College and Career Readiness Planning Program; create for administration of pre-ACT assessments in public schools.

HB 373 requires Mississippi public schools serving 8th and 10th graders to administer pre-ACT assessments (EXPLORE for 8th graders, PLAN or PSAT for 10th graders) starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The bill aims to help students avoid noncredit remedial courses in college by identifying readiness gaps early through these assessments. Schools must use the results to guide course selection, college planning, and academic support for students, with data collected to improve instruction and reduce remediation rates. The State Department of Education will track implementation and report annually to legislative education committees starting in 2028.