View APA submissions in the Mississippi Administrative Bulletin on the Secretary of State’s website.
Division of Secondary Education
Office of Chief Academic Officer
Proposed revision of Miss. Admin. Code Title 7: Part 24: Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards, 2025, specifically Appendix A-8 and Miss. Admin Code Title 7: Part 163: Mississippi Nonpublic School Accountability Standards, 2025, specifically Appendix A-8
On January 15, 2026, the State Board of Education (SBE) granted approval to begin a temporary rule and to begin the Administrative Procedures Act process: To revise Miss. Admin. Code 7-24: Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards, 2025, Appendix A-8 and Miss. Admin. Code 7-163: Mississippi Nonpublic School Accountability Standards, 2025, Appendix A-8 to be effective with the 2025-2026 school year
Background Information: Miss. Admin. Code: 7-24, Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards, 2025, Appendices A-6 – A-10 and Miss. Admin. Code 7-163: Mississippi Nonpublic School Accountability Standards, 2025, Appendices A6-A-10 provide the requirements for graduation for each of the diploma options.
Appendix A-8 outlines the additional requirements above the Traditional Diploma Option that students must meet to earn the Academic Endorsement. The proposed revisions to Appendix A-8 clarify that students may need one or both Essentials courses, depending on whether they meet the required ACT Math and English subscores.
The Commission on School Accreditation (CSA) met during its regular scheduled meeting on December 4, 2025, and approved the proposed revisions and the recommendation to submit to the State Board of Education (SBE) on January 15, 2026, to begin a temporary rule and begin the Administrative Procedures Act process.
The temporary rule and final action are necessary to implement the policy revisions immediately upon its filing with the Secretary of State in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.113(2)(b)(ii).
The proposed revision is available for public comment and review via the MDE APA Notice Website and the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Administrative Bulletin. To locate the filing documents on the Secretary of State website, select “Title 7 – Department of Education” in the Agency Search dropdown menu.
Please submit written comments to Ma’Kesha Adams, Office of Curriculum and Instruction, 359 North West Street, Post Office Box 771, Jackson, MS 39205-0771. You may also submit comments in writing by email to secondaryeducation@mdek12.org.
All public comments must be received in the Division of Secondary Education no later than 5:00 p.m. on February 18, 2026. APA Comments will be presented to the SBE on March 19, 2026.
Division of Educator Effectiveness
Division of Educator Licensure
Office of Chief Accountability Officer
Proposed establishment of Miss Admin. Code Title 7: Part 274: Mississippi Administrator Professional Growth System Standards, 2025
On January 15, 2026, the State Board of Education (SBE) granted approval to begin the Administrative Procedures Act process to establish a new part number for the revised Mississippi Administrator Professional Growth System Standards, 2025
Background Information: In accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-3-2 there is established within the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) the Commission on Teacher and Administrator Education, Certification and Licensure and Development. It shall be the purpose and duty of the Commission to make recommendations to the Mississippi Board of Education regarding standards for the certification and licensure and continuing professional development of those who teach or perform tasks of an educational nature in the public schools of Mississippi.
Mississippi Code Annotated § 37-3-46 and Process Standard 3 of the Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards, 2025 provide the requirements for districts to implement an annual, formal personnel appraisal system for licensed staff that includes an assessment of employee on-the-job performance as administered through the Mississippi Professional Growth System (PGS).
On Friday, January 9, 2026, at its regular meeting, the Commission on Teacher and Administrator Education, Certification and Licensure and Development granted approval of the recommendation made by the Division of Educator Effectiveness to begin the Administrative Procedures Act process to revise the Mississippi Administrator Professional Growth System Standards and aligned rubric to be effective with the 2026-2027 school year. The proposed revisions to the Mississippi Administrator Professional Growth System Standards increase alignment the national Professional Standards for Educational Leaders while streamlining content and maintaining the rigor of the PGS based on Mississippi stakeholder feedback. Specifically, the proposed revisions align the rubric structure with other licensed staff appraisals to include four (4) domains and nine (9) standards while increasing the standards’ relevance for Principals and Assistant Principals.
The Division of Educator Effectiveness collaborated with the Mississippi Principal Advisory Council, the Mississippi Educational Leadership Faculty Association, and the national Gulf Comprehensive Center to develop the revised standards. Additionally, the revised standards were piloted with Superintendents, Principals, and Assistant Principals representing a broad range of experience across the four Mississippi congressional districts.
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 February 18, 2026. APA Comments will be presented to the SBE on March 19, 2026.
Division of Accreditation
Division of Internal Audit
Office of Chief Accountability Officer
Proposed revision of Miss. Admin. Code Title 7: Part 24: Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards, 2025, specifically Appendix H
On January 15, 2026, the State Board of Education (SBE) granted approval to begin the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) process to revise Miss. Admin. Code Title 7-24: Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards, 2025, specifically Appendix H, in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6.
Background and Purpose: In accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 7-7-211(e), Miss. Admin. Code 7- 3: 10.1, State Board Policy Chapter 10, Rule 10.1., 2 C.F.R. Part 200 and Process Standard 4 of the Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards, 2025, local school boards are mandated to obtain an annual financial audit of the school district, as conducted under the guidelines of the Office of the State Auditor, no later than nine months after the end of the district’s fiscal year.
The proposed revisions to Appendix H of the Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards, 2025, will help differentiate the penalties for districts that have outstanding audits from those districts that fail to meet the March 31 deadline for the submission to the Office of the State Auditor.
The temporary rule and final action are necessary to implement the policy revisions immediately upon its filing with the Secretary of State in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.113(2)(b)(iv). The rule may become effective immediately upon its filing or on any subsequent date earlier than that established by subsection (1) of this section if the agency establishes such an effective date and finds the earlier effective date is necessary because of imminent peril to the public health, safety or welfare. See, also, Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.108.
The Commission on School Accreditation met in a special-called meeting January 14, 2026, to consider the requests to approve a temporary rule and begin the APA process to revise Appendix H of the Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards, 2025.
Please submit written comments to Dr. Jo Ann Malone, Office of Accreditation, 359 North West Street, Post Office Box 771, Jackson, MS 39205-0771. You may also submit comments in writing by email at accreditation@mdek12.org.
All public comments must be received in the Office of Accreditation no later than 5:00 p.m. on February 18, 2026. APA comments will be presented to the SBE on March 19, 2026.
Division of Safe and Orderly Schools
Office of Chief Accountability Officer
Proposed revision of Miss. Admin. Code Title 7: Part 240: Minimum Bus Specifications
On December 18, 2025, the State Board of Education (SBE) granted approval to begin the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) process to revise Miss. Admin. Code Title 7: Part 240: Minimum Bus Specifications by amending certain existing criteria and establishing new criteria for minimum bus specifications for the sale of new buses effective July 1, 2026.
Background and Purpose:
Miss. Code Ann. § 37-41-1 authorizes, empowers, and directs the State Board of Education to promulgate rules and regulations relating to the transportation of students enrolled in the public-school districts, including rules and regulations for setting standards for public school district buses. The Mississippi Minimum School Bus Standards and Specifications provide state and federal regulations governing school bus body and chassis specifications, specially equipped school bus specifications, pupil transportation service vehicle specifications, multi-function school activity bus specifications, alternative power specifications, and equipment for the transportation of Pre-K children.
With respect to specifications for school buses and related equipment, after each National Congress on School Transportation publishes its adopted changes in the National School Transportation Specifications and Procedures (available at https://nasdpts.org/NCST-NSTSP) or distributes interim addenda to that document, the Mississippi Department of Education may review the recommendations and revise the Mississippi School Bus Specifications accordingly.
The temporary rule and final action are necessary to implement the revisions immediately upon its filing with the Secretary of State in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 25-43-3.113(2)(b)(ii). Specifically, to allow for the procurement of competitive bus bids from various vendors for prices to be effective July 1, 2026, based on the revisions to the Mississippi Minimum School Bus Standards and Specifications.
Please submit written comments to Mr. Jonathan Tillman, Office of Safe and Orderly Schools, 359 North West Street, Post Office Box 771, Jackson, MS 39205-0771. You may also submit comments in writing by email at schoolsafety@mdek12.org.
All public comments must be received in the Office of Safe and Orderly Schools no later than 5:00 p.m. on January 23, 2026. APA comments will be presented to the SBE on February 19, 2026.
