Under a new Mississippi law, local school boards can appoint replacements for elected superintendents who resign in the next three years.
The law was prompted by the Dec. 31 resignation of the Webster County superintendent, who had three years left in his term. Without a change in state law, the county would have paid about $50,000 for a special election to fill the job.
Mississippi has some elected and some appointed school superintendents. A law enacted last year makes this the final term for the 55 elected ones. Beginning in 2020, all superintendents will be appointed by local school boards.
