Upskill Mississippi Grant Program; establish to provide last-dollar tuition assistance at community colleges for certain programs., the official text

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2026 Regular Session

To: Workforce Development; Appropriations A

By: Representatives Bell (21st), Hall, Scott

House Bill 562

(As Sent to Governor)

AN ACT TO CREATE THE UPSKILL MISSISSIPPI GRANT PROGRAM TO
SUPPORT UPGRADING PRIORITY SKILLS FOR KEY INDUSTRY LEARNING AND LABOR THROUGH
TUITION-FREE ACCESS TO WORKFORCE-ALIGNED COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGE PROGRAMS;
TO STATE LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS; TO PROVIDE FOR FUNDING OF THE PROGRAM; TO DEFINE
TERMS; TO STATE THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE MISSISSIPPI OFFICE OF
FINANCIAL AID IN ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM; TO REQUIRE ELIGIBLE INSTITUTIONS TO
PROVIDE CERTAIN SUPPORT SERVICES TO GRANT RECIPIENTS; TO REQUIRE ACCELERATE
MISSISSIPPI TO ANNUALLY PROVIDE A LIST OF ELIGIBLE PROGRAMS BASED ON PRIORITY
SECTORS AND OCCUPATIONS; TO PROVIDE FOR PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION ON A PHASED-IN
SCHEDULE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the "UPSKILL Mississippi Grant
Program," an initiative designed to support Upgrading Priority Skills for
Key Industry Learning and Labor through tuition-free access to workforce-aligned
community and junior college programs.

SECTION 2.
(1)  The Legislature finds that establishing attainable workforce goals
reflects Mississippi's commitment to creating a source of skilled workers to
address workforce shortages and build a sustainable economic future, which
begins with investing in education programs that meet the needs of both
employers and communities.  Mississippi's workforce development goals focus on
equipping its citizens with the skills necessary to meet the demands of high-growth,
high-demand industries.  Such goals include the following:

(a)  Expand career and
technical education (CTE) opportunities;

(b)  Align education
and training with emphasis on Mississippi's high-value pathways and/or priority
occupations, as identified by Accelerate Mississippi, targeting industries with
workforce shortages;

(c)  Address workforce
shortages in rural areas;

(d)  Promote lifelong
learning and upskilling;

(e)  Support economic
resilience through public-private partnerships;

(f)  Increase access to
funding and support services; and

(g)  Focus on data-driven
workforce solutions.

(2)  Therefore, the intent
of the Legislature is to:

(a)  Provide funding to
the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid to establish a grant program
for the purposes outlined in this section;

(b)  Provide tuition-free
access to community colleges for enrollment in programs that are aligned with
Mississippi's high-value pathways and/or priority occupations, as identified by
Accelerate Mississippi, which result in a certificate or degree, ensuring a
source of skilled workers to meet the state's economic demands; and

(c)  To gauge the
effectiveness of this program by gathering data related to participation and
employment outcomes.

SECTION 3.
(1)  There is established the UPSKILL Mississippi Grant Program, which shall be
administered by the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid, for the
purpose of providing grants to eligible recipients to cover tuition and fees
associated with attending a Mississippi public community or junior college for
the length of time required to earn a certificate or associate degree in an
eligible program.  This program shall be subject to the availability of funds
appropriated by the Legislature.

(2)  As used in this act,
the following words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed herein unless
context clearly indicates otherwise:

(a)  "Accelerate
Mississippi" means the Mississippi Office of Workforce Development.

(b)  "Office"
means the Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid.

(c)  "Eligible
institution" means any Mississippi public community or junior college.

(d)  "Eligible
recipient" means a person who:

(i)  Has been a
resident of Mississippi for at least two (2) years prior to application for participation
in the Mississippi Workforce Promise Grant Program and continues to physically
reside in the state;

(ii)  Is a United
States citizen or a lawful, permanent resident;

(iii)  Has a high
school diploma, GED or equivalent;

(iv)  Is enrolled
at least half-time in an eligible program at a Mississippi community or junior
college;

(v)  Has completed
a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and qualifies as an
independent student on the basis of age and is at least twenty-four (24) years
of age;

(vi)  Has completed
the Mississippi Aid Application and submitted all required supporting documents
by the deadline established in rules promulgated by the Mississippi
Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board; and

(vii)  Maintains
satisfactory academic progress as defined by the administering institution.

(3)  The Mississippi Office
of Student Financial Aid shall:

(a)  Serve as the
fiscal agent in administering the program;

(b)  With the
Mississippi Postsecondary Education Financial Assistance Board, promulgate
rules and regulations for administering the program;

(c)  Establish an
annual application and application process;

(d)  Receive and review
applications;

(e)  Inform each
eligible recipient of the amount of his or her award, which shall be a last-dollar
financial grant equal to the student's outstanding tuition and fees after all
other gift aid, plus a book/material stipend of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00)
per year;

(f)  Disburse funds to
eligible institutions on behalf of eligible recipients upon verification of
enrollment in an eligible program;

(g)  Use no more than
five percent (5%) of the funds allocated for this section for the
administration of the program; and

(h)  Include the
program in its annual report to the Legislature.  The report shall contain a
detailed explanation of how the funds appropriated for the program were
awarded, how many students have participated in the program, and their
education and employment outcomes where available.

(4)  Eligible institutions
shall:

(a)  Provide the
following support services to grant recipients:

(i)  Assign an
advisor or success coach to contact each grant recipient a minimum of three (3)
times per term to assist with enrollment, financial aid, career planning, or
other topics as needed to support program continuation and completion;

(ii)  Enroll each
recipient in Mississippi Works;

(iii)  Provide
career integration by creating program maps aligning eligible programs with
careers and connect grant recipients to paid practicums or apprenticeships
where possible;

(iv)  Identify
alternative funding sources, such as Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
(WIOA) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds, to provide up
to Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) per term per grant recipient in
emergency aid, childcare stipends or transportation assistance (bus vouchers or
gas cards);

(v)  When possible,
offer flexible program delivery, such as evening, weekend, and online program
participation;

(vi)  Utilize data
and early alert systems to support recipients.

(b)  Report to the
office each term:

(i)  Student cost
of attendance;

(ii)  Federal
grants received;

(iii)
Institutional grants received;

(iv)  Other grants
received;

(v)  Loans
received;

(vi)  Work Study
received;

(vii)
Degree/credential earned; and

(viii)  Program
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code.

(5)  Accelerate Mississippi
shall annually provide a list of eligible programs based on priority sectors
and occupations to the office, which shall use the list to determine the
eligibility of applicants.

SECTION 4.
(1)  The timeline for program implementation will be as follows:

(a)  Year One - At the
commencement of the Spring Semester of 2027, administer a limited pilot
program.

(b)  Year Two -
Beginning with the 2027-2028 academic year, administer a full pilot program.

(c)  Year Three -
Beginning with the 2028-2029 academic year, fully implement the program.

(2)  The Mississippi Office
of Student Financial Aid shall be authorized to develop each phase of the
program.

SECTION 5.  This act
shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.