The Mississippi Department of Education is announcing a cybersecurity pilot opportunity for Mississippi high schools. The Advanced Placement® Program (AP®) is developing a new career and technical education program, Career Kickstart (CK), that leads to industry credentials and potential college credit for all students who want career preparation, whether they are heading to two- or four- year colleges, technical schools, or the workforce.
CK’s Cybersecurity pathway consists of two courses: Networking Fundamentals and Cybersecurity Fundamentals, with its second pilot year slated for 2025-26 school year. Teachers with experience teaching networking, cybersecurity, and/or computer science are encouraged to apply.
What’s new for the 2025-26 pilot?
- Schools that have already piloted the Networking Fundamentals course can now also pilot Cybersecurity Fundamentals, the second course in the pathway.
- Full suite of AP features including an end-of-year exam that leads to potential college credit for students with a qualifying score.
- Qualifying score on the end-of-year exam earns free voucher for test prep and exam for the related CompTIA industry-recognized credential (IRC).
Interested schools or teachers can apply for the pilot program by visiting www.careerkickstart.org before Nov. 15. Please reach out to Alexa Schlechter, Director of CK Pilots, directly with questions or for Mississippi specific support.
Visit links below for additional details: