Mississippi News
Reading state test scores similar to pre-pandemic
Third graders score close to pre-pandemic levels in state reading test
Mississippi third-graders scored similarly to 2019 levels on the “third grade reading gate,” showing relatively little pandemic learning loss.
The Mississippi Department of Education released the initial results of the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) Third Grade Reading Summative Assessment on Thursday. In total, 73.9% of students passed the exam on the first try compared to 74.5% in 2019.
The Mississippi Legislature created the Literacy-Based Promotion Act in 2013, which requires all third-graders to pass a reading test before moving up to the fourth grade. Students must score a 3 or higher on the test to be promoted, which indicates they are competent in skills such as identifying main ideas, paraphrasing texts, understanding figurative language, determining the author's point of view as well as their own, and using root words, prefixes and suffixes to change word meanings.
These test results are the first that students will be held accountable for since the start of the pandemic. In 2021, students still tested as a benchmark even though passing was not required to advance; only 65.4% of students scored at the passing level.
Kim Benton, interim chief academic officer, attributed the return to pre-pandemic passing levels (when compared to the 2021 scores) to the hard work of teachers, leaders, families, and students.
“I think they were very intentional in determining their priorities, finding out exactly where children were strong and where the opportunities to bridge gaps were — and then just plugging in,” Benton said.
Benton highlighted during the State Board of Education meeting on Thursday that schools with high initial pass rates attributed it to maximizing in-person instruction and maintaining a full schedule of instructional days, strengthening communication with families, and utilizing the support materials provided by MDE.
“As a parent, looking at those numbers, I think it gives parents a great comfort that the learning loss everybody has been worried about from COVID is not as bad as everybody expected,” said Matt Miller, board member of the State Board of Education.
Just over 8,000 students who did not pass on their first attempt had the opportunity to retest May 9-13 and have another chance June 20-July 8. In 2019, when 9,000 students did not pass the first attempt, approximately 4,000 more students had passed by the final retest and 4,000 more were promoted with good cause exemptions, such as disabilities or passing an alternative assessment.
For students that did not pass on the first two attempts, districts will be utilizing pandemic relief funds to run summer reading camps, creating individualized reading plans for students, utilizing the PAPER tutoring program, and strengthening community partnerships that support students learning to read.
“The hard work of teachers, students and parents to overcome academic setbacks caused by the pandemic is paying off,” said State Superintendent of Education Carey Wright.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Altercation at Mississippi police department leads to officer-involved shooting
SUMMARY: Authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting at a Mississippi police department in Mendenhall. The incident occurred on May 2 while an officer was booking a suspect on domestic violence charges. An altercation took place between the suspect and the officer, resulting in the officer discharging his weapon and shooting the suspect. The officer sustained minor injuries, and the suspect was taken to a local hospital for treatment. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is looking into the incident, and their findings will be shared with the Mississippi Attorney General's Office.
The post Altercation at Mississippi police department leads to officer-involved shooting appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Warm Thursday ahead of unsettled weekend – Home – WCBI TV
SUMMARY: Temperatures in Columbus, Mississippi will remain in the upper 80s on Thursday with a chance of rain. Expect filtered sun and possible showers or storms in the evening. Overnight, isolated showers are possible with lows in the middle 60s. Friday may see periods of steady to heavy rain with uncertain timing. The weekend will feature isolated rain on Saturday and scattered showers and storms on Sunday. Next week, there will be a focus on increasing heat and humidity with the potential for the first 90-degree day on Wednesday and growing storm potential later in the week.
The post Warm Thursday ahead of unsettled weekend – Home – WCBI TV appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Mississippi State baseball tops Ole Miss to win Governor’s Cup
SUMMARY: Mississippi State baseball defeated Ole Miss in the Governor's Cup with a 5-1 win, splitting the season series. Pico Kohn had a strong start for the Bulldogs, and Judd Utermark and Hunter Hines contributed offensively. Mississippi State scored four runs in the eighth inning to secure the win. Tyson Hardin closed the game in the ninth. The Bulldogs will face Alabama next, while Ole Miss will play against Auburn. Mississippi State secured their second straight Governor's Cup win and showcased a strong performance both on the mound and at the plate.
The post Mississippi State baseball tops Ole Miss to win Governor's Cup appeared first on www.wcbi.com
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