MS SB2788

Repeals the 2017 commission that was studying Perry County school district consolidation and instead mandates administrative consolidation of Perry County School District and Richton School District into one Perry County School District effective July 1, 2019.

Requires the State Board of Education to appoint an interim trustee by July 1, 2018, to manage the transition, with authority over budget merging, staffing decisions, and curriculum alignment until a new superintendent is hired.

Establishes an Interim County Board of Education to be elected in November 2018 (3 members from former Perry County territory, 2 from former Richton territory) serving one-year terms, followed by regular elections in November 2019 under standard supervisor district lines.

Transfers all assets, property, and debt from both former school districts to the new Perry County School District, with the Perry County Board of Supervisors serving as the levying authority for taxes.

Grants a two-year waiver from state accountability and assessment requirements for the consolidated district's student population, pending U.S. Department of Education approval.