JACKSON COUNTY, Mississippi -- The Mississippi Department of Education released accountability grades for Mississippi’s 145 school districts Tuesday, marking the first time since 2019 the accountability report was compiled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
And the news was almost universally good for districts within Jackson County.
Three of the four districts -- Ocean Springs, Pascagoula-Gautier, and Jackson County -- received an “A” rating, the state’s highest, with the Ocean Springs School District’s total score of 771 placing it as the third-best district in Mississippi. Jackson County came in at #15, with the PGSD at #38.
Moss Point received a “C” rating and an overall score of 566. In all, 31% of Mississippi school districts received an A rating, while 31.7% received a C rating. Only five districts in the state were given a failing grade, down from 2019, the last time the accountability grades were released.
The grades released Tuesday were for the 2021-2022 school year. While 87% of all districts scored at a C rating or higher, state officials urged caution in interpreting the results.
“The pandemic not only disrupted teaching and learning, it also impacted the state’s accountability system that evaluates the effectiveness of schools and districts,” said interim state superintendent Kim Benton.
“While we are encouraged by the tremendous growth, it is especially important this year to look at all the components that make up each school and district grade to get a complete picture of student growth and achievement.”
Statewide student assessments make up a large part of accountability grades. In 2021-22, the overall percentage of students scoring proficient and advanced mostly returned to pre-pandemic rates; however, the percentage of students scoring in the bottom two achievement levels increased. The state assessment system has five levels, minimal, basic, passing, proficient and advanced.
According to the MDE, the 2021-22 school and district grades were impacted by key factors involving student achievement decline in 2020-21, testing waivers and one-year adjustments to the accountability system.
Mississippi’s accountability system includes the following components:
- Student proficiency and growth rates in ELA and Mathematics in grades 3-8
- Growth of the lowest performing 25% of students in ELA and Mathematics
- Science proficiency in grades 5 and 8
- English Learner progress toward becoming proficient in the English language
- Performance on the ACT and high school Algebra I, English II, Biology and U.S. History assessments
- Student participation and performance in advanced coursework such as Advanced Placement and dual credit/dual enrollment courses
- Four-year graduation rate
Other coast districts also fared well in the accountability report, with the Long Beach School District earning the designation as the top-rated district in the state. Pass Christian (9th), Harrison County (14th), Bay/Waveland (19th) and Gulfport (33) all earned A ratings from the state, along with the three Jackson County districts.
In all, 24% of Mississippi’s 33 A-rated districts are within the three coastal counties.
Individual schools are also rated, with 258 schools statewide earning an A rating, up from 196 in 2019. Additionally, 41 schools were rated F, down from 76 in 2019.
Among the high schools, Ocean Springs High School received an A rating and was the #2 ranked high school in the state, behind only West Harrison High School.
St. Martin High School (12th) and Pascagoula High School (17th) also earned A ratings. The four other high schools in the county received B ratings and ranked within the top 52 high schools statewide: Moss Point (32nd), East Central (38th), Vancleave (44th) and Gautier (52nd).
Elementary and middle schools were also rated, with 16 individual schools in Jackson County receiving an A rating, including all five Ocean Springs schools.
At the other end of the spectrum, all three Moss Point schools at the middle school or lower level were rated D schools.
Here are the ratings for each districts schools, including the high schools:
Jackson County School District
A rated: St. Martin High School; Vancleave Upper Elementary; East Central Middle School; Vancleave Middle School; East Central Lower Elementary; East Central Upper Elementary; Vancleave Lower Elementary.
B rated: St. Martin East Elementary; St. Martin North Elementary; St. Martin Upper Elementary.
C rated: St. Martin Middle School.
Moss Point School District
D rated: Kreole Primary School; Magnolia Middle School; Moss Point/Escatawpa Upper Elementary.
Ocean Springs School District
A rated: Pecan Park Elementary; Oak Park Elementary; Magnolia Park Elementary; Ocean Springs Upper Elementary; Ocean Springs Middle School.
Pascagoula-Gautier School District
A rated: Beach Elementary; Lake Elementary; Central Elementary; Jackson Elementary; Eastlake Elementary.
B rated: Singing River Academy; Gautier Middle School; College Park Elementary; Martin Bluff Elementary; Arlington Heights Elementary; Cherokee Elementary; Trent Lott Academy; William Colmer Middle School.
Vancleave Upper Elementary was the highest rated in Jackson County with 532 total points, good for 48th place statewide. Barak Obama Elementary in Jackson and Lewisburg Primary School in DeSoto County tied for the top spot with 662 points.
The accountability results are considered “unofficial” until ratified by the Mississippi State Board of Education Thursday. The full report can be read here.
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