With the state set to decide where the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science will be located, contrasting proposals to house the school from Mississippi State University and Mississippi University for Women reveal at least a $50 million price difference, with Starkville emerging as the more expensive option.
The State Board of Education asked both MUW and MSU to submit proposals to operate and house the high school as it expands operations. After reviewing the proposals, the board will make a recommendation to the legislature. Any changes the state prescribes will go into effect in the 2026-2027 school year.
Both universities made their proposals public Wednesday.
The state board is currently seeking input from education stakeholders on the merit of the two proposals. Written comments can be emailed to Chief Academic Officer Donna Boone at [email protected]. The deadline for public input is 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Arguing to keep MSMS on campus, The W proposes building a new $35 million residence hall for the high school as well as expanded academic offerings.
“The partnership between MSMS and MUW is a proven success,” MUW’s proposal reads. “The decision to keep MSMS at MUW rather than start over in another location is both fiscally responsible and academically sound.”
MSU proposes building a new, expanded MSMS campus (MSMS:E) on the north edge of its campus, sharing a campus with a new Starkville High School and the Partnership Middle School. The MSMS:E facilities on the campus would require $85 million in state funding, according to the proposal.
“In addition to a new high school for (Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District), MSU and SOCSD aspire to be on the forefront of secondary education by partnering to house a new MSMS:E residential magnet school focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics,” the proposal reads.
MSMS opened in 1987 at The W and occupies Hooper and Shackleford academic buildings for classrooms and Goen and Frazer halls for dormitory space, all of which are in need of updates or have fallen into disrepair.
MSU’s proposal
Located at the corner of Highway 182 and George Perry Drive, the new MSMS:E campus would consist of a dormitory and an academic building. Other facilities used by MSMS:E students, including a library, cafeteria and performing arts center, would be shared with SOCSD students.
The facilities at MSU would have capacity for 300 juniors and seniors, plus room for a potential expansion of 150 sophomores.
Currently, MSMS is a residential high school for gifted juniors and seniors.
The new MSMS:E would also have a heavier workforce development focus. The proposal said programs of study for the students will be geared toward career paths that meet the state’s workforce development needs, like “health sciences, defense industry, cybersecurity” and others.
“They will also have an opportunity to be dual enrolled in the SOCSD, which will allow MSMS:E students to take advanced placement and other specialized courses with SOCSD students, experience extracurricular activities with SOCSD and build relationships and comradery with SOCSD students and faculty,” the proposal reads.
SOCSD students would also be allowed to enroll in advanced academic courses at MSMS:E.
The proposal also mentions exploring opportunities for MSMS:E students to participate on SOCSD teams for Mississippi High School Athletic Association competition sports.
While the proposal said SOCSD has committed $86 million toward construction of new facilities, the district has not secured those funds. The board of trustees approved a resolution of intent to borrow those funds in June 2023, but has since only issued $1 million of that total.
State law allows the district to periodically issue bonds to improve district facilities between July 2015 and July 2024. A bill passed during the 2024 legislative session extended that window to July 2027. The decision could be subject to a referendum if 20% of voters in the school district petition for an election.
MSMS:E students would also have access to the main MSU campus and its research facilities.
“We can significantly expand access for many more students to experience innovative basic and applied research in the fields of mathematics, science, engineering, social sciences and more,” the proposal reads. “This hands-on experience will prepare students for future academic and professional success.”
If MSU is selected, the goal is to complete the facility by the beginning of the 2027-2028 school year. But if MDE intends to stick to its 2026-2027 goal, the proposal said MSU and SOCSD are prepared to temporarily take the students before the facility is finished “by utilizing available space on both MSU and SOCSD campuses for housing and classrooms.”
MUW’s proposal
Citing 37 years of partnership, The W’s proposal argues keeping MSMS on the campus is cost-effective and would cause less disruption to the high school.
The proposal includes an expansion of academic support and learning opportunities for MSMS students should the school stay at The W. The university would increase dual credit course offerings available to MSMS students.
MUW is also proposing a joint honors experience with the Ida E. Gordy Honors College, opportunities for MSMS students to earn academic certificates, more research opportunities and “expanded joint education experiences in the fine and performing arts.”
The W is proposing building a new residence hall for MSMS estimated at $35 million. The new building, which would be located on the southeast side of the campus, would have capacity for 400 if MSMS were to increase enrollment to include sophomores.
MUW President Nora Miller said the university has worked on identifying areas for new buildings or existing buildings to renovate for MSMS as a part of the university’s master plan. Originally, that included possibly renovating Fant and Peyton halls, but MSMS decided a new building would be more suitable for a higher enrollment.
“We think that for an additional $25 million, we could update Hooper Science, which is their main building, Shackleford and the Mary Wilson Home, where their administration is,” Miller told The Dispatch on Thursday, although that work isn’t in the proposal.
With the additional renovations and construction of a new dorm, MUW proposes the high school’s facilities could be updated for $60 million, which is $25 million short of MSU’s estimate for new facilities.
The proposal calls on the state board and the legislature to adequately fund MSMS, a point Miller made clear in a press conference earlier this week.
“MUW does not have funding sources for MSMS outside of legislative sources and funding through (MDE), although the discounted services that MUW provides to MSMS should be considered as a ‘funding source,’” the proposal reads.
MDE is responsible for creating a budget for MSMS each year, which includes several service fees to The W. In total, the high school pays just more than $271,000 to operate on MUW’s campus. According to the proposal, that is almost a 90% discount on the overall cost of hosting the school.
“MSMS has 164,519 dedicated square footage; the maintenance fee calculates to 69 cents per square foot, well short of the $6 per square foot recommended by the Association of Physical Plant Administrators standards,” the proposal reads. “… Not one of the other fees covers the cost of a full-time person in any of the areas.”
Links to proposals:
Mississippi University for Women’s proposal
Mississippi State University’s proposal
McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.
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