Five districts, 12 schools have state assessments thrown out as MDE investigates

Charlie Drape, Mississippi Clarion-Ledger
Updated ·5 min read

After an investigation of testing irregularities in the administering of a statewide testing program, the Mississippi Department of Education has invalidated 934 spring 2023 state assessment results in five districts and 12 schools — including seven Jackson Public Schools.

The statewide tests are called the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program or MAAP. The MAAP tests measure a student's achievement in English, mathematics, science and U.S. history, according to the program's website. Students in grades three through eight are tested in English and math. Students in grades five through eight are tested in science, algebra and biology, as well.

The results of the investigation were made public Wednesday afternoon in a press release sent out by the MDE. The portion of tests invalidated in each grade and subject range from 8% to 94% of tests taken in each subject at each individual school. The MDE did not name which schools had the most percentage of tests invalidated, citing the investigation is still ongoing.

This is an exterior shot of of the Mississippi Department of Education in Jackson, Miss., photographed April 24, 2023.
This is an exterior shot of of the Mississippi Department of Education in Jackson, Miss., photographed April 24, 2023.

JPS had the most schools to have the statewide tests invalidated of the five districts under investigation. The other districts under investigation include Canton School District, Greenville Public School District, Hollandale Public School District and Wilkinson County Public School District.

"Most tests were invalidated because of an extremely high level of similar responses and/or instances of wrong-to-right answer changes. The probability of the detected irregularities occurring under normal testing conditions is 1 in 1 quintillion," the press release states. "The systemic scope of the irregularities indicates violations of test security."

After a Jackson Public Schools internal investigation, Lester Elementary School, seen Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023, has been confirmed as one of seven JPS schools identified as having “testing irregularities” in the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program, a statewide program. More than 40 JPS staff members have been disciplined. Some have been terminated.

The MDE notified the affected superintendents about testing irregularities on Aug. 15, 2023, giving them 15 working days to conduct an investigation and submit a report of their findings. Seven Jackson Public Schools leaders had been placed on administrative leave since Aug. 17 as the district investigated the test result abnormalities at the seven schools they lead. JPS announced termination or disciplinary actions against 43 staff members in a press release Tuesday.

But on Wednesday, that number grew even higher. As a result of the investigation, district leaders in JPS and the Canton School District determined 57 educators, administrators and staff violated security rules for the MAAP tests.

The district-led investigations in the Greenville, Hollandale and Wilkinson school districts did not identify any school personnel who violated test security rules, but the MDE is now conducting test security and educator misconduct investigations in those districts.

This is an exterior shot of Central High School in Jackson, Miss., photographed April 24, 2023.
This is an exterior shot of Central High School in Jackson, Miss., photographed April 24, 2023.

The districts are required to report the personnel to the MDE Office of Educator Misconduct, where they could face further disciplinary action against their educator licenses, including suspension, revocation and possible criminal charges. Mississippi law requires school districts to reimburse the MDE for the cost of these investigations.

Test results were invalidated in a portion of tests in the following schools, grades and subjects, according to the MDE press release:

This is an exterior shot of Central High School in Jackson, Miss., photographed April 24, 2023.
This is an exterior shot of Central High School in Jackson, Miss., photographed April 24, 2023.

  • Canton Public School District:

    • Nichols Middle School - Grades 6 and 7 in English Language Arts and Math.

  • Greenville Public School District

    • Boyd Elementary School - Grade 5 English Language Arts and Math

  • Hollandale School District:

    • Simmons Junior High School - Grade 8 English Language Arts

    • Simmons High School - English II.

  • Jackson Public Schools:

    • Dawson Elementary School – Grade 3 English Language Arts and Math.

    • Lester Elementary School – Grades 3, 4, 5 English Language Arts and Math; Grade 5 Science.

    • Marshall Elementary School – Grade 3 English Language Arts.

    • McLeod Elementary School – Grades 3, 4, 5 English Language Arts and Math.

    • Peeples Middle School – Grades 6, 7, 8 English Language Arts and Math; Grade 8 Science.

    • Wilkins Elementary School – Grade 4 Math.

    • Lanier High School – English II.

  • Wilkinson County School District

    • Wilkinson County High School – English II, Algebra I, U.S. History.

These invalidated tests represent less than two-tenths of 1% of the 578,515 tests administered in Mississippi in spring 2023.

Here's what will happen if your child's school is affected

The MDE will be sending letters to the parents and guardians of students whose assessment scores were invalidated. Families who receive these letters are urged to contact their child's school district to request an accurate picture of their child's performance.

"Falsified test results deprive students, families and other teachers of knowing whether students need extra help and support," the press release states. "Schools that promoted 3rd grade students with invalidated English Language Arts scores will be required to provide those students with additional support and intervention, if necessary, to ensure the students are reading proficiently. Students with invalidated high school test results are required to retake the exams in the 2023-24 school year because the assessments are required for graduation."

These schools will not receive a letter grade for the 2022-23 school year

The Mississippi Statewide Accountability System, which is administered by the MDE's Office of District and School Performance, provides state, district, and school level performance measures on a yearly basis. Districts and schools are assigned a performance rating of A, B, C, D and F based on established criteria, such as student achievement, individual student growth, graduation rate, participation rate and the MAAP assessment scores.

The system helps stakeholders make decisions regarding areas of improvement and need within the state education system, including funding.

Due to the investigation, schools with invalidated MAAP test scores in 10% or more of their assessments will not receive a letter grade for the 2022-23 school year. They will also have their accreditation status downgraded or withdrawn. School and district grades will be released on Sept. 28.

In total, JPS will have four schools not receiving a letter grade for 2022-23, the most of any district. This could be a major blow to the districts recent upgrading. In 2022, JPS moved from a D to a C letter grade. One of the elementary school's not receiving a letter grade, Lester Elementary, was ranked at No. 5 in the top elementary schools in Mississippi.

The MDE has announced the following schools will not receive a letter grade and will be noted as "test data invalidated" for the 2022-23 school year:

  • Canton Public School District

    • Nichols Middle School

  • Greenville Public School District

    • Boyd Elementary School

  • Hollandale School District

    • Simmons High School

  • Jackson Public Schools

    • Dawson Elementary School

    • Lester Elementary School

    • McLeod Elementary School

    • Peeples Middle School

  • Wilkinson County School District

    • Wilkinson County High School.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: MS Dept. of Education invalidates 934 state assessments in 5 districts