"Mississippi Universal Prekindergarten Program Act of 2026"; create.

HB 255 proposes creating Mississippi's first state-funded universal prekindergarten program, making pre-K education available to all 4-year-olds on a voluntary basis for parents. The bill requires public funding for at least 10 hours per week over 35 weeks annually (540 hours for half-day programs), with tuition paid directly to qualified public or private providers meeting specific quality standards. Key provisions include mandatory NAEYC accreditation, teacher qualifications, early literacy curriculum aligned with state standards, and requirements for staff training, child-to-teacher ratios (1:10), and health screenings. The program would be jointly administered by the State Board of Education and the Division of Early Childhood Care and Development, with annual reporting to the legislature.