MS HB216

Requires the State Department of Education to establish the "A Better Chance" (ABC) Program to provide prekindergarten instruction statewide via the Internet, beginning with the 2017-2018 school year.

Mandates daily age-appropriate instruction and activities delivered online, including downloadable educational materials based on comprehensive early learning standards adopted by the State Board of Education.

Requires at least one daily period of real-time instruction by a licensed prekindergarten teacher, scheduled at three or fewer different times each school day with recorded replay available at all other times.

Directs the department to develop methods to track the number of children regularly participating in the ABC Program and assess their progress.

Requires the department to submit a report to the House and Senate Education Committees on the program's success before January 1, 2019.