Mississippi is raising its education standards to foster ongoing student achievement, officials announced. The state plans to release new A-F school and district grades for the 2025-2026 school year, which may show fewer schools earning top marks despite increased student proficiency, according to sources familiar with the process.
Since 2013, Mississippi policymakers have emphasized building on past successes. They enacted laws requiring expectations to be raised once a majority of students reach proficiency or a significant number of schools earn high grades. This fall, the State Department of Education and State Board of Education convened a panel of educators and experts to recommend a more rigorous grading scale, which was approved by the board.
Mississippi aims to avoid complacency by setting higher benchmarks. While more students are exceeding expectations, officials recognize that not all students are fully prepared for success. The state’s efforts have already yielded notable progress, including improving from the lowest-ranked state for fourth-grade reading in 2013 to the ninth best in 2025, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
In addition to raising standards, Mississippi has invested more than $9 million this year in adolescent literacy initiatives and $3.48 million to support math education, including the adoption of high-quality instructional materials and universal math screeners. These measures reflect a commitment to maintaining high accountability and ensuring students receive the support they need.
Though the upcoming grades may show fewer A’s and B’s, education officials emphasize that this is part of a process to identify areas for growth. Raising expectations is seen as a continuation of Mississippi’s efforts to improve, not a departure from them. Ultimately, policymakers believe that maintaining high standards will better prepare students for post-graduation success and strengthen the state’s workforce.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
