Crucial state senatorial runoff elections Dec. 2

Curressia McFarland Brown, M.Ed., J.D.

Candidate, Mississippi State Senate District 24 

(Leflore, Tallahatchie, and Panola counties)

Please provide us with a draft copy of the first bill you will introduce at the beginning of the 2026 legislative session.

The first bill I will advance is the Mississippi Career and Professional Education Act, a bill designed to open doors of opportunity for every young person in our state.  While key legislative changes related to Career and Technical Education (CTE) are already in place to strengthen the connection between education and workforce needs in our State, this bill will target those students who desire to enter the workforce immediately after high school completion. High school students will earn industry-recognized certifications – real credentials that employers value—at no cost to the student or their family. 

Under this legislation:

• The state covers the cost of certification exams.

• Schools receive incentives for helping students earn these credentials.

• Partnerships between schools and local businesses are expanded.

• The Mississippi Department of Education maintains an approved list of high-demand certifications aligned with real jobs.

• And each year, the state reports how well we are preparing our students for college, careers, and the workforce as well as the changes in dropout rates.

This act would address two urgent challenges facing our State:  too many students “falling through the cracks” and too many industries unable to secure the skilled workers needed.  The state’s chronic absenteeism rate has increased to 27% over the past year, meaning one in four students miss more than 18 days of school annually. This initiative will, collaterally, address this problem.

This legislation gives students a reason to stay in school by helping them see a future they can believe in and ensures a pathway to success they can both see and navigate. When students experience hands-on learning, they stay engaged. When they can earn a credential that leads to a real job, they stay motivated. When they succeed in these programs, their confidence grows. And when schools wrap academic learning around practical career pathways, students feel supported—not overlooked. Every certification earned is one more student who chooses completion over dropping out – one more who sees the finish line and knows they can cross it.

Our economy depends on workers who are trained, prepared, and ready. This bill creates a direct pipeline to the industries that are hiring right now – including health care, advanced manufacturing, transportation, IT, construction, and skilled trades. 

This isn’t just an education bill. This is economic development. This is workforce development. This is community development. Students graduate ready to work, employers get a stronger talent pool, communities benefit from higher wages, lower unemployment and stronger tax bases, and Mississippi becomes more competitive, more attractive, and more prepared for the future – particularly in regions that are currently opportunity and economic development deserts.

What legislation will you propose to decrease the number Mississippians without health care insurance? When will you introduce this bill?

I will support previously advanced legislation aligned with the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Medicaid expansion – expanding Medicaid coverage to nearly all adults. I would also add my voice to those who are opponents of the work requirement proposed. The impact of such a requirement could place individuals in the position of losing coverage if they do not work or earning too much to meet the qualification threshold for Medicaid.  

What steps will you take to ensure state-funded HBCUs receive additional funding during the 2026-2027 academic year?

To ensure that state-funded HBCUs receive additional funding during the 2026-2027 academic year, I will be a proponent of the Mississippi HBCU consortium and an advocate for the creation of a designated fund to support both programmatic and operational needs.

As reported in a United Negro College Fund study, “Transforming Futures: The Economic Engine of HBCUs,” our State’s six (6) HBCUs produce $695 million in total economic impact, 6,988 jobs, and lifetime earnings for 2021 graduates of $9.1 billion.  Sustainable enrollments ensure the continued impact of these institutions.  The key to sustainable enrollments?  In-demand programs made accessible through these institutions of higher learning.