The Mississippi Department of Education has created a Bridge to Career course to help seniors who do not pass required state tests prepare for college and careers, a teacher who piloted the program said.
“I was so close! I really thought I had it this time,” a senior identified only as JD told Trey Rice, who wrote about the student’s experience in an essay for Mississippi Today Ideas. Rice said JD’s school closed during her high school career and that a single required state test has stood between her and a diploma.
The Bridge to Career course is designed to provide career exploration and preparation, including resume building, interview practice and portfolio development, the Mississippi Department of Education says. Rice said he worked with JD to develop a plan to become an auto mechanic, including a career outlook review and a tailored resume.
Rice, a grades 7-12 inclusion teacher at Strayhorn High School in Sarah and a Mississippi State University mentor, said not enough districts know about the program. He said the department should communicate directly with superintendents, principals and counselors, provide teacher training and distribute curriculum and guidance packets to schools. Rice said he learned about the course through the Teach Plus Policy Fellowship.
Rice urged the department to publish classroom artifacts and work samples from the pilot year and to hold state-level professional learning community meetings so teachers can share successes and implementation solutions. He said those steps would help teachers implement the course with greater consistency and promote equitable outcomes for students.
Get 2 College estimates about 2,914 Mississippi seniors, or roughly 10%, leave high school without diplomas, a figure Rice cited in his essay. Rice identified himself in the Mississippi Today Ideas piece as a 2025-26 Teach Plus Mississippi policy fellow. He said JD is completing a work portfolio and is hopeful about graduating and entering the workforce.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
