HB 875 Summary

• Creates the "Mississippi Universal Prekindergarten Program Act of 2022" to provide at least 20 hours per week of publicly funded prekindergarten education for 36 weeks annually to eligible four-year-old children through public school districts or prequalified providers.

• Establishes joint administration by the State Board of Education and Division of Early Childhood Care and Development, with requirements for NAEYC accreditation, teacher qualifications, professional development, research-based curriculum, and teacher-child ratios of 1:10 with maximum 20 children per classroom.

• Requires school districts of residence to pay tuition at a statewide rate (adjustable regionally) to prequalified public providers when parents choose them, while maintaining enrollment of prekindergarten children in the resident district for budgeting and average daily attendance purposes.

• Amends Section 37-13-91 to lower the compulsory school attendance age from six to five years old for children enrolled in full-day public school prekindergarten or kindergarten programs.

• Mandates annual legislative reports on program quality, outcomes, and efficacy, with recommendations for improvement or discontinuation; requires joint rule development for provider prequalification, tuition calculation, parent participation, and administrative dispute resolution processes.