the compliant success sequence and character education curriculum that has been developed by the State Board of Education, which curriculum shall be implemented not later than the start of the 2027-2028 school year. The State Department of Education shall approve each district's success sequence and character education curriculum and shall establish a protocol to be used by districts to provide continuity in teaching the approved curriculum in a manner that is age-, grade- and developmentally-appropriate. The State Department of Education and local school district may choose to provide elective credit in appropriate grades for the success sequence and character education curriculum. (3) In developing or selecting a success sequence and character education program of instruction under this section, a school district shall consult with a committee selected by the district that consists of: (a) Parents of district pupils; (b) Educators with experience in teaching character education and content deeply rooted in our state's history and tradition; and (c) Other members of the community, including community leaders with specific knowledge of fundamental values deeply rooted in our country's history and tradition. (4) This section does not require or authorize proselytizing or indoctrinating concerning any specific religious or political belief. This subsection (4) does not apply to the third party-led after school instruction program referenced in subsection (7). (5) The State Department of Education shall: (a) Maintain a list of success sequence and character education programs that school districts have implemented that meet the criteria under subsection (1); (b) Include in an annual report to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House, and Chairpersons of the Education Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives, electronic copies of which shall be made available without charge to the public in a clearly accessible manner on the department's website, the following information: (i) Based on data reported by districts, the impact of success sequence and character education programs on pupil discipline and academic achievement; and (ii) Other reported data relating to success sequence and character education programs the department considers appropriate for inclusion. (6) The agency may accept money from federal government and private sources to use in assisting school districts in implementing success sequence and character education programs that meet the criteria prescribed by subsection (1). (7) (a) Each school district and charter school may adopt a program to make the school premises available for after-school instruction programs provided by third parties that instruct pupils in the justifications for the success sequence and character traits listed in subsection (1). Such instruction may consist of any philosophical, historical, traditional, or religious justification for the success sequence and character traits listed above, or any combination of such justifications. The school governing authority may deny approval to any group that proposes instruction in subject matter that is inconsistent with justification of the success sequence and character traits listed in subsection (1), but otherwise may not discriminate against any afterschool program based on its viewpoint. Subject to that requirement, no school governing authority may discriminate against any after-school program of instruction on the ground that it contains religious or political expression. (b) No pupil will be required to participate in the after-school programs described in this subsection (7). A pupil may participate in the after-school programs described in this subsection (7) only if the pupil and the pupil's parent or legal guardian consents to the pupil's participation. Either the pupil or the pupil's parent or legal guardian may terminate the pupil's participation at any time upon notice to the governing authority of the school. (c) School districts and charter schools making their school premises available for after-school instruction shall make a list of approved after-school programs available to parents and adopt a process, in cooperation with the third-party providers, to obtain the consent of the pupil and the pupil's parent or legal guardian. (8) The State Department of Education may adopt rules as necessary to implement this section. SECTION 3. Section 1 of this act shall be codified in Chapter 13, Title 37, Mississippi Code of 1972. SECTION 4. If any one or more provisions, sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, phrases or words of this act or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is found to be unconstitutional, the same is hereby declared to be severable and the balance of this act shall remain effective notwithstanding such unconstitutionality. The Legislature hereby declares that it would have passed this act, and each provision, section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or word thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more provisions, sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, phrases or words be declared unconstitutional. SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.
2	2
3	3	MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
4	4
5	5	2025 Regular Session
6	6
7	7	To: Education
8	8
9	9	By: Representatives Blackwell, Eubanks
10	10
11	11	# House Bill 1355
12	12
13	13	AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE "SUCCESS SEQUENCE AND CHARACTER EDUCATION ACT OF 2025"; TO REQUIRE INSTRUCTION ON THE VALUE OF COMPLETING HIGH SCHOOL, WORKING FULLTIME, AND MARRYING BEFORE HAVING CHILDREN; TO MANDATE CHARACTER EDUCATION BASED ON RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, FAMILY CARE, KINDNESS, PATRIOTISM, MARRIAGE AND OTHER TRADITIONAL VALUES; TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A K-12 CURRICULUM FOR SUCCESS SEQUENCE AND CHARACTER EDUCATION; TO REQUIRE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ADOPT OR DEVELOP COMPLIANT CURRICULA; TO AUTHORIZE THE USE OF AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR SUPPLEMENTARY INSTRUCTION IN SUCCESS SEQUENCE AND CHARACTER TRAITS; TO PROHIBIT PROSELYTIZING OR POLITICAL INDOCTRINATION IN CORE CURRICULUM; TO ALLOW ACCEPTANCE OF FEDERAL AND PRIVATE FUNDS FOR PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION; TO REQUIRE REPORTING ON PROGRAM IMPACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
14	14
15	15	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
16	16
17	17	SECTION 1. This act shall be known, and may be cited as the "Success Sequence and Character Education Act of 2025."
18	18
19	19	SECTION 2. (1) The success sequence and character education curriculum required by this act shall consist exclusively of instruction in the value of finishing high school, working full time, getting married before having children, and instruction in the following character traits and fundamental values deeply rooted in the history and tradition of the United States, particularly the State of Mississippi, which include:
20	20
21	21	(a) Respect for human life;
22	22
23	23	(b) Trustworthiness, including honesty, reliability, punctuality and loyalty;
24	24
25	25	(c) Responsibility, including hard work, accountability, diligence, good judgment, perseverance and self-control;
26	26
27	27	(d) Care for family, including parents, siblings and future spouses and children;
28	28
29	29	(e) Kindness and generosity toward others;
30	30
31	31	(f) Respect for parental authority;
32	32
33	33	(g) Respect for parents' obligations to children;
34	34
35	35	(h) Respect for the property of other people;
36	36
37	37	(i) Respect for legitimate authority and law;
38	38
39	39	(j) Respect for patriotism, service to the community, concern for the common good;
40	40
41	41	(k) Respect for religious faith, morality, wisdom and knowledge;
42	42
43	43	(l) Respect for lifelong marriage, sexual fidelity within marriage and sexual abstinence outside of marriage;
44	44
45	45	(m) Gratitude;
46	46
47	47	(n} Charity; and
48	48
49	49	(o) Courage.
50	50
51	51	(2) Not later than January 1, 2026, the State Department of Education shall integrate gradelevel-appropriate success sequence and character education into the required curriculum for kindergarten through Grade 12 of the public schools and shall develop a success sequence and character education curriculum for use by local public school districts in compliance with subsection (1). The local school board of every public school district shall adopt a policy to implement success sequence and character education into its curriculum in compliance with subsection (1). The local school board shall either develop its own success sequence and character education curriculum in compliance with subsection (1), or shall adopt the compliant success sequence and character education curriculum that has been developed by the State Board of Education, which curriculum shall be implemented not later than the start of the 2027-2028 school year. The State Department of Education shall approve each district's success sequence and character education curriculum and shall establish a protocol to be used by districts to provide continuity in teaching the approved curriculum in a manner that is age-, grade- and developmentally-appropriate. The State Department of Education and local school district may choose to provide elective credit in appropriate grades for the success sequence and character education curriculum.
52	52
53	53	(3) In developing or selecting a success sequence and character education program of instruction under this section, a school district shall consult with a committee selected by the district that consists of:
54	54
55	55	(a) Parents of district pupils;
56	56
57	57	(b) Educators with experience in teaching character education and content deeply rooted in our state's history and tradition; and
58	58
59	59	(c) Other members of the community, including community leaders with specific knowledge of fundamental values deeply rooted in our country's history and tradition.
60	60
61	61	(4) This section does not require or authorize proselytizing or indoctrinating concerning any specific religious or political belief. This subsection (4) does not apply to the third party-led after school instruction program referenced in subsection (7).
62	62
63	63	(5) The State Department of Education shall:
64	64
65	65	(a) Maintain a list of success sequence and character education programs that school districts have implemented that meet the criteria under subsection (1);
66	66
67	67	(b) Include in an annual report to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House, and Chairpersons of the Education Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives, electronic copies of which shall be made available without charge to the public in a clearly accessible manner on the department's website, the following information:
68	68
69	69	(i) Based on data reported by districts, the impact of success sequence and character education programs on pupil discipline and academic achievement; and
70	70
71	71	(ii) Other reported data relating to success sequence and character education programs the department considers appropriate for inclusion.
72	72
73	73	(6) The agency may accept money from federal government and private sources to use in assisting school districts in implementing success sequence and character education programs that meet the criteria prescribed by subsection (1).
74	74
75	75	(7) (a) Each school district and charter school may adopt a program to make the school premises available for after-school instruction programs provided by third parties that instruct pupils in the justifications for the success sequence and character traits listed in subsection (1). Such instruction may consist of any philosophical, historical, traditional, or religious justification for the success sequence and character traits listed above, or any combination of such justifications. The school governing authority may deny approval to any group that proposes instruction in subject matter that is inconsistent with justification of the success sequence and character traits listed in subsection (1), but otherwise may not discriminate against any afterschool program based on its viewpoint. Subject to that requirement, no school governing authority may discriminate against any after-school program of instruction on the ground that it contains religious or political expression.
76	76
77	77	(b) No pupil will be required to participate in the after-school programs described in this subsection (7). A pupil may participate in the after-school programs described in this subsection (7) only if the pupil and the pupil's parent or legal guardian consents to the pupil's participation. Either the pupil or the pupil's parent or legal guardian may terminate the pupil's participation at any time upon notice to the governing authority of the school.
78	78
79	79	(c) School districts and charter schools making their school premises available for after-school instruction shall make a list of approved after-school programs available to parents and adopt a process, in cooperation with the third-party providers, to obtain the consent of the pupil and the pupil's parent or legal guardian.
80	80
81	81	(8) The State Department of Education may adopt rules as necessary to implement this section.
82	82
83	83	SECTION 3. Section 1 of this act shall be codified in Chapter 13, Title 37, Mississippi Code of 1972.
84	84
85	85	SECTION 4. If any one or more provisions, sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, phrases or words of this act or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is found to be unconstitutional, the same is hereby declared to be severable and the balance of this act shall remain effective notwithstanding such unconstitutionality. The Legislature hereby declares that it would have passed this act, and each provision, section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or word thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more provisions, sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, phrases or words be declared unconstitutional.
86	86
87	87	SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.