"Mississippi State Special Schools Partnership and Autonomy Act of 2026"; establish.

HB 1210 establishes legal protections for Mississippi's specialized public schools (including the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, the Mississippi School of the Arts, and the Mississippi Schools for the Deaf and Blind) by guaranteeing their autonomy from public universities. The bill authorizes schools to partner with universities for academic enrichment, shared facilities, or noninstructional services (like IT or maintenance) through agreements requiring state board approval, while strictly prohibiting universities from gaining administrative control or decision-making authority over the schools. It mandates that future partnerships must preserve the schools' independent budgeting, governance under the State Board of Education, and direct funding via the state's student funding formula without local district involvement. The bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, after being referred to education and appropriations committees.