JACKSON, Miss.- The Senate Education Committee met on Thursday morning to discuss several bills including those requesting consolidation of several school districts.
Senators flew through these bills on Thursday morning. With very few questions or conversation about the matter of school district consolidation.
Not everyone supports the movement. Sen. Jordan questioned the bill and requested that Superintendent of Durant, Edwin Robinson, who was present for the meeting, be allowed to speak in opposition of the bill. Sen. Tollison denied that movement, because he said there just wasn’t enough time.
Robinson spoke for Durant school district in saying that this consolidation would not be good for students or families. It would require individuals to travel even farther for school, when currently, they can walk to the building.
He also said that the district has not been given the opportunity to fix itself. They have new programs in place to improve academics and Robinson said they are focused on STEM opportunities.
All bills on consolidation were passed in the Sen. Education Committee.
The districts addressed in the individual bills are as follows:
SB 2494- Durant and Holmes Counties- A consolidation of the administration between the two districts under the name Holmes County School District, effective July 1st, 2017.
SB 2495- Carroll, Montgomery, Winona Counties- A consolidation of the administration between the three districts renamed Carroll-Montgomery Consolidated School District, effective July 1st, 2017.
SB 2496- Leflore and Greenwood Counties- A consolidation of the administration between the two districts, renamed Leflore-Greendwood School District, effective July 1st, 2017.
SB 2497- Chickasaw County, Houston Municipal, and Okalona Municipal- A consolidation of the administration among the three districts, will then be all under the Chickasaw County district, effective July 1st, 2017.
SB 2498- Perry and Richton Counties- A consolidation of the administration between the two districts, effective July 1st, 2017.
