School and District Transformation

Office Objectives

• Serve as the liaison between the Mississippi Department of Education and the school districts that are under state control by providing a clear course of transformation: establishing high expectations for all students, using data to track student progress and performance, and reflecting frequently on the effectiveness of the school/district transformation process.
• Supervise the comprehensive articulation of district transformation efforts by the Mississippi Department of Education in the education community and the community at-large.
• Provide direction, guidance, and support in the school/district transformation process while monitoring the implementation process.
• Collaborate frequently with the Interim Superintendents to implement on-going evaluation and improvement of instructional programs.
• Work collaboratively with other program offices in the Mississippi Department of Education to deploy the necessary supports to the schools.

State of Emergency

Whenever the governor declares a state of emergency in a school district, the State Board of Education may assign an interim superintendent to the local school district.  For states of emergency declared under 37-17-6(11)(b), the State Board of Education may abolish the school district and assume control and administration of the schools formerly constituting the district and appoint an interim superintendent.

The reasons for declaring a state of emergency in a local school district include, but are limited to, the following:

• An extreme emergency exists in a school district that jeopardizes the safety or educational interests of the children enrolled in the schools in that district and that the emergency is believed to be related to a serious violation or violations of accreditation standards or state or federal law;
• If a school district meets the State Board of Education’s definition of a failing school district for two (2) consecutive full school years;
• Or in the event that more than fifty percent (50%) of the schools within the school district are designated as Schools At-Risk in any one year;
• A lack of financial resources; or
• Failure to meet minimum academic standards as evidenced by a continued pattern of poor student performance.

History of District Takeovers

Achievement School Districts