Lumberton and Chickasaw Consolidation Commissions to Hold Meetings
June 24, 2016
WHO: Commission on the Administrative Consolidation of Lumberton Public School District
WHAT: Meeting to discuss the consolidation of the Lumberton Public School District with the Lamar County and Poplarville school districts. The commission was established during the 2016 Legislative Session by Senate Bill 2500 to solicit community input on the consolidation process. The consolidation process must be completed by July 2019.
WHEN: Tuesday, June 28, 10 a.m.
State Board of Education to Meet in Biloxi
July 5, 2016
CLINTON, Miss. – The Mississippi State Board of Education will hold its July meeting in Biloxi on Thursday, July 14, at 10 a.m. The meeting will take place at the DuKate Building, 1445 Father Ryan Ave. The agenda for the meeting will be posted on July 13.
MDE Announces Lottery for Special Needs Scholarship Program Applications
July 11, 2016
CLINTON, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Education announced plans today for a lottery on July 20 to award the remaining Education Scholarship Accounts (ESA) for the 2016-17 school year.
Established by the Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Act of 2015, the ESA program provides scholarships to parents of students with disabilities who want to remove their child from a public school to seek educational services elsewhere.
MDE Releases School, District Performance Labels for 2014-15 School Year
July 14, 2016
CLINTON, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) today released letter grades for schools and districts based on Mississippi’s A-F accountability system that evaluates how schools and districts performed in the 2014-15 school year.
MDE Offices to Move Back to Central High School Building
July 19, 2016
CLINTON, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) will begin to move its main offices from South Pointe Business Park in Clinton back to the Central High School Building (CHS) in Jackson on July 20. All staff will be moved back to CHS by July 25.
From July 20-22, some phone lines may be down temporarily. Staff members can be contacted by email or through the MDE main number, 601-359-3513. Also, from July 20-22, there will be no walk-in service for the Office of Educator Licensure.
Mississippi Schools, Districts on the Road to Higher Achievement
July 19, 2016
CLINTON, Miss. – The Mississippi State Board of Education voted July 14 to approve accountability grades for the 2014-15 school year. The accountability model, as set by state law in 2013, assigns schools and districts letter grades on an A-F scale. The model used to calculate the 2014-15 grades was the same model used for the 2013-14 grades.
Although the accountability model did not change, some questions arose from parents and communities when they saw two different letter grades: How well is my child’s school performing? What’s a waiver?
Cut Scores Approved for Mississippi Assessment Program (MAP) Tests
July 25, 2016
JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) today approved the cut scores for the Mississippi Assessment Program (MAP) tests, which students took for the first time during the 2015-16 school year. MAP measures student progress in grades 3 through 8 with annual tests in English Language Arts and Mathematics and in high school Algebra I and English II.
Mississippi State Board of Education Sets Special-Called Teleconference to Discuss Federal Programs
August 10, 2016
WHO: Mississippi State Board of Education
WHAT: A special-called teleconference meeting to address federal programs
WHEN: Thursday, August 11, 1 p.m.
WHERE: Central High School Building, 4th Floor Board Room
NOTE: Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education, will be available to media following the meeting at 4 p.m. in the 4th floor Board Room. Media who are unable to attend may participate via conference call.
Mississippi Math, Science Teachers Earn National Recognition
August 15, 2016
JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi State Board of Education will recognize the 2015-16 state finalists for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) Program on Thursday, August 18. The PAEMST Program is the nation’s highest honor for teachers of mathematics and science (including computer science).
Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education.
MDE Releases Statewide Results for Mississippi Tests Aligned to Higher Standards
August 18, 2016
JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) released today results from the Mississippi Assessment Program (MAP), a statewide assessment created in collaboration with Mississippi teachers. MAP, which assesses student performance in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics in grades 3-8, English II and Algebra I, measures students’ progress toward higher academic goals that equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in jobs and college.