SBE Approves Appointment of Conservator for Leflore County Schools
December 21, 2015
JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) approved the appointment of Dr. Ilean Richards as conservator of the Leflore County School District, effective January 4, 2016.
Richards, a Greenville resident and former superintendent of the Leland School District, earned the B.S. at Alcorn State University, and a master’s degree and doctoral degree from Delta State University. Richards will replace Bob Strebeck, who is retiring.
Mississippi English Language Arts in Action: Higher Expectations, Higher Achievement
December 28, 2015
JACKSON, Miss. – South Jones High School in the Jones County School District has fully embraced the Mississippi College and Career Ready Standards. Teachers, administrators and students are achieving more because they have raised expectations for what is possible.
This “Mississippi School Spotlight” video takes viewers inside the classroom of 7th grade English language arts teacher Jennifer Valentine, NBCT, where great teaching and learning take place every day.
Mississippi Receives “D” in Annual Quality Counts National Report, State Exceeds National Average for 4th and 8th Grade Progress
January 7, 2016
JACKSON, Miss. – The annual Education Week Quality Counts report gave Mississippi a “D” in K-12 education, though the average grades for two of the three key performance indicators increased slightly over 2015. The overall grade for “Chance of Success” increased from D+ to C-, and “K-12 Achievement” increased from F to D-. The grade for “School Finance” remained the same at D+. The country’s overall average grade is “C.”
MDE Begins Process of Returning Claiborne County School District to Community
January 8, 2016
JACKSON, Miss. – The newly elected Claiborne County School Board met Friday with the Mississippi School Boards Association (MSBA) and Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) officials to discuss the process of returning the school district back to the community by July 1.
Upon unanimous request, the school board members requested the meeting take place at the MSBA offices in Clinton on Friday. No action was taken, but board members learned about the process for returning the school district to the community and training opportunities by the MSBA.
Clarksdale Principal Granted Continuance for Licensure Hearing
January 15, 2016
JACKSON, Miss. – Heidelberg Elementary School Principal Lowanda Tyler-Jones, who has been charged with violating state law by cheating on state assessments, has been granted a continuance for her hearing before the Commission on Teacher and Administrator Education, Certification and Licensure and Development.
The hearing is now set for 9 a.m. March 7 at the Woolfolk Building, 501 N. West St. in Jackson.
State Superintendent to Update SBE on Strategic Plan for Improving Public Education
January 19, 2016
WHO: Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education
WHAT: Wright will provide an update to the Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) on the progress the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) has made in the first year of a five-year strategic plan and the MDE’s next steps for the coming year. The presentation will focus on the Board’s five goals for improving public education.
SBE Approves Final Revisions to Mississippi’s English, Math Standards
January 21, 2016
JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) voted Thursday to approve final changes to the Mississippi College and Career Ready Standards for English language arts (ELA) and mathematics.
A Meridian Middle School Math Teacher Surprised with $25,000 Milken Educator Award
January 25, 2016
JACKSON, Miss. – When Magnolia Middle School math teacher Rhonda Burrage walked into a schoolwide assembly this morning, she had no idea she would be walking out as a Milken Educator and $25,000 richer. Burrage was given the surprise of her life in front of her principal, colleagues, students, staff and distinguished community members, when she received the prestigious Milken Educator Award and a $25,000 check.
MDE Schedules Regional Literacy Meetings for Parents of K-3 Students
January 26, 2016
JACKSON, Miss. –The Mississippi Department of Education will hold five meetings throughout the state for parents of Kindergarten through 3rd grade students to share information on how they can help their child become better readers. The meetings will provide an overview of the Literacy-Based Promotion Act and teach strategies that parents can use at home to help their children improve their reading.
Mississippi Recognized Nationally for Closing the “Honesty Gap” Through Accurate Student Performance Data
January 29, 2016
JACKSON, Miss. – Mississippi is among 25 states and Washington, D.C., that demonstrated an improvement of at least 10 percentage points by closing the “honesty gap” in either 4th grade reading or 8th grade math since 2013, according to an analysis released by the Collaborative for Student Success and Achieve.