State lawmakers have filed a new amendment to a proposal addressing a funding dispute involving breakaway school districts. The latest version outlines how newly formed districts would separate from existing ones, including how assets, property, and funding would be divided. It sets requirements for a detachment election and establishes a process for transferring facilities, equipment, and other resources to a new district.
The amendment also details how funding would follow students, with a portion of state foundation funding required to move to a newly created district, along with a timeline for that transfer.
The issue stems from efforts by two rural schools in Stone County to break away from a larger district after concerns about possible school closures. Those schools were originally consolidated under a 2003 state law requiring smaller districts to merge.
The proposal continues to draw strong reaction locally, with lawmakers reporting a high volume of public feedback in recent days. The updated plan is part of ongoing efforts at the Capitol to address the situation ahead of the next school year.
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