The Mississippi Department of Education released scores from last spring’s Mississippi Academic Assessment Program tests – tests which assess the performance of Mississippi’s third through eighth grade public school students as well as those taking Algebra and English II on the high school level.
Dr. Teresa Jackson, superintendent of education for the Winona-Montgomery Consolidated School District, said although letter grades have not yet been released, she is sure that both Montgomery County Elementary School and Winona Elementary School both improved over last year. She said it appears as though Winona Secondary School held steady, and Montgomery County High School’s scores dropped.
Jackson said Montgomery County Elementary School showed tremendous improvement over last year’s scores in all grade levels. There was an increase in the percentage of students that are moving up the levels or are considered proficient.
“In reading proficiency, Montgomery County Elementary School went from 63.3 percent [scoring proficient] to 76.7 percent [scoring proficient],” Jackson said. “In math proficiency, they went from 21.1 percent proficient to 27.5 percent, and in science proficiency, they went from 33.3 percent proficient to 50 percent proficient. That is really good.”
At Winona Elementary School, grew their proficiency percentages in reading and in math.
“Winona Elementary School increased in every area except science,” Jackson said.
Jackson said something else both elementary schools did well was show an increase in growth of the lowest scoring 25 percent of students.
At the high school level, Jackson said Winona Secondary School also increased proficiency in all areas – English/Language Arts, math, science, and U.S. History, with the exception of high school English, which stayed about the same.
“There was a good increase in the lowest scoring 25 percent of students in reading,” Jackson said. “I think the fact they are increasing their proficiency, moving kids up in proficiency, is a really good thing.”
At Montgomery County High School, although the school did not show growth in all areas of proficiency, they did see an improvement in reading growth.
“Montgomery County did see an improvement in their graduation rate,” Jackson said. “They went from 65 percent to 84 percent. That is fantastic.”
At Winona Secondary School, the graduation rate declined slightly, from 84.9 percent to 82.9 percent, “which is still very good,” Jackson said.
Grades, based on those scores, have yet to be assigned to individual schools and school districts, however, Jackson said she expects them to be released in the coming weeks.
“We are proud of all of our students,” Jackson said.
Currently, teachers are working with students individually with the assistance of Star Reading and IReady, two diagnostic programs, to determine weak areas in a student’s education and to focus on improving those areas.
As for the current senior class, Jackson said all seniors are on track to graduate next May – something some parents and students were concerned about with the consolidation of Winona and Montgomery County school districts.
“It is well within everyone’s reach if they do what they need to do their senior year,” Jackson said.
