Senate bill that could consolidate Lumberton schools passes committee

LUMBERTON, MS (WDAM) - A Senate bill that could disband the Lumberton School District and send students to Lamar or Pearl River County schools has passed through the Senate Education Committee.

Sen. Gray Tollison, who is the chairman of the Senate Education Committee, introduced Senate Bill 2500, which would "abolish the former school district following the administrative consolidation and provide for the transfer of school district assets and liabilities" starting July 1, 2018.

The bill reads:

An act to provide that there shall be an administrative  consolidation of the Lumberton public school district; to provide  that the territory of the Lumberton public school district located  in Lamar County shall be transferred to the Lamar County school  district and the territory of the Lumberton Public School District  located in pearl river county shall be transferred to the  Poplarville separate school district; to provide for an interim  trustee; to provide that students enrolled in the schools of the  former Lumberton Public School District shall be granted an automatic transfer by the Lamar County Board of Education or the Poplarville School Board, as determined by the residence of the student, to continue to attend the schools located in the former Lumberton Public School District."

The bill now moves to the full Mississippi Senate for a vote.

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