Mississippi News
ACT scores: Juniors make slight gain, seniors still affected by pandemic
ACT scores for seniors still affected by pandemic as juniors make slight gain
Mississippi high school juniors performed slightly better on the ACT as average scores for the graduating class continued to suffer this year, according to data released by state education officials.
This indicates that pandemic-related learning loss continued to affect ACT scores last year, said Alan Burrow, the executive director of district and school performance at the Mississippi Department of Education, during a presentation at the board's regular meeting on Thursday.
“Although in the 11th grade report, we saw a little bit of a rebound after the pandemic, here in the graduating class, you still see most of these are down from the prior year,” Burrow said. “So I'd say a lingering impact of the pandemic.”
The data also shows the vast majority of Mississippi high school juniors – 90.7% – did not meet college readiness benchmarks. Most juniors did not score high enough to qualify for the state's most substantial college financial aid programs like the Higher Education Legislative Plan for Needy Students (HELP) or the Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG).
As of spring 2022, Mississippi high school juniors made an average composite score of 17.4 out of 36 on the ACT, up one decimal point from last school year, according to MDE. The graduating class, however, made a composite score of 17.8 this year, down from 18.1 in the 2020-21 school year.
It's unclear if the small gain that high school juniors made indicates that the state's average ACT score will improve next year. In Mississippi, the test is administered to every high school junior.
“The thing to point out is … these changes have been slight over the years,” Burrow said.
!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(e){if(void 0!==e.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var t=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var a in e.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r=0;r The ACT purports to measure a student's preparation for college, though research has shown that scores are heavily correlated with income, not necessarily merit or ability. According to state education officials, Mississippi high schoolers who have access to more rigorous courses tend to score better on the ACT.
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Low ACT scores negatively affect students' prospects of admission into college, along with their chances of receiving state financial aid. Many scholarships at Mississippi universities are based on grades and ACT scores. The state Office of Student Financial Aid offers three grants to help Mississippians pay for college, but each has an ACT component.
To receive the HELP grant, the only state college aid program targeted at helping low-income Mississippians, a student must score a superscore of 20 or higher on the ACT.
For high school seniors who need to improve their ACT scores, school districts offer specialized reading and math courses, according to an MDE press release. Seniors who earn a B- or higher in these classes can take college classes without remediation at in-state public universities and most community colleges.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: May 3-5
SUMMARY: A list of events happening around Mississippi this weekend includes food truck gatherings, family-friendly concerts, film screenings, art exhibits, pickleball tournaments, wine festivals, tea events, live music performances, farmers markets, and more. In Central Mississippi, events are being held in Jackson, Natchez, Ridgeland, Clinton, and Vicksburg. In the Pine Belt region, events are happening in Hattiesburg, Petal, and Laurel. Activities range from concerts and art shows to races, markets, and tea parties. There is something for everyone to enjoy, whether it's exploring local culture, trying new foods, or participating in recreational activities.
The post Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: May 3-5 appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Scattered rain and storms for the weekend – Home – WCBI TV
SUMMARY: Scattered showers and storms are expected this weekend into next week in Columbus, Mississippi. Friday will be mostly cloudy with showers and thunderstorms possible in the afternoon and evening. Saturday will be clearer with isolated showers and some sun. Sunday has a higher chance of showers and storms with temperatures in the mid 80s. Next week will see a warming trend, with highs in the upper 80s and possibly lower 90s by midweek. Rain totals are expected to be around a quarter of an inch with higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
The post Scattered rain and storms for the weekend – Home – WCBI TV appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Lafayette softball shuts out New Hope in game one of 5A quarterfinals
SUMMARY: Lafayette softball defeated New Hope 3-0 in game one of the 5A quarterfinals, with Mabry Claire Eason pitching a complete game shutout. Tashika Carothers hit a shallow fly ball to center field, scoring Eason and Mary Madison Kelley to get the Commodores' bats rolling early. The two teams will meet again in the next game, where Lafayette can clinch a spot in the semifinals with a win while New Hope is in a win or go home situation. The game is set for Saturday at 6 PM at Lafayette.
The post Lafayette softball shuts out New Hope in game one of 5A quarterfinals appeared first on www.wcbi.com
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