View APA submissions in the Mississippi Administrative Bulletin on the Secretary of State’s website.
Division of Educator Licensure
Office of Chief Accountability Officer
Proposed revision of Title 7 Miss. Admin. Code Part 142: Career and Technical Education Licensure Guidelines K-12
On August 21, 2025, the State Board of Education (SBE) granted approval to begin the Administrative Procedures Act process: To revise Title 7 of the Miss. Admin. Code: Part 142: Guidelines and Clarification of Requirements for Issuance of Career and Technical Education (Occupational Educator) Licenses: To include a new pathway to licensure in the area of Driver Education (Licensure Endorsement Code 114)
Background Information: Senate Bill 2695 of the 2024 Regular Mississippi Legislative Session, later codified into law as Miss. Code Ann. §37-25-5 requires any school board of any school district maintaining a secondary school, which includes grades nine (9) through twelve (12), to offer Driver Education, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year.
As of July 1, 2025, only 52% of school districts currently offer driver education. Since the passage of §37-25-5, the Mississippi Department of Education has received an increase in the number of inquiries from school districts and educators regarding additional pathways to licensure in the area of Driver Education. Currently, only three Mississippi-based educator preparation providers offer a supplemental endorsement in this area.
On July 11, 2025, at its regular meeting, the Licensure Commission granted approval of a request received from the Offices of Safe and Orderly Schools and Educator Licensure to establish a Driver Education licensure pathway that will combine occupational expertise with successful technology literacy education and a two (2) year college degree with focused coursework through a Vocational Instructor Preparation to support the demand and recruitment of prospective teachers in Driver Education to ensure compliance with the implementation timeline and other requirements as outlined in Miss. Code Ann. §37-25-5.
Please submit written comments to Dr. Cory Murphy, Office of Teaching and Leading, 359 North West Street, Post Office Box 771, Jackson, MS 39205-0771. You may also submit comments in writing by email at (licensure@mdek12.org).
All public comments must be received in the Division of Educator Licensure no later than 5:00 p.m. on September 23, 2025. APA Comments will be presented to the SBE on September 25, 2025.
Division of Educator Licensure
Office of Chief Accountability Officer
Proposed revision of Miss. Admin. Code 7-4: Part 4: Licensure Guidelines K-12
On August 21, 2025, the State Board of Education (SBE) granted approval to begin the Administrative Procedures Act process to require all candidates seeking initial licensure in the area of Elementary Education (K-3/K-6/4-6) to earn a passing score on either the Foundations of Reading assessment or Pathways to Proficient Reading following a Foundations of Reading assessment attempt and to establish a Three-Year Entry-Level Elementary Education Non-Renewable License option to allow completion of the Pathways to Proficient Reading while in-service for the purpose of obtaining a standard renewable five-year license
Background Information: On April 21, 2016, and June 16, 2016, the State Board of Education granted approval to require eligible teachers in Elementary Traditional Route Programs and Elementary Alternate Route Programs, respectively, to pass the Foundations of Reading assessment. Effective July 1, 2016, Mississippi Code Annotated § 37-3-2 requires that a teacher candidate must earn a passing score on a rigorous test of scientifically research-based reading instruction and intervention and data-based decision-making principles as approved by the State Board of Education for initial elementary education licensure.
MDE’s recent comprehensive policy review revealed increases in both structured literacy coursework requirements and statewide science of reading professional development since the policy went into effect. Specifically, candidates within all traditional bachelor’s degree and non-traditional Master of Arts in Teaching Elementary Education K-6 preparation programs are now required to complete structured literacy coursework. This is in addition to MDE’s continued expansion of science of reading professional development for K-5 general education teachers statewide. Course completion for the statewide science of reading professional development, Pathways to Proficient Reading, requires a rigorous test of scientifically research-based reading instruction and intervention and data-based decision-making principles through both section scores and a post-knowledge inventory score. The weighted average from these two components must be at least eighty percent (80%) for a passing score. Applicants meeting all criteria for the standard renewable five-year license would not be required to hold the Three-Year Entry-Level Elementary Education Non-Renewable License prior to conversion.
To address Elementary Education shortages through high-quality preparation and professional development, on July 11, 2025, at its regular meeting, the Licensure Commission granted approval of a request received from the Offices of Teaching and Leading and Elementary Education and Reading to require all applicants seeking initial licensure in Elementary Education to earn a passing score on either the Foundations of Reading assessment or Pathways to Proficient Reading following a Foundations of Reading assessment attempt and establish a Three-Year Non-Renewable Entry-Level License option in the area of Elementary Education to allow completion of the Pathways to Proficient Reading while in-service for the purpose of obtaining a standard renewable five-year license.
Please submit written comments to Dr. Cory Murphy, Office of Teaching and Leading, 359 North West Street, Post Office Box 771, Jackson, MS 39205-0771. You may also submit comments in writing by email at (licensure@mdek12.org).
All public comments must be received in the Division of Educator Licensure no later than 5:00 p.m. on September 22, 2025. APA Comments will be presented to the SBE on October 16, 2025.
Division of Educator Licensure
Office of Chief Accountability Officer
Proposed revision of Miss. Admin. Code 7-4: Part 4: Licensure Guidelines K-12
On August 21, 2025, the State Board of Education (SBE) granted approval to begin the Administrative Procedures Act process to revise Miss. Admin. Code: 7 – 4: Part 4: Licensure Guidelines K-12 to amend the Foundations of Reading assessment requirement by removing the assessment from being required as one condition for obtaining licensure in the endorsement area of Special Education Mild/Moderate (licensure codes: 221 (K-12) and 223 (K-8))
Background Information: On December 16, 2021, the State Board of Education granted approval to require all candidates seeking to obtain initial licensure in the area of Special Education to earn a passing score on a rigorous test of scientifically research-based reading instruction, interventions, and data-based decision-making principles (i.e., Foundations of Reading). The MDE committed to monitoring impact of the new requirement and submitting recommendations for revisions, if warranted, based on concerns raised within the public comments received at the time of approval.
MDE’s recent comprehensive policy review revealed increases in both structured literacy coursework requirements and statewide science of reading professional development since the policy went into effect. Specifically, candidates within all non-traditional Master of Arts in Teaching Special Education preparation programs are now required to complete structured literacy coursework. This is in addition to MDE’s continued expansion of science of reading professional development for all K-8 special education teachers statewide.
To address the critical shortage area of Special Education through high-quality preparation and professional development, on July 11, 2025, at its regular meeting, the Licensure Commission granted approval of a request received from the Offices of Teaching and Leading and Special Education to revise Miss. Admin. Code 7 – 4: Licensure Guidelines K-12 to amend the Foundations of Reading assessment requirement for initial licensure in Special Education by removing the assessment from being required as one condition for obtaining licensure in the endorsement area of Special Education Mild/Moderate (licensure codes: 221 (K-12) and 223 (K-8)).
Please submit written comments to Dr. Cory Murphy, Office of Teaching and Leading, 359 North West Street, Post Office Box 771, Jackson, MS 39205-0771. You may also submit comments in writing by email at (licensure@mdek12.org).
All public comments must be received in the Division of Educator Licensure no later than 5:00 p.m. on September 22, 2025. APA Comments will be presented to the SBE on October 16, 2025.
Division of Educator Licensure
Office of Chief Accountability Officer
Proposed revision of Miss. Admin. Code 7-4: Part 4: Licensure Guidelines K-12
On August 21, 2025, the State Board of Education (SBE) granted approval to begin the Administrative Procedures Act process to revise Miss. Admin. Code 7 – 4: Part 4: Licensure Guidelines K-12 to revise the acceptable degree requirement for Mississippi State Board of Education-approved nontraditional licensure pathways
Background Information: The Office of Teaching and Leading, Division of Educator Licensure, continues to review all guidelines pertaining to the issuance, renewal, and reinstatement of an educator license to ensure that all requirements remain relevant to the contextual framework of the present day. Currently, certain pathways for obtaining initial licensure only permit a bachelor’s degree as an acceptable degree requirement for entry into and obtaining licensure by way of a Mississippi State Board of Education approved nontraditional educator preparation program. However, certain professions, particularly within the medical related fields, allow candidates to pursue an advanced degree without first obtaining a bachelor’s degree.
Therefore, the Division of Educator Licensure is seeking approval to revise current licensure guidelines to include the acceptance of a bachelor’s degree or higher as one criterion for gaining unconditional entrance into and licensure by way of the completion of an approved Mississippi State Board of Education nontraditional educator preparation program. Furthermore, the proposed revision is aligned with the existing degree requirement associated with traditional licensure pathways.
All requirements noted herein shall be effective upon receipt of final Mississippi Board of Education approval on the date established by the Secretary of State’s Office at final filing.
Please submit written comments to Dr. Cory Murphy, Office of Teaching and Leading, 359 North West Street, Post Office Box 771, Jackson, MS 39205-0771. You may also submit comments in writing by email at (licensure@mdek12.org).
All public comments must be received in the Division of Educator Licensure no later than 5:00 p.m. on September 22, 2025. APA Comments will be presented to the SBE on October 16, 2025.
