MS HB257

Prohibits the State Board of Education from requiring students to pass end-of-course tests under the Subject Area Testing Program as a condition for high school graduation, effective in the 2016-2017 school year.

Requires the State Board of Education to continue administering end-of-course tests as mandated by federal No Child Left Behind and Title I requirements, but students who fail to achieve passing scores may not be denied graduation if they meet all other standard diploma requirements.

Amends Section 37-16-7 to clarify that passage of end-of-course tests shall not be required for graduation, though districts must still measure mastery of minimum academic skills through state-developed assessments.

Modifies the career track program requirements to specify that state subject area tests are used only to measure proficiency, not as a graduation requirement.

Requires the High School Equivalency Diploma Option program to administer end-of-course tests to enrolled students, but passage is not a condition for receiving a high school equivalency diploma.