Apart from Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated, each school district in the Golden Triangle saw a decrease in their Mississippi Department of Education’s 2024-2025 Accountability Ratings.
While SOCSD and Lowndes County School District maintained their A ratings, Columbus Municipal School District fell a letter grade to a C.
MDE released the scores Thursday for each public district and their schools across the state. The ratings, which are mandated by the U.S. Department of Education, grade districts and schools on an A-F scale with 1,000 being the highest number grade a district can receive.
The 2024-2025 scores were calculated based on proficiency and growth rates in math and English Language Arts in grades 3-8; the growth of the lowest performing 25% of students in English Language Arts and math; performance in science on state assessments in grades 5 and 8; and English learners’ progress toward proficiency in the language.
For high schools, accountability scores use the four-year graduation rate; student performance on the ACT and the Algebra I, English II, Biology and U.S. History state assessments; and student participation and performance in Advanced Placement and dual enrollment/dual credit courses.
The accountability model is set to change starting in the 2025-2026 school year, including more measures of college and career readiness like industry certifications and diploma endorsements; the elimination of the U.S. History state assessment; and increased standards for the A-F ratings that will be finalized later this year.
About 87.2% of districts across the state earned a grade of C or higher this year, which represents an overall decrease from the 2023-2024 school year, when 85.7% of schools and 93.9% of districts earned a C or higher, an MDE press release said.
SOCSD
SOCSD was the only area district to improve this year in its overall score, though only by eight points. Apart from Armstrong Junior High, each school in the district either maintained the same rating as last year or improved by a letter grade.
“Teachers’ hard work in (the) classroom is really the driving force for the academic success we’re seeing,” Superintendent Tony McGee wrote in an email to The Dispatch. “We’re continually focused on improving instruction for students. That all starts in the classroom with teachers. Principals have been working hard to be instructional leaders and interact or mentor our teachers. It all starts at the school level.”
Both Sudduth Elementary and Starkville High moved up a letter grade to an A rating.
Armstrong had the only school-wide decline, dropping from B to C in the scores. McGee linked the drop to statewide declines in eighth-grade math performance. About 55.4% of eighth-graders in the state scored proficient or advanced on the state test for 2023-2024, compared to 47.6% in MDE’s most recent scores.
“We’re already putting some extra people in place including coaches as well as additional resources to specifically address math at that eighth-grade level,” McGee said.
Overstreet Elementary maintained an A rating from last year, while Henderson Ward and Partnership Middle both stayed at B.
With more changes slated for the accountability model next year, McGee said the district is hoping for a “more targeted focus” on what new requirements will be.
“We know high school will have a slightly different criteria in the new model than what we have currently,” McGee said. “When we have a chance to look at the changes we can begin to adjust instruction in the classroom to the level and rigor required to maintain those scores. Our goal is always to help our students succeed.”
CMSD
With an overall score of 540 points, the district’s B-rating dropped this year to C, which was once a milestone for the district in 2021-2022 after spending more than a decade rated D.
“Our administrators and teachers work tirelessly every day to create a learning environment that supports student growth,” Interim Superintendent Craig Chapman wrote in an email to The Dispatch. “The recent results do not fully reflect who we are as a district or the dedication of our faculty and students.”
Chapman said the district intends to continue a strong focus on implementing data-driven strategies to drive growth at its schools, including monitoring progress throughout the year and adjusting strategies as necessary.
Additionally, Chapman said the district’s recent shift of fifth and sixth grades to their own campus at Hunt Intermediate School will help support improvements at the middle school level.
Aside from Franklin Academy and Sale Elementary, which maintained C and B ratings respectively, each school in the district dropped by at least a letter grade. Fairview and Cook elementaries saw the largest drops, with Fairview going from A to C and Cook from B to D.
This is the last year Franklin Academy will be included in the district’s accountability scores as it closed in May in accordance with the district’s plan to consolidate elementary schools by grade-span.
While Columbus Middle and Columbus High both dropped by one letter grade, they’re now rated at F and D, respectively.
Chapman said the district has already planned targeted interventions for schools that saw a decline in ratings, including additional tutoring and after-school programs as well as ongoing professional development for teachers.
“The district is also analyzing data to identify gaps in learning, providing personalized support where needed, and engaging families and the community to reinforce learning outside the classroom,” Chapman said. “Our goal is to ensure every student has the resources and guidance necessary to succeed and raise school performance in the coming year.”
LCSD
LCSD maintained its A-rating for the seventh consecutive year, though its overall score saw a marginal decrease from 708 points last year to 684 this year.
While Allison said declines in the district are concerning, he also called the accountability model into question, specifically noting the irregularities in the preliminary state test results last year that led the MDE to end its contract with the testing vendor and subsequently reassess and adjust the scores on some assessments.
“Those adjustments raised many accountability results between the initial and final releases,” Allison said in a press release issued Thursday. “Because last year’s scores were elevated, the starting point for this year’s comparisons was inflated, making year-over-year growth harder to obtain.”
Out of LCSD’s eight schools, five maintained the same rating as last year, with Caledonia Elementary keeping an A, Caledonia High posting an A, New Hope Elementary scoring a B, New Hope High keeping an A and West Lowndes High remaining at a C.
Caledonia Middle dropped from A to B. New Hope Middle dropped from B to C, and West Lowndes Elementary saw the largest decrease, dropping from B to F.
For the accountability model to accurately reflect performance, assessments must be consistent from year to year, Allison said.
“This has not been the case over the past two years, which in my opinion contributed to the accountability drops statewide,” he said. “With student growth carrying significant weight in the current accountability model, schools more dependent on growth were most affected.”
Still, Allison said the district is committed to addressing areas of concern in the district.
“We meet with principals to review all areas and identify the supports needed to drive improvement,” Allison wrote. “Our focus is not test scores in isolation but improving instruction across … all subjects, strengthening teaching and raising student performance.”
West Point, Noxubee schools
West Point Consolidated School District dropped from B to C this year, losing nearly 60 points overall.
West Point High maintained its C rating from last year, but every other school in the district dropped by a letter grade. East Side, Church Hill and South Side elementaries dropped from A to B, while West Clay Elementary and Fifth Street School dropped from Bs to Cs.
Noxubee County School District dropped from B to D this year, with each of its schools going down in ratings.
B.F. Liddel Middle School had the biggest decrease, dropping from C to F. Earl Nash Elementary dropped from C to D, and Noxubee County High dropped from B to C.
McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.
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