Instructional work at the Laurel Magnet School of the Arts paid off in the recent test results announced by the state Department of Education, according to Laurel School District Superintendent Dr. Toy L. Watts.
Statewide test results show student achievement has reached an all-time high in English Language Arts and mathematics. The 2018-19 Mississippi Academic Assessment Program measures student performance in ELA and mathematics in grades 3-8 and in high school English II and Algebra I.
Watts said several factors contributed to the magnet school’s success.
“With strong leadership and a laser-like focus on data-driven instruction, our teachers worked diligently to provide quality instruction to meet the needs of students,” she said. “They looked at every student’s data and provided intentional instruction based on student need called Differentiated Instruction Blocks, where students participated twice weekly for two hours. Additionally, there was complete buy-in from parents, students and teachers to the school’s plan of improvement, and through that dedicated level of support, the school reached even higher levels of success.”
The magnet school has been a Mississippi Arts Commission Whole Schools Initiative School since 1999, a Model School for the Arts since 2003 and Exemplar Model School for the Arts since 2018. This initiative expands regular classroom instruction to include visual and performing arts as a creative and engaging learning tool across the entire curriculum.
Laurel has reorganized the elementary schools for the current school year and hopes to see test scores improve in the next session, Watts said.
“Oak Park Elementary School and Mason Elementary School now house 4-year-old kindergarten through third grades,” she added. “And Laurel Upper Elementary School on the Maddox campus is now home to our fourth- and fifth-grade students. By placing fewer grade levels at our elementary school campuses, this will allow those administrators the increased ability to provide better grade-specific supports.
“With a smaller group of standards to focus on, our administrators can fine-tune the instructional practices and rigor provided at their school.”
The addition of 4-year-old kindergartens should also show improvement in the other grades, Watts said.
“Beginning this school year, a 4-year-old kindergarten program was added at Mason Elementary School,” she stated. “We are very excited to be able to now offer 4K programs at Mason Elementary School, Laurel Magnet School of the Arts and Oak Park Elementary School. Statistically, our schools with a 4K program have performed far better on the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment, as administered by the state, than those schools without a pre-kindergarten program. We can now provide intense supports for 120 four-year-old kindergarten students and build a foundation for future academic performance.”
In 2018-19, statewide ELA achievement has increased from 33.6 percent to 41.6 percent of students scoring proficient or advanced. Students scoring proficient or advanced in mathematics has jumped from 33.0 percent to 47.3 percent.
“Mississippi students are out-pacing the nation in learning gains thanks to their hard work and the hard work of teachers, school staff, school leaders and parents,” said Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education. “Education in Mississippi is part of our state’s success story.”
MAAP tests have five levels. Students scoring at Levels 4 and 5 are considered proficient or advanced in the subject.
In Laurel test scores in the proficient and advanced results combined by subject were:
*Third-grade English (District 29.1 percent) – Maddox Elementary, 18.2 percent; Mason Elementary, 26.3 percent; Laurel Magnet School of the Arts, 78.5 percent; Oak Park Elementary, 13.6 percent.
*Fourth-grade English (District 30.8 percent) – Maddox Elementary, 34.6 percent; Mason Elementary, 28.6 percent; Laurel Magnet School of the Arts, 52.1 percent; Oak Park Elementary, 17.3 percent.
*Fifth-grade English (District 32.4 percent) – Maddox Elementary, 33.3 percent; Mason Elementary, 18.8 percent; Laurel Magnet School of the Arts, 55.1 percent; Oak Park Elementary, 31.2 percent.
*Sixth-grade English (District 14.0 percent) – Laurel Middle, 14.0 percent.
*Seventh-grade English (District 19.6 percent) – Laurel Middle, 19.6 percent.
*Eighth-grade English (District 13.5 percent) – Laurel Middle, 13.5 percent.
*English II (District 22.8 percent) – Laurel High, 22.8 percent.
*Third-grade Math (District 33.8 percent) – Maddox Elementary, 22.7 percent; Mason Elementary, 33.8 percent; Laurel Magnet School of the Arts, 90.4 percent; Oak Park Elementary, 14.9 percent.
*Fourth-grade Math (District 35.8 percent) – Maddox Elementary, 26.9 percent; Mason Elementary, 28.9 percent; Laurel Magnet School of the Arts, 80.4 percent; Oak Park Elementary, 21.3 percent.
*Fifth-grade Math (District 27.4 percent) – Maddox Elementary, 23.5 percent; Mason Elementary, 22.5 percent; Laurel Magnet School of the Arts, 51.0 percent; Oak Park Elementary, 18.0 percent.
*Sixth-grade Math (District 20.0 percent) – Laurel Middle, 20.0 percent.
*Seventh-grade Math (District 34.6 percent) – Laurel Middle, 34.6 percent.
*Eighth-grade Math (District 11.4 percent) – Laurel Middle, 11.4 percent.
*Algebra I (District 40.6 percent) – Laurel High, 40.6 percent.