House Bill 855

AN ACT TO CREATE NEW SECTION 37-7-104.4, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT IN CHICKASAW COUNTY THERE SHALL BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE CONSOLIDATION OF THE OKOLONA SEPARATE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE CHICKASAW COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT INTO ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE DESIGNATED AS CHICKASAW COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 37-7-104.5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT IN JASPER COUNTY THERE SHALL BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE CONSOLIDATION OF THE EAST JASPER SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE WEST JASPER SCHOOL DISTRICT INTO ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE DESIGNATED AS JASPER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 37-7-104.6, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT IN MONROE COUNTY THERE SHALL BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE CONSOLIDATION OF THE AMORY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE ABERDEEN SCHOOL DISTRICT INTO ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE DESIGNATED AS AMORY-ABERDEEN CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 37-7-104.7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY THERE SHALL BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE CONSOLIDATION OF THE WINONA SEPARATE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT INTO ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE DESIGNATED AS WINONA-MONTGOMERY SCHOOL DISTRICT; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 37-7-104.8, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT IN TALLAHATCHIE COUNTY THERE SHALL BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE CONSOLIDATION OF THE EAST TALLAHATCHIE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE WEST TALLAHATCHIE SCHOOL DISTRICT INTO ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE DESIGNATED AS TALLAHATCHIE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 37-7-104.9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT IN WASHINGTON COUNTY THERE SHALL BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE CONSOLIDATION OF THE HOLLANDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT, LELAND SCHOOL DISTRICT AND WESTERN LINE SCHOOL DISTRICT INTO ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE DESIGNATED AS WASHINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 37-7-104.10, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT IN YALOBUSHA COUNTY THERE SHALL BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE CONSOLIDATION OF THE COFFEEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE WATER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT INTO ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE DESIGNATED AS YALOBUSHA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 37-7-104.11, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT IN PANOLA COUNTY THERE SHALL BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE CONSOLIDATION OF THE NORTH PANOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE SOUTH PANOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT INTO ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE DESIGNATED AS PANOLA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT; TO CREATE NEW SECTION 37-7-104.12, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT IN COAHOMA COUNTY THERE SHALL BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE CONSOLIDATION OF THE CLARKSDALE MUNICIPAL SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE COAHOMA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT INTO ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE DESIGNATED AS CLARKSDALE-COAHOMA SCHOOL DISTRICT; TO AUTHORIZE AND DIRECT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP AND PROMULGATE CONSOLIDATION ORDERS FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN SAID COUNTIES UNDER CERTAIN STANDARDS; TO PROVIDE FOR NEW BOARDS OF TRUSTEES TO BE ELECTED IN SUCH CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN A NOVEMBER 2016 SPECIAL ELECTION; TO DIRECT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ADMINISTRATIVELY CONSOLIDATE ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT WHICH DOES NOT VOLUNTARILY FOLLOW THE CONSOLIDATION ORDERS; TO ABOLISH THE FORMER SCHOOL BOARDS FOLLOWING THE ADMINISTRATIVE CONSOLIDATIONS AND PROVIDE FOR THE TRANSFER OF SCHOOL DISTRICT ASSETS AND LIABILITIES; TO PROVIDE FOR EXECUTION OF TEACHER AND SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEE CONTRACTS IN THE NEW SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE PREPARATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGETS IN THE NEW SCHOOL DISTRICTS; TO DIRECT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO PROMULGATE REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT SUCH ADMINISTRATIVE CONSOLIDATIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 37-7-103, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. The following shall be codified as Section 37-7-104.4, Mississippi Code of 1972:

37-7-104.4. (1) In Chickasaw County, Mississippi, in which are located, as of January 1, 2015, three (3) school districts, there shall be an administrative consolidation of the Okolona Separate and Chickasaw County School Districts into one (1) county school district, which shall be known as the Chickasaw County School District. The central administrative office of the Chickasaw County School District shall be located in Houlka, Mississippi.

(2) On or before September 1, 2015, the State Board of Education shall serve the affected local school boards in Chickasaw County with notice and instructions regarding the timetable for action to be taken to comply with the administrative consolidation required in this section. In the county, there shall be a new county board of education elected in a November 2016 special election which shall be called for that purpose and the new county board members shall be elected as provided in Section 37-5-7. However, it shall be the responsibility of the board of supervisors of the county to apportion the new county school district into five (5) new single member board of education districts which shall be consistent with the supervisors district lines in the county. The board of supervisors of the county shall thereafter publish the same in some newspaper of general circulation in the county for at least three (3) consecutive weeks and after having given notice of publication and recording the same upon the minutes of the board of supervisors of each affected school district in the county, the new district lines will thereafter be effective for the November 2016 special election. If necessary, the county board of education of the county shall reapportion the board of education districts in accordance with applicable law as soon as practicable after the results of the 2020 decennial census are published and as soon as practicable after every decennial census thereafter. The new county board of education, with the written approval of the State Board of Education, shall provide for the administrative consolidation of Okolona Separate School District and Chickasaw County districts in the county into one (1) county school district on or before July 1 next following the November 2016 election. The new county board of education shall serve as the school board for the school district. Any school district affected by the required administrative consolidation that does not voluntarily consolidate with the new school district ordered by the county board of education shall be administratively consolidated by the State Board of Education with the county school district, to be effective on July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. The State Board of Education shall promptly move on its own motion to administratively consolidate any school district which does not voluntarily consolidate in order to enable the affected school districts to reasonably accomplish the resulting administrative consolidation into one (1) county school district by July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. All affected school districts shall comply with any consolidation order issued by the county board of education or the State Board of Education, as the case may be, on or before July 1 following the election of the new county board of education.

(3) On July 1 following the election of the new county board of education, the former county board of education and the former board of trustees of Okolona Separate School District shall be abolished. All real and personal property which is owned or titled in the name of a school district located in the former school district shall be transferred to the new reorganized school district of Chickasaw County in which the former school district is located. The State Board of Education shall be responsible for establishing the contracts for teachers and principals for the next school year following the required administrative consolidation with the consultation of the newly elected successor county board of education. The successor county board of education shall appoint the new county superintendent of education for the reorganized school district. The county superintendent of education of the reorganized school districts shall not be elected but shall thereafter be appointed by the successor county board of education in the manner provided in Section 37-9-25. The superintendent serving in the former school district shall be eligible for appointment as a superintendent in the new Chickasaw County School District, except in the case that the former school district has a rating grade of "D" or "F." The selection of the appointed county superintendent of education and the assistant superintendent of education in the central administration office of the successor county school district shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education with the approval of the State Board of Education. No such administratively consolidated school district shall have more than one (1) assistant superintendent of education. It shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education, with approval of the State Board of Education, to prepare and approve the budget of the new reorganized district, and the county board of education may use staff from the former school district to prepare the budget. Any proposed order of the successor county board of education directing the transfer of the assets, real or personal property of an affected school district in the county, shall be submitted to and approved by the State Board of Education. The finding of the State Board of Education shall be final and conclusive for the purposes of the transfer of property required by the administrative consolidation. Any person or school district aggrieved by an order of the successor county school board of education pursuant to the required administrative consolidation may appeal therefrom to the State Board of Education within ten (10) days from the date of the adjournment of the meeting at which the order is entered. The appeal shall be de novo, and the finding of the State Board of Education upon such question shall be final and conclusive for the purpose of the approval or disapproval of the action by the county board of education.

(4) When any school district in such county is abolished under the provisions of this section, the abolition thereof shall not impair or release the property of such former school district from liability for the payment of the bonds or other indebtedness of such district and it shall be the duty of the board of supervisors of said county to levy taxes on the property of said district so abolished from year to year according to the terms of such indebtedness until same shall be fully paid.

(5) In the administratively consolidated county school district created under this section, the ad valorem tax rate shall be determined as set forth under Section 37-57-1 et seq.

(6) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the closing of any school or school facility, unless such facility is an unneeded administrative office located within a school district which has been abolished under the provisions of this section. All administrative consolidations under this section shall be accomplished so as not to delay or in any manner negatively affect the desegregation of another school district in the county pursuant to court order.

(7) The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations to facilitate the administrative consolidation of the school districts in a county pursuant to this section. When the orders of the successor county board of education adopting the boundaries of the successor county school district and the successor board of trustees election districts have been entered and are final, as approved by the State Board of Education.

SECTION 2. The following shall be codified as Section 37-7-104.5, Mississippi Code of 1972:

37-7-104.5. (1) In Jasper County, Mississippi, in which are located, as of January 1, 2015, two (2) school districts, there shall be an administrative consolidation of those school districts into one (1) countywide school district, which shall be known as the Jasper County School District, and which shall have one (1) county board of education.

(2) On or before September 1, 2015, the State Board of Education shall serve the affected local school boards in Jasper County with notice and instructions regarding the timetable for action to be taken to comply with the administrative consolidation required in this section. In that county, there shall be a new county board of education elected in a November 2016 special election which shall be called for that purpose and the new county board members shall be elected as provided in Section 37-5-7. However, it shall be the responsibility of the board of supervisors of the county to apportion the countywide school district into five (5) new single member board of education districts which shall be consistent with the supervisors district lines in the county. The board of supervisors of the county shall thereafter publish the same in some newspaper of general circulation in the county for at least three (3) consecutive weeks and after having given notice of publication and recording the same upon the minutes of the board of supervisors of each affected school district in the county, the new district lines will thereafter be effective for the November 2016 special election. If necessary, the county board of education of the county shall reapportion the board of education districts in accordance with applicable law as soon as practicable after the results of the 2020 decennial census are published and as soon as practicable after every decennial census thereafter. The new county board of education, with the written approval of the State Board of Education, shall provide for the administrative consolidation of the school districts in the county into one (1) countywide school district on or before July 1 next following the November 2016 election. The new county board of education shall serve as the school board for the school district. Any school district affected by the required administrative consolidation that does not voluntarily consolidate with the new school district ordered by the county board of education shall be administratively consolidated by the State Board of Education with the countywide school district, to be effective on July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. The State Board of Education shall promptly move on its own motion to administratively consolidate any school district which does not voluntarily consolidate in order to enable the affected school districts to reasonably accomplish the resulting administrative consolidation into one (1) countywide school district by July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. All affected school districts shall comply with any consolidation order issued by the county board of education or the State Board of Education, as the case may be, on or before July 1 following the election of the new county board of education.

(3) On July 1 following the election of the new county board of education, the former county board of education and the former board of trustees of the municipal separate school district located in the county shall be abolished. All real and personal property which is owned or titled in the name of a school district located in the former school district shall be transferred to the new reorganized school district of the county in which the former school district is located. The State Board of Education shall be responsible for establishing the contracts for teachers and principals for the next school year following the required administrative consolidation with the consultation of the newly elected successor county board of education. The successor county board of education shall appoint the new county superintendent of education for the reorganized school district. The county superintendent of education of the reorganized school districts shall not be elected but shall thereafter be appointed by the successor county board of education in the manner provided in Section 37-9-25. Any superintendent serving in the former school districts shall be eligible for appointment as a superintendent in the Jasper County School District; however, if the former school district has a rating grade of "D" or "F," the superintendent of the former school district shall not be eligible for appointment as the new superintendent. The selection of the appointed county superintendent of education and the assistant superintendent of education in the central administration office of the successor county school district shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education with the approval of the State Board of Education. No such administratively consolidated school district shall have more than one (1) assistant superintendent of education. It shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education, with approval of the State Board of Education, to prepare and approve the budget of the new reorganized district, and the county board of education may use staff from the former school district to prepare the budget. Any proposed order of the successor county board of education directing the transfer of the assets, real or personal property of an affected school district in the county, shall be submitted to and approved by the State Board of Education. The finding of the State Board of Education shall be final and conclusive for the purposes of the transfer of property required by the administrative consolidation. Any person or school district aggrieved by an order of the successor county school board of education pursuant to the required administrative consolidation may appeal therefrom to the State Board of Education within ten (10) days from the date of the adjournment of the meeting at which the order is entered. The appeal shall be de novo, and the finding of the State Board of Education upon such question shall be final and conclusive for the purpose of the approval or disapproval of the action by the county board of education.

(5) In the administratively consolidated countywide school district created under this section, the ad valorem tax rate shall be determined as set forth under Section 37-57-1 et seq.

SECTION 3. The following shall be codified as Section 37-7-104.6, Mississippi Code of 1972:

37-7-104.6. (1) In Monroe County, Mississippi, in which are located, as of January 1, 2015, four (4) school districts, there shall be an administrative consolidation of the Amory School District and the Aberdeen School District into one (1) new consolidated school district, which shall be known as the Amory-Aberdeen Consolidated School District. The central administrative office of the Amory-Aberdeen Consolidated School District shall be located in Aberdeen, Mississippi.

(2) On or before September 1, 2015, the State Board of Education shall serve the affected local school boards in Monroe County with notice and instructions regarding the timetable for action to be taken to comply with the administrative consolidation required in this section. In the new consolidated school district, there shall be a new consolidated school district board of trustees elected in a November 2016 special election which shall be called by the Governor for that purpose. The new consolidated school district board of trustees shall be elected and the terms of office established as provided in Section 37-7-207. It shall be the responsibility of the State Board of Education with the assistance of the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) to apportion the new county school district into five (5) new single member board of trustee election districts for the new consolidated district. The State Board of Education shall thereafter publish the same in some newspaper of general circulation in the county for at least three (3) consecutive weeks and after having given notice of publication and recording the same upon the minutes of the board of supervisors of each affected school district in the county, the new district lines will thereafter be effective for the November 2016 special election. Any school board member of the former school district residing in the proper election district shall be eligible for election to the new board of trustees for the Amory-Aberdeen Consolidated School District. The board of trustees of the new consolidated school district shall reapportion the trustee districts in accordance with the procedure described in Section 37-7-207, Mississippi Code of 1972, as is necessary as soon as practicable after the results of the 2020 decennial census are published and as soon as practicable after every decennial census thereafter. Any school district affected by the required administrative consolidation in the county that does not voluntarily consolidate with the new school district ordered by the State Board of Education shall be administratively consolidated by the State Board of Education with the appropriate school district, to be effective on July 1 following the election of the new board of trustees. The State Board of Education shall promptly move on its own motion to administratively consolidate a school district which does not voluntarily consolidate in order to enable the affected school districts to reasonably accomplish the resulting administrative consolidation into one (1) school district by July 1 following the election of the new board of trustees. All affected school districts shall comply with any consolidation order issued by the State Board of Education on or before July 1 following the election of the new board of trustees.

(3) On July 1 following the election of the new school district board of trustees in Monroe County, the former boards of trustees of the Amory School District and Aberdeen School District shall be abolished. All real and personal property which is owned or titled in the name of a school district located in the former school district shall be transferred to the new reorganized school district of Monroe County in which the former school district is located. Each former board of trustees shall be responsible for establishing the contracts for teachers and principals for the next school year following the required administrative consolidation with the consultation of the newly elected successor board of trustees. The new board of trustees for the Amory-Aberdeen Consolidated School District shall appoint the superintendent of schools for the school district. The subsequent superintendent of education of the reorganized school district shall not be elected but shall thereafter be appointed by the successor boards of trustees in the manner provided in Section 37-9-25. The superintendent serving in the former school district shall be eligible for appointment as a superintendent in the new Amory-Aberdeen Consolidated School District, except in the case that the former school district has a rating grade of "D" or "F." The Amory-Aberdeen Consolidated School District shall not have more than one (1) assistant superintendent of education. It shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of trustees to prepare and approve the budget of the new reorganized district, and the successor board of trustees may use staff from the former school districts to prepare the budget. Any proposed order of the State Board of Education directing the transfer of the assets, real or personal property of an affected school district in the county, shall be final and conclusive for the purposes of the transfer of property required by the administrative consolidation. Any person or school district aggrieved by an order of the successor newly elected board of trustees pursuant to the required administrative consolidation may appeal therefrom to the State Board of Education within ten (10) days from the date of the adjournment of the meeting at which the order is entered. The appeal shall be de novo, and the finding of the State Board of Education upon such question shall be final and conclusive for the purpose of the approval or disapproval of the action by the newly elected board of trustees.

(4) When any school district in such county is abolished under the provisions of this section, the abolition thereof shall not impair or release the property of the former school district from liability for the payment of the bonds or other indebtedness of that district and it shall be the duty of the board of supervisors of the county to levy taxes on the property of the district so abolished from year to year according to the terms of such indebtedness until same shall be fully paid.

(5) In the administratively consolidated school district created under this section, the ad valorem tax rate shall be determined as set forth under Section 37-57-1 et seq.

(7) The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations to facilitate the administrative consolidation of the school districts in Monroe County pursuant to this section. When the orders of the successor board of trustees adopting the successor board of trustees election districts have been entered and are final, as approve by the State Board of Education.

SECTION 4. The following shall be codified as Section 37-7-104.7, Mississippi Code of 1972:

37-7-104.7. (1) In Montgomery County, Mississippi, in which are located, as of January 1, 2015, two (2) school districts, there shall be an administrative consolidation of those school districts into one (1) countywide school district, which shall be known as the Winona-Montgomery School District, and which shall have one (1) county board of education. The central administrative office of the Winona-Montgomery School District shall be located in Winona, Mississippi.

(2) On or before September 1, 2015, the State Board of Education shall serve the affected local school boards in Montgomery County with notice and instructions regarding the timetable for action to be taken to comply with the administrative consolidation required in this section. In that county, there shall be a new county board of education elected in a November 2016 special election which shall be called for that purpose and the new county board members shall be elected as provided in Section 37-5-7. However, it shall be the responsibility of the board of supervisors of the county to apportion the countywide school district into five (5) new single member board of education districts which shall be consistent with the supervisors district lines in the county. The board of supervisors of the county shall thereafter publish the same in some newspaper of general circulation in the county for at least three (3) consecutive weeks and after having given notice of publication and recording the same upon the minutes of the board of supervisors of each affected school district in the county, the new district lines will thereafter be effective for the November 2016 special election. If necessary, the county board of education of the county shall reapportion the board of education districts in accordance with applicable law as soon as practicable after the results of the 2020 decennial census are published and as soon as practicable after every decennial census thereafter. The new county board of education, with the written approval of the State Board of Education, shall provide for the administrative consolidation of the school districts in the county into one (1) countywide school district on or before July 1 next following the November 2016 election. The new county board of education shall serve as the school board for the school district. Any school district affected by the required administrative consolidation that does not voluntarily consolidate with the new school district ordered by the county board of education shall be administratively consolidated by the State Board of Education with the countywide school district, to be effective on July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. The State Board of Education shall promptly move on its own motion to administratively consolidate any school district which does not voluntarily consolidate in order to enable the affected school districts to reasonably accomplish the resulting administrative consolidation into one (1) countywide school district by July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. All affected school districts shall comply with any consolidation order issued by the county board of education or the State Board of Education, as the case may be, on or before July 1 following the election of the new county board of education.

(3) On July 1 following the election of the new county board of education, the former board of trustees of the affected school districts located in the county shall be abolished. All real and personal property which is owned or titled in the name of a school district located in the former school district shall be transferred to the new reorganized school district of the county in which the former school district is located. The State Board of Education shall be responsible for establishing the contracts for teachers and principals for the next school year following the required administrative consolidation with the consultation of the newly elected successor county board of education. The successor county board of education shall appoint the new county superintendent of education for the reorganized school district. The county superintendent of education of the reorganized school districts shall not be elected but shall thereafter be appointed by the successor county board of education in the manner provided in Section 37-9-25. Any superintendent serving in the former school districts shall be eligible for appointment as a superintendent in the Winona-Montgomery School District; however, if the former school district has a rating grade of "D" or "F," the superintendent of the former school district shall not be eligible for appointment as the new superintendent. The selection of the appointed county superintendent of education and the assistant superintendent of education in the central administration office of the successor county school district shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education with the approval of the State Board of Education. No such administratively consolidated school district shall have more than one (1) assistant superintendent of education. It shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education, with approval of the State Board of Education, to prepare and approve the budget of the new reorganized district, and the county board of education may use staff from the former school district to prepare the budget. Any proposed order of the successor county board of education directing the transfer of the assets, real or personal property of an affected school district in the county, shall be submitted to and approved by the State Board of Education. The finding of the State Board of Education shall be final and conclusive for the purposes of the transfer of property required by the administrative consolidation. Any person or school district aggrieved by an order of the successor county school board of education pursuant to the required administrative consolidation may appeal therefrom to the State Board of Education within ten (10) days from the date of the adjournment of the meeting at which the order is entered. The appeal shall be de novo, and the finding of the State Board of Education upon such question shall be final and conclusive for the purpose of the approval or disapproval of the action by the county board of education.

(5) In the administratively consolidated countywide school district created under this section, the ad valorem tax rate shall be determined as set forth under Section 37-57-1 et seq.

SECTION 5. The following shall be codified as Section 37-7-104.8, Mississippi Code of 1972:

37-7-104.8. (1) In Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, in which are located, as of January 1, 2015, two (2) school districts, there shall be an administrative consolidation of those school districts into one (1) countywide school district, which shall be known as the Tallahatchie County School District, and which shall have one (1) county board of education.

(2) On or before September 1, 2015, the State Board of Education shall serve the affected local school boards in Tallahatchie County with notice and instructions regarding the timetable for action to be taken to comply with the administrative consolidation required in this section. In that county, there shall be a new county board of education elected in a November 2016 special election which shall be called for that purpose and the new county board members shall be elected as provided in Section 37-5-7. However, it shall be the responsibility of the board of supervisors of the county to apportion the countywide school district into five (5) new single member board of education districts which shall be consistent with the supervisors district lines in the county. The board of supervisors of the county shall thereafter publish the same in some newspaper of general circulation in the county for at least three (3) consecutive weeks and after having given notice of publication and recording the same upon the minutes of the board of supervisors of each affected school district in the county, the new district lines will thereafter be effective for the November 2016 special election. If necessary, the county board of education of the county shall reapportion the board of education districts in accordance with applicable law as soon as practicable after the results of the 2020 decennial census are published and as soon as practicable after every decennial census thereafter. The new county board of education, with the written approval of the State Board of Education, shall provide for the administrative consolidation of the school districts in the county into one (1) countywide school district on or before July 1 next following the November 2016 election. The new county board of education shall serve as the school board for the school district. Any school district affected by the required administrative consolidation that does not voluntarily consolidate with the new school district ordered by the county board of education shall be administratively consolidated by the State Board of Education with the countywide school district, to be effective on July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. The State Board of Education shall promptly move on its own motion to administratively consolidate any school district which does not voluntarily consolidate in order to enable the affected school districts to reasonably accomplish the resulting administrative consolidation into one (1) countywide school district by July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. All affected school districts shall comply with any consolidation order issued by the county board of education or the State Board of Education, as the case may be, on or before July 1 following the election of the new county board of education.

(3) On July 1 following the election of the new county board of education, the former county board of education and the former board of trustees of the municipal separate school district located in the county shall be abolished. All real and personal property which is owned or titled in the name of a school district located in the former school district shall be transferred to the new reorganized school district of the county in which the former school district is located. The State Board of Education shall be responsible for establishing the contracts for teachers and principals for the next school year following the required administrative consolidation with the consultation of the newly elected successor county board of education. The successor county board of education shall appoint the new county superintendent of education for the reorganized school district. The county superintendent of education of the reorganized school districts shall not be elected but shall thereafter be appointed by the successor county board of education in the manner provided in Section 37-9-25. Any superintendent serving in the former school districts shall be eligible for appointment as a superintendent in the Tallahatchie County School District; however, if the former school district has a rating grade of "D" or "F," the superintendent of the former school district shall not be eligible for appointment as the new superintendent. The selection of the appointed county superintendent of education and the assistant superintendent of education in the central administration office of the successor county school district shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education with the approval of the State Board of Education. No such administratively consolidated school district shall have more than one (1) assistant superintendent of education. It shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education, with approval of the State Board of Education, to prepare and approve the budget of the new reorganized district, and the county board of education may use staff from the former school district to prepare the budget. Any proposed order of the successor county board of education directing the transfer of the assets, real or personal property of an affected school district in the county, shall be submitted to and approved by the State Board of Education. The finding of the State Board of Education shall be final and conclusive for the purposes of the transfer of property required by the administrative consolidation. Any person or school district aggrieved by an order of the successor county school board of education pursuant to the required administrative consolidation may appeal therefrom to the State Board of Education within ten (10) days from the date of the adjournment of the meeting at which the order is entered. The appeal shall be de novo, and the finding of the State Board of Education upon such question shall be final and conclusive for the purpose of the approval or disapproval of the action by the county board of education.

(5) In the administratively consolidated countywide school district created under this section, the ad valorem tax rate shall be determined as set forth under Section 37-57-1 et seq.

SECTION 6. The following shall be codified as Section 37-7-104.9, Mississippi Code of 1972:

37-7-104.9. (1) In Washington County, Mississippi, in which are located, as of January 1, 2015, four (4) school districts, there shall be an administrative consolidation of the Hollandale School District, the Leland School District and the Western Line School District into one (1) new consolidated school district, which shall be known as the Washington County School District. The central administrative office of the Washington County School District shall be located in Leland, Mississippi.

(2) On or before September 1, 2015, the State Board of Education shall serve the affected local school boards in Washington County with notice and instructions regarding the timetable for action to be taken to comply with the administrative consolidation required in this section. In the new consolidated school district, there shall be a new consolidated school district board of trustees elected in a November 2016 special election which shall be called by the Governor for that purpose. The new consolidated school district board of trustees shall be elected and the terms of office established as provided in Section 37-7-207. It shall be the responsibility of the State Board of Education with the assistance of the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) to apportion the new county school district into five (5) new single member board of trustee election districts for the new consolidated district. The State Board of Education shall thereafter publish the same in some newspaper of general circulation in the county for at least three (3) consecutive weeks and after having given notice of publication and recording the same upon the minutes of the board of supervisors of each affected school district in the county, the new district lines will thereafter be effective for the November 2016 special election. Any school board member of the former school district residing in the proper election district shall be eligible for election to the county board of education for the Washington County School District. The county board of education of the new consolidated school district shall reapportion the board of education districts in accordance with the procedure described in Section 37-7-207, Mississippi Code of 1972, as is necessary as soon as practicable after the results of the 2020 decennial census are published and as soon as practicable after every decennial census thereafter. Any school district affected by the required administrative consolidation in the county that does not voluntarily consolidate with the new school district ordered by the State Board of Education shall be administratively consolidated by the State Board of Education with the appropriate school district, to be effective on July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. The State Board of Education shall promptly move on its own motion to administratively consolidate a school district which does not voluntarily consolidate in order to enable the affected school districts to reasonably accomplish the resulting administrative consolidation into one (1) school district by July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. All affected school districts shall comply with any consolidation order issued by the State Board of Education on or before July 1 following the election of the new county board of education.

(3) On July 1 following the election of the new county board of education in Washington County, the former boards trustees of any affected school districts shall be abolished. All real and personal property which is owned or titled in the name of a school district located in the former school districts shall be transferred to the new reorganized school district of Washington County in which the former school districts are located. The State Board of Education shall be responsible for establishing the contracts for teachers and principals for the next school year following the required administrative consolidation with the consultation of the newly elected successor county board of education. The successor county board of education shall appoint the new county superintendent of education for the reorganized school district. The county superintendent of education of the reorganized school districts shall not be elected but shall thereafter be appointed by the successor county board of education in the manner provided in Section 37-9-25. Any superintendent serving in the former school district shall be eligible for appointment as a superintendent in the new Washington County School District, except in the case that the former school district has a rating grade of "D" or "F." The selection of the appointed county superintendent of education and the assistant superintendent of education in the central administration office of the successor county school district shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education with the approval of the State Board of Education. No such administratively consolidated school district shall have more than one (1) assistant superintendent of education. It shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education, with approval of the State Board of Education, to prepare and approve the budget of the new reorganized district, and the county board of education may use staff from the former school districts to prepare the budget. Any proposed order of the successor county board of education directing the transfer of the assets, real or personal property of an affected school district in the county, shall be submitted to and approved by the State Board of Education. The finding of the State Board of Education shall be final and conclusive for the purposes of the transfer of property required by the administrative consolidation. Any person or school district aggrieved by an order of the successor county school board of education pursuant to the required administrative consolidation may appeal therefrom to the State Board of Education within ten (10) days from the date of the adjournment of the meeting at which the order is entered. The appeal shall be de novo, and the finding of the State Board of Education upon such question shall be final and conclusive for the purpose of the approval or disapproval of the action by the county board of education.

(5) In the administratively consolidated school district created under this section, the ad valorem tax rate shall be determined as set forth under Section 37-57-1 et seq.

SECTION 7. The following shall be codified as Section 37-7-104.10, Mississippi Code of 1972:

37-7-104.10. (1) In Yalobusha County, Mississippi, in which are located, as of January 1, 2015, two (2) school districts, there shall be an administrative consolidation of those school districts into one (1) countywide school district, which shall be known as the Yalobusha County School District, and which shall have one (1) county board of education. The central administrative office of the Yalobusha County School District shall be located in Water Valley, Mississippi.

(2) On or before September 1, 2015, the State Board of Education shall serve the affected local school boards in Yalobusha County with notice and instructions regarding the timetable for action to be taken to comply with the administrative consolidation required in this section. In that county, there shall be a new county board of education elected in a November 2016 special election which shall be called for that purpose and the new county board members shall be elected as provided in Section 37-5-7. However, it shall be the responsibility of the board of supervisors of the county to apportion the countywide school district into five (5) new single member board of education districts which shall be consistent with the supervisors district lines in the county. The board of supervisors of the county shall thereafter publish the same in some newspaper of general circulation in the county for at least three (3) consecutive weeks and after having given notice of publication and recording the same upon the minutes of the board of supervisors of each affected school district in the county, the new district lines will thereafter be effective for the November 2016 special election. If necessary, the county board of education of the county shall reapportion the board of education districts in accordance with applicable law as soon as practicable after the results of the 2020 decennial census are published and as soon as practicable after every decennial census thereafter. The new county board of education, with the written approval of the State Board of Education, shall provide for the administrative consolidation of the school districts in the county into one (1) countywide school district on or before July 1 next following the November 2016 election. The new county board of education shall serve as the school board for the school district. Any school district affected by the required administrative consolidation that does not voluntarily consolidate with the new school district ordered by the county board of education shall be administratively consolidated by the State Board of Education with the countywide school district, to be effective on July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. The State Board of Education shall promptly move on its own motion to administratively consolidate any school district which does not voluntarily consolidate in order to enable the affected school districts to reasonably accomplish the resulting administrative consolidation into one (1) countywide school district by July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. All affected school districts shall comply with any consolidation order issued by the county board of education or the State Board of Education, as the case may be, on or before July 1 following the election of the new county board of education.

(3) On July 1 following the election of the new county board of education, the former board of trustees of the affected school districts located in the county shall be abolished. All real and personal property which is owned or titled in the name of a school district located in the former school district shall be transferred to the new reorganized school district of the county in which the former school district is located. The State Board of Education shall be responsible for establishing the contracts for teachers and principals for the next school year following the required administrative consolidation with the consultation of the newly elected successor county board of education. The successor county board of education shall appoint the new county superintendent of education for the reorganized school district. The county superintendent of education of the reorganized school districts shall not be elected but shall thereafter be appointed by the successor county board of education in the manner provided in Section 37-9-25. Any superintendent serving in the former school districts shall be eligible for appointment as a superintendent in the Yalobusha County School District; however, if the former school district has a rating grade of "D" or "F," the superintendent of the former school district shall not be eligible for appointment as the new superintendent. The selection of the appointed county superintendent of education and the assistant superintendent of education in the central administration office of the successor county school district shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education with the approval of the State Board of Education. No such administratively consolidated school district shall have more than one (1) assistant superintendent of education. It shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education, with approval of the State Board of Education, to prepare and approve the budget of the new reorganized district, and the county board of education may use staff from the former school district to prepare the budget. Any proposed order of the successor county board of education directing the transfer of the assets, real or personal property of an affected school district in the county, shall be submitted to and approved by the State Board of Education. The finding of the State Board of Education shall be final and conclusive for the purposes of the transfer of property required by the administrative consolidation. Any person or school district aggrieved by an order of the successor county school board of education pursuant to the required administrative consolidation may appeal therefrom to the State Board of Education within ten (10) days from the date of the adjournment of the meeting at which the order is entered. The appeal shall be de novo, and the finding of the State Board of Education upon such question shall be final and conclusive for the purpose of the approval or disapproval of the action by the county board of education.

(5) In the administratively consolidated countywide school district created under this section, the ad valorem tax rate shall be determined as set forth under Section 37-57-1 et seq.

SECTION 8. The following shall be codified as Section 37-7-104.11, Mississippi Code of 1972:

37-7-104.11. (1) In Panola County, Mississippi, in which are located, as of January 1, 2015, two (2) school districts, there shall be an administrative consolidation of those school districts into one (1) countywide school district, which shall be known as the Panola County School District, and which shall have one (1) county board of education. The central administrative office of the Panola County School District shall be located in Batesville, Mississippi.

(2) On or before September 1, 2015, the State Board of Education shall serve the affected local school boards in Panola County with notice and instructions regarding the timetable for action to be taken to comply with the administrative consolidation required in this section. In that county, there shall be a new county board of education elected in a November 2016 special election which shall be called for that purpose and the new county board members shall be elected as provided in Section 37-5-7. However, it shall be the responsibility of the board of supervisors of the county to apportion the countywide school district into five (5) new single member board of education districts which shall be consistent with the supervisors district lines in the county. The board of supervisors of the county shall thereafter publish the same in some newspaper of general circulation in the county for at least three (3) consecutive weeks and after having given notice of publication and recording the same upon the minutes of the board of supervisors of each affected school district in the county, the new district lines will thereafter be effective for the November 2016 special election. If necessary, the county board of education of the county shall reapportion the board of education districts in accordance with applicable law as soon as practicable after the results of the 2020 decennial census are published and as soon as practicable after every decennial census thereafter. The new county board of education, with the written approval of the State Board of Education, shall provide for the administrative consolidation of the school districts in the county into one (1) countywide school district on or before July 1 next following the November 2016 election. The new county board of education shall serve as the school board for the school district. Any school district affected by the required administrative consolidation that does not voluntarily consolidate with the new school district ordered by the county board of education shall be administratively consolidated by the State Board of Education with the countywide school district, to be effective on July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. The State Board of Education shall promptly move on its own motion to administratively consolidate any school district which does not voluntarily consolidate in order to enable the affected school districts to reasonably accomplish the resulting administrative consolidation into one (1) countywide school district by July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. All affected school districts shall comply with any consolidation order issued by the county board of education or the State Board of Education, as the case may be, on or before July 1 following the election of the new county board of education.

(3) On July 1 following the election of the new county board of education, the former board of trustees of the affected school districts located in the county shall be abolished. All real and personal property which is owned or titled in the name of a school district located in the former school district shall be transferred to the new reorganized school district of the county in which the former school district is located. The State Board of Education shall be responsible for establishing the contracts for teachers and principals for the next school year following the required administrative consolidation with the consultation of the newly elected successor county board of education. The successor county board of education shall appoint the new county superintendent of education for the reorganized school district. The county superintendent of education of the reorganized school districts shall not be elected but shall thereafter be appointed by the successor county board of education in the manner provided in Section 37-9-25. Any superintendent serving in the former school districts shall be eligible for appointment as a superintendent in the Panola County School District; however, if the former school district has a rating grade of "D" or "F," the superintendent of the former school district shall not be eligible for appointment as the new superintendent. The selection of the appointed county superintendent of education and the assistant superintendent of education in the central administration office of the successor county school district shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education with the approval of the State Board of Education. No such administratively consolidated school district shall have more than one (1) assistant superintendent of education. It shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education, with approval of the State Board of Education, to prepare and approve the budget of the new reorganized district, and the county board of education may use staff from the former school district to prepare the budget. Any proposed order of the successor county board of education directing the transfer of the assets, real or personal property of an affected school district in the county, shall be submitted to and approved by the State Board of Education. The finding of the State Board of Education shall be final and conclusive for the purposes of the transfer of property required by the administrative consolidation. Any person or school district aggrieved by an order of the successor county school board of education pursuant to the required administrative consolidation may appeal therefrom to the State Board of Education within ten (10) days from the date of the adjournment of the meeting at which the order is entered. The appeal shall be de novo, and the finding of the State Board of Education upon such question shall be final and conclusive for the purpose of the approval or disapproval of the action by the county board of education.

(5) In the administratively consolidated countywide school district created under this section, the ad valorem tax rate shall be determined as set forth under Section 37-57-1 et seq.

SECTION 9. The following shall be codified as Section 37-7-104.12, Mississippi Code of 1972:

37-7-104.12. (1) In Coahoma County, Mississippi, in which are located, as of January 1, 2015, three (3) school districts, there shall be an administrative consolidation of the Coahoma County School District and the Clarksdale School District into one (1) countywide school district, which shall be known as the Clarksdale-Coahoma School District, and which shall have one (1) county board of education. The central administrative office of the Clarksdale-Coahoma Consolidated School District shall be located in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

(2) On or before September 1, 2015, the State Board of Education shall serve the affected local school boards in Coahoma County with notice and instructions regarding the timetable for action to be taken to comply with the administrative consolidation required in this section. In that county, there shall be a new county board of education elected in a November 2016 special election which shall be called for that purpose and the new county board members shall be elected as provided in Section 37-5-7. However, it shall be the responsibility of the board of supervisors of the county to apportion the new county school district into five (5) new single member board of education districts which shall be consistent with the supervisors district lines in the county. The board of supervisors of the county shall thereafter publish the same in some newspaper of general circulation in the county for at least three (3) consecutive weeks and after having given notice of publication and recording the same upon the minutes of the board of supervisors of each affected school district in the county, the new district lines will thereafter be effective for the November 2016 special election. If necessary, the county board of education of the county shall reapportion the board of education districts in accordance with applicable law as soon as practicable after the results of the 2020 decennial census are published and as soon as practicable after every decennial census thereafter. The new county board of education, with the written approval of the State Board of Education, shall provide for the administrative consolidation of the affected school districts in the county into one (1) county school district on or before July 1 next following the November 2016 election. The new county board of education shall serve as the school board for the school district. Any school district affected by the required administrative consolidation that does not voluntarily consolidate with the new school district ordered by the county board of education shall be administratively consolidated by the State Board of Education with the county school district, to be effective on July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. The State Board of Education shall promptly move on its own motion to administratively consolidate any school district which does not voluntarily consolidate in order to enable the affected school districts to reasonably accomplish the resulting administrative consolidation into one (1) county school district by July 1 following the election of the new county board of education. All affected school districts shall comply with any consolidation order issued by the county board of education or the State Board of Education, as the case may be, on or before July 1 following the election of the new county board of education.

(3) On July 1 following the election of the new county board of education, the former board of trustees of the affected school districts located in the county shall be abolished. All real and personal property which is owned or titled in the name of a school district located in the former school district shall be transferred to the new reorganized school district of the county in which the former school district is located. The State Board of Education shall be responsible for establishing the contracts for teachers and principals for the next school year following the required administrative consolidation with the consultation of the newly elected successor county board of education. The successor county board of education shall appoint the new county superintendent of education for the reorganized school district. The county superintendent of education of the reorganized school districts shall not be elected but shall thereafter be appointed by the successor county board of education in the manner provided in Section 37-9-25. Any superintendent serving in the former school districts shall be eligible for appointment as a superintendent in the Clarkdale-Coahoma School District; however, if the former school district has a rating grade of "D" or "F," the superintendent of the former school district shall not be eligible for appointment as the new superintendent. The selection of the appointed county superintendent of education and the assistant superintendent of education in the central administration office of the successor county school district shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education with the approval of the State Board of Education. No such administratively consolidated school district shall have more than one (1) assistant superintendent of education. It shall be the responsibility of the successor county board of education, with approval of the State Board of Education, to prepare and approve the budget of the new reorganized district, and the county board of education may use staff from the former school district to prepare the budget. Any proposed order of the successor county board of education directing the transfer of the assets, real or personal property of an affected school district in the county, shall be submitted to and approved by the State Board of Education. The finding of the State Board of Education shall be final and conclusive for the purposes of the transfer of property required by the administrative consolidation. Any person or school district aggrieved by an order of the successor county school board of education pursuant to the required administrative consolidation may appeal therefrom to the State Board of Education within ten (10) days from the date of the adjournment of the meeting at which the order is entered. The appeal shall be de novo, and the finding of the State Board of Education upon such question shall be final and conclusive for the purpose of the approval or disapproval of the action by the county board of education.

(5) In the administratively consolidated countywide school district created under this section, the ad valorem tax rate shall be determined as set forth under Section 37-57-1 et seq.

SECTION 10. Section 37-7-103, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-7-103. From and after July 1, 1987, the school board of any school district shall have full jurisdiction, power and authority, at any regular meeting thereof or at any special meeting called for that purpose, to abolish such existing district, or to reorganize, change or alter the boundaries of any such district. In addition thereto, with the consent of the school board of the school district involved, the school board may add to such school district any part of the school district adjoining same, and with the consent of the school board of the school district involved, may detach territory from such school district and annex same to an adjoining district. Provided, however, that the consent of the school board of the school districts involved in implementing the provisions of Sections 37-7-104 * * *~~or Section~~, 37-7-104.2 * * *~~or Section~~, 37-7-104.3, 37-7-104.4, 37-7-104.5, 37-7-104.6, 37-7-104.7, 37-7-104.8, 37-7-104.9, 37-7-104.10, 37-7-104.11, * * *~~37‑7‑104.12,~~ 37-7-104.13 and 37-27-79, shall not be required for the administrative consolidation of such school districts pursuant to the order of the State Board of Education.

SECTION 11. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2015.