Video: House Bill Guts Funding for Proposed Middle School

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JACKSON and STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The lawmakers holding the purse strings have chopped up a bill originally proposing $10 million dollars for a partnership middle school in the Starkville-Oktibbeha County School District..

The state House Ways and Means Committee approved a $1 million dollar substitute for House Bill 1597.

That’s not enough to fund the $30 million dollar school.

Educators and local lawmakers hoped one third of the money could come from the state, one third from Mississippi State University, with local taxpayers picking up the rest with a bond issue.

If passed by the state house and senate, state money will be earmarked for two years to build and maintain the proposed 102,000-square-foot facility for 6th and 7th grade students on the Mississippi State campus.

According to planners, a 43-acre site on the MSU campus near the state Highway 182 main entrance has been chosen.

State Representative Gary Chism of Columbus , along with Starkville’s Tyrone Ellis, Rob Roberson and Jeff Smith are behind the legislation