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

HB 154 creates Mississippi's College and Career Readiness Planning Program, requiring public schools to administer pre-ACT assessments (EXPLORE for 8th graders and PLAN/PSAT for 10th graders) starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The bill mandates schools use these results to guide student course selection, college planning, and improve academic readiness, aiming to reduce college remediation needs. Data from the assessments will be collected by the State Department of Education to track progress on reducing remediation rates and inform school improvement. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, so these requirements have not taken effect.