Mississippi public schools experienced a slight decline in academic performance across the state during the last school year after years of positive trends, state test score data show.
The Mississippi Department of Education released the Mississippi Statewide Accountability System ratings for the 2024-25 school year on Thursday. The report shows that 80.1% of schools and 87.2% of districts earned a rating of C or higher last school year. During the preceding 2023-24 school year, 85.7% of schools and 93.9% of districts earned a rating of C or higher.
“While Mississippi has made historic progress over the past decade, the areas of declining achievement demand our immediate attention,” State Superintendent of Education Dr. Lance Evans said in a press release on Sept 25. “The accountability grades provide important data to guide our work moving forward. Mississippi students have proven they can achieve at higher levels, and we owe it to them to continue challenging and supporting them so every graduate is prepared for lifelong success.”
Four school districts earned an F rating, while 11 earned a D rating. The Mississippi State Board of Education set a goal in 2016 that all schools and districts earn a rating of C or higher.
The report also shows a decline in the state’s Districts of Transformation. The Holmes County Consolidated School District, which has been under state takeover since 2021, made headlines last year after earning a B rating for the first time in the school’s history. The district’s rating fell to a C for the 2024-25 academic year.
The Humphrey County and Yazoo City School Districts each underwent state takeover in 2019. Both earned a C rating during the 2023-24 school year. However, for the 2024-25 academic year, Humphreys County earned a D, and Yazoo City earned an F. The Noxubee County School District also dropped from a C to a D rating.
“Transforming districts that have struggled for years is complex work that does not happen overnight,” Evans said in the press release. “While we are disappointed to see declines in our Districts of Transformation this year, we cannot lose sight of the significant progress these communities have made. The MDE is committed to the long-term work of building sustainable systems that support consistent and sustained student achievement.”
The Greenville Public, North Panola, West Bolivar and Greenwood-Leflore Public School Districts all earned a D rating. The Clarksdale Municipal and Wilkinson County School District earned F ratings. MDE did not provide a rating for Corinth High School for the 2024-25 school year.
Jackson Public Schools, which was once in danger of state takeover, maintained the C rating it has held since the 2021-22 school year.
“We celebrate the progress we’ve made and acknowledge the areas where greater focus is needed,” Superintendent Dr. Errick L. Greene said in a statement released by Jackson Public Schools on Sept. 25. “These results give us clear direction for how we can continue to improve, and we are already implementing a districtwide plan to strengthen teaching and learning and to support scholars in reaching their highest potential.”
The state’s public charter schools showed varying success. Ambition Prep in Jackson earned a C rating, down from its B rating for the 2023-24 school year. Midtown Public Charter School in Jackson and Clarksdale Collegiate in Clarksdale each earned a D, the same as the prior year; Joel E. Smilow Collegiate in Jackson earned a D, down from a B; and Leflore Legacy Academy in Greenwood earned a D, down from a C. Reimagine Prep in Jackson earned an F rating, down from a C. MDE did not give ratings to Instant Impact Global Prep in Natchez, Revive Collegiate in Jackson, or SR1 College Prep and STEM Academy in Canton.
The Parents’ Campaign President Nancy Loome released a statement saying that although the results show a dip, state leaders are already working to address the decrease. She emphasized that Mississippi should still take pride in the success of its public schools.
“While academic growth is the very best indicator of the quality of education provided in a school or district, it can be challenging to maintain a high level of ‘growth’ in a year that follows one with exceptionally high improvement,” Loome said in the Sept. 25 statement. “Mississippi’s public schools have been on an upward growth trajectory for years now, and last year’s results were particularly impressive, so a slight dip in the amount of academic growth this year is not cause for alarm.”
The Mississippi Department of Education has already approved changes in the state accountability system for the 2025-26 school year. The new rating system will include an increased focus on college and career readiness, such as industry certifications and military readiness. It will also include increased standards for assigning the A-F grades.
The Mississippi State Board of Education also voted earlier this year to eliminate the U.S. History assessment, which has been part of the current point system.