New Starkville High School coming to Mississippi State’s campus

• When complete, students in the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District will attend class on the university campus from middle through high school.

Students in one Mississippi public school district will soon have an even longer exposure to the university setting thanks to a recent memorandum of understanding signed between Mississippi State University and the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District.

Currently, MSU’s campus is home to Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District’s Partnership Middle School. Not only is it the nation’s only public school in operation on the campus of a public university, it also provides an opportunity for all of the district’s middle school students to experience a university setting.

Now, through a memorandum of understanding between the two educational organizations signed on September 25, a new high school will be built on the campus to replace the district’s existing Starkville High School.

“Today marks the beginning of the latest chapter in the highly successful partnership between Mississippi State University and the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. By working together, we are creating new and exciting opportunities for students along every step of their educational journey,” MSU President Mark E. Keenum said. “The new Starkville High School will be a true asset and resource for not only our community, but a model for innovative teaching, learning, discovery and career and technical education for school districts around the state and across the country.”

Opened in 2020, the presence of Partnership Middle School on the grounds of MSU presented students, educators and educators in training with unique learning opportunities.

The addition of the high school classes on the grounds will continue those opportunities through graduation. 

“Our local consolidated school and MSU are striving to provide opportunities for students at the K-12 levels all the way through university level,” State Rep. Rob Roberson (R) told Magnolia Tribune. “The K-12 gets additional attention from student teachers and other resources the university offers as well as vice versa. This partnership will help kids and teachers and provide opportunities for their future careers.” 

SOCCD is the result of public hearings and meetings held in response to a state mandate that the county’s schools combine with Starkville’s to increase the education outcomes. That process concluded a decade ago on July 1, 2025. It now serves as an example of the successes of a consolidated education system, officials said.

“In looking back over the past 10 years, it is remarkable to think about how successful consolidation has been for Starkville, Oktibbeha County and Mississippi State University. It’s a testament to the hard work and visionary leadership of so many members of our community,” said MSU Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw.

He represented the university on the Consolidation Commission that held the public meetings and hearings more than 10 years ago.

School district consolidation has been listed as an education goal for State Rep. Roberson in previous sessions. One of the benefits he listed with school district consolidation is a reduction in administrative expenses. Reports issued by Mississippi State Auditor’s Office in recent years cite that a significant portion of the state’s education budget is spent on school district administrators and their associated expenses.

A new high school is now necessary due to the outdated nature of the current Starkville High School, according to statements from the school district and MSU.

The high school received an “A” ranking in the Mississippi Department of Education’s recently released accountability grades. This is the second year the school received that ranking. 

“It’s a new era of excellence for Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District and our expanded partnership with MSU,” SOCSD superintendent Tony McGee said. “The ratings are a testament to the hard work of our teachers, students and families. We already know the outstanding variety of opportunities we’re providing students at SHS as a high-performing school. Through dual enrollment, an emphasis on STEAM and the wide variety of resources available on the MSU campus, this new high school will give our boys and girls a greater vision of what’s possible for the future.”

While the MOU provides an outline of the goals in the project, contractual details will be discussed and finalized at a later date.