Bill > HB1528

This bill establishes the Mississippi Young Readers Club (MYRC), a state-sponsored program designed to support early literacy for students in prekindergarten through 5th grade who are reading below grade level. The program will provide participating students with one age-appropriate book per month, delivered directly to their homes, along with family support materials like reading guidelines and multilingual resources. Students can qualify for the program if they fail reading assessments, score below proficiency on state reading tests, or are recommended by teachers or reading specialists. The State Department of Education will partner with an experienced organization to select and distribute books that align with Mississippi's literacy standards, with the goal of promoting home reading and building home libraries. The program will be supported by a $2 million legislative appropriation and will require annual data collection and reporting to the Mississippi Legislature, tracking metrics such as home reading frequency, student engagement, and program impact. Additionally, the selected partner organization will be encouraged to collaborate with local businesses, libraries, and literacy organizations to enhance community reading engagement. The MYRC aims to complement existing literacy efforts like the Literacy-Based Promotion Act and the Mississippi Comprehensive Literacy Plan, with implementation set to begin on July 1, 2025.

Education

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/history/HB/HB1528.xml