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NATCHEZ — Natchez Adams School District has maintained a C grade based on the Mississippi Statewide Accountability System Performance Rating with small gains in many areas from the 2023 results.

The Office of District and School Performance provides state, district, and school-level accountability (performance) measures annually. These data measures are used to help stakeholders make decisions regarding areas of improvement and needs within our state education system.

The Mississippi Statewide Accountability System assigns a performance rating of A, B, C, D, and F for each school and district based on established criteria regarding student achievement, individual student growth, graduation rate, and participation rate.

Statewide assessments are used to measure proficiency and growth in proficiency for students in grades 3-8 and high school students taking end-of-course subject area assessments in Algebra I, English II, Biology, and U.S. History.

The 2024 report shows NASD is among 23.6 percent of school districts in the state with a C grade, with 36.5 percent of school systems earning an A grade. NASD scored 590 total points in 2024. The 2023 report showed NASD with 584 points.

Those scoring proficient in reading are now 34.1 percent from 33.3 percent. Math proficiency is up to 33 percent from 27.2 percent in 2023. History proficiency is up to 64.6 percent from 63 percent. Science proficiency is up to 49.7 percent from 43.6 percent.

Reading growth, however, is down to 52.9 percent from 60 percent. Math growth is up to 59.9 percent from 57 percent. Reading low growth is down to 52.3 percent from 65.3 percent. Math low growth is almost the same at 66.8 percent from 66.6 percent. Acceleration increased to 75.3 percent from 72.2 percent. College and career readiness shows great improvement at 22.3 percent from 16.2 percent. The graduation rate has also improved to 92.5 percent from 88.4 percent in 2023.

“First and foremost, I want to commend our students, teachers, and staff for their hard work and commitment to education,” Superintendent Zandra McDonald said. “Accountability grades are one measure of success, but they do not tell the entire story of the dedication and perseverance that our schools show every day.
“We are proud to highlight that McLaurin Elementary and Morgantown Elementary earned B ratings for the 2023-24 school year.  Morgantown demonstrated marked gains in increasing math proficiency, growth for all students in reading, and reading for students in the lowest 25 percent. McLaurin was able to increase proficiency in reading and science and growth of students in the lowest 25 percent in math.

“The district also posted increases in proficiency in the areas of math, science/biology, and US History. Our graduation rate increased from 88.4 to 92.5.  We are also proud of our increase in college-career readiness (ACT) from 17.2 to 22.3 percent.  This success is a testament to the tremendous effort put forth by our teachers and students.”

McDonald added that there are areas in which the schools “must do better.”
“Some of our schools did not achieve the progress we expected, particularly at West Elementary that decreased from a B rating to a C rating (and) Natchez Middle School that earned a D rating,” she said. “Additionally, district wide, growth in reading for students in the lowest 25% were lower than it was for the 2023-24 school year. These results show us where we need to double down on our efforts.

“We have already developed targeted intervention plans to address these gaps, focusing on professional development for teachers, closer alignment of curriculum improvements, and targeted interventions for students demonstrating the need for additional academic supports. The goal of our recent reorganization of K-6 schools is to increase the consistency of instruction across grade levels within the district, providing teachers more opportunities to collaborate.

“We believe that if we ensure similar to identical instructional practices in grade levels and content areas, then we will increase the consistency in positive student outcomes. Natchez-Adams School District remains committed to every student’s success and will continue working to provide the support and resources our students need to reach their full potential. We will also engage our community, including parents, teachers, and administrators, in discussions about how to move forward.”

 

Statewide results

Statewide, 85.7 percent of schools and 93.9 percent of districts earned a grade of C or higher, the Mississippi Department of Education states.  The largest-ever share of Mississippi districts are now rated A, B or C. In 2016, the Mississippi State Board of Education set a goal that all schools and districts be rated C or higher. At that time, the percentage of schools and districts meeting this goal were both 62 percent.

Statewide student assessment data make up a large part of accountability grades. In 2023-24, the overall percentage of students scoring proficient and advanced reached an all-time high in mathematics, English Language Arts (ELA) and science.

“I am incredibly proud of our students, teachers and school leaders for their academic achievements in the 2023-24 school year,” said Dr. Lance Evans, state superintendent of education. “This year’s school and district grades are a testament to the quality and success of Mississippi public schools. I am confident we will continue to build upon this success to make sure every Mississippi public school graduate is prepared for a successful future.”

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- (the nation’s grade is C). 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.