Dr. Lance Evans (Photo from MDE on Facebook)
- Workforce development through CTE programs and statewide early learning are among Dr. Lance Evans’ top goals.
Members of the Mississippi State Board of Education heard from State Superintendent Dr. Lance Evans last week about his goals for the state’s public education system. Evans looks to continue the gains made in the last few years that have seen Mississippi’s test scores, graduation rates and other positive indicators trend up.
Hybrid Instructional Program
One of the initiatives Dr. Evans plans to introduce is a hybrid instructional program in partnership with Mississippi Public Broadcasting. It will require hiring roughly 12 teachers through appropriated funds from the Legislature, a task Evans indicated to the Board is achievable. He said there is support from members of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The fully synchronous instructional program will provide 10th grade English Language Arts and Algebra I coursework to thousands of students in schools who do not have teachers on staff in these fields of study. Dr. Evans said he hopes the program is not needed but is pitching it to the Board as a way to address the ongoing teacher shortage.
“The goal is for this not to have to take place, but there are students in our state that are literally receiving Algebra I instruction through an asynchronous online platform,” Evans described.
Those school districts need access to those services because they do not have a teacher on staff locally to teach the courses, he added.
Evans estimates each of the 12 educators will be teaching between 400 to 450 students, reaching about 6,000 students across the state. It was made clear that one teacher would not have to grade all of the 400 to 450 essays or tests.
Students will engage with the same teacher for each 97-minute instructional period to ensure a connection is made between the educator and student.
The State Superintendent also clarified that the program would not save a district or school money by not having to hire a teacher.
CTE and Workforce Development
Workforce development is a hot topic for lawmakers and public education leaders alike. Dr. Evans said there is a connection, citing his recent presentation during the Mississippi Economic Council’s Capital Day held earlier this month.
On the topic of developing the next generation’s employee base, Dr. Evans described how the number of students who become Career and Technical Education concentrators, or those who complete two CTE courses within the same area of study, is growing slightly in spite of increasing scheduling complications students face.
“Because of how scheduling has changed and how many things students are involved in today, it’s very difficult for a student to be a two-year completer,” Evans said.
According to data presented during the meeting, the number of CTE concentrators in 2016 was 10,155. While that total has fluctuated over the years to a low of 9,348 in 2022, student involvement reached an all-time high of 11,787 in 2024. During the previous school year, that number was 9,923.
As has been previously reported, CTE completers have higher graduation rates than other students.
Another way MDE plans to assist with workforce development is to expand career credential courses across the state through the newly created position of Workforce Development Coordinator.
“This is going to be a very important position to move this work forward,” Evans added.
The K-12 workforce development plan being drafted as part of that new position will focus on meeting the needs of each of the state’s eight business and industry ecosystems. That means CTE courses offered at schools across the state will vary based on the needs of the industries and businesses operating in their respective areas.
Early Learning, Pre-K Program Expansion
Dr. Evans also touched on the importance of the expansion of early learning and pre-K programs.
Information he presented to the State Board of Education reflects that pre-K programs supported or overseen by MDE outperform those not supported or managed by the department. Evans noted that the level of readiness for students who attended early learning collaborations and MDE-supported pre-K programs averaged 65.7 percent over the past three years, while public pre-K options averaged a readiness level of 62.3 percent during that same period.
“That’s why it’s so important to continue to fund these early learning collabs, and it’s so important for us to get to a point where we can put universal Pre-K in Mississippi,” Evans elaborated. “Now that is a very, very expensive endeavor, therefore that’s why we have this process we’re going through.”
Superintendent Evans also noted how only one-third of students who start Kindergarten in Mississippi demonstrate they are prepared at the start of that school year, and by the end of that school year about two-thirds reach the targeted scores.
“This is another reason why we have to continue to push early learning,” Evans said. “You’re forming the basis for their entire life.”
Other Standout Goals
Another goal Dr. Evans outlined during the State Board of Education meeting includes implementation of a performance-based graduation option for second-semester high school seniors.
Evans described how the option could assist those students who may not have passed all of the required end of course assessments but who can still show mastery in the required content.
In addition, he described how MDE is forming a plan to reduce the percentage of inexperienced teachers working in schools in areas with populations that are both high poverty and high minority.
As part of the continued advancements seen in Mississippi’s public education system, Dr. Evans informed the Board that the department has set a goal for every district within the state be rated at level “C” or higher by the 2025-2026 school year.
For the following school year, 2026-2027, MDE plans to implement an updated accountability system that will include a tiered support system for “D” and “F” rated schools. Evans said the plan is for MDE to avoid taking over a school district, but the department will if necessary.
