Mississippi education officials elevate standards for grading public schools

Education officials in Mississippi are raising the standard of education success for public schools.

The State Board of Education voted on Thursday to move forward with a new “A-F” performance level cut for the Mississippi Statewide Accountability System. The new criterion will be used to assign grades to schools and districts for the 2025-26 school year. Grades for the current school year will set a new standard for measuring the performance of schools and districts, and the state will not compare this year’s grades with those of previous school years.

The state’s decision follows regulations that standards for student, school, and district performance increase when proficiency rates exceed 75% or when 65% of schools or districts earn a grade of “B” or higher. Schools and districts met