Mississippi School Choice (2026): HB 2 + SB 2002

This page summarizes what the introduced bill texts propose; amendments or final passage could change details. See the official PDFs below.

What's Happening

The Mississippi Legislature is considering two bills related to school choice and student transfers for the 2026 session
SB 2002 changes the inter-district transfer process by removing the sending district's consent requirement
HB 2 creates a new education savings account program with eligibility criteria and annual participation caps

The Bills

Senate Bill 2002

What it does:

Removes the requirement for sending school districts to consent to student transfers
Receiving school districts retain authority to approve or refuse transfer requests
Receiving districts must act on transfer requests by their next regular meeting, or the request is automatically rejected
Maintains existing constraints related to desegregation orders

View SB 2002 bill text (PDF) →

House Bill 2

What it does:

Creates the Mississippi Education Freedom Act, establishing education savings accounts
Administered by the State Treasurer's office
Defines specific eligibility categories for participating students
Sets annual caps on the number of participating students, with lottery procedures when demand exceeds available slots

View HB 2 bill text (PDF) →

Key Points & Common Misconceptions

Not vouchers for everyone

HB 2 includes annual participation caps and lottery-based allocation when applications exceed available slots. This means not all eligible families would be guaranteed access in a given year.

Receiving schools not forced to accept beyond capacity

Receiving school districts retain authority to approve or refuse transfer requests. The bill does not require a receiving district to accept a transfer.

See This in Your Districts

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