Accountability Ratings for Mississippi Schools and School Districts 2012
Posted 9/14/2012
Click here to find your school and district ratings for the 2011-2012 school year.
Student Achievement, Graduation Rates Improve in 2012
Student test scores improved in every grade tested on the Mississippi Curriculum Test, Second Edition, (MCT2) at the end of the 2011-2012 school year. Results are based on assessments given to students in grades 3-8 in Language Arts and Mathematics. In both subject areas, scores in every grade improved. Likewise, school and district ratings improved.
The number of schools with the highest ratings continues to increase while the number of schools rated below Successful is decreasing. From 2011 to 2012:
Graduation Rate Improves
The state's graduation rate rose to 73.7% from 71.4% in 2011. The dropout rate decreased slightly, from 17% in 2011 to 16.7% in 2012.
Student test scores improved in every grade tested on the Mississippi Curriculum Test, Second Edition, (MCT2) at the end of the 2011-2012 school year. Results are based on assessments given to students in grades 3-8 in Language Arts and Mathematics. In both subject areas, scores in every grade improved. Likewise, school and district ratings improved.
The number of schools with the highest ratings continues to increase while the number of schools rated below Successful is decreasing. From 2011 to 2012:
- The number of Star schools increased from 65 to 80
- The number of High Performing schools increased from 181 to 213
- The number of schools rated below Successful decreased from 369 to 284
Today, 293 schools are rated Star or High Performing, an increase from the 175 schools in those top two categories in 2009. And in 2009, more than 400 schools were rated below Successful. Today, that number has fallen to 284.
Much has been made recently of legislation passed in the most recent legislative session that assigns letter grades to the accountability ratings as follows:
Much has been made recently of legislation passed in the most recent legislative session that assigns letter grades to the accountability ratings as follows:
- Star - A
- High Performing - B
- Successful - C
- Academic Watch - D
- Low Performing - F
- At Risk of Failing - F
- Failing - F
Some have indicated that parents shouldn’t be satisfied with Successful schools, and, certainly, we all aim for schools that perform at the highest levels. But what gets lost in all the rhetoric is that many of the schools that are now rated Successful, or C, were Failing or Low Performing (F) just a year or two ago. Phenomenal work is being done in those schools to move their students toward success, and the parents in those districts know that they have reason to celebrate.
Click here to see a graphic representation of the impressive progress schools have made since the implementation of a more rigorous curriculum in 2008.
Subject Area Test (SATP) Scores
The Subject Area Tests (SATP) given in high school showed mixed results in the 2011-2012 school year. Scores in English and Biology improved, while Algebra scores dropped slightly. A new, more rigorous U.S. History test was administered for the first time this year, so its scores will not be counted in school ratings.
Graduation Rate Improves
The state's graduation rate rose to 73.7% from 71.4% in 2011. The dropout rate decreased slightly, from 17% in 2011 to 16.7% in 2012.
Click here for more information on test scores from the Mississippi Department of Education.