Pearl, RCSD Students Top the State Average - Kindergarten

Aug. 3, 2022

Source: Tom Hill, Rankin County News

PEARL - Results released by the Mississippi Department of Education recently showed that kindergarten students in the Pearl and Rankin County School Districts topped the state average on the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment during the 2021-2022 school year. 

Kindergarten students are tested in the fall and then again in the spring to assess how much progress they have made in thier reading skills. 

In the Pearl Public School District, the 309 kindergarten students scored an average of 516 in the fall assessment and then 729 in the spring assessment, a gain of 213 points. The MDE showed that overall, 75.75 percent of Pearl kindergarten students scored 681 or higher and classifies those students as transitional readers who have mastered alphabet skills and letter-sound relationships.

"I'm very pleased to see our results on the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment," PPSD Superintendent Chris Chism said. "The state average dropped last year and the Pearl scores held strong at 75 percent. We are all proud of the hard work our teachers and administrators at Pearl Lower Elementary. Last year, they did an outstanding job of growing our students and we look forward to improving on that success in the 2022-2023 school year."

The Rankin Conty School District has 12 elementary schools with a total of 1,296 kindergarten students. Overall, the RCSD average score in the fall assessment was 494 and 689 in the spring assessment, an improvement of 195 points. The MDE stated that 59.43 percent of RCSD kindergarten students scored 681 or higher, which classifies them as transitional readers. 

Flowood Elementary - fall average score, 505; spring average score, 659; a gain of 154 points, with 49.23 percent of the students scoring 681 or higher.

Highland Bluff Elementary - fall average score, 499; spring average score, 721; a gain of 222 points, with 72.94 percent of the students scoring 681 or higher.

McLaurin Elementary - fall average score, 482; spring average score, 701; a gain of 219 points, with 63.86 percent of the students scoring 681 or higher.

Northshore Elementary - fall average score, 539; spring average score 714; a gain of 175 points, with 65.38 percent of the students scoring 681 or higher.

Northwest Elementary - fall average score, 496; spring average score 690; a gain of 194 points, with 58.67 percent of the students scoring 681 or higher.

Oakdale Elementary - fall average score, 512; spring average score 673; a gain of 161 points, with 53.61 percent of the students scoring 681 or higher.

Pelahatchie Elementary - fall average score, 468; spring average score, 671; a gain of 203 points, with 46.81 percent of the students scoring 681 or higher.

Pisgah Elementary - fall average score, 531; spring average score, 749; a gain of 218 points, with 81.43 percent of the students scoring 681 or higher.

Puckett Elementary - fall average score, 519; spring average score, 696; a gain of 177 points, with 61.36 percent of the students scoring 681 or higher.

Richland Elementary - fall average score, 461; spring average score 702; a gain of 241 points, with 62.62 percent of the students scoring 681 or higher.

Rouse Elementary - fall average score, 489; spring average score, 672; a gain of 183 points, with 54.64 percent of the students scoring 681 or higher.

Steen's Creek Elementary - fall average score, 479; spring average score, 683; a gain of 204 points, with 56.98 percent of the students scoring 681 or higher.

"The 1,296 Rankin County School District kindergarten students from our 12 elementary schools who tested this age group grew an average of 40 percent during the fall to spring testing period for the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment, which placed us above the state average," RCSD Superintendent Dr. Scott Rimes stated. "Although there always is room for improvement, we are very proud of our teachers and students who have put forth such a great effort."