State Superintendent releases annual report for K-12 schools

• The report states graduation rates and the number of third graders passing reading assessments are making gains.

Mississippi State Superintendent of Education Dr. Lance Evans released his annual report this week, outlining the state’s educational achievements during the 2024-25 school year.

The report states graduation rates and the number of third graders passing reading assessments are making gains.

Within the Magnolia State, 431,931 students were enrolled in public school classrooms staffed by 32,540 teachers. 

According to the report, the average amount spent per student based on the average enrollment was just more than $14,500. 

Within the state there are 141 public school districts, of which three are run by the state. There are also 10 charter schools in operation.

Statewide, the graduation rate in Mississippi was 89.2 percent during the 2024-25 school year. More than a decade ago in 2013, that rate was at 74.5 percent. 

This school year will be the first where students will not be required to take the U.S. History statewide assessment, however students will still need to take and pass that course in high school.

“This decision aims to alleviate testing burdens on students and educators while maintaining rigorous academic standards in U.S. History and other core high school subjects such as Algebra I, Biology, and English II,” the report states.

The graduation rate for students with disabilities during the 2023-24 school year was 65.2 percent, a figure that has tripled since 2013.

Chronic absenteeism rates increased over the year from 2023-24 school year’s rate of 24.4 percent to 27.6 percent during 2025-24. While absences in elementary grades declined over the year, the report cites the excessive absences (39 percent) at the high school level for the statewide uptick.

“In Mississippi and nationally, chronic absenteeism rates spiked during the pandemic and have not returned to pre-pandemic levels,” the report explains.

Dual credit and dual enrollment saw increases over the past nine years, from 6.6 percent in 2016 to 17.3 percent in 2025. Of those who enrolled, 96.3 percent passed those courses to earn college credit while still attending high school.

Pre-K enrollment has grown by about 38 percent as more state funding has been added over the past 10 years, increasing from 38 percent in 2014-15 to 61 percent in 2023-24.

Throughout the state, 87.2 percent of districts and 80.1 percent of schools earned an accountability score of C or higher during the 2024-25 school year, a significant increase from 2016’s rate of 62 percent. The state is in the process of implementing new state accountability standards being put in place this school year as per state law.

“The calculation of district and school grades relies heavily on the amount of progress students make in English Language Arts and Mathematics from one year to the next, particularly the lowest performing 25 percent of students,” the report states.