2024-25 Mississippi Academic Assessment Program scores show mixed results

JACKSON, Miss. (WXXV)- The Mississippi Department of Education released the 2024-25 Mississippi Academic Assessment Program results.

This year’s results showed increased proficiency in some grades and content areas, but a slight drop in overall proficient and advanced scores.

The percentages of students scoring proficient or advanced in 2024-25 are 54.5% in math, 47.4% in English Language Arts (ELA), 60.9% in science, and 69.7% in U.S. History.

The 2024-25 overall pass rates increased for the initial third-grade reading assessment and all four end-of-course assessments.

“Based on these assessment results, MDE is ahead of the curve in addressing changes that should lead to improved scores. An updated accountability model that puts a greater emphasis on proficiency is being finalized now,” said Dr. Lance Evans, state superintendent of education. “Historically, the model has given a large amount of weight to growth, which is the amount of progress students make from one year to the next. Both factors are important, but proficiency indicates understanding of content, and that’s where more focus is needed now.”

In reviewing the 2024-25 results on grade and content levels, MDE is identifying trends to determine areas of support. State level plans include:

• Increasing literacy and math coaches to build capacity of teachers in schools that need support
• Seeking funds from the legislature for an adolescent literacy initiative for grades 4-8 and a math initiative
• Encourage more districts to adopt high-quality instructional materials (HQIM)
• Ensure administrators know the value of implementing literacy instruction based on science of reading (SOR) research
• Placing emphasis on educators completing SOR professional development

MAAP measures students’ progress toward academic goals that equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in college and the workforce. Mississippi teachers helped develop MAAP tests, which align with the learning goals for Mississippi classrooms. MAAP measures student performance in ELA and mathematics in grades 3-8, science in grades 5 and 8, and in high school English II, Algebra I, Biology and U.S. History. In 2025-26, there will not be an U.S. History end-of-course assessment.