Feb 12, 2025 Story by Publisher
Standing on the steps of the Capitol, with the American and Mississippi state flags behind him, Gov. Tate Reeves praised the state’s educational advancements during his annual State of the State address on January 29.
“For so long, our teachers and our kids have been told they are last. 50th. At the bottom. Y’all, it’s just not true,” Reeves stated. “Mississippi is charging to the front of the pack with our education system and daring other states to keep up.”
Reeves emphasized Mississippi’s academic progress, citing record-high graduation rates and historically low dropout rates. On the same day, the Mississippi Department of Education released new data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), revealing that since 2013, Mississippi’s fourth-grade students have shown the greatest improvement in reading and math scores nationwide.
“Today, we actually received even more proof that what we have done is working,” Reeves declared. “Mississippi’s brand-new data from one of the top testing institutions—the National Assessment for Educational Progress—shows that we broke educational achievement records again.”
The report highlighted progress among minority students. Mississippi’s Black fourth graders now rank third in the U.S. in reading and math, while Hispanic students hold the top rank in reading and second in math among their peers. Overall, the state’s fourth graders placed ninth in the country for reading and 16th for math.
Nancy Loome, Executive Director of the Parent’s Campaign, applauded the state’s teachers, school leaders, students, and parents for these achievements. “Congratulations to our fabulous teachers, school leaders, students, and parents for their remarkable achievements!” she said on January 29. She also commended legislators for investing in public schools and resisting the push toward school voucher programs. “While Mississippi’s scores on national assessments have improved steadily over the years, the national average has declined following the national voucher push to divert critical resources to private schools.”
Mississippi’s Performance on National Education Assessments
The NAEP, often referred to as the “Nation’s Report Card,” is conducted biennially and assesses fourth and eighth graders in reading and math across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 2024, Mississippi was among just 13 states to see gains in fourth-grade math proficiency, with scores rising from 32% in 2022 to 38%.
Mississippi State Superintendent of Education Dr. Lance Evans underscored the significance of these results. “The 2024 results prove that the education reforms the state has been implementing over the past decade work. They also validate the historic gains Mississippi students first showed in 2019,” Evans stated in a Jan. 29 press release. “When we keep academic standards high, focus intensely on literacy, and ensure a strong accountability system for schools and districts, student achievement improves.”
Further analysis from the Urban Institute revealed that Mississippi leads the nation in multiple categories when student demographics such as poverty level are considered. The state ranks first for fourth-grade reading and math, first for eighth-grade math, and fourth for eighth-grade reading when compared to students in similar socio-economic conditions nationwide.
However, one area of concern remains: eighth-grade reading scores have stagnated. Only 23% of eighth graders reached proficiency, showing no improvement from the 2022 assessment.
State Officials Propose Additional Education Reforms
Mississippi lawmakers are considering further changes to improve student performance. State Rep. John Faukner (D-Holly Springs) introduced House Bill 857, which seeks to expand the Literacy-Based Promotion Act to include intervention programs for students in grades four through eight. The bill advanced out of the House Education Committee on January 22 and is now set for a full House vote.
In his address, Gov. Reeves proposed adjustments to the state’s accountability system, arguing that schools should be judged more on student proficiency rather than academic growth metrics.
“It is wrong that schools can be awarded with an ‘A’ or ‘B’ rating when more than 70 percent of their students aren’t proficient in reading,” Reeves stated. “Let me say that again: there are schools in Mississippi who are hanging their hat on their rating when 70 percent of their students can’t read at an adequate level. That’s just flat-out wrong. And we must put a stop to it.”
The Mississippi Department of Education began revising the accountability system last fall. State law mandates that academic standards be raised when 65% of schools or districts receive a B grade or higher. The Mississippi Accountability Task Force has proposed setting new standards by summer 2024, with implementation expected in the fall.
In response to Reeves’ speech, Mississippi Sen. David Blount (D-Jackson) credited bipartisan support for the state’s educational progress.
“Republicans led passage of the third-grade reading gate with overwhelming Democratic support,” Blount said in his Jan. 29 Democratic response. “Democrats and Republicans have pushed for more reading coaches to help students who had fallen behind and more career coaches. We passed a new funding formula that increases funding with greater equity. We have been working together.”
Blount also criticized Republican-backed school-choice legislation, arguing that it could reverse the state’s progress. Democrats contend that expanding school transfers and using public funds for private school vouchers could harm public education.
“There are around 50,000 students in private, church-related and home schools,” Blount stated. “Let’s be conservative and say 10 percent of students currently in public schools choose to use a voucher to go to private schools. That’s $630 million a year. Most of it is a new cost to you and the state budget.”
On Feb. 4, Republican House lawmakers advanced several school-choice bills, including measures allowing public school transfers and expanding private school vouchers.
During his response, Blount also emphasized the need for accountability in private schools receiving public funds.
“As Democrats, we believe that any school receiving state funds should be subject to the same academic accountability standards and oversight by the state auditor—just like public schools,” he said.
His remarks echoed those of Mississippi State Superintendent Lance Evans, who had previously stated at the Stennis Capitol Press Forum in October:
“I do believe that if one single dollar of public money goes into a private school, that every single child in that school has to be subject to the very same assessment pieces of every single student in a Mississippi public school,” Evans said last October. “…We all have to be held for the very same measure. That’s the bottom line. We can’t provide funding (for private schools), but hold those people to a different level of expectation than our public school students. And it can’t be an assessment of their choosing. It has to be the very same assessment that any student in a Mississippi public school is subjected to.”
Higher Education and Workforce Development
Gov. Reeves also emphasized the need for Mississippi’s colleges and universities to focus on preparing students for high-paying careers.
“We should insist that our higher education institutions train Mississippians to earn,” Reeves said. “Far too many students are stuck in tracts that will not lead to fruitful careers. That may be fine for a few who want to go down academic rabbit holes, but the focus of our investment and our efforts should be preparing our kids to live well.”
His views align with State Auditor Shad White, who previously argued that the state should prioritize funding for degrees in fields like business and engineering over disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, African American studies, and women’s studies. White’s September 2023 report, Plugging the Brain Drain: Investing in College Majors That Actually Work, called for redirecting state resources toward job-oriented degrees. White praised Reeves’ comments on X.
Reeves further stated that CEOs investing in Mississippi rarely ask about “a workforce of gender-studies students prepared to take their high-paying jobs.” Instead, he said, they are looking for skilled mechanics, engineers, and technologists.
Concluding his address, Reeves celebrated Mississippi’s achievements in 2024.“We are bold, creative, accomplished, and fearless,” he said. “These qualities created the greatest year in Mississippi’s history in 2024. And because we are Mississippians, in 2025, we will do it again.”
Source: Mississippi Free Press
