MS SB2535: MS Future Innovators Act; enact to require high-school computer science or CTE with embedded computer science course. Verified

The MS Future Innovators Act establishes a requirement for public high school students in Mississippi to earn one unit of credit in a high-school computer science course or an industry-aligned career and technical education (CTE) course with embedded computer science, starting with the ninth-grade class of 2027-2028. This requirement is designed to ensure that students are equipped with foundational knowledge in computer science, including emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. The act specifies that these courses must include instruction on the fundamental concepts of AI, its workings, and its societal impacts. Compliance is mandatory for public high schools in Mississippi, and the State Board of Education must approve the courses that fulfill this requirement. The act does not increase the total number of credits required for graduation, as the computer science credit can satisfy existing graduation requirements in technology, CTE, or electives, but it cannot replace Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, biology, or one physical science requirement. For students pursuing an alternative diploma, the credit can satisfy career readiness or elective requirements. The act also amends existing definitions related to career and technical education to clarify what constitutes a CTE course with embedded computer science. This clarity is essential for schools to align their programs with state standards and ensure that students receive appropriate instruction. The effective date for this legislation is July 1, 2025, giving schools time to prepare for the implementation of these new requirements.