Mississippi educators celebrated the state’s greatest improvement in education ranking early this week, rising to 39th in the country in the 2020 KIDS COUNTS Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Overall, the state kept its 50th rating because of the other three domains that were included in the composite index of overall child well-being for each state. The other domains are Economic Well-Being, Health, and Family and Community.
The state’s education placement was 44th in 2019, and the 2020 ranking improved in fourth-graders not proficient in reading (78 percent to 68 percent from 2009-2019), eighth-graders not proficient in math (85 percent to 76 percent from 2009-2019), and high school students not graduating on time (25 percent to 16 percent from 2010-11 to 2017-18).
The only education ranking that did not improve was the young children (three- and four-year-olds) not in school (from 47 percent to 48 percent from 2009-11 to 2016-18)
Mississippi Superintendent of Education Dr. Carey Wright said the state’s education improvement is the result of quality work by school employees.
“This exciting news is the direct result of leaders, teachers, parents and students working collaboratively to lift academic performance in the state and open the doors of opportunity for students,” she said. “It also reinforces the success of our national performance in fourth-grade math and reading.”
Linda Southward, director of the Children’s Foundation of Mississippi, said the state can improve its education standing even more.
“We must first assure that children and families have the services needed now and after the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said. “(It is) more critical than ever for each child to have computers and access to broadband Internet connectivity — this is one example of how Mississippi can build upon the successes in education, along with quality early care and education and more Pre-K classrooms.”
Southward continued, “Mississippians are overwhelmingly supportive of giving our children a strong start, but we know it will take everyone working together, across systems and agencies along with public-private partnerships, to make positive differences for Mississippi’s children and their families.”
This is Mississippi’s first decrease in the overall ranking over the past three years. The 31st edition of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT® Data Book describes how children across the United States were faring before the coronavirus pandemic began.
This year’s publication continues to deliver the foundation’s annual state rankings and the latest available data on child well-being. It also identifies multi-year trends — comparing statistics from 2010 to 2018. As always, policymakers, researchers and advocates can continue using this information to help shape their work and build a stronger future for children, families and communities.