Mississippi legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Mississippi HB1130: Trauma-Informed Student Assessment Exemption Act; create.
Status: Failed, February 3, 2026
AN ACT TO BE KNOWN AND CITED AS THE "TRAUMA-INFORMED STUDENT ASSESSMENT EXEMPTION ACT"; TO RECOGNIZE THE ADVERSE ACADEMIC IMPACT OF GRIEF, TRAUMA AND LOSS ON STUDENTS REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN HIGH-STAKES TESTING; TO AUTHORIZE TEMPORARY EXEMPTIONS FROM PARTICIPATION IN HIGH-STAKES ASSESSMENTS FOR STUDENTS EXPERIENCING QUALIFYING TRAUMA-OR-LOSS EVENTS; TO ENSURE THAT SUCH EXEMPTIONS DO NOT NEGATIVELY AFFECT STUDENT PROMOTION, GRADUATION ELIGIBILITY, SCHOLARSHIP OR FINANCIAL AID CONSIDERATION OR ACCESS TO ADVANCED OR SPECIALIZED ACADEMIC PROGRAMS; TO EXCLUDE EXEMPTED STUDENTS FROM STATE AND FEDERAL ACCOUNTABILITY METRICS DURING THE EXEMPTION PERIOD AND AUTHORIZE THE USE OF ALTERNATIVE MEASURES OF STUDENT PROGRESS; TO ESTABLISH PROCEDURES FOR REQUESTING, REVIEWING, APPROVING OR DENYING EXEMPTIONS IN A MANNER THAT IS TIMELY, EQUITABLE, MINIMALLY BURDENSOME AND TRAUMA-SENSITIVE; TO REQUIRE WRITTEN NOTICE OF EXEMPTION DETERMINATIONS AND THE SAFEGUARDING OF STUDENT PRIVACY; TO PROHIBIT THE IMPOSITION OF ACCOUNTABILITY PENALTIES ON SCHOOLS OR DISTRICTS FOR HONORING APPROVED EXEMPTIONS; TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ISSUE GUIDANCE AND PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON TRAUMA-RESPONSIVE ASSESSMENT PRACTICES; TO MANDATE ANNUAL REPORTING TO THE LEGISLATURE ON EXEMPTION USAGE AND IMPACT WITHOUT DISCLOSURE OF PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE STUDENT INFORMATION; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
What the bill says
An act to be known and cited as the "trauma-informed student assessment exemption act"; to recognize the adverse academic impact of grief, trauma and loss on students required to participate in high-stakes testing; to authorize temporary exemptions from participation in high-stakes assessments for students experiencing qualifying trauma-or-loss events; to ensure that such exemptions do not negatively affect student promotion, graduation eligibility, scholarship or financial aid consideration or access to advanced or specialized academic programs…
From the introduced text:
AN ACT TO BE KNOWN AND CITED AS THE "TRAUMA-INFORMED STUDENT ASSESSMENT EXEMPTION ACT"; TO RECOGNIZE THE ADVERSE ACADEMIC IMPACT OF GRIEF, TRAUMA AND LOSS ON STUDENTS REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN HIGH-STAKES TESTING; TO AUTHORIZE TEMPORARY EXEMPTIONS FROM PARTICIPATION IN HIGH-STAKES ASSESSMENTS FOR STUDENTS EXPERIENCING QUALIFYING TRAUMA-OR-LOSS EVENTS; TO ENSURE THAT SUCH EXEMPTIONS DO NOT NEGATIVELY AFFECT STUDENT PROMOTION, GRADUATION ELIGIBILITY, SCHOLARSHIP OR FINANCIAL AID CONSIDERATION OR ACCESS TO ADVANCED OR SPECIALIZED ACADEMIC PROGRAMS; TO EXCLUDE EXEMPTED STUDENTS FROM STATE AND FEDERAL ACCOUNTABILITY METRICS DURING THE EXEMPTION PERIOD AND AUTHORIZE THE USE OF ALTERNATIVE MEASURES OF STUDENT PROGRESS; TO ESTABLISH PROCEDURES FOR REQUESTING, REVIEWING, APPROVING OR DENYING EXEMPTIONS IN A MANNER THAT IS TIMELY, EQUITABLE, MINIMALLY BURDENSOME AND TRAUMA-SENSITIVE; TO REQUIRE WRITTEN NOTICE OF EXEMPTION DETERMINATIONS AND THE SAFEGUARDING OF STUDENT PRIVACY; TO PROHIBIT THE IMPOSITION OF ACCOUNTABILITY PENALTIES ON SCHOOLS OR DISTRICTS FOR HONORING APPROVED EXEMPTIONS; TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ISSUE GUIDANCE AND PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON TRAUMA-RESPONSIVE ASSESSMENT PRACTICES; TO MANDATE ANNUAL REPORTING TO THE LEGISLATURE ON EXEMPTION USAGE AND IMPACT WITHOUT DISCLOSURE OF PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE STUDENT INFORMATION; 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 "Trauma-Informed Student Assessment Exemption Act." SECTION 2. The …