An A-rated public high school.
A major research university. A historic moment. 

At the center of that moment is a new and groundbreaking facility now under construction – the new Starkville High School. We believe it will change and expand opportunities for Oktibbeha County students for generations to come. Located on the MSU campus, the new high school is a partnership between Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District and Mississippi State University.

• Serving all 9th-12th grade students in Oktibbeha County
• State-of-the-art academic, arts and athletic spaces
• 900-seat Performing Arts Center to house Yellow Jacket award-winning band, choral and theater programs
• Two gymnasium spaces to house Yellow Jacket volleyball and championship basketball
• Fronting Hwy 182 for high community and visitor visibility
• Proximity to main MSU campus for access to dual enrollment and expanded learning opportunities
• Opening Summer 2028

"It's a new era for Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District and our expanded partnership with MSU. This new high school provides our boys and girls with a new opportunity beyond what you find in a traditional high school because it is partnered with a major university. There's not another one in the state or across the nation."

Dr. Tony McGee, SOCSD Superintendent

Student opportunities first.

Designed to maximize our ability to provide ever-expanding opportunities for 9th-12th grade students in academics, advanced studies, the arts, activities and athletics, the new Starkville High School will sit adjacent to the primary entrance to Mississippi State University on the north edge of campus. From the first view of the building down Starkville's 182 corridor, to the view of the stage curtain rising on the 900-seat Performing Arts Center, it's the view of the future that matters most. 

Just imagine. Twenty-first century high school classrooms and hands-on learning spaces will sit in walking distance of college lecture halls, high-tech laboratories, and historic archives as students are able to attend performances, lectures, and more importantly, dual enrollment courses that will give them a leg up on many of their peers from across the nation. 

For Oktibbeha County students, these opportunities will represent more than a chance to move seamlessly from one campus to another. They will represent a seamless transition from high school to pursuing lifelong dreams, boosted by tools and experiences that instill confidence. Yes, the view of the future is compelling...

• A first-generation college student who already knows his way around the MSU campus and a few professors, too – just in case he needs help to navigate the experience
   
• An inspired high school junior who leaves basketball practice to work alongside MSU graduate students as they pursue the real-world applications of game-changing research
   
• A budding theater performer who is gaining experience in the limelight, in the "black box" or in the pit of a stage patterned after the professional venues she admires... Please hold your applause. 

"By working together, we are creating new and exciting opportunities for students along every step of their educational journey. The new Starkville High School will be a true asset and resource for not only our community, but a model for innovative teaching, learning, discovery and career and technical education for school districts around the state and across the country.”

Dr. Mark Keenum, Mississippi State University President

First in the nation.

The new Starkville High School, built in partnership with Mississippi State University, is the first of its kind in the nation that places a 9th-12th grade traditional high school on a college campus. 

What makes it the first? There are many schools that currently exist on college campuses across the country and the state – including ones here in the Golden Triangle. However, those schools have been built around a "magnet school" model with recruitment for a limited enrollment based on various criteria ranging from academic giftedness, artistic ability, trade-industry involvement, or even military interest. 

What makes the SHS project different? We are proud that the new high school will serve ALL students in Oktibbeha County with no limited enrollment or specific academic focus. The project is the only one of its kind in Mississippi and the nation that will house all 9th-12th grade high school students from a single district on a college campus. The project built in partnership with MSU will truly seek to engage every student's passion, purpose and potential through a broad spectrum of opportunities in a dynamic space, ripe for hands-on learning and future-ready preparation.

[Click to find out what makes SOCSD one of the top 100 Districts on the Rise nationally.]