State test results for 2021-22 school year bounce back to near pre-pandemic rates

JACKSON, Miss. (WLOX) - Mississippi’s state test results are in for the 2021-2022 school year, and two coast schools are among the state’s top performers.

Ocean Springs and Long Beach placed among the state’s “Top 10 Districts” in every subject area tested: English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, Science, and U.S. History. The only other school district in the state to achieve that level of proficiency was the Petal School District.

Several other South Mississippi school districts also made the top 10 in specific subject areas.

Mathematics/Algebra I

4th - Long Beach School District
5th - Ocean Springs School District

English Language Arts (ELA)/English II

1st - Ocean Springs School District
4th - Long Beach School District
10th - Harrison County School District

Science/Biology

1st - Ocean Springs School District
2nd - Pass Christian School District
3rd - Long Beach School District
6th - Poplarville Separate School District
7th - Jackson County School District
8th - Biloxi Public School District

U.S. History

3rd - Ocean Springs School District
4th - Bay-Waveland School District
5th - Long Beach School District

View the MAAP Results Executive Summary and District/School-level Results Report at mdek12.org/OPR/Reporting/Assessment/2021-22

Overall, the story these test results tell is a good one for Mississippi students. There was a marked increase from last year’s scores, which was the first state testing done since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools and created obstacles to teaching and learning.

“The 2021-22 assessment results provide clear and indisputable evidence of the resilience of our students and educators and their ability to recover from the disruptions to learning,” said Dr. Kim Benton, Interim State Superintendent of Education. “We are confident Mississippi educators and school leaders across the state will continue to build upon this progress by setting high expectations and working to ensure every student in every school overcomes the setbacks of the pandemic and is successful.”

The percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced reached an all-time high of 42.2% in ELA and 55.9% in science, and reached 47.3% in mathematics, just shy of the pre-pandemic rate of 47.4%.

Student achievement on current Science assessments exceeded pre-pandemic levels and reached an all-time high of 55.9% proficient and advanced.

The state administered a new U.S. History assessment in 2020-21; the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced on this assessment increased from 47.4% in 2020-21 to 69.3% in 2021-22.

Subject	2019	2020*	2021	2022	Change since 2019 (pre-pandemic)
Mathematics Proficient or Advanced	47.4%	COVID-19	35.1%	47.3%	-0.1%
English Language Arts (ELA) Proficient or Advanced	41.6%	COVID-19	34.9%	42.2%	+0.6%
Science Proficient or Advanced	55.3%	COVID-19	50.0%	55.9%	+0.6%

*No assessments given due to statewide school closures at the start of COVID-19 pandemic.

By 2021-22, districts had more experience managing pandemic disruptions and were provided with additional support, including federal COVID-19 relief funds and state investments to help accelerate learning. The additional funds enabled districts to pay for extended learning days, tutorial services and intensive interventions, among other supports.

State investments include the Mississippi Connects digital learning initiative, which provided all students with a computer device, and services including on-demand tutoring, high-quality digital curriculum subscriptions and access to digital learning coaches.

“There have been incredible efforts in districts and at the state level to remove barriers for students,” Dr. Benton said. “We still have students in areas of the state who have not completely rebounded. Support will continue to be available in the upcoming school year and next summer to make sure every student is able to recover from the disruptions to their learning and narrow achievement gaps.”

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