Mississippi’s Educational Innovation Earns 2023 Frank Newman Award
(Source: Mississippi Department of Education)
A Remarkable Turnaround: From 50th to 35th in K-12 Achievement
Mississippi’s educational landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation. In 2013, the state ranked a sobering 50th in K-12 achievement according to Quality Counts, a national ranking. Fast forward to today, and Mississippi proudly holds the 35th spot, a significant leap by any measure.
Transforming Early Education: The Early Learning Collaborative Act
Key to this remarkable journey are two pivotal pieces of legislation: The Early Learning Collaborative Act and the Literacy-Based Promotion Act. The former marked the birth of Mississippi’s state-funded pre-K program. It provided vital funding for communities, including school districts, Head Start sites, child care centers, and nonprofits to establish high-quality early childhood education programs.
One notable feature of this act is the 1:1 state tax credit, which extends up to $1 million for participating individuals or corporations. The impact has been profound. Students enrolled in these collaboratives now boast the highest kindergarten readiness scores statewide. From 59% readiness in 2015, they surged to an impressive 65.1% readiness in 2022.
Literacy Excellence: The Literacy-Based Promotion Act
The second pillar of change, the Literacy-Based Promotion Act, allocates $15 million annually to empower K-3 teachers and school leaders. Its mission? To equip educators with the tools to teach reading effectively and monitor student progress. The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) has hired literacy coaches strategically, targeting schools where reading struggles persist.
Moreover, the MDE provides comprehensive training on the science of reading to a wide spectrum, from administrators to teachers in pre-K through third grade and K-8 special education teachers. This comprehensive approach has yielded significant results. The passage rate for third-grade reading skyrocketed from 85% to 93% between 2015 and 2018.
Even when the passing score was elevated in 2019, aligning it more closely with proficiency, an impressive 86% of students met the higher standard. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) further underscores Mississippi’s literacy achievements, with the state’s fourth-grade reading scores leaping from 50th in 2013 to an impressive 21st in 2022.
Celebrating Success: Mississippi’s Award-Winning Efforts
Mississippi’s unyielding commitment to education has earned it the 2023 Frank Newman Award for State Innovation from the Education Commission of the States. This accolade recognizes states that implement groundbreaking education reforms to substantially improve student outcomes.
