The Mississippi Department of Education announced that 75.7% of 31,787 third graders passed the initial reading assessment for the 2023-24 school year, slightly below last year's 76.3% but above the pre-pandemic rate of 74.5%.
“When it comes to literacy, the collective efforts of teachers, administrators, literacy coaches, and families are essential to students’ success,” said Dr. Ray Morgigno, interim state superintendent of education.
The Literacy-Based Promotion Act (LBPA) mandates third graders in Mississippi pass a reading assessment to advance to fourth grade. Students failing the initial test have two more attempts. Last year, 84.9% passed after retests, slightly down from 85% in 2021-22. The next retest window is June 17-28, with exemptions available for some students.
Newton County excelled with a pass rate exceeding 95%, leading the state. Other top performers include Union County (92.3%), Ocean Springs (92%), and Kemper County (90.9%). In contrast, Humphreys County had the lowest rate at 35.8%, followed by Clarksdale (44.8%), and Baldwin (45.8%).
Charter schools showed mixed results: Ambition Prep at 44.7% and Smillow at 64.3%.
The final district-level pass rates will be published in the fall's Literacy-Based Promotion Act Annual Report for the 2023-24 school year.
