The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) has released a list of highlights from the state’s public school system in the 2022-23 Superintendent’s Annual Report.
According to the MDE, student achievement reading scores from the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) hit an all-time high throughout the state in mathematics, English Language Arts (ELA), science, and U.S. History.
MAAP results showed students scoring proficient or advanced reaching 52.6 percent in mathematics, 46.7 percent in English Language Arts, 59.4 percent in science, and 71.4 percent in U.S. History.
The assessment results make up a large portion of the A-F accountability grades schools and districts earn annually.
As a result, Mississippi school and district accountability A-F grades for 2022-23 showed 91 percent of districts and 87 percent of schools earned a grade of C or higher.
In addition, the initial pass rate on third-grade reading assessments increased to a new high of 76.3 percent since the passing score was raised in 2019.
The Literary-Based Promotion Act (LBPA) was enacted in 2013 to ensure kindergarten through 3rd-grade students develop good reading skills, with a 2016 amendment requiring all 3rd-grade public school students to score at least a level 3 on the reading portion of the MAAP-ELA test to qualify to be promoted to 4th grade.
The Superintendent’s Annual Report also noted that Mississippi’s graduation rate reached 88.9 percent for the previous school year, while chronic absenteeism decreased to 23.9 percent.
A little under a decade ago, the statewide graduation rate was sitting at 74.5 percent, with the dropout rate totaling 13.9 percent. Now, the current dropout rate is at nine percent, an almost five percent decrease from 2014.
Here are a few more achievements MDE included in the report from the 2022-23 school year:
- The number of Mississippi students taking Advanced Placement exams reached a record high of 12,044 public-school students taking 16,983 AP exams, with a record high of 5,860 exams earning a qualifying score
- 5,346 students earned an industry certification in a Career and Technical Education program
- MDE’s coaching staff has expanded from 29 literacy coaches in 2013–14 to a team of 122 coaches supporting teachers and school leaders in the areas of early childhood education, literacy, special education, mathematics, digital learning, and school improvement
- 61 schools earned the Military Star School designation
- Three schools were named 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools
- Mississippi received the 2023 Frank Newman Award for State Innovation
