Video: Consolidation Trend Continues in Mississippi

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JACKSON, Miss. (WCBI) — Several bills are in the Mississippi legislature this session to consolidate schools throughout the state.

Two of the bills affected both Montgomery and Chickasaw Counties.

So what does this mean for the future of education in the Magnolia State? Is it changing?

WCBI made a trip to the State Capitol to talk to local lawmakers about the topic.

“When I first came down here in 1992, we had 153 school districts. We’re down to 144,” said Rep. Jeff Smith, (R) District 39. “Give us two centuries, and we’ll get down to where we should be.”

Consolidations initially impacted mostly failing school districts in Mississippi. Now lawmakers say it’s expanding from that.

“Hopefully we’ll be putting more teachers in the classroom because of it,” said Rep. Randy Boyd, (R) District 19. “I think it’s coming to where it’s going to be a statewide thing. We’re going to have consolidations all over.”

Boyd says cutting down districts reduces costs.

“When you’re in the top 10 of administrative costs in the nation, as far as education costs, and you’re in the 50th position as far as education, we’ve got to reverse that,” Boyd said. “We’ve got to get some things going, and we’ve got to take some money out of administration, and put it back in the classrooms.”

Some Democrats say they’re not necessarily against all consolidation, just the way the state is doing it now.

They say if they want to consolidate districts, there needs to be a plan, with input from the community.

“One would have to know, what is the basis of the consolidation, and what is the formal plan that you’re using to consolidate these particular districts?” said Rep. Kabir Karriem, (D) District 41. “What happened in Chickasaw didn’t happen in Forrest or other consolidated counties.”

No matter how it happens, what lawmakers can agree on is that education needs to be a top priority in Mississippi.

“If we can’t get our people educated, we can’t get people to come and invest and have jobs, and good paying jobs,” said Rep. Preston Sullivan, (D) District 22.

Lawmakers tell WCBI it’s still too early to judge the success of the recent consolidation of the Starkville-Oktibbeha School District, but they are hopeful.

Categories: Local News

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