Rachael Ellis Assistant to State Superintendent | Linkedin
The State Board of Education (SBE) in Mississippi has decided to remove the U.S. History statewide assessment as a graduation requirement starting with the 2025-26 school year. Despite this change, students will still need to complete and pass the high school U.S. History course to graduate.
State assessments for Algebra I, Biology, and English Language Arts will continue as mandatory requirements for graduation. The U.S. History assessment was unique in that it was not mandated by either state or federal law. Consequently, the SBE updated its policies and accountability standards to reflect this change.
Dr. Lance Evans, state superintendent of education, stated: “Though the U.S. History statewide assessment will be eliminated starting next school year, it’s important to emphasize that students will still learn U.S. History and will be required to successfully complete the course to graduate.” He added that reducing the number of required state tests should ease burdens on educators, students, and families.
This decision follows a proposal from the Commission on School Accreditation in April to eliminate the U.S. History assessment. The SBE accepted this proposal for public comment during its regular monthly meeting in April. The Administrative Procedures Act process was completed with public comments received between April 17 and May 19, 2025.
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