CPSD final grades in

Special to The Canton News 

Canton Public School District is rising to the top. Recently, the district announced a large improvement in academic performance for the overall district. Superintendent Gary Hannah and the School Board of Trustees celebrated the district’s achievements for earning a B-rating and all four of CPSD elementary schools earning an A-rating, both middle schools earning a B-rating, and the high school combined with the ninth-grade academy earning a C-rating. They presented the principals of these schools with plaques. 

Mississippi’s schools and districts are graded on an A-F scale. The grades are part of the state’s accountability system, which helps teachers, school leaders, parents and communities know how well their local schools and districts are serving their students.

CPSD Superintendent Gary Hannah said, Canton Public School District Family: WE DID IT! By now, I know that you’ve heard the news. If not…. let me be the first to tell you: for the first time since MDE began assigning letter grades to districts, the Canton Public School District is a B district! That’s B as in BETTER, BRILLIANT, and BREATHTAKING. This B was a team effort that took everyone, and for that, I want to say thank you. Thank you to our students, teachers, parents, principals, office staff, custodians, security officers, cafeteria staff, bus drivers, all department staff, and everyone who believed in the Canton Public School District. Whether you came to the district and worked hard every day, if you helped our children with their homework at night, if you left a kind message on our Facebook page, or if you included us in your prayers, you helped us get to this B, and we are grateful. Our district’s motto is Perseverance Conquers All, and never has there been a truer statement. This is only the beginning of where we will go.”

Approximately 81% of schools and 87% of districts will be rated C or higher for the 2021-22 school year. Though overall grades appear to have improved since 2019, state officials advise caution when interpreting score changes between the 2018-19 and 2021-22 school years. In particular, substantial shifts in performance may be temporarily influenced by factors associated with pandemic disruptions.

“The pandemic not only disrupted teaching and learning, it also impacted the state’s accountability system that evaluates the effectiveness of schools and districts,” said Dr. Kim Benton, state superintendent of education, interim. “While we are encouraged by the tremendous growth, it is especially important this year to look at all the components that make up each school and district grade to get a complete picture of student growth and achievement.”

The calculation of the state’s A-F accountability grades relies heavily on the amount of progress students make in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics from one year to the next, particularly the lowest performing 25% of students. Overall, students made significant progress between 2020-21 and 2021-22, as schools focused on accelerating learning after the first year of the pandemic. In addition, the passing requirements for high school Algebra I, English II, Biology and U.S. History assessments were waived in 2020-21, which will affect the graduation rate until all students who tested under the waivers graduate. 

Federal law requires all states to assess students annually in ELA and Mathematics in grades 3-8 and once during high school. Mississippi law requires schools and districts to earn annual A-F grades based on student performance and growth.

Mississippi’s accountability system includes the following components:
●    Student proficiency and growth rates in ELA and Mathematics in grades 3-8
●    Growth of the lowest performing 25% of students in ELA and Mathematics
●    Science proficiency in grades 5 and 8
●    English Learner progress toward becoming proficient in the English language
●    Performance on the ACT and high school Algebra I, English II, Biology and U.S. History assessments
●    Student participation and performance in advanced coursework such as Advanced Placement and dual credit/dual enrollment courses
●    Four-year graduation rate