PRESS RELEASE
MERIDIAN, MS. – The Meridian Public School District acknowledges the release of Mississippi’s 2025–26 Statewide Accountability results and remains committed to using student performance data to identify areas of success, strengthen instruction, and continue improving outcomes for every learner.
Mississippi’s public schools and districts are graded annually on an A–F scale. These grades are part of the state’s accountability system, which provides educators, families, and communities with information about how well schools and districts are serving students.
The accountability system considers multiple indicators of student and school performance, including student achievement on statewide assessments, student growth from year to year, graduation rates, college and career readiness, and assessment participation. The Mississippi Department of Education uses these measures to help schools and districts identify areas of strength and opportunities for continuous improvement.
The 2025–26 school year marks an important transition for Mississippi’s accountability system. Beginning with the 2025–26 school year, schools and districts must meet higher performance standards to earn each letter grade.
State law requires accountability standards to increase when statewide proficiency rates exceed 75% or when 65% of schools or districts earn a grade of “B” or higher. Schools and districts met this threshold in 2023, prompting the Mississippi Department of Education to begin a two-year process to reset the state’s accountability standards.
“Raising academic standards is required by state law because it is an essential part of ensuring Mississippi students and schools continue to improve academically each year,” said Dr. Lance Evans, state superintendent of education.
Because of these changes, the grades assigned for the 2025–26 school year establish a new baseline for measuring school and district performance. As a result, this year’s accountability grades cannot be directly compared with grades assigned in previous school years.
Growth is happening across multiple MPSD campuses and subject areas. The 2025–26 data show measurable gains in reading, math, science, and other academic indicators at schools throughout the district. All MPSD elementary schools showed strong academic growth, achieving a successful rating or better, with West Hills Elementary achieving a “B” rating.
“While accountability results provide an important snapshot of student and school performance, they are also a tool for identifying where we need to grow,” said Dr. Amy Carter, MPSD Superintendent. “We will continue to examine the data carefully, celebrate areas where our students and staff are making progress, and remain focused on providing every student with the opportunities, support, and instruction needed to succeed.”
MPSD will continue analyzing the 2025–26 assessment and accountability data at the district, school, and student levels. The district will use this information to inform instructional planning, professional development, targeted interventions, and strategies designed to accelerate academic growth.
MPSD recognizes that accountability results represent one component of a much larger picture of student success. The district remains committed to its mission to inspire and develop excellence in everyone and its vision of empowering learners to become leaders.
As MPSD moves forward under the new accountability measures, the district will continue working collaboratively with educators, students, families, and community partners to strengthen academic achievement and ensure students are prepared for the four E’s: Enroll, Enlist, Enter the Workforce, and Entrepreneurship.
