Students in the Magnolia State have reached record-high learning growth in three major subjects, a report from the Mississippi Department of Education finds.
According to MDE’s 2023-24 Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP), student achievement reached an all-time high in mathematics, English Language Arts (ELA), and science.
Overall, for 2023-24, the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced reached a record high of 47.8% in ELA, 56.3% in mathematics, and 63.4% in science. U.S. History decreased slightly from 71.4% in 2022-23 to 70.9% in 2023-24.
“Parents, students, and teachers continue to make history in the classroom, and they are helping to uplift our entire state,” Gov.Tate Reeves said. “Mississippi is growing stronger in virtually every area, and education is no exception. I’m proud of the work our state has done to get us to today. We’ll continue doing everything we can to prepare Mississippi kids for meaningful careers after graduation.”
The 2023-24 assessment results show student achievement continues to exceed pre-pandemic levels. Student achievement in Mississippi and the nation dropped in 2021 due to the pandemic, though Mississippi students mostly rebounded by 2022, the MDE noted.
“The continued rise in student achievement across Mississippi is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, teachers, and school leaders,” State Superintendent of Education Dr. Lance Evans said. “Our focus now is on building more momentum to guarantee that all our graduates are prepared for the challenges and opportunities they will encounter in college, their careers, and life.”
MAAP measures students’ progress toward academic goals that equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in college and the workforce. Mississippi teachers helped develop MAAP tests, which align with the learning goals for Mississippi classrooms. The program also measures student performance in ELA and mathematics in grades 3-8, science in grades 5 and 8, and high school English II, Algebra I, Biology, and U.S. History.
Since 2013, Mississippi’s national Quality Counts ranking for K-12 achievement improved from 50th to 35th, and the state’s overall education grade improved from F to C-, nearly matching the nation’s C grade. In 2024, the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT Data Book ranked Mississippi 30th in the nation for education — the state’s highest-ever ranking.
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