Petal School Superintendent Dr. Matthew L. Dillon credited all phases of the district’s education machine – administrators, staff, teachers, students, and parents – for the successful English and mathematics test results that were released recently.
“We have great people in our system first and foremost,” Dillon said after the state Department of Education released the results. “We build everything off a relationship with students, and our teachers and students buy into the system.”
Superintendent Matt Dillon
Petal was one of seven school districts ranked in the Top 10 statewide for student proficiency in both English Language Arts and mathematics. The others were Booneville, Clinton, Enterprise, Ocean Springs, Oxford, and Union County.
“We get the most out of everybody in the district,” Dillon said. “We have staff members that work hard, and we have teachers who bring students up to a higher level.”
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.
“Mississippi students are outpacing 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 Petal, test scores in the proficient and advanced results combined by subject were:
Third-grade English (District, 71.1 percent) – Petal Elementary, 71.1 percent.
Fourth-grade English (District, 69.0 percent) – Petal Elementary, 69.0 percent.
Fifth-grade English (District, 65.2 percent) – Petal Upper Elementary, 65.2 percent.
Sixth-grade English (District, 51.1 percent) – Petal Upper Elementary, 51.1 percent.
Seventh-grade English (District, 58.6 percent) – Petal Middle, 58.6 percent.
Eighth-grade English (District, 61.9 percent) – Petal Middle, 61.9 percent.
English II (District, 69.2 percent) – Petal High, 69.2 percent.
Third-grade Math (District, 74.1 percent) – Petal Elementary, 74.1 percent.
Fourth-grade Math (District, 73.3 percent) – Petal Elementary, 73.3 percent.
Fifth-grade Math (District, 70.9 percent) – Petal Upper Elementary, 70.9 percent.
Sixth-grade Math (District, 74.6 percent) – Petal Upper Elementary, 74.6 percent.
Seventh-grade Math (District, 80.5 percent) – Petal Middle, 80.5 percent.
Eighth-grade Math (District, 75.1 percent) – Petal Middle, 75.1 percent.
Algebra I (District, 65.8 percent) – Petal High, 65.8 percent.