Mississippi’s education accountability scores on the rise

Mississippi colleges proceed to carry out above expectations popping out of COVID, with 91 p.c of college districts receiving a grade of “C” or higher.

This week, the Mississippi Division of Schooling (MDE) launched accountability grades for the state’s colleges and faculty districts, indicating that features proceed post-COVID. 

87 p.c of faculties and 91 p.c of college districts acquired a grade of “C” or higher for the 2022-2023 college 12 months.

In 2013, the Mississippi Legislature handed a regulation requiring the state to implement an A-F accountability system to assist “academics, college leaders, mother and father and communitiesknow how effectively their native colleges and districts are serving their college students,” in response to MDE.

“I’m proud to say that Mississippi has resumed its momentum from earlier than the pandemic. This 12 months’s grades present the good job that academics, college leaders, employees and fogeys have finished in serving to college students overcome the disruptions of the pandemic. We’re particularly happy with the features made by college districts beneath state management due to poor educational efficiency or state of emergency,” mentioned Interim State Superintendent of Schooling Dr. Raymond Morgigno.

“For instance, Tunica County College District maintained a B for the second consecutive 12 months. They achieved a C in 2018, enhancing on its 4 12 months observe file of D and F grades. We’re excited to announce that Tunica will return to native management in January of 2024.”

For comparability, grades from the prior college 12 months present that 81 p.c of faculties and 87 p.c of districts earned a C or higher, the discharge states. 

Based on MDE, “Mississippi’s college grading system considers a number of indicators, together with how effectively college students carry out on state exams, whether or not college students are exhibiting enchancment on these exams from 12 months to 12 months and whether or not college students are graduating inside 4 years. The system additionally elements in how effectively colleges are serving to English learners and their lowest-achieving college students make progress towards proficiency.”

“These achievements we’ve seen throughout our state present what’s doable for all colleges and districts. And MDE will proceed supporting all college districts of their work to make sure that each scholar is profitable,” Morgigno mentioned.

He went on to say that he’s happy to see the proficiency charges proceed to rise, particularly popping out of the 2020 pandemic.

“Truthfully we have been somewhat involved final 12 months once we had such…sturdy outcomes. We thought that might be the COVID bump with a few of our progress, however our colleges maintained that, and so we actually proud to see that, particularly in our elementary colleges that they only proceed to maneuver ahead,” Morgigno mentioned.

With the pandemic got here further funding that helped spur a number of modifications, together with buying computer systems for all college students, digital curriculum subscriptions and coaching for academics. The additional funding is anticipated to finish in September of subsequent 12 months. College districts that want to proceed receiving subscription based mostly providers can be answerable for these prices after that point, the discharge states. 

When requested if Morgigno expects to see a dip in efficiency after the extra funding runs out, he largely expressed confidence within the state’s schooling system.

“I might be telling you a narrative if I mentioned we weren’t somewhat involved about that. It’s been nice having the assets for our faculty districts and for our state to offer a lot coaching for our academics. It’s been nice to see what can occur when you could have the assets to do this. But additionally we by no means wish to get within the recreation of constructing excuses, and so our expectation is that we proceed this and we’re gonna…work onerous and as I mentioned a couple of minutes in the past I believe success brings success. And I don’t see anybody decreasing their requirements, we simply might need to roll up our sleeves and work somewhat tougher, however that’s type of what we do right here in Mississippi,” he mentioned.

With so many districts growing their grades, room for progress might diminish. Morgigno mentioned that when 65 p.c of the state’s districts attain a grade of B or higher, MDE must increase its requirements for the letter grades beneath Mississippi regulation.

Morgigno cautioned the general public that some waivers are nonetheless in place as a result of pandemic, so some small fluctuations could also be seen sooner or later. 

“You bear in mind, throughout that point, these youngsters weren’t required to cross the state evaluation. So you continue to have some a part of the COVID disruptions, however that is the final 12 months we are going to see these disruptions,” he mentioned.

District 120 Consultant Richard Bennett, who can also be the chair of the Schooling Committee, additionally recommended the state’s districts for his or her onerous work. 

“This 12 months’s accountability grades present the standard and power of Mississippi’s public colleges. Mississippi’s public college system is now the envy of the nation as a result of our college students proceed to make sooner features than practically each different state. I congratulate and admire each instructor and faculty worker who helped Mississippi college students obtain higher features,” he mentioned. 

The varsity districts with the highest 5 highest scores have been Ocean Springs College district with a rating of 810, Lengthy Seashore College District (797), Clinton Public College District (782), Petal College District (766) and Neshoba College District (766).

The highest 5 colleges throughout the state have been West Harrison Excessive College (916), Ocean Springs Excessive College (903), Lengthy Seashore Excessive College (893), Ripley Excessive College (889) and Poplarville Excessive College (882).

District 106 Consultant Jansen Owen, who lives within the Poplarville College District, mentioned he’s happy with the accomplishments the districts throughout the state have made. 

“The expansion and enchancment proven on this 12 months’s accountability scores demonstrates the great work of our college students and educators. Investing time, onerous work, and, in fact, cash into our public colleges pays dividends. I’m excited to see what the long run holds for Mississippi’s college students and academics. Job effectively finished,” Owen mentioned.