No matter how old you are you are likely to remember the anticipation that accompanied Report Card day.
For the top students, it was a day of affirmation. For struggling students, it was a day to be dreaded. For those whose performance fell between those poles, it was a mix of both.
What’s true of students is true of schools and school districts, too, and the same range of emotions are in play.
Because of COVID-19, it had been three years since Mississippi schools and school districts were provided their accountability score and, considering the chaos and interruptions created by the pandemic, even the top schools and districts must have felt a bit concerned. There had been much talk about how students would be affected by not being in the classroom for extended periods of time.
Today we get a look at the unofficial grades and generally, there is much to be encouraged about. (Grades will be made official at the Mississippi State Board of Education’s Thursday meeting.)
This is particularly true at the Columbus Municipal School District. Since the state adopted the A through F accountability scoring system in 2012, CMSD had never posted what could be considered a passing grade. In 2019, as it had for eight consecutive years, CMSD managed no better than a D, so this year’s C rating is a tangible sign of progress, something that had eluded three CMSD Superintendents. That CMSD would break that streak this year, should be some consolation to Cherie Labat, who resigned as superintendent in August following tension with her board. The C came on her watch.
That is not to say the district is without grave challenges. Columbus Middle School, as it had in 2019, has an F score. There is something seriously wrong there, something the next superintendent must make a priority. You have to wonder if Columbus High School’s drop from a B to a C is not at least partially attributed to the poor performance of the middle school. That F suggests that the district’s middle school students are ill-prepared for the more rigorous demands of high school.
Meanwhile, it’s hard to imagine a better report card than the one the Lowndes County School district received. Again, LCSD earned an A while all three Caledonia schools (elementary, middle and high school) earned As as well. All eight of the district schools earned passing grades, with West Lowndes High improving from a D to a C.
The Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District moved up a letter grade to B. West Elementary scored the district’s only A grade while Overstreet Elementary jumped two letter grades to a B.
Starkville’s Armstrong Junior High warrants attention, again posting a D.
The trend locally is reflected in most of the state, which Department of Education officials attribute to schools focusing on accelerating learning after students returned to the classroom full-time. Virtual and hybrid learning served its purpose, but there’s no substitute for a teacher working with students face-to-face. Everyone was eager to get back into the classroom. It appears they hit the ground running, too.
Perhaps that is the biggest take-away from these scores.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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