Special purpose schools; children of active military personnel not required to have attended MS school in previous year.

HB 1709 would allow children of active-duty military parents stationed at Mississippi military bases to qualify for Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy Scholarships or Speech-Language Therapy Scholarships even if they attended an out-of-state school during the previous school year. Currently, students must have attended a Mississippi public or approved nonpublic school the prior year to receive these scholarships; this bill removes that requirement for military-connected students. The change directly affects military families with children who have dyslexia or speech-language impairments and need these specialized therapies. It modifies eligibility criteria in two existing scholarship programs (Sections 37-173-5 and 37-175-5) to expand access for military dependents. The bill was introduced but died in committee in February 2026.