The Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District and Mississippi State University have signed a memorandum of understanding to relocate Starkville High School to the MSU campus.

The agreement, announced at an event on Sept. 25, outlines plans for the district’s only public high school to relocate to a newly constructed facility on university property near Partnership Middle School, which already houses sixth and seventh-grade students on campus. Partnership Middle School also assists in training MSU students in the College of Education.

MSU President Mark Keenum and SOCSD Superintendent Tony McGee signed the agreement, formalizing discussions about strengthening ties between the two institutions. While the district will continue to own and operate the high school, building on MSU property provides room for new construction and future growth.

The memorandum of understanding follows the submission of proposals by MSU and the Mississippi University for Women in February to house the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, which is currently on MUW’s campus. According to MSU’s proposal, MSMS and SHS were to be housed on the same campus, with the opportunity for students to collaborate in academic, athletic, and arts programs. The Mississippi State Board of Education voted unanimously to move the MSMS campus to MSU, but the Mississippi legislature did not address the matter before the session ended for the year.

According to the Commercial Dispatch, MSMS is no longer a part of the construction plans for the new SHS campus.