Senate Bill 2609 Summary

• Establishes the "Mississippi Regional Early/Middle College High School Act of 2025" to create public high schools (grades 9-12) located on post-secondary institution campuses that allow students to earn associate degrees or up to two years of transferable college credit alongside high school diplomas.

• Transfers per-pupil state funding and average daily attendance payments from the Department of Education directly to partnering post-secondary institutions to support early/middle college high school students in the same manner as traditional public schools.

• Requires post-secondary institutions to notify the State Department of Education by October 1 each year of intent to establish a regional early/middle college high school and obtain department approval before implementation.

• Makes the existing pilot program at East Mississippi Community College permanent without requiring a new application, while establishing an application process for future regional early/middle college high schools at other post-secondary institutions.

• Mandates that schools maintain statewide accountability standards, prohibit discrimination, provide transportation plans, and allow students to participate in extracurricular activities and state-sponsored athletic and academic competitions.