The Jefferson Davis County School District, in collaboration with the Mississippi State Department of Education, is pleased to announce the release of the statewide Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Results for the 2022-2023 school year.

In JDCSD, both elementary school campuses showed growth allowing the district to obtain a Scale Score Gain of 190 which is 10 points less than the state’s Scale Score Gain of 200 points.

According to research, 85% of students scoring 530 or higher at the beginning of kindergarten on their benchmark assessment are proficient in reading at the end of 3rd grade. A spring scale score of 681 is a strong indication that scholars are on a trajectory to pass the 3rd-grade reading assessment.

Newly released data indicated that JDCSD was 2.12% less than the State of Mississippi’s percentage of 61.42% of students scoring at or above the target score of 681.

“Although we are proud of the gains that both of our elementary campuses experienced, it gives me great pleasure to share that Carver Elementary School exceeded the state’s percentage of students scoring at or above the target score of 681,” said JDC Superintendent Ike Haynes.

Haynes is confident that growth will continue for years to come, especially with the addition pre-kindergarten to the district’s academic programs. Pre-kindergarten with other early learning collaboratives, such as the local Five County Head Start Haynes says will ensure the community continues to achieve academic growth.

“While we celebrate the progress made in kindergarten readiness, we must remain committed to ensuring equitable access to quality early education programs,” said Mr. Haynes, Superintendent of Schools.

To address areas of concern, JDCSD will collaborate on targeted interventions and support programs. These initiatives will aim to strengthen early childhood education, empower educators, and engage families to create an optimal learning environment for children.