Under The Dome: House Introduces the Education Freedom Act

Yesterday, the Mississippi House of Representatives introduced House Bill 2, the Mississippi Education Freedom Act, one of the most comprehensive education reform bills our state has considered in years. Authored by House Speaker Jason White and Representative Jansen Owen, this bill puts families first by expanding school choice, increasing transparency, and giving parents and local communities more control over how children are educated.

There’s a lot to unpack in this 567-page bill. Here’s what it does:

Expanding school choice through Magnolia Student Accounts
The centerpiece of the bill is the creation of  Magnolia Student Accounts, a new statewide school choice program. These accounts allow eligible families to use a portion of education dollars for approved education expenses like private school tuition, tutoring, curriculum, testing, transportation, and more. The program prioritizes low- and moderate-income families, begins with 12,500 students in the first year, and expands over time. Unused funds can roll over and later be used for college or job training. Homeschool families may also participate at a lower funding level.

Creating the Education Freedom Fund
The bill creates an Education Freedom Fund to responsibly support school choice. This fund pays for Magnolia Student Accounts and also helps offset funding impacts when students transfer between public school districts.

Easier public school transfers for families
Parents will no longer need permission from their home district to transfer their child to another public school district. Receiving districts still decide whether to accept a transfer, but districts must clearly publish how many seats are available and how transfers work. This removes unnecessary barriers while keeping decisions local.

Homeschool access to extracurricular activities
Often called the Tim Tebow Act, the bill allows homeschool students to participate in public school extracurricular activities like sports and band.

Stronger literacy and math outcomes in middle school
The bill extends proven literacy strategies that led to Mississippi’s national literacy success, often called the Mississippi Miracle, into middle school grades and strengthens math instruction. This helps ensure early reading gains are not lost and that students stay on track through eighth grade.

Charter school reform
High-quality charter schools will be able to apply to open anywhere in the state, not just in limited areas. The bill removes unnecessary procedural barriers while maintaining accountability for results. This expands access to quality public options where families want them.

Financial literacy
Beginning in middle school, students will receive financial literacy instruction, and starting with the Class of 2031, a half-credit financial literacy course will be required for graduation. This ensures students leave school with practical skills needed for real-world success.

Accountability dashboards
The bill requires easy-to-read public dashboards showing school performance, growth, attendance, readiness, and financial data.

Reducing excessive standardized testing
The State Department of Education is directed to seek a waiver from the federal government to reduce required testing in grades 3 through 8. This responds directly to concerns from families and educators about over-testing and lost instructional time.

Supporting educators and staff
The bill raises minimum assistant teacher pay to $20,000 (an increase of $3,000), removes certain restrictions on hiring retired teachers, and allows districts more flexibility to recruit experienced educators when shortages exist. Attendance officers are returned to local district control, improving accountability and community responsiveness.

Fixing PERS Tier 5 to retain educators
The bill corrects Tier 5 retirement rules by reducing the full-service requirement from 35 to 30 years and restoring the “High 4” salary calculation. These changes align Tier 5 with other tiers and strengthen Mississippi’s ability to recruit and retain educators and public servants.

Expanding JROTC opportunities
The bill creates a National Defense Cadet Corps pilot program, allowing

Junior ROTC-style programs in each congressional district with dedicated funding.

School safety and district improvements
The bill updates school safety policies, supports security planning, and includes provisions related to school resource officers. It also consolidates the Copiah and Hazlehurst school districts to create a more stable structure focused on long-term student success.

AGENTS of Excellence
The bill creates the AGENTS of Excellence Program, which is short for  Aeronautics, Geospatial, Engineering, Nursing, and Technical Skills. This is a new effort to build specialized, regional programs for students in grades 9 through 12 that connect high school coursework directly to real workforce needs and postsecondary opportunities.

Special Needs ESA Changes

The bill moves program administration for Education Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) for students with special needs to the State Treasurer beginning July 1, 2027, aligns oversight with the new school choice programs, and clarifies that students may not receive funding from both programs at the same time.

Protecting voluntary prayer and reflection
Finally, the bill strengthens protections for voluntary prayer in schools and allows districts to provide a brief moment of silent prayer or reflection at the beginning of the school day.

WHY THIS MATTERS
Taken together, the Mississippi Education Freedom Act empowers parents, expands opportunity, strengthens public schools, and restores local control. It reflects a belief that education works best when families have choices, educators are supported, and communities are trusted to do what is best for their children.