Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards - 2025

Title 7: Education K-12 Part 24: 2025 MS Public School Accountability Standards

MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS

2025

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MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS 2025

MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE OF ACCREDITATION

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COMMISSION ON SCHOOL ACCREDITATION Congressional District #1* Anthony Bryant Carter Myers Aisha Maxwell Brad Stevens

Tupelo Oxford Southaven Smithville

Congressional District #2* Mary B. “Betsy” Cotton Vacant Ingrid Williams Vacant

Yazoo City Clinton

Congressional District #3* Patrice Guilfoyle Jeremy Hamm Toni Kersh Dr. John-Mark Cain

Madison Union Pearl Meridian

Congressional District #4* Dr. Carla Evers Pamela Manners Dr. Sarah Wilborn

Gulfport Biloxi Ellisville

*Note: Refers to the four (4) Congressional Districts as established at the time the Commission was authorized by Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-3 Jo Ann Malone, Ed.D., Executive Secretary, Commission on School Accreditation Htts://www.mdek12.org/OA/Accred

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MISSISSIPPI BOARD OF EDUCATION Michael Pruitt

Hattiesburg

Dr. Wendi Barrett

Biloxi

Glen East

Gulfport

Bill Jacobs

Brookhaven

Ronnie McGehee

Madison

Matt Miller

Hattiesburg

Mary Werner

Saltillo

Matt Mayo

Flowood

Billye Jean Stroud

New Albany

Crosby Parker, Senior Student Representative

Gulfport

Michelle Xie, Junior Student Representative

Hattiesburg

Dr. Lance Evans, Superintendent of Education Dr. Paula Vanderford, Chief Accountability Officer https://www.mdek12.org/MBE/Home

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MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS THE HISTORY OF ACCREDITATION IN MISSISSIPPI ................................................................................................ viii ACCREDITATION POLICIES OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ......................................................................... 12 1.0 ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY ........................................................................................................................ 12 1.1 Membership of the Commission on School Accreditation ...................................................................... 12 1.2 Appointment ........................................................................................................................................... 12 1.3 Terms of Office ........................................................................................................................................ 12 1.4 General Duties of Commission on School Accreditation ......................................................................... 12 1.5 Officers .................................................................................................................................................... 12 1.6 Meetings .................................................................................................................................................. 12 1.7 Expenses .................................................................................................................................................. 13 1.8 Staff ......................................................................................................................................................... 13 2.0 DISTRICT ACCREDITATION POLICY ............................................................................................................ 13 2.1 Assignment of District Accreditation ....................................................................................................... 13 2.2 Process Standards.................................................................................................................................... 13 2.3 Accreditation Statuses Defined ............................................................................................................... 13 2.4 Notification of Deficiencies After Assignment of Status .......................................................................... 13 2.5 Factors That May Affect an Immediate Change in Accreditation Status .................................................. 14 2.6 Resolving Accreditation Controversies .................................................................................................... 15 2.7 Consolidation of School Districts or Reconfigurations of Schools ........................................................... 15 2.8 Corrective Action Plan (CAP) and Withdrawal of Accreditation .............................................................. 15 2.9 Conditions of Emergency Status and Withdrawal of Accreditation ......................................................... 16 3.0 PERFORMANCE CLASSIFICATION POLICY ................................................................................................. 18 3.1 Assignment of Performance Classifications ............................................................................................. 18 3.2 Performance Standards ........................................................................................................................... 19 3.3 Performance Classifications..................................................................................................................... 19 3.4 Schools At-Risk......................................................................................................................................... 19 4.0 RECOGNITION AND EXEMPTIONS ............................................................................................................ 20 4.1 Recognition .............................................................................................................................................. 21 4.2 Exemptions .............................................................................................................................................. 21 5.0 ACCREDITATION MONITORING PROCEDURES .......................................................................................... 21 5.1 On-Site Evaluations .................................................................................................................................. 21 5.2 Investigative Audits (Complaints Against Districts) ................................................................................. 21 5.3 Special Test Audits ................................................................................................................................... 22 5.4 Summer Program Audits ......................................................................................................................... 23 5.5 Unannounced Audits ............................................................................................................................... 23 5.6 Other State/Federal Program Audits ....................................................................................................... 23 5.7 Analysis and Verification of Accreditation Information ........................................................................... 23 5.8 Compilation of the Audit Report ............................................................................................................. 23 6.0 HEARING AND APPEAL PROCEDURES ...................................................................................................... 23 6.1 Request for Hearing ................................................................................................................................. 24 6.2 Authorized Representative of the Commissioner .................................................................................... 24 6.3 Hearing Procedures ................................................................................................................................. 24 6.4 Appeal Procedures .................................................................................................................................. 24 7.0 ANNUAL REPORT ..................................................................................................................................... 25 PROCESS STANDARDS .......................................................................................................................................... 26 ADMINISTRATION AND PERSONNEL ..................................................................................................................... 26 SCHOOL OPERATIONS ........................................................................................................................................... 28

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INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES ................................................................................................................................. 31 SAFE AND HEALTHY SCHOOLS .............................................................................................................................. 34 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS ................................................................................................................................ 36 INTRODUCATION .................................................................................................................................................. 36 INCLUSION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND ENGLISH LEARNERS (EL) ....................................................... 36 MISSISSIPPI STATEWIDE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM .............................................................................................. 37 BUSINESS RULES ........................................................................................................................................... 38 APPENDICES.................................................................................................................................................53 - 109 Appendix A-1 ........................................................................................................................................................ 53 Appendix A-2 ........................................................................................................................................................ 54 Appendix A-3 ........................................................................................................................................................ 55 Appendix A-4 ........................................................................................................................................................ 56 Appendix A-5 ........................................................................................................................................................ 57 Appendix A-6 ........................................................................................................................................................ 63 Appendix A-7 ........................................................................................................................................................ 67 Appendix A-8 ........................................................................................................................................................ 71 Appendix A-9 ........................................................................................................................................................ 75 Appendix A-10 ...................................................................................................................................................... 79 Appendix A-11 ...................................................................................................................................................... 82 Appendix A-12 ...................................................................................................................................................... 84 Appendix A-13 ...................................................................................................................................................... 90 Appendix B-1 ........................................................................................................................................................ 92 Appendix B-2 ........................................................................................................................................................ 93 Appendix C-1 ........................................................................................................................................................ 95 Appendix C-2 ........................................................................................................................................................ 96 Appendix D ........................................................................................................................................................... 97 Appendix E ............................................................................................................................................................ 98 Appendix F ............................................................................................................................................................ 99 Appendix G ......................................................................................................................................................... 108 Appendix H ......................................................................................................................................................... 109 Glossary ............................................................................................................................................................. 110

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THE HISTORY OF ACCREDITATION IN MISSISSIPPI Since the early 1900s, accreditation has sought to improve schools through the requirements of the accrediting agency. In Mississippi, the roots of school accreditation are found in the institutions of higher learning and state teachers’ associations. It began in 1896 when the University of Mississippi published a program of studies for an approved high school. The schools that met the University’s prescribed program of studies were officially listed as affiliated high schools, and the graduates of those schools were admitted to the University on the basis of their records (certificates), without examination. The list included white high schools in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee, and it was soon recognized as the approved list by the other colleges in the state. In 1918, the effort to regulate the program of studies in secondary schools was strengthened when the University requested the Mississippi Education Association to appoint a committee to classify the affiliated high schools. The Association appointed five (5) members to a High School Classifying Committee and required this group to establish standards of classification, to devise a system for grouping high schools, and to assign each high school to its appropriate group. The responsibilities and workload of this subsidiary committee of the Mississippi Education Association continued to grow, and the need for full-time statewide supervision of high schools soon became apparent. This need was met in 1919 when the position of state supervisor of secondary schools was created in the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE). In May of 1920, the High School Classifying Committee became the State High School Accrediting Commission, a standing committee of the Mississippi Education Association. The State Supervisor of Secondary Schools chaired the first Commission, whose membership consisted of representatives from two (2) high schools, the A and M College, Millsaps College, Mississippi College, the Mississippi State College for Women, and the University of Mississippi. This Commission required high schools to meet eleven (11) minimum standards before being accredited and defined an accredited high school as one that meets all requirements and, after inspection, has been approved by the Commission. Accreditation of elementary schools was not addressed until 1926. During that year, the Mississippi Education Association created the Elementary School Accrediting Commission to perform the same duties in regulating programs for elementary schools that the High School Accrediting Commission did for secondary schools. The Elementary Commission consisted of ten (10) members, with the newly appointed State Elementary School Supervisor serving as executive secretary of the group. Operating as separate entities, these two (2) Commissions regulated the elementary and secondary programs in white schools until 1949 when they were discontinued by the Mississippi Education Association, and the Mississippi Accrediting Commission was formed. The first efforts to accredit colored schools began in 1935 when the Mississippi Association for Teachers in Colored Schools organized the Negro Accrediting Commission. In 1947, the Mississippi Association for Teachers in Colored Schools became the Mississippi Teachers Association, and the Commission continued to operate under the renamed Teachers’ association until 1959. During that year, the name was changed to the State Accrediting Commission, and one (1) of the first official actions of this group was to adopt the existing rules and regulations of the Mississippi Accrediting Commission.

1960-1980 The sixties found these two (2) Commissions sharing responsibilities for accrediting black and white schools; and, in carrying out their duties, both groups made extensive use of officials in the SBE. The director of the Division of Instruction and his staff served as liaison personnel in distributing, collecting, and processing accreditation information. This practice of “separate but equal” accreditation terminated in the Summer of 1970 when the State Board of Education (SBE) assumed the responsibility, thus adding a legal dimension to a voluntary process designed to improve schools.

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The accreditation law of 1970 gave the SBE the power and authority to prescribe the standards and procedures for the accreditation of schools and placed the responsibility for enforcement in the MDE. The law further mandated the SBE to appoint a Commission on School Accreditation (CSA), whose membership would consist of three (3) representatives from each of the five (5) Congressional districts and whose primary purpose would be to continually review the accreditation system. Contrary to the general perception of the public, the law did not make accreditation compulsory for any school. The process continued to be voluntary and open to any elementary, secondary, or special school in the state. In the decade following the passage of the accreditation law of 1970, the accreditation system continued to emphasize quantitative factors (specific resources and personnel) to accomplish as school improvement. The provision of adequate resources and personnel was assumed to be a sufficient indicator of the quality of the school program, but, as accreditation information was evaluated, it was found that the quality of the school program was not a direct correlation of the required quantitative factors. However, the system was successful in assuring the presence of adequate resources and in standardizing the organization and operation of school programs. These assurances were not enough to soothe a growing disgruntled public, which was constantly evaluating the products of accredited schools – its students.

1980-PRESENT As the eighties approached, the state was set for reform in education and in school accreditation. The public wanted the emphasis in accrediting schools shifted from measures of quantity to those of quality. A series of significant legislative mandates passed during the past 20 years have been instrumental in not only creating the current public school accreditation model and accountability system but also establishing Mississippi as a nationally recognized leader in the school improvement and accountability movement. Governor William Winter recognized the need for education reform and initiated the accountability movement in Mississippi beginning with the Education Reform Act of 1982. This landmark legislation established a task force to study and propose a plan to establish guidelines and criteria for a permanent performance-based system of school accreditation for all public elementary and secondary schools. The legislation created and authorized the CSA to establish a system for assuring the quality of school programs in Mississippi. This new system, appropriately deemed performance-based school accreditation, was based upon measures that focus on the extent to which schools help students master defined content and objectives. The law shifted the emphasis in school accreditation to the outcomes of education, specifically those related to student achievement, and changed the accreditation process from voluntary to compulsory for all public elementary and secondary schools. Legislation enacted in 1994 maintained the emphasis on student achievement and mandated that the SBE strengthen and expand the performance-based accreditation system. The 1994 legislation required the system to include: rigorous minimum standards levels above the minimum that demand High Performing performance and strict accountability measures for districts that fail to meet minimum standards. During the 1999 Legislative Session, the legislature passed the Mississippi Student Achievement Improvement Act of 1999 requiring the SBE to create a state-of-the-art school evaluation and improvement system. The act required the SBE to implement a performance-based accreditation system for both individual schools and school districts. This legislation also required the SBE to set annual performance standards for each of the schools in the state and to measure the performance of each school against itself, using student growth and performance measures. Before new standards and tests were developed, hundreds of teachers helped to re-write the curriculum for mathematics and language arts. Legislation passed in 2000 clarified requirements for establishing new accountability standards, making accreditation levels reflective of student performance at the school level rather than the district level. This 2000 legislation required individual school performance accreditation levels to be based on two (2) criteria: (1) meeting an annual growth expectation in student achievement and (2) the percentage of students scoring at the basic and proficient level. These were identified as the Achievement Model and the Growth Model. This legislation also established an intensive assistance program for schools not meeting the accreditation standards. Support and training for teachers, administrators, and school board members have been and will continue to be offered to local school districts.

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In this accountability system, public school accreditation was two-fold: Each school district was awarded an accreditation status based on compliance with process standards, and individual schools were assigned a school performance classification based on student achievement. District accreditation statuses were awarded under the new accreditation model in October 2001, and individual school performance classifications were assigned in September 2003. For the first time, all components of a school – students, teachers, principals, superintendents, and school board members – were held accountable for student learning. In 2007, an Accountability Task Force began working on what a new accountability system should look like considering the new curriculum framework in Language Arts, Mathematics and corresponding assessments that were being implemented. Furthermore, the SBE had established three (3) Bold Goals: (1) Reduce the dropout rate to 13% by 2013, (2) Reach the national average on national assessments by 2013, and (3) Ensure that all students exit 3rd grade reading on grade level by 2020. Based on this commitment, the Accountability Task Force and the CSA shaped an accountability system aimed at moving Mississippi schools toward national performance standards. In the Fall of 2008, the Accountability Task Force began developing recommendations to present to the CSA for the revised accountability system. The CSA finished these recommendations and submitted for approval to the SBE. This accountability system received SBE approval on March 20, 2009. This accountability system focused on several key issues. First, a performance classification designation would be issued to both schools and districts. In addition to an achievement component and a growth component, a graduation/dropout component was included for high schools and school districts. Another key point for consideration in this accountability system was that the performance classification issued to schools and districts should differ from the previous labeling system so there could be no comparisons between the two (2) models. A final consideration was that the district performance classification should be based on the performance of all students in the district, treating the district as one (1) K-12 school. The SBE set a very bold goal of reaching the national average on national assessments by 2013. When the SBE passed this accountability rating system on March 20, 2009, they took an important step toward reaching that goal and made a tremendous commitment to prepare Mississippi children to compete on a national and international level. This system placed Mississippi standards on par with standards in other states and allowed greater transparency in school, district, and state performance. The Legislature enacted the Children First Act of 2009 to create a task force to study and report the status of underperforming schools and school districts, enhancement of accountability, and sanctions imposed on those schools and school districts. As a result of the task force study and recommendation, Governor Haley Barbour approved the Children First Act (CFA) on April 8, 2009. During a session of public meetings and workshops held in the Summer of 2012 through the Fall of 2013 the MDE Accountability Task Force developed many recommendations. The recommendations of the Accountability Task Force are directly aligned with the vision and mission of the SBE. The SBE set forth the following vision:

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To create a world-class education system that gives students the knowledge and skills to be successful in college and the workforce and flourish as parents and citizens. To do so, the state must provide leadership through the development of policy and accountability systems so that all students are prepared to compete in the global community.

The following Accountability Task Force recommendations support the three (3) SBE goals:

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Goal 1: To mobilize resources and supplies to help ensure that all students exit third grade reading on grade level. Goal 2: To reduce the dropout rate to 13% by 2015.

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Goal 3: To have 60% of students scoring proficient and advanced on assessments of the Common Core State Standards by 2016 with incremental increases of 3% each year thereafter.

The authority for Mississippi's system of school accountability is addressed in Mississippi statutes and rules. The Mississippi Statewide Accountability System was based on Federal laws as required under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act Flexibility Waiver, Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6, and the recommendations from the Accountability Task Force and Technical Review Committee which was formed in the Fall of 2013. A new Accountability Task Force is created annually to continue to review and make recommendations to revise the business rules of the Mississippi Statewide Accountability System. In 2013, the Educational Principles and Practices Task Force was created through a mandate from the SBE to review and revise the Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards, 2012. The task force members consisted of 9 (nine) District Superintendents, 1 (one) SBE member, and 1 (one) MDE Representative. Through the assistance of SEDL's Southeast Comprehensive Center (SECC), the final version of the updated Accountability Standards was approved by the SBE in April 2014 and became official July 1, 2014, for the 2014-2015 School Year. In October of 2014 the SBE approved accreditation audit procedures that may lead to the declaration of a State of Emergency in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. §§ 37-17-6 (12)(a) and (b) and Accreditation Policy 5.0. Accreditation Policy 5.0 gives the SBE and CSA the authority to call an on-site audit or investigation of a school district at any time. Accreditation Policy 5.2 also authorizes public school district audits to be conducted in response to formal complaints being received by the MDE. In December of 2014 the SBE unveiled a 5-year Strategic Plan for 2016-2020, which sets the roadmap for changing the trajectory of public education in Mississippi. The plan detailed five (5) goals to improve educational outcomes for every public school student in the state. The five (5) goals are:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

All Students Proficient and Showing Growth in All Assessed Areas Every Student Graduates from High School and is Ready for College and Career Every Child Has Access to a High-Quality Early Childhood Program Every School Has Effective Teachers and Leaders Every Community Effectively Using a World-Class Data System to Improve Student Outcomes

In August of 2016, the SBE updated the plan with a sixth goal. The sixth goal is:

6. Every School and District is Rated “C” or Higher The 5-year plan builds upon the Board’s existing priorities of improving literacy, particularly among K-3 students, reducing the dropout rate and improving overall student proficiency. Embedded in the plan is the Board’s full commitment to maintaining Mississippi’s College- and Career-Readiness Standards. In the Spring of 2017, a Task Force was established to review and update Process Standards 29, 30, and 31 as well as their related checklists and monitoring forms. Editorial changes were made to the Process Standards while the monitoring forms, checklists, and related documents were updated with a scheduled release date for the 2017/2018 school year. In June of 2017 the SBE approved Mississippi’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan, the federal law that reauthorizes and modifies the Elementary Education and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The SBE adopted the ESEA plan to improve transparency, provide support for underperforming schools and districts, increase accountability for results, and focus on professional training for better quality teachers and school leaders to positively impact public education in Mississippi.

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ACCREDITATION POLICIES OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION 1.0 ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY The Education Reform Act of 1982 created the Commission on School Accreditation (CSA) to continuously review the standards on accreditation and the enforcement thereof and to make recommendations thereon to the SBE. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-3 1.1

MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION ON SCHOOL ACCREDITATION The CSA shall be composed of fifteen (15) members, as prescribed in Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-3 and shall consist of two (2) classroom teachers, two (2) principals of schools, two (2) school district superintendents, two (2) local school board members, and seven (7) individuals who are not actively engaged in the education profession. No local school district shall be permitted to have more than one (1)-member representative on the CSA.

1.2

APPOINTMENT Each member of the CSA is appointed by the SBE upon recommendation of the State Superintendent of Public Education.

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TERMS OF OFFICE The length of a regular term is four (4) years. Upon acceptance of appointment, each member is eligible to serve for two (2) consecutive terms. If a member changes employment or accepts a position that is no longer reflective of the category for which he or she was appointed, or if a member moves out of the Congressional district he or she was appointed to represent, that member must resign, and a new member will be appointed to fill the unexpired term. A member of the CSA who is appointed to fill an unexpired term is eligible for appointment to his or her own term(s) of office.

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GENERAL DUTIES OF COMMISSION ON SCHOOL ACCREDITATION The SBE, acting through the CSA, shall establish and implement a permanent performance-based accreditation system, and all public elementary and secondary schools shall be accredited under this system. It shall be the purpose of the CSA to continually review and enforce the standards on accreditation and to make recommendations to the SBE.

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OFFICERS The CSA annually elects a chairperson and vice-chairperson. The CSA may designate a member to serve as presiding officer in the event the chairperson and vice-chairperson are unable to preside.

1.6

MEETINGS The CSA meets on call from the State Superintendent of Public Education. Any official action taken by the CSA requires the presence of a quorum, which is defined as a majority of the membership. The CSA shall provide notice of the meetings, which notice shall include the date, time, place, and purpose of each CSA meeting. Any member of the CSA may participate in an official meeting by teleconference or video means. 1.6.1 Agenda The Executive Secretary, in consultation with the Chairperson, shall prepare the agenda which is to be considered by the CSA. All requests to be placed on the agenda shall be received in writing by the Executive Secretary no later than ten (10) days before a scheduled meeting. Agenda items received after this deadline may only be added if approved by a majority vote of the CSA. The Executive Secretary shall provide the proposed agenda, with supporting documents, to each CSA member, no later than seven (7) days prior to a scheduled meeting.

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Further distribution of the agenda shall be made to all interested parties, all persons appearing before the CSA, and to the media. 1.6.2 Minutes The Executive Secretary shall prepare the minutes of the CSA. The Executive Secretary may secure such assistance as is necessary for the preparation of the minutes. All proposed minutes shall be provided to each CSA member within seven (7) days prior to any scheduled meeting. All proposed minutes shall become the official minutes, after adoption by the CSA. 1.7

EXPENSES In accordance with Miss. Code Ann. §§ 25-3-41 and 25-3-69, each member of the CSA is reimbursed for per diem, travel, and other allowable expenses that are incurred when attending meetings of the CSA.

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STAFF Staff assigned to the CSA consists of personnel in the MDE. An appropriate staff member of the MDE shall be designated and assigned by the State Superintendent of Public Education to serve as Executive Secretary and coordinator for the CSA.

2.0 DISTRICT ACCREDITATION POLICY The SBE, acting through the CSA, is required to establish and implement a process for accountability at the public school district level. School districts are held accountable for Accreditation Policies and Process Standards and receive an annual accreditation status. Standards of the performance-based accreditation system recommended by the CSA and adopted by the SBE are contained in the current edition of the Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards. 2.1

ASSIGNMENT OF DISTRICT ACCREDITATION STATUSES In the fall of each year, the CSA determines the annual accreditation status of all public school districts based on verified accreditation data from the previous school year. An annual district accreditation status is assigned based on compliance with Process Standards. Information concerning district compliance with Process Standards is reported to the CSA on an annual basis. See Policy 2.2. The district superintendent and school principals are responsible for ensuring that all data reported to the MDE are true and accurate as verified by supporting documentation on file in the school district. Reporting false information is a violation of the accreditation requirements set forth by the SBE and may result in the downgrading of the district's accreditation status. After the CSA acts on accreditation records presented, during the fall, the district superintendent and the chairperson of the local school board are notified of the assigned status. The decision of the CSA is final unless appealed by the school board of the school district to the SBE in accordance with the appeal procedures in Policy 6.0 of this document. If a school board of the school district does not request a hearing before the CSA, they waive their right to any appeal of the CSA’s decision.

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PROCESS STANDARDS Process (input) Standards address accepted educational principles and practices that promote educational quality. Any verified violation of a Process Standard is noted on the record summary of a school district at the time of discovery within any school year; however, it does not affect the current accreditation status of the district. See Policy 2.5 for the exceptions. If a noted violation of a Process Standard has not been corrected by the following school year when accreditation statuses are assigned, the violation is reported to the CSA for appropriate action. The SBE, acting through the CSA, reserves the right to suspend school district compliance of any Process Standard that is not mandated by state or federal law. See Policy 4.2 for Rewards.

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2.3

ACCREDITATION STATUSES DEFINED Districts are assigned an annual accreditation status based on compliance with Process Standards and Accreditation Policies. ACCREDITED is assigned to a district that complies with Accreditation Policies and 100% of the Process Standards. (See exceptions in Appendices F and H.) PROBATION is assigned to a district that fails to comply with 100% of the Accreditation Policies and Process Standards. The district will be required to develop and implement a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) with defined timelines to address the deficiencies. See Policy 2.8. WITHDRAWN is assigned to a district that has previously been assigned a PROBATION status and has failed to comply with its CAP within the approved timelines. It may also be assigned to a district found in violation of any Process Standards contained in Policy 2.5.2. Any school district placed in a District of Transformation may have its accreditation withdrawn. The district will be required to develop and implement a CAP with defined timelines to address the deficiencies. See Policy 2.8.

2.4

NOTIFICATION OF DEFICIENCIES AFTER ASSIGNMENT OF STATUS After the annual assignment of a district's accreditation status in the fall, the process of determining statuses for the following school year begins. Whenever information on file with the MDE indicates that a school district may be in violation of a standard, the superintendent and the school board of the district are notified in writing by appropriate MDE staff responsible for monitoring compliance with the standard. School district officials are given forty-five (45) calendar days from the date of receipt of notification to provide a written response verifying accuracy or inaccuracy of the notice of possible noncompliance with the standard. If the written response includes sufficient evidence to correct or refute the alleged violation, the superintendent of the district is notified by appropriate MDE staff responsible for monitoring compliance with the standard. Any verified violation of a standard is reported in writing to the Office of Accreditation, where it is noted on the current Accreditation Record Summary of the district. The Office of Accreditation notifies the superintendent of the district in writing of the verified violation.

2.5

FACTORS THAT MAY AFFECT AN IMMEDIATE CHANGE IN ACCREDITATION STATUS An assigned accreditation status may remain unchanged during that school year except in those cases where verified noncompliance of accreditation standards may downgrade an accreditation status immediately, in accordance with Policy 2.5.1 or 2.5.2. 2.5.1 Recommended Accreditation Status – PROBATION Districts in violation of any of the following standards may be presented to the CSA for action, that may include downgrading the district’s accreditation status to Probation: • Accreditation Policy 2.1, reporting false information, • Standard 1.1 and 1.3, failure to implement appropriate standards of governance, • Standard 1.2, failure to comply with school board policies that meet state and federal statutes, rules, and regulations, • Standards 4 and 5, failure to comply with financial accountability requirements, • Standard 14, failure to comply with graduation requirements, • Standard 16, failure to comply with test security procedures required by the Mississippi Statewide Assessment System, • Standards 17.1-17.8, failure to comply with state/federal regulations, • Standard 20, failure to comply with Instructional Practices, or • Standards 29, 30, and 31, failure to comply with standards that sustain a safe school climate. 2.5.2 Recommended Accreditation Status – WITHDRAWN Districts in violation of any of the following standards may be presented to the CSA for action, that may include withdrawal of the district’s accreditation: • Accreditation Policy 2.1, reporting false information,

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• • • • • • • •

2.6

Standard 1.1 and 1.3, failure to implement appropriate standards of governance, Standard 1.2, failure to comply with school board policies that meet state and federal statutes, rules, and regulations, Standards 4 and 5, failure to comply with financial accountability requirements of a serious nature, Standard 14, failure to comply with graduation requirements specified in Standards 14.1,14.2, and 14.5, Standard 16, failure to comply with test security procedures required by the Mississippi Statewide Assessment System in Appendix F, numbers 8 and 9, Standards 17.4-17.6, federal programs whose regulations call for strong sanctions for continued patterns of noncompliance, Standard 20, failure to comply with Instructional Practices, or Standards 29, 30, and 31, failure to comply with standards that pose life-threatening conditions for students and staff.

RESOLVING ACCREDITATION CONTROVERSIES All controversies involving the accreditation statuses of school districts are initially heard by a duly authorized representative of the CSA in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-5, and Policy 6.0, unless a recommendation is made regarding a State of Emergency under Miss. Code Ann. §37-17-6(12)(b). See Policy 2.9.

2.7

CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR RECONFIGURATIONS OF SCHOOLS 2.7.1 When two (2) or more school districts consolidate, the affected school district(s) may, depending on the nature and applicability, have any current citations applied to the consolidated district until the consolidated district has provided evidence of compliance of the violation and the Office of Accreditation has verified compliance. 2.7.2 When a local school board approves the reconfiguration of a school within the same district the school district may be allowed to maintain its accreditation status. See Section 20 of the Business Rules of the Mississippi Statewide Accountability System for additional explanation of how performance classifications (grades) are assigned to reconfigured schools/districts.

2.8

CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN (CAP) AND WITHDRAWAL OF ACCREDITATION 2.8.1 Corrective Action Plan (CAP) with Definitive Timelines When a school district has been assigned a PROBATION or WITHDRAWN accreditation status, the school district shall develop a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) with defined timelines in which to correct the district’s deficiencies. The school district is required to submit a CAP within sixty (60) calendar days of notification. The plan shall stipulate what will be done to remove the deficiencies and the timeline required in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6(11)(b). The plan shall be approved by the local school board as documented by official minutes and bear the signatures of the school board chairperson/president and district superintendent. The SBE has final approval on the CAP and the timelines. When corrective action has been implemented to remove a citation, the school district shall submit documentary evidence confirming such to the Office of Accreditation. Assigned MDE staff may conduct follow-up visits as necessary to verify corrective action and compliance. 2.8.2 Withdrawal of Accreditation If the district fails to correct the deficiencies during the time specified in the CAP, the school district may have its accreditation withdrawn by the CSA in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6(12)(a). The status of the district will be listed as WITHDRAWN NOT ACCREDITED, and the record of that district will continue to be maintained. 2.8.2.1 Hearings Before requesting approval from the SBE to withdraw the accredited status of a district, the CSA shall conduct a hearing to allow the officials of the affected district to present evidence or other reasons why its accreditation should not be withdrawn. See Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17- 6(12)(a) and Policy 6.0.

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2.8.2.2 Results of Hearings Upon consideration of the transcribed record and recommendation of the CSA’s representative, the CSA shall meet, make a decision, and notify all parties in writing by certified mail. Within forty- five (45) calendar days of the conclusion of the hearing and after consideration of the results of the hearing, the CSA shall be authorized, with the approval of the SBE, to withdraw the accreditation of the district and may issue a request to the Governor that a state of emergency be declared in that district in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6(12)(a). If the decision is made not to withdraw the accredited status of the district, a new timeline is established in the district’s Corrective Action Plan (CAP). 2.8.2.3 Public Notice If a state of emergency has been declared, the CSA files a public notice at least once a week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper published within the immediate or general vicinity of the affected school district in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6(13). 2.8.2.4 Access to School District Records School districts are required to produce necessary reports, correspondence, financial statements, and any other documents necessary for the CSA to implement this section on withdrawal of accreditation and District of Transformation. 2.8.2.5 Reinstatement of an Accredited Status Based on the recommendation from the Office of Accreditation or the State Superintendent of Public Education, the superintendent and school board chairperson/president of a school district whose accreditation has been withdrawn may file a petition with the CSA on School Accreditation for reinstatement of accreditation to be effective on January 1 or July 1. The CSA shall require all school districts that petition for reinstatement of accreditation to appear before the CSA to furnish evidence satisfactory to the CSA that the school district is compliant with all accreditation standards prior to the reinstatement of accreditation. 2.9

CONDITIONS OF EMERGENCY STATUS, PLACEMENT IN A DISTRICT OF TRANSFORMATION, AND WITHDRAWAL OF ACCREDITATION 2.9.1 Declaration of State of Emergency The SBE may request the Governor to declare a state of emergency in any school district in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6. Upon the declaration of the state of emergency by the Governor, the SBE may take all such action for dealing with the school districts as authorized under Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6 (12) or (15), including the withdrawal of the district’s accreditation. In the alternative, the SBE, without the declaration of a state of emergency, may place a school or district into a District of Transformation for academic or financial reasons, in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6 (12)(b)(ii) or (iii). If placed in a district of transformation for academic or financial reasons, the SBE may also take all such action for dealing with the school districts as authorized under Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6 (12) or (15), including the withdrawal of the district’s accreditation. 2.9.2 State of Emergency Hearing Procedures Pursuant to Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6(12), there are several avenues for the SBE to make a request to the Governor to declare a state of emergency. 2.9.2.1 Withdrawal of Accreditation Hearing and Subsequent State of Emergency In accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6(12)(a), the CSA shall conduct a hearing to determine whether a school district’s accreditation should be withdrawn based on failure to comply with their CAP or violations of accreditation standards that may require immediate action. Based on the CSA’s consideration, if the CSA, with the approval of the SBE, withdraws the accreditation of a school district, the SBE shall be authorized to request to the Governor that a state of emergency be declared in the district. See Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-5, Policy 2.8.2, and Policy 6.0 for hearing procedure. 2.9.2.2 Extreme Emergency Situation Hearing In accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6(12)(b)(i), the MDE’s Office of Accreditation shall present evidence to the CSA to support the existence of an extreme emergency situation in the school district that jeopardizes the safety, security, and educational interests of the children and the belief that the emergency situation is related to a serious violation or violations of accreditation standards or state

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or federal law or failure to meet academic standards as evidenced by a continued pattern of poor student performance. This presentation shall not exceed forty (40) minutes. Following the MDE’s Office of Accreditation’s presentation, district representative(s) which shall include, the superintendent and school board chairperson/president, will address the CSA. While the district may have legal representation, only district employees and/or school board members may address the CSA during the forty (40) minutes allowed for the district to present evidence pertinent to this matter. Following the presentations, the CSA will be allowed to address MDE staff and local district representatives to ask any clarifying questions. Once all questions have been asked by the CSA, the attorney for the district (if applicable), and the attorney for the MDE, will be allowed ten (10) minutes each to provide closing arguments. Based on the evidence presented, the CSA acts in one of the following manners: • Accepts the recommendation of MDE and determines that an extreme emergency exists. The CSA submits the resolution to the State Superintendent of Public Education and the State Board of Education; or • Rejects the recommendation of MDE. In accordance with the resolution from the CSA that an extreme emergency exists, the SBE meets to: • Accept the CSA’s determination that an extreme emergency exists, and requests the Governor to declare a state of emergency; or • Reject the CSA’s determination that an extreme emergency exists. Any request made to the Governor shall contain an expiration date, which automatically rescinds the request to the Governor if the Governor fails to declare a state of emergency after a specified time period. This expiration date shall be set by the SBE. Districts of Transformation1 (without the necessity of a State of Emergency Declaration-Financial or Academic In the alternative, the SBE may consider a school district for a District of Transformation, in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6(12)(b)(ii) or (iii). 2.9.3

If a school district may be considered for placement in a District of Transformation, the MDE shall provide written notice to the school district of its intent to present evidence to the SBE at its next board meeting, five calendar days before the board meeting. 2.9.3.1 Failing District The MDE may present evidence to the SBE that the school district meets the SBE’s definition of a failing school district (“F” designation) for two (2) of three (3) consecutive school years or has been persistently failing, and the SBE may place such school district into a District of Transformation. No prior action by the CSA is necessary and no action by the Governor is required. 2.9.3.2 “D” or “F” Designations The MDE may present evidence to the SBE that a public school or district receives a “D” or “F” designation during each of four (4) consecutive schools year or has been persistently failing, and the SBE may place such school or district into a District of Transformation. No prior action by the CSA is necessary and no action by the Governor is required.

1

Pursuant to Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6.1 from and after July 1, 2024, no local school district shall be placed into the Mississippi Achievement School District and effective July 1, 2025, the Mississippi Achievement School District shall be dissolved.

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2.9.3.3 More than 50% of the schools are School At-Risk The MDE may present evidence to the SBE that more than 50% of the schools within the school district are “schools at-risk” (i.e., failing schools identified as “F”) in any one (1) year, and the SBE may place such school district into a District of Transformation. No prior action by the CSA is necessary and no action by the Governor is required. 2.9.3.4 Serious Lack of Financial Resources If the SBE determines that a school district is impaired with a serious lack of financial resources, the SBE may place the school district into a District of Transformation. No prior action by the CSA is necessary and no action by the Governor is required. See Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6(12)(b)(iii). 2.9.3.5 Board Determination If the SBE determines that a school district should be placed into a District of Transformation, the SBE shall pass a resolution stating the reasons for the school district’s placement, including its decision to abolish the school district and remove the superintendent and local school board in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-13. The SBE will notify the district of the SBE’s action within 5 school days upon adopting a resolution. 2.9.4 Penalty for the Withdrawal of Accreditation Policy 2.9.3 is effective one (1) calendar year following the Withdrawal of Accreditation by the CSA and the SBE. The withdrawal of a school district’s accreditation by the CSA will result in the following: • A school or schools within a district shall be limited to participation in no more than fifty percent (50%) of the regular season of any interscholastic activity, which shall include division/district/regional games, • The interscholastic season schedule for a school or schools within a district shall not include the opening day of season or any type of post season participation, as determined by the Office of Accreditation, and • Cheerleading, drill and dance squads, speech and debate, choral music, and band may participate in district or state contest, but shall not be eligible to receive ratings. All schedule requests must be submitted in writing to the MDE’s, Office of Accreditation, at least thirty (30) days prior to the beginning of the season. The Office of Accreditation shall pre-approve all schedules and participation in interscholastic activities. In addition to the suspension of all post-season activities, the school district shall not be allowed to participate in jamborees, special games, parades, tournaments, holiday tournaments, or competitions of any nature. Failure to comply with section 2.9.3 will result in the suspension of ALL interscholastic activities. Failure of a district to have its accreditation reinstated by the CSA after a period of two (2) calendar years from the date of the withdrawal of accreditation shall result in the immediate suspension of ALL interscholastic activities until the district’s accreditation status is reinstated. Note: Interscholastic activities include, but are not limited to, football, basketball, baseball, track and field, cross country, tennis, golf, volleyball, softball (fast pitch and slow pitch), soccer, wrestling, swimming, power lifting, bowling, archery, cheerleading, drill, and dance squads, speech and debate, choral music, and band.

3.0 PERFORMANCE CLASSIFICATION POLICY The SBE, acting through the CSA, is required to establish and implement a process for accountability at the individual public school level and district level in accordance with Miss. Code Ann.§ 37-17-6. Individual schools and districts are held accountable for: 1) student proficiency, 2) student growth, and 3) graduation, 4) acceleration, 5) college- and career-readiness, and 6) participation, if applicable, and receive an annual School Performance Classification and District Performance Classification.

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When the district establishes a new school and/or the district reconfigures the specific grades or students assigned to an existing school(s) within the district, the student proficiency data used to assign school performance classifications will follow the guidelines established in the School Performance Standards and the Mississippi Statewide Accountability System. 3.1

ASSIGNMENT OF PERFORMANCE CLASSIFICATIONS 3.1.1 School Performance Classification Information concerning school performance is reported to the CSA on an annual basis, and performance classifications are assigned in the fall of each school year. In accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17- 6(5), each public school will be assigned an annual performance classification. In addition, the graduation rate will be included in determining the performance classification of schools with a Grade 12. See Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 7.1 and 7.2, State Board Policy Chapter 7, Rules 7.1 and 7.2 and the Glossary for definition of alternative school. Note: Refer to the Business Rules of the Mississippi Statewide Accountability System for exceptions. 3.1.2 District Performance Classification Information concerning district performance is reported to the CSA on an annual basis, and performance classifications are assigned in the fall of each school year. Each public school district will be assigned an annual performance classification based on proficiency, growth, graduation rate, acceleration, college- and careerreadiness, and participation. A district performance level is assigned based on the performance of all students in the district [i.e., the district will be treated as one (1) K-12 school]. 3.1.3 Internal Review of Preliminary Accountability Results If the school district has reason to believe the preliminary results of the statewide accountability system applied to a district or school are incorrect due to a calculation or data error, the school district may submit written evidence to the Office of District and School Performance, to support the position of the school district. All requests for review shall be submitted in writing based on the timeline published each year by the Office of District and School Performance. Any requests not submitted based upon the published timeline shall not be considered after the deadline for submission. The Office of District and School Performance will review these requests and present them to an Internal Review Committee for consideration. The Internal Review Committee will consist of, at a minimum, four (4) MDE staff, and one (1) external chairperson. The Office of District and School Performance shall present the decision(s) of the Internal Review Committee to the CSA for consideration. 3.1.4 Review or Appeal of Final Accountability Results If the school district disagrees with the decision of the SBE, the school district may submit written evidence to appeal the final results of the statewide accountability system approved by the SBE. Only appeals based on results believed to be incorrect due to a calculation or data error, shall be considered. The appeal shall be submitted to the Executive Secretary of the SBE within ten (10) calendar days of the SBE’s approval. Only school districts that have contested preliminary results may seek an appeal of the decision of the SBE. Any school districts that have not contested preliminary results will have waived their rights to appeal the final results of the statewide accountability system. For those applicable appeals to the final results, the same process shall be followed as a request for review (i.e., Internal Review Committee, CSA, and SBE); however, during the appeal of the final results, school districts will receive notification of the Internal Review Committee’s decision prior to presentation to the CSA. The district superintendent may request to address the CSA regarding the appeal of the results. The district superintendent shall be allotted thirty (30) minutes to address the CSA. The MDE shall also be allotted thirty (30) minutes to address the CSA. The CSA may ask questions of either the District or the MDE following their presentation. The CSA shall not consider any new factual evidence, not previously provided to the Internal Review Committee. The CSA will make a recommendation to the SBE for approval. At the SBE meeting, the district superintendent shall be allotted ten (10) minutes to address the SBE. The MDE shall also be allotted ten (10) minutes to address the SBE. The SBE may question either the district superintendent or the MDE following their presentation. The SBE shall not consider any new factual evidence. The SBE may either affirm or deny a school district’s appeal. The SBE makes the final determination of the appeal’s disposition.

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3.2 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Performance (output standards) address selected components of the statewide assessment program and other outcome measures related to the performance of a school and/or district. The SBE also considers factors such as proficiency and growth, graduation rates, dropout rates, college- and career- readiness, acceleration, participation, and any other factors the SBE deems appropriate. 3.3 PERFORMANCE CLASSIFICATIONS The performance classification assigned to a school or district will be determined by performance indicators as defined in the Mississippi Statewide Accountability System. These indicators are scored and combined to assign performance classifications of A, B, C, D, and F. See Performance Standards. A school may not receive a school performance classification if test data have been invalidated, and the school performance classification will be noted as Test Data Invalidated. (See Section 18 of the Business Rules of the Mississippi Statewide Accountability System for exceptions.) See Appendix F. 3.4 SCHOOLS AT-RISK Following an analysis of school data each year, the MDE shall identify those schools that are deficient in educating students and need improvement in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. §§ 37-18-3 and 37-18-5. This analysis shall indicate individual school performance based on the annual performance classifications (grades). 3.4.1 Designation A school shall be identified as a School At-Risk and in need of assistance if the school is designated as an F as identified by the SBE. A school that is failing and that is identified as Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI), Target Support and Improvement (TSI), or Additional Target Support and Improvement (ATSI), as outlined in the Mississippi Consolidated State Plan (Mississippi Succeeds), shall be recognized as a School At-Risk. 3.4.1.1 Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) Identification • METHOD 1: graduation rate less than or equal to 67% (identification in 2018-19 based on 2017-18 data; subsequent identification every 3rd year); or • METHOD 2: bottom 5% of Title I A schools (identification in 2018-19 based on 2017-18 data; subsequent identification every 3rd year) • METHOD 3: previously identified Additional Targeted Support and Improvement school with 3 consecutive years of subgroup proficiency performance (ELA or math) at or below that of all students in the bottom 5% of Title I A schools (identification for this group to begin in 2021-2022) 3.4.1.2 Target Support and Improvement (TSI) Identification • Subgroup in the lowest 50% of overall accountability index; and • Subgroup in lowest quartile of 3-year average gap-to-goal; and • Subgroup scores in lowest quartile of 3-year improvement toward gap-to-goal closure; then • Schools with a subgroup meeting all three (3) of the above criteria will be rank ordered annually, using overall accountability index, and the bottom 5% of all schools not identified for CSI will be identified for TSI. 3.4.1.3 Additional Target Support and Improvement (ATSI) Identification For all schools, 3-year average subgroup performance is at or below that of all students in the lowest performing schools (bottom 5% of Title I A schools) (for example: identification in 20182019 based on 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 data; subsequent annual identification based on most recent 3-year data trend). 3.4.2

Notification

Within fifteen (15) days after a School At-Risk has been identified, written notice shall be sent by the MDE, on behalf of the SBE, by e-mail and mail to the school principal, local superintendent, and the local board of education. For All Schools At-Risk and CSI schools, the district shall create a team, consisting of the superintendent, a board member, the principal, specified district level staff, a content area teacher, and a parent or community member

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representative from the identified school, to participate in a cross-agency interview with MDE personnel to address the school’s performance. The school team shall lead a presentation from a template provided by the MDE, addressing topics, including but not limited to, leading and lagging data, equitable access, leadership, instructional transformation, talent development, and culture shift. Following the interview, the superintendent shall receive verbal and written feedback on the presentation prepared by the interview team and shall utilize this feedback to inform decision-making and plan for school improvement. 3.4.3 Plan of Improvement The school shall complete a plan for improvement, which shall be approved by the local board of education as documented by official minutes and bear the signatures of the school board chairperson/president and district superintendent. The MDE shall provide final approval for school improvement plans of schools with a CSI designation. The MDE will monitor the plan implementation of failing schools that are identified as CSI. The local school district shall monitor the plan implementation of Schools At-Risk that are not identified as CSI. The principal or designee shall provide an update addressing progress toward the plan’s action steps each month to the community during the monthly local school board meetings. The update and a copy of the school board meeting agenda shall be submitted to the MDE. The school will continue to implement the approved plan until the release of the accountability performance ratings in the subsequent year.

4.0 RECOGNITION AND EXEMPTIONS The SBE shall provide special recognition to individual schools or school districts meeting the highest level of performance as defined as a school or district with a performance classification of an “A.”

The SBE may provide certain exemptions to individual schools or school districts assigned the performance classifications of an “A” or “B.” 4.1

RECOGNITION

Special recognition shall be provided to all schools meeting the highest level of performance. Examples of recognition include, but are not limited to, public and/or media announcements and events. 4.2

EXEMPTIONS 4.2.1 Exemptions for Schools Assigned a Performance Classification of “A” or “B” Schools assigned a performance classification of “A” or “B” may be exempt from citations of noncompliance with the Process Standards listed below: • Library Media/Organized Collection (Standard 18.1) • Library Media Program of Service (Standard 18.2) • Limit on Course Preparations (Standard 25) • Student Teacher Ratios in Grades 1-4 (Standard 28.2) • Limit of 150 Students Per Teacher in Academic Core Subjects (Standard 28.5) 4.2.2 Exemptions for Districts Assigned a Performance Classification of “A” or “B” School districts assigned a performance classification of “A” or “B” may be exempt from citations of noncompliance with the Process Standards listed below: • Community Involvement, Parental Communication, and Business Partnerships (Standard 12) • Senior Preparation for Graduation Ceremonies (Standard 13.4) • Summer School Program Requirements (Standard 13.5) • Professional Development Plan/Program (Standard 15) • Early Childhood Programs (kindergarten and teacher assistant) (Standard 17.1) • Instructional Management System (Standard 20) • Suggested Teaching Strategies, Resources, and Assessment Strategies (Standard 2) 4.2.3 Financial Rewards See Miss. Code Ann. § 37-19-10 for information regarding the School Recognition Program.

5.0 ACCREDITATION MONITORING PROCEDURES 21

The MDE continuously monitors school districts to verify compliance with applicable accreditation requirements and state and federal laws. 5.1 ON-SITE EVALUATIONS The SBE, the State Superintendent of Public Education, or the CSA has the authority to call for an on-site evaluation or investigation of a school district at any time. If deficiencies are found in meeting accreditation standards or state and/or federal laws, the district superintendent shall be notified in writing and given forty- five (45) calendar days from the receipt of notification to provide a written response. The report of findings is filed in the current accreditation records in the Office of Accreditation. 5.2 INVESTIGATIVE AUDITS (COMPLAINTS AGAINST DISTRICTS) All formal complaints made against schools or districts must be submitted to the Office of Accreditation in writing and include the name and contact information (valid phone number or valid e-mail address) of the individual(s) filing the complaint. The written complaint shall contain specific details concerning alleged violations. While the Office of Accreditation may receive anonymous complaints, these complaints are not considered formal. Additionally, the Office of Accreditation shall not provide any details regarding the status of a complaint and/or investigation. 5.2.1 Areas Over Which the Commission on School Accreditation Has No Authority If the complaint addresses an area over which the CSA has no authority, receipt of the complaint is acknowledged with instructions of where to direct the complaint, and the complaint is filed in the Office of Accreditation. The CSA does not have authority to overturn decisions made by local school boards, nor does it have jurisdiction to investigate allegations of discrimination, harassment, and hostile work environment, or violations of the Public Records Act. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and/or Office of Civil Rights and the Mississippi Ethics Commission have jurisdiction over these matters. The MS Ethics Commission also has authority to enforce the provisions of the Open Meetings Act and issue civil penalties for violations. 5.2.2 Areas Over Which the Commission on School Accreditation Does Have Authority If the complaint addresses an area over which the CSA has authority, the superintendent may be notified in writing of the nature of the complaint and given forty-five (45) calendar days to provide a written response to the allegations and to present documentation of compliance. The district superintendent may also be notified that the district is subject to an unannounced investigative audit. 5.2.3 Unannounced On-Site Investigative Audits The SBE, the State Superintendent of Public Education, or the CSA has the authority to call for an on- site investigation of a school district at any time. Procedures for conducting investigative audits are as follows: 5.2.3.1 The auditor(s) may arrive in the district without prior notification. The number of auditors involved will depend on the nature and seriousness of the allegations. 5.2.3.2 The auditor(s) inform the district superintendent of the purpose of the audit and of the procedures to be followed. The auditor(s) will provide the district superintendent with a letter of notice from the State Superintendent of Public Education. 5.2.3.3 The auditor(s) may use various methods to collect the data needed to verify or discredit the complaint, including, but not limited to, examination of official records, anonymous surveys, interviews with school personnel, and observations. 5.2.3.4 The auditor(s) may attend all regularly scheduled and special-called board meetings of the district. The district superintendent and board chair shall notify the auditor(s) in advance of the date and time of all regularly scheduled and special-called board meetings. 5.2.3.5 Near the completion of the on-site investigation, the auditor(s) will schedule a time to meet with the superintendent and school board chair to conduct an exit conference. 5.2.3.6 Upon completion of the investigation, the auditor(s) compile a written report in accordance with Policy 5.8 that shall be provided to the district superintendent and the chairman of the school board, and depending on the recommendation of the MDE, may be addressed with the CSA. 5.3 SPECIAL TEST AUDITS Reports regarding potential testing irregularities or test security violations are referred to the Office of Student Assessment. Such reports shall include, but are not limited to, statistical analyses of test data conducted after each test

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administration, self-reported incidents, third-party allegations regarding violations of testing requirements, and irregularities noted during test security audits. Regular test security audits may be conducted prior to, during, and following each test administration to promote the integrity and security of the Mississippi Assessment System. The Office of Student Assessment will report to the Office of Accreditation each testing irregularity that has been verified as a violation of a testing requirement. 5.3.1 Self-reports or third-party allegations regarding testing irregularities may be either formal written reports (signed or unsigned) or verbal reports or complaints that may be made officially or anonymously and with or without documentary evidence. 5.3.2 If a third-party allegation addresses an area over which the SBE has no authority, the individual filing the allegation will be notified. 5.3.3 A self-report or allegation shall identify specific details concerning alleged violations of test security and/or testing irregularities to warrant an investigative audit. 5.3.4 Any statistical analysis that indicates a potential testing irregularity or test security violation will be reviewed and evaluated by staff in the Office of Student Assessment. If the review and evaluation of the statistical analysis indicate that further information is required to resolve or confirm the testing irregularity, the Office of Student Assessment may require that a school district investigate the potential irregularity and report its findings to the Office of Student Assessment. Any verified testing irregularity is reported to the Office of Accreditation for appropriate action. 5.3.5 Procedures for test security audits are as follows: 5.3.5.1 The auditor may arrive at the school without prior notification. 5.3.5.2 The auditor informs the school administrator of the purpose of the audit and of the procedures to be followed. 5.3.5.3 The auditor requests that the district superintendent be notified that a test audit is in progress. 5.3.5.4 The auditor uses the same methods to collect data as described in Appendix F. 5.3.5.5 The auditor reports the audit findings to the Office of Student Assessment. If the audit findings indicate that a testing irregularity has occurred, the Office of Student Assessment will notify the district superintendent. If the response from the district superintendent does not resolve the irregularity, the irregularity is reported to the Office of Accreditation for appropriate action. 5.4 SUMMER PROGRAM AUDITS Each school district providing educational programs during the summer is required to report summer program data, including types of instructional programs provided, staffing, and enrollment. School districts offering summer programs may be audited to verify information contained in the annual Summer School/Extended Year Report. 5.5 UNANNOUNCED AUDITS Unannounced audits are conducted by MDE staff or MDE-trained auditors under contract with the MDE. A limited number of accreditation standards are audited, and depending on the size of the district, this audit may include only a sample review of schools. 5.6

OTHER STATE/FEDERAL PROGRAM AUDITS

When audits or evaluations of other state or federal programs reveal verified noncompliance with state or federal program regulations, the areas of noncompliance are filed with the Office of Accreditation and placed on the district’s Accreditation Record. 5.7 ANALYSIS AND VERIFICATION OF ACCREDITATION INFORMATION Accreditation staff in the MDE review annual personnel/accreditation information and other annual reports submitted by school districts. Staff will analyze and compare this information with any other accreditation data on record and notify responsible officials of any inconsistency in reporting or any apparent deficiency in meeting standards. Any information submitted by a school district may be verified through on-site visits. Upon request, the school district shall provide documentation necessary to validate compliance with accreditation requirements. 5.8

COMPILATION OF THE AUDIT REPORT

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Procedures followed when reporting, interpreting, and responding to on-site audit findings are outlined in Policy 5.8. 5.8.1 A report of the on-site audit findings, including corrective actions with timelines, is compiled within forty-five (45) calendar days from the close of the audit. If additional time is needed for the compilation of the report, MDE will provide written notice of this timeline. The report, along with a cover letter stating the process standard(s) that the district failed to comply with will be mailed, e- mailed, or hand-delivered to the district. The cover letter will also provide MDE’s recommendation to the CSA. Copies of the report shall be provided to the superintendent and the school board chair/president, and the CSA/SBE, if applicable. 5.8.2 If the MDE’s recommendation to the CSA is to downgrade the district’s accreditation status to Probation, the MDE shall inform the superintendent and the school board of the district in writing that the district’s accreditation status may be downgraded in accordance with Policy 2.5.1. Upon receipt of the notification from the MDE, the school board of a school district may request a hearing in accordance with Policy 6.0. 5.8.3 If the MDE’s recommendation to the CSA is to withdraw the district’s Accreditation, the MDE shall inform the superintendent and the school board of the district in writing that the district’s accreditation status may be withdrawn in accordance with Policy 2.5.2. and Policy 6.0. The MDE’s recommendation is only related to the withdrawal of the district’s Accreditation status and not related to declaring a state of emergency. 5.8.4 If the MDE’s recommendation to the CSA is to determine whether a state of emergency exists, then the MDE will follow the procedure prescribed in Policy 2.9.2.

6.0 HEARING AND APPEAL PROCEDURES All controversies involving the accreditation of schools or school districts are initially heard by a duly authorized representative of the CSA before whom a complete record is made in accordance with Miss Code Ann.§ 37-17-5 unless a recommendation is being made to declare a state of emergency under Miss. Code Ann § 37-17-6(120(b). See Policy. 2.9.2. This does not apply to appeals of the Mississippi Statewide Accountability System. 6.1 REQUEST FOR HEARING The school board of a school district may request a hearing by filing written notice with the executive secretary of the CSA within ten (10) calendar days of the written notification of the recommended CSA action. 6.2 AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMISSION Upon receipt of the written request for hearing from the school board, the chairman of the CSA assigns, in writing, a duly authorized representative previously appointed by the CSA to hear the controversy. 6.3

HEARING PROCEDURES 6.3.1 The CSA's representative sets the time, place, and date for a hearing and notifies all parties of the time, place, and date of the hearing by certified mail, return receipt requested. All parties may be represented by counsel at the expense of the party. The hearing is conducted in such a manner as to afford all parties a fair and reasonable opportunity to present witnesses and other evidence pertinent to the issues and to crossexamine witnesses presented by the opposing party. The CSA's representative may permit any portion of the evidence to be submitted in the form of depositions or affidavits; and in case affidavits are received, an opportunity to present counter-affidavits is provided. 6.3.2 It is the responsibility of each party at the hearing to secure the attendance of such witness or witnesses as the party deems necessary or appropriate, and any expense connected with the attendance of such witnesses is borne by the party responsible for the attendance of the witness. 6.3.3 At least fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the hearing, parties represented by counsel and/or producing witness will provide a list containing the name, address, and telephone number of counsel and/or witnesses, and copies of all exhibits that will be produced at the hearing, to the other party or parties, and the CSA. 6.3.4 In conducting the hearing, the CSA's representative is not bound by common law or by statutory rules of evidence or by technical or formal rules of procedure, provided, however, hearsay evidence, if admitted, is not the sole basis for the determination of facts by the CSA's representative. 6.3.5 After presentation by the MDE regarding recommended action and policy in support thereof, the party filing the written notice of hearing has the burden of going forward with the evidence, and at the conclusion of

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the hearing, the CSA's representative grants any party the opportunity to present a statement in such party's own behalf, either in person or by such party's attorney. 6.3.6 All hearings held before the CSA’s representative are recorded and transcribed by a court reporter whose fees and costs of transcription are paid by the school district involved within forty-five (45) calendar days after having been notified of such costs and fees by the CSA. Within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of the transcribed record of the hearing, the CSA’s representative files a written recommendation to the CSA as to the resolution of the controversies. Upon consideration of the transcribed record and recommendation of its representative, the CSA shall meet, make its decision and notify all parties in writing by certified mail, return receipt requested. The decision of the CSA is final unless the school board of the school district involved elects to appeal to the SBE. 6.4

APPEAL PROCEDURES 6.4.1 The school board of the school district may appeal the SBE by filing a written notice of appeal with the State Superintendent of Public Education within fifteen (15) calendar days or receipt of the decision on the CSA. 6.4.2 The notice of appeal should state with particularity the matters which, in the opinion of the school district, have been overlooked or mistakenly conceived in the decision of the CSA. An appeal to the SBE is on the record previously made before the CSA's representative and the CSA and is not intended as an opportunity for rearguing the entire case. No new factual evidence will be considered. 6.4.3. Upon receipt of the transcript, the SBE, through the State Superintendent of Public Education, notifies the parties involved that the transcript has been filed and that the appealing party has fifteen (15) calendar days to file any written argument not to exceed twenty-five (25) pages. The CSA is allowed fifteen (15) calendar days from the filing of the appealing party’s filed written argument to file a responsive written argument not to exceed twenty-five (25) pages. Any written argument in rebuttal by the appealing party must be filed ten (10) calendar days of the filing of the CSA’s response. The appealing party may not exceed ten (10) pages in its rebuttal. An original and nine (9) copies of the written argument must be provided. The SBE considers all appeals within thirty (30) calendar days of the last written argument filed. There will be no oral argument before the SBE. The written decision of the SBE is transmitted to the parties involved within fifteen (15) calendar days of its decision. 6.4.4 School districts that appeal a final decision of the SBE shall be on the record and shall be filed in accordance with the state law and local rules of procedures.

7.0 ANNUAL REPORT By November 1 of each year, each local school district shall be required to develop and publish an annual report as prescribed by the SBE. The report shall be published in a newspaper having general circulation in the county and posted on the school district’s website in a printable format. The public notice shall include information on the report’s availability on the district’s website, with the website address, and the location(s) in the school district where a copy of the report can be obtained. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-3-53 (1) (c), Miss. Admin. Code 7-3:18.1, State Board Policy Chapter 18, Rule 18.1.

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PROCESS STANDARDS ADMINISTRATION AND PERSONNEL 1.

2.

The local school board and the superintendent of schools shall exercise due diligence in performing the respective duties of each office in accordance with applicable law. The local school board’s responsibilities shall pertain to matters of setting policy and shall not interfere in the day-to-day operations of the school district that include, but are not limited to, such duties as those relating to personnel and management decisions. Failure to comply shall result in the immediate downgrade of the district’s accreditation status to Probation or Withdrawn as indicated in Accreditation Policy 2.5. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 25-41-1 et al.; § 25-61- 1 through 17; § 37-3-4(5); §§ 37-6-7, 9, 11, and 15; §37-7-306(1-4); §§ 37-9-1 through 75; §§ 37-9-101 through 113; §37-7301(p)(w); § 37-6-3(3-4); § 37-9-7, 13, 14; § 37-61-9; § 37-151-5(h); and Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964. 1.1

The school board assigns all executive and administrative duties to the superintendent, who is properly licensed and chosen in the manner prescribed by law. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-6-3(3-4); § 37 97, 13, 14; § 37-61-9; and § 37-151-5(h).

1.2

School board policies that comply with state and federal statutes, rules, and regulations serve as the basis of operation for the district, and current copies (print or electronic) of school board policies are published and available for public review. Miss. Code Ann. § 25-41-7; §§ 25-61-1 through 17; §§ 37- 91 through 75; §§ 37-9-101 through 113; § 37-7-301(p)(w); and Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964.

1.3

School board members complete required basic and continuing education programs in order to effectively perform their duties in the manner prescribed by law. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 25-41-1 et. al; §§ 25-61-1 through 17; § 37-3-4(5); § 37-6-7, 9, 11, and 15; and § 37-7-306(1-4).

All district professional positions requiring licensed staff are filled by staff that are properly licensed and endorsed as required by state law and federal requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-77, Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 80.1 and 80.2. State Board Policy Chapter 80, Rules 80.1and 80.2, and ESEA, and Federal Code. (NOTE: Teachers with endorsements in grades 7-12 content areas may teach the content in which they are endorsed in grades 5 and 6, if departmentalized.) 2.1

The school district employs an appropriately licensed full-time principal at each school. The principal may not have any other job duties assigned in areas that require a specific work area code unless a waiver is granted by the Commission on School Accreditation. This standard does not apply to assistant principals. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-7, § 37-9-15, and § 37-151-5(g).

2.2

The professional (certified) staff in each school shall not have more than 5% of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) units working outside of the area(s) of endorsement. This exception does not apply to: • course codes that fall within the academic core content areas (English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, World Languages, and the Arts), • Health and Physical Education teachers teaching subjects where a Carnegie Unit Credit is being awarded (See Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 38.12, State Board Policy Chapter 38, Rule 38.12), • Career and Technical Education courses (See Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 92.1 State Board Policy Chapter 92, Rule 92.1), • Driver’s Education (See Miss. Code Ann. §37-25-5 and Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 29.1, State Board Policy Chapter 29, Rule 29.1), • Federally funded special education teachers, • alternative school teachers (See Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 7.1, State Board Policy Chapter 7, Rule 7.1), or • other subjects that require a specific endorsement as determined by the federal and state statute. An appropriate license is required for superintendents, principals, librarians, guidance counselors, and speech language pathologists. Assistant principals and administrative interns who are not properly

26

endorsed may be included in the 5% FTE working outside their area of endorsement, provided they do not act in the place of the principal.

3.

4.

2.3

The school district employs in each school a licensed librarian or media specialist who devotes no more than one-fourth (¼) of the workday to library/media administrative activities. Miss. Code Ann. § 3717- 6(3) (a-e). 2.3.1 If the student enrollment is 499 or less, a half-time licensed librarian or media specialist is required. 2.3.2 If the student enrollment is 500 or more, a full-time licensed librarian or media specialist is required.

2.4

Student support services (appraisal, academic, and/or personal advisement, and educational and/or career planning and referral) are provided in each school by qualified student support personnel. Student support personnel may include professional school counselors and/or other appropriately licensed student support staff, including nurses, social workers, psychometrists, psychologists, etc. Other student support personnel may only provide those services and activities in the area(s) he/she specifically qualified, trained, and certified to provide. All student support services personnel shall use an appropriate job title that reflects the area of training, expertise, and licenses. 2.4.1 If a professional school counselor is employed to provide student support services, the professional school counselor shall provide services in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. §379-79. A professional school counselor shall not assume any non-counseling duties (e.g., administrator, teacher, test coordinator, interventionist, etc.).

2.5

The school district employs a school business officer/administrator whose qualifications meet the criteria established by the Mississippi Department of Education and whose primary job responsibilities are conducting, supervising, and/or directing the financial affairs and operations of the school district. (Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 71.1 and 71.2, State Board Policy Chapter 71, Rules 71.1 and 71.2.)

The school district implements an annual, formal personnel appraisal system for licensed staff that includes assessment of employee on-the-job performance. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-3-46(b) 3.1

Superintendent Evaluation using the assessment benchmarks established by the Mississippi School Boards Association (MSBA) and consistent with assessment components defined in Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-301.

3.2

Principal and Assistant Principal Effectiveness using the Professional Growth System (PGS) for Administrators.

3.3

Teacher Effectiveness using the Professional Growth System (PGS) for Teachers.

3.4

Counselor Effectiveness using the Professional Growth System (PGS) for Counselors.

3.5

Annual employee performance data shall be submitted to the MDE following the guidelines in the MDE Educator and Administrator Professional Growth System Guidelines. Districts shall adhere to revision dates as determined by the MDE and implement only the current version.

3.6

Administrators who rate school-level administrators, counselors, librarians, and teachers, and teacher- observers shall complete an MDE-approved Professional Growth System (PGS) training.

3.7

Other, non-licensed, district staff evaluations as determined by local school board policy.

The local school board obtains an annual financial audit of the school district, as conducted under the guidelines of the Office of the State Auditor, no later than nine months after the end of the district’s fiscal year. Miss.

27

Code Ann. § 7-7-211(e) (Miss. Admin. Code 7- 3: 10.1, State Board Policy Chapter 10, Rule 10.1.,2 C.F.R. Part 200.

5.

4.1

The most recent annual financial audit report of the school district, as conducted under the guidelines of the Office of the State Auditor, indicates a fixed asset system of accountability that provides verification of fixed assets and fixed assets records. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6(18).

4.2

The most recent annual financial audit report of the school district, as conducted under the guidelines of the Office of the State Auditor, indicates no less than a zero fund balance (as defined by generally accepted accounting principles) for all funds of the school district. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-61-19.

4.3

The most recent annual financial audit report of the school district, as conducted under the guidelines of the Office of the State Auditor, verifies the process for distributing Educational Enhancement Fund procurement cards to all eligible teachers. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-61-33(3)(iii), Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 32.1, State Board Policy Chapter 32, Rule 32.1.

4.4

The most recent annual financial audit report of the school district, as conducted under the guidelines of the Office of the State Auditor, indicates an unqualified opinion (as defined by generally accepted auditing standards) on the financial statements of the school district. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-18(2) and § 37-61-29.

4.5

The most recent annual financial audit report of the school district, as conducted under the guidelines of the Office of the State Auditor, verifies the local school board has received, reviewed, and discussed, as reflected in official minutes of the regularly scheduled monthly meeting, the financial reports required by state law and/or the State Board of Education. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-18(1), § 37-377(2)(e), § 37-37-13, Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 71.3, State Board Policy Chapter 71, Rule 71.3.

4.6

The most recent annual financial audit report of the school district, as conducted under the guidelines of the Office of the State Auditor, verifies the accuracy and timely compilation and reporting of all financial data, including the year-end data provided through the Financial Exchange Transfer System (FETS), required for submission to the MS Department of Education by the fifteenth day of October, each year, in accordance with state law and/or the State Board of Education. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-37- 7(2)(e), § 37-61-21(2), and § 37-37-13.

4.7

The most recent annual financial data of the school district, as submitted to the MS Department of Education, verifies a 7% fund balance of the district maintenance fund. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-61-8.

The most recent annual financial audit report of the school district, as conducted under the guidelines of the Office of the State Auditor, verifies the following: 5.1

The local school board submits the annual budget to the levying authority and the prescribed budgetary information to the MS Department of Education by the fifteenth day of August, each year, in accordance with state law and/or the State Board of Education. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-61-9(1) through (3).

5.2

The local school board budgets and expends funds under the Public School Health Insurance Plan as required by state law and State Board policy. Failure to remit premiums, interest penalties, and/or late charges in a timely manner may result in withholding a school district’s adequate education program funds Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-95, Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 48.4, State Board Policy Chapter 48, Rule 48.4.

SCHOOL OPERATIONS 6. The school district complies with state law and State Board of Education policy on enrollment requirements.

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6.1

Residency requirements. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-15-29, Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 68.1, State Board Policy Chapter 68, Rule 68.1

6.2

Immunization requirements. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-301(i), § 37-15-1, and § 41-23-37

6.3

Age of entry requirements. Miss. Code Ann. §37-15-9

7.

Any transfer student from a school or program (correspondence, tutorial, or home study) not accredited regionally or by a state board of education [or its designee(s)] is given either a standardized achievement test(s) or teacher-made special subject test(s) to determine the appropriate classification of the student within thirty (30) days after filing for transfer. Notice of the administering of such test(s) shall be given to the applicant not less than five (5) days prior to the date of the administration of such test. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-15-33, Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 36.2, 36.4, State Board Policy Chapter 36, Rules 36.2-36.4.

8.

Permanent records and cumulative folders for individual students contain all required data and are collected, maintained, and disseminated in compliance with state law, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, and the Confidentiality Section of the Individuals with Disabilities Act, 1997 Amendments. See Appendix E and the current edition of the Mississippi Cumulative Folders and Permanent Records Manual of Directions. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 37-15-1 through 3; § 37-15-6; § 37-15-10.

9.

The school district engages in planning to review the educational status of each school in the district and to address specific actions relative to accreditation and performance separately. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-3- 49(2)(e).

10.

The school district implements procedures for monitoring and reporting student absences as specified in the Mississippi Compulsory Attendance Law. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-91, Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 30.1 and 30.2, State Board Policy Chapter 30, Rules 30.1 and 30.2. 10.1

The most recent annual audit report of the school district, as conducted under the guidelines of the State Auditor’s Office, verifies the accuracy, validity, and timely reporting of all student data submitted to the MDE, including, but not limited to, the electronic transmission of student enrollment, attendance, transportation, absenteeism, graduation, dropouts, and any other student data and administrative functions as deemed necessary. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-37-7(2)(b)(c)(d) and § 37-37-13.

11.

The school district shall develop and implement a program designed to keep students in school and to lower student dropout rates. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-80, Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 30.5, State Board Policy Chapter 30, Rule 30.5.

12.

There is an organized system to encourage community involvement, parental communication, and business partnerships in school district decision-making. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-337 (Districts Meeting the Highest Levels of Performance are exempted.)

13.

12.1

A school district that has been designated as Failing (F) as defined by the State Board of Education shall establish a community-based pre-kindergarten through higher education (P-16) council. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-18-5(4)

12.2

A district and/or a school designated as a D or F shall establish a community-based prekindergarten through higher education (P-16) council.

The academic year provides a minimum of 180 teaching days in which both teachers and pupils are in regular attendance for scheduled classroom instruction. Any request for an exception to this standard must be submitted in writing to the Commission on School Accreditation for review and action. If the Governor has declared a disaster emergency or the President of the United States has declared an emergency or major disaster to exist in this state, the local school board may request approval from the State Board of Education to operate the schools in its district for less than one hundred eighty (180) days. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-1517(3)(c), Miss. Code Ann. § 37-3-49, §§ 37-13-61 through 69, § 37-151-5(j), and § 37-151-7(3)(c).

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14.

13.1

The teaching day must provide at least 330 minutes of instruction per day. Miss. Code Ann. 37-13- 67.

13.2

The school district must ensure that during the academic school year a minimum of 140 hours of instruction is provided for each Carnegie unit of credit offered and 70 hours for each one-half (½) unit offered, except for remedial instructional programs, dual enrollment/dual credit, correspondence courses, and innovative programs authorized by the State Board of Education.

13.3

No more than two (2) of the 180 days may be 60% days. Both teachers and pupils must be in attendance for not less than 60% of the normal school day. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-151-5(j).

13.4

The school district schedules preparation for graduation ceremonies in such manner that graduating seniors are absent from classes for no more than three (3) days prior to the end of the school year. (Districts Meeting the Highest Levels of Performance are exempted.)

13.5

The summer school/extended year program [not Extended School Year (ESY) provided through special education programs] meets all applicable requirements of the general school program. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-3-49. 13.5.1 Students from other schools enrolled in summer programs provide written approval from the principal of their home schools. 13.5.2 Students enrolled in an extended year program complete all remaining course/subject requirements/objectives before credit for the course/subject is issued. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-3-49. 13.5.3 Students enrolled in a summer program are limited to earning one (1) Carnegie unit of credit during a traditional summer school session, which does not apply to extended year programs and approved virtual courses. (Districts Meeting the Highest Levels of Performance may be exempted under Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-11.)

The school district requires each student, in order to receive a high school diploma, to have met the requirements established by its local board of education and by the State Board of Education. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-7, Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 36.2-36.4, State Board Policy Chapter 36, Rules 36.2 through 36.4. 14.1

Each student receiving a standard high school diploma has earned the minimum number of Carnegie units as specified in Appendix A. (See Appendix A) (Miss. Admin. Code 7- 3: 28.2 and 28.3, State Board Policy Chapter 28, Rules 28.2 and 28.3.) Students receiving a standard diploma shall select from graduation pathways as specified by the local school district’s graduation requirements, which must include the diploma endorsement options outlined in Process Standards 14.1.4, 14.1.5, and 14.1.6. Diploma endorsement options shall be required of all school districts effective with the incoming ninth graders of 2019-2020. Prior cohorts of students shall be eligible to earn endorsement(s) if all applicable requirements are met. 14.1.1 Beginning in school year 2018-2019, all seventh-grade students are required to have an Individual Success Plan (ISP) prior to exiting the seventh grade. 14.1.2 Innovative Programs 14.1.3 Entering ninth graders in 2018-2019 and thereafter, are required to have a minimum of 24 Carnegie units as specified in Appendix A-6. 14.1.4 Entering ninth graders in 2018-2019 and thereafter, are required to have a minimum of 26 Carnegie units and meet additional requirements as specified in Appendix A-7 to earn a Traditional Diploma with a Career and Technical Endorsement. 14.1.5 Entering ninth graders in 2018-2019 and thereafter, are required to have a minimum of 26 Carnegie units and meet additional requirements as specified in Appendix A-8 to earn a Traditional Diploma with an Academic Endorsement. 14.1.6 Entering ninth graders in 2018-2019 and thereafter, are required to have a minimum of 28 Carnegie units and meet additional requirements as specified in Appendix A-9 to earn a Traditional Diploma with a Distinguished Academic Endorsement.

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14.1.7 Entering ninth graders with a significant cognitive disability in 2018-2019 and thereafter, are required to have a minimum of 24 Credits as described in Appendix A-10 to earn an Alternate Diploma. 14.2

Each student receiving a standard diploma has met assessment requirements on each of the required high school end-of-course subject area tests or assessments or met one (1) of the options in lieu of passing the test (or assessment) as outlined in Appendix A-5. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-7, Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 36.3, and 36.4, State Board Policy Chapter 36, Rules 36.3, and 36.4. See Appendix A- 5.

14.3

Beginning with incoming ninth graders of 2018-2019, each student who has met the criteria for the certification of completion, may be issued a certificate of completion. Students receiving a certificate of completion may participate in high school graduation exercises. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-11(1). See Appendix A-11.

14.4

Ending with the incoming ninth grade class of 2016-2017, each student with disabilities receiving a Mississippi Occupational Diploma has successfully completed all minimum requirements established by the State Board of Education. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-11(2). See Appendix G.

14.5

The student who fails to meet the graduation requirements is not permitted to participate in the graduation exercises.

Note: Students enrolled in grades 7 – 12 may be awarded a Carnegie unit credit provided the course content is a Carnegie unit bearing course in the current edition of the Approved Courses for the Secondary Schools of Mississippi Manual. 15.

The school district implements a professional development program aligned with the Learning Forward Standards for Professional Learning. (Districts Meeting the Highest Levels of Performance are exempted.) Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-8, Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 44.1, State Board Policy Chapter 44, Rule 44.1.

16.

The school district adheres to all requirements of the Mississippi Statewide Assessment System. See Appendix F. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 37-16-1 through 4 and § 37-16-9, and Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 78.1 and 78.7, State Board Policy Chapter 78, Rules 78.1 and 78.7.

INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES 17 The school district is in compliance with state and/or federal requirements for the following programs: 17.1

Early Childhood Programs (kindergarten and teacher assistant). Miss. Code Ann. § 37-21-1, et seq., Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 42.1, State Board Policy Chapter 42, Rule 42.1, and Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 62.6, State Board Policy Chapter 62, Rule 62.6, Refer to the Mississippi Kindergarten Guidelines. (Districts Meeting the Highest Levels of Performance are exempted from Miss. Code Ann. § 37-217(4).)

17.2

Pre-Kindergarten. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7-301(ss), Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 28.4, State Board Policy Chapter 28, Rule 28.4. Refer to the Mississippi Early Learning Guidelines. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-7301 (zz).

17.3

Career-Technical Education. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-31-1, et seq., Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 83-96, State Board Policy Chapters 83 through 96, and Federal Code.

17.4

Special Education. Miss. Code Ann. §37-11-57, § 37-23-1 through § 37-23-9, Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 74.1, 74.3 through 74.6, 74.8, 74.10 through 74.14, and 74.19, State Board Policy Chapter 74, Rules 74.1, 74.3 through 74.6, 74.8, 74.10 through 74.14, and 74.19, and Federal Code. See State Policies Regarding Children with Disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004).

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18.

19.

20.

17.5

Child Nutrition. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-7, Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 17.1, 17.2, 17.4, 17.7, and 17.9, State Board Policy Chapter 17, Rules 17.1, 17.2, 17.4, 17.7, and 17.9 and Federal Code. 17.5.1 School Wellness Policy.

17.6

Elementary and Secondary Education Act: Titles I, II, III, IV, V, VI, X, and any other federally funded programs and grants. Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 80.1-80.3, State Board Policy Chapter 80, Rules 80.1 through 80.3, and Federal Code.

17.7

Driver Education. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-25-1, et seq., Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 29.1, State Board Policy Chapter 29, Rule 29.1.

17.8

Gifted Education. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 37-23-171 through 181, Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 35.1, State Board Policy Chapter 35, Rule 35.1. Refer to the current edition of the Regulations for Gifted Education Programs in Mississippi and the Gifted Education Program Standards.

17.9

Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Training. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 37-3-83(9), 37-3-101, and 37-3103.

Each school has a library media center. Refer to the current edition of the Mississippi School Library Media Guide. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 37-17-6(3) (a-e). 18.1

Each school has a library media center with an organized collection of materials and equipment that represents a broad range of current learning media, including instructional technology (Accreditation Policy 4.2.1 - Exemptions for Schools Meeting the Highest Levels of Performance).

18.2

The library staff offers a systematic program of service to students and staff by providing access to the materials and equipment, by providing instruction in the use of the materials and equipment, and by working with teachers and other staff members to provide learning activities for the students (Accreditation Policy 4.2.1 - Exemptions for Schools Meeting the Highest Levels of Performance).

The school district is in compliance with state law and State Board of Education policies for state adopted textbooks. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 37-43-1, 37-43-24, 37-43-31(2), 37-43-51, 37-9-14(2)(b), and 37-7-301(ff) Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 79.1 and 79.2, State Board Policy Chapter 79, Rules 79.1 and 79.2. Refer to the current edition of the Textbook Administration Handbook Rules and Regulations. 19.1

Each school district provides students in each school with access to current or otherwise appropriate textbooks that are in good condition. See glossary for definition of textbook. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-1, § 37-9-14(2)(b), and § 37-7-301(ff).

19.2

Each school district shall keep an active and surplus inventory for each school in the district to be completed by June 15 of each year. The district shall report the inventory in the Textbook Inventory Management System. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-43-51. Refer to the current edition of the Textbook Administration Handbook Rules and Regulations.

The school district meets the following instructional management requirements Miss. Code Ann. §§ 37-3- 49(2) (a-c) and 37-3-49(5), Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 41.1, State Board Policy Chapter 41, Rule 41.1. 20.1

The school district implements an instructional management system that has been adopted by the school board and includes, at a minimum, the competencies and objectives required in the curriculum frameworks approved by the State Board of Education that are available to all teachers in each school. (Districts Meeting the Highest Levels of Performance are exempted.)

20.2

The instructional management system includes a tiered instructional model in accordance with Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 41.1, State Board Policy Chapter 41, Rule 41.1, including academic interventions, behavioral interventions, and Literacy-Based Promotion Act requirements.

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21.

The district follows an established board policy that defines criteria for the academic promotion/progression/retention of students. Such criteria prohibit the retention of students for extracurricular purposes. 21.1

The school district implements a uniform grading policy. Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: Chapter 2, Rule 2.3, State Board Policy Chapter 2, Rule 2.3, Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-64 and 37-11-66.

21.2

A student who is enrolled in any grade higher than Grade 6 in a school district must be suspended from participation in any extracurricular or athletic activity sponsored or sanctioned by the school district after a semester in which the student’s cumulative grade point average is below 2.0 on a 4.0 scale in accordance with the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA). This portion of the standard will be jointly monitored and enforced by the State Board of Education and the MHSAA. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-11-65.

22.

The school district provides access to an alternative education program that meets the program guidelines outlined in Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-92 and the guidelines established by the State Board of Education. Miss. Admin. Code 7-3:7.1, State Board Policy, Chapter 7, Rule 7.1. See guidelines for Alternative/GED School Programs.

23.

The school district, in its discretion, may provide access to a GED Option program that meets the program guidelines outlined in Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-92(4) and Miss. Admin Code 7-3: 7.2, State Board Policy Chapter 7, Rule 7. See guidelines for Alternative/GED Programs.

24.

Each full-time classroom teacher has an unencumbered period during the teaching day/week to be used for individual or departmental planning. 24.1

If the school utilizes a traditional six-period or seven-period day schedule, the instructional planning time provided for secondary teachers is a minimum of 225 minutes per week, exclusive of lunch period. If the school utilizes any form of a modular/block schedule, the instructional planning time provided is a minimum of either 225 minutes per week or an average of 225 minutes per week per instructional cycle, exclusive of lunch period.

24.2

Instructional planning time for the elementary school teacher is no less than 150 minutes per week, exclusive of lunch period.

25.

Individual teachers (grades 9-12) are limited to three (3) course preparations per scheduling cycle or five (5) in the same subject/content area. Any request for an exception must be submitted in writing to the Commission on School Accreditation for review and action.

26.

The curriculum of each high school at a minimum consists of required and approved courses that generate at least 33½ Carnegie units annually. Any request for an exemption from teaching the courses listed in Appendix B must be submitted in writing to the Commission on School Accreditation for review and action. (See Appendix B), Miss. Code Ann. § 37-1-3(2), and Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 28.2 and 28.3, State Board Policy Chapter 28, Rules 28.2 and 28.3.

27.

The curriculum of each elementary or middle school (any configuration of grades K-8) at a minimum consists of reading/language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, health education, elementary computer science and physical education (which may be taught by the classroom teacher). Miss. Code Ann. §§ 37-1-3(2), 37-13-134, and 37-13-201. 27.1

In any configuration of grades K-8, the curriculum must include 150 minutes of activity-based instruction per week and 45 minutes of instruction in health education per week.

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28.

27.2

Implementation of the activity-based instruction must meet or exceed the standards as approved by the State Board of Education.

27.3

A general education classroom teacher may provide instruction in the arts, health education, and physical education in a self-contained classroom setting.

27.4

In any elementary configuration of grades K-6, the curriculum must include 60 minutes of computer science instruction per week. Miss. Code Ann. §37-13-201.

Student teacher ratios do not exceed the following: 28.1

Student teacher ratios do not exceed 22 to 1 in kindergarten, except in instances in which a full-time assistant teacher is in the classroom. If a full-time assistant teacher is employed, 27 may be enrolled. See Mississippi Kindergarten Guidelines.

28.2

Student teacher ratios do not exceed 27 to 1 in classrooms serving grades 1 through 4 unless approved by the State Board of Education. A one-year waiver may be requested for classes that do not exceed more than two (2) students beyond the allowable student teacher ratio. Schools meeting the highest levels of performance may include a 29 to 1 ratio without requesting a waiver. No waivers will be allowed for student teacher ratios exceeding 29 to 1.

28.3

Student teacher ratios do not exceed 30 to 1 in self-contained classes serving grades 5-8 (excluding special education self-contained classrooms). A one-year waiver may be requested for classes that do not exceed more than two (2) students beyond the allowable student teacher ratio. Schools meeting the highest levels of performance may include a 32 to 1 ratio without requesting a waiver. No waivers will be allowed for student teacher ratios exceeding 32 to 1.

28.4

Student teacher ratios do not exceed 33 to 1 in departmentalized academic core classes serving grades 5-12. A one-year waiver may be requested for classes that do not exceed more than two (2) students beyond the allowable student teacher ratio. Schools meeting the highest levels of performance may include a 35 to 1 ratio without requesting a waiver. No waivers will be allowed for student teacher ratios exceeding 35 to 1.

28.5

The total number of students taught by an individual teacher in academic core subjects at any time during the school year shall not exceed 150. A teacher who provides instruction through intra-district or inter-district distance learning or supervises students taking virtual courses will be exempt from the 150-student limitation. A lab facilitator or principal designee will be responsible for the assignment of grades and related activities at the receiving school. Schools meeting the highest levels of performance are exempted.

28.6

Teachers of rotational courses in any school with a grade configuration that includes grades K-6 that traditionally include more students than outlined in Process Standards 28.1, 28.2, 28.3, 28.4, and 28.5 (i.e., elementary physical education, music, arts, speech-language therapist, etc.,) may exceed the ratios outlined in those standards. However, schools shall ensure adequate supervision by certified staff of those students at all times.

28.7

Teachers of courses in any school with a grade configuration that includes grades 6-12 that traditionally include more students than outlined in Process Standards 28.3, 28.4, and 28.5 (i.e., team sports, band, musical performance, speech-language therapist, etc.,) may exceed the ratios outlined in those standards. However, schools shall ensure adequate supervision by certified staff of those students at all times.

SAFE AND HEALTHY SCHOOLS 29.

The school district complies with the applicable policies of the State Board of Education and state and federal laws in the operation of its transportation program. The school district implements Nathan’s Law as a priority

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for promoting school bus safety. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 37-41-53, 63-3-615, 63-1-73, 97-3-7, and 63-1-33, Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 81.3, 81.4, 81.6, 81.7, 81.9, State Board Policy Chapter 81, Rules 81.3, 81.4, 81.6, 81.7, and 81.9. 29.1

All buses are inspected on a quarterly basis and are well-maintained and clean. Miss. Admin. Code 7- 3: 81.9, State Board Policy Chapter 81, Rule 81.9.

29.2 Each bus driver has a valid bus driver certificate and a commercial driver's license and operates the bus according to all specified safety procedures. The school district has on file a yearly motor vehicle report on each driver and evidence that each driver has received two (2) hours of in-service training per semester. Miss. Code Ann. § 63-3-615, Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 81.3 and 81.6, State Board Policy Chapter 81, Rules 81.3 and 81.6. 29.3

Bus schedules ensure arrival of all buses at their designated school sites prior to the start of the instructional day.

29.4

Emergency bus evacuation drills are conducted at least two (2) times each year. Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 81.4, State Board Policy Chapter 81, Rule 81.4.

30.

The school district provides clean and sanitary facilities in a safe and secure environment. All classrooms in each school will be air conditioned. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 37-7-301(c) (d) and (j), 37-11-5, 37-11-49; and 45-11101.

31.

The school district complies with State Board Policies and State and Federal laws to provide Safe Schools. Each school has a comprehensive School Safety Plan on file that has been approved annually by the local school board. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 37-3-81, 37-3-82, 37-3-83, 37-7-321, 37-11-5, 37-11-29, 37-11-53, 37-11-67, and 3711-69, and the Mississippi School Safety Manual.

32.

The school district complies with state statute and State Board of Education policy for education of juveniles in youth detention centers. 32.1

Educational requirements. Miss. Code Ann. § 42-21-321, Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 30.6, State Board Policy Chapter 30, Rule 30.6.

32.2

Financial reimbursement requirement. Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 30.6, State Board Policy Chapter 30, Rule 30.6. See the current edition of the Guidebook for Educating Juveniles in Detention Centers.

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PERFORMANCE STANDARDS INTRODUCTION The Mississippi Statewide Accountability System is designed to improve student achievement and increase the level of accountability for both school districts and individual schools. The accountability system focuses on student performance at each school and at the district level. Performance standards have been established, and student data from established performance metrics are used to determine individual school performance classifications and district level performance classifications. The following specifications for establishing school and district performance standards and accountability requirements are addressed in Miss. Code Ann. §37-17-6(5), §§ 37-18-1 through 37-18-7. The SBE shall establish, design, and implement a program for identifying and rewarding public schools that improve. The SBE shall apply an "A," "B," "C," "D," and "F" designation to the school and school district statewide accountability performance classifications outlined in Miss. Code Ann. §37-17-6(5). A school shall be identified as a School At-Risk and in need of assistance if the school is designated as an “F,” as identified by the SBE. See Accreditation Policy 3.4 INCLUSION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND ENGLISH LEARNERS (EL) The Mississippi Statewide Assessment System provides procedures to ensure the inclusion of all students in the assessment programs, including a wide range of testing accommodations, instructional level testing on statewide assessments and alternate assessments. The data for students using testing accommodations are treated no differently from any other test data. The scores for students with disabilities taking alternate assessments are included in the achievement and growth components. The weighting procedures in the achievement component ensure that those students count equally within the achievement level assigned to the school. School districts are allowed to exclude the academic achievement results only for first-year English Learners (EL) students (on a case-by-case basis) from determinations of Mississippi Statewide Accountability System results, consistent with the requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

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MISSISSIPPI STATEWIDE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM, EFFECTIVE 2025-2026 Performance classifications will be assigned based on the following school grading assignments: Schools (and Districts) with no 12th grade will have seven (7) components, each worth 100 points, totaling 700 possible points: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Reading Proficiency Reading Growth – All Students Reading Growth – Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student Subgroup Math Proficiency Math Growth – All Students Math Growth – Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student Subgroup Science Proficiency

Schools (and districts) with 12th grade will have nine (9) components, totaling 1,000 possible points: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Reading Proficiency (100 points) Reading Growth – All Students (100 points) Reading Growth – Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student Subgroup (100 points) Math Proficiency (100 points) Math Growth – All Students (100 points) Math Growth – Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student Subgroup (100 points) Science Proficiency (50 points) Graduation Rate – All Students (200 points) Readiness (150 points) a. Acceleration (50 points) b. Achievement (50 points) c. Assessment (50 points)

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Mississippi Statewide Accountability System: Business Rules 1.

Assignment of Performance Classifications 1.1 Standards for student, school, and school district performance will be increased when student proficiency is at a 75% and/or when 65% of schools and/or districts are earning a grade of “B” or higher, in order to raise the standard on performance after targets are met. See Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6. 1.1.1 When performance classification cut-points are established, the following percentiles shall apply:

63rd Percentile 38th Percentile 14th Percentile

1.2

1.6 1.7

≤ ≤ ≤

A B C D F

≥ < < < <

442 442 377 328 269

A ≥ ≤ B < ≤ C < ≤ D < F <

754 754 648 584 510

Grades for districts shall be determined based on the following cut-points effective with the 20162017 school year: 599 536 489

1.5

90th Percentile 90th Percentile 63rd Percentile 38th Percentile 14th Percentile

Grades for schools with a 12th grade will be determined based on the following cut-points effective with the 2017 - 2018 school year:

648 584 510

1.4

≤ ≤ ≤

≥ < < < <

Grades for schools (and districts) with no 12th grade (elementary/middle schools) shall be determined based on the following cut-points effective with the 2016 - 2017 school year: 377 328 269

1.3

A B C D F

A ≤ B ≤ C ≤ D F

≥ < < < <

668 668 599 536 489

Assignment of district performance classifications shall be calculated by treating the district as one (1) large school based on the same performance classifications used for schools. Cut-points for schools/districts shall be reviewed following the implementation of a new assessment. Schools with grade configurations that include both 12th grade and grades below 9th grade shall have a performance classification assigned consistent with Section 1.3, but the composite score shall be adjusted to account for the inclusion of performance measures for students below 9th grade. The following process shall apply: 1. Compute a composite score separately for students in grades below 9th grade and for students in 9th through 12th grades.

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2.

Transform the composite score for students in grades below 9th grade to the scale consistent with Section 1.3. 3. Weight each composite score by the percentage of students represented in the calculation and add the two (2) weighted scores together to obtain the adjusted composite score. 1.7.1 The adjustment provided for in this section shall not be applied in the calculation of cutpoints for districts and schools. 1.7.2 The adjustment provided for in this section shall only apply in the assignment of the performance classification and shall not apply to federally required school identification measures. 2.

Full Academic Year (FAY) 2.1 In order for a student to meet Full Academic Year (FAY) and be included in the proficiency and growth calculations, he/she must have been enrolled (regardless of attendance) for at least 75% (≥75%) of the days from September 1 (of school year) to the first day of testing. This date will be published yearly by the MDE and will be the same for all schools, students, and assessments. For schools on a traditional school calendar, the date will be in the spring. Note: 74.5% will not be rounded up to 75%. 2.1.1 Enrollment is defined as enrollment at the school/district level except for students in 4x4 block scheduled courses. 2.2 For students in 4x4 block scheduled courses, FAY for the Fall semester will be calculated from September 1 of the school year to the first day of Fall primary test administration. The specific date will be published yearly by MDE. FAY for the Spring semester will be calculated from February 1 to the first day of Spring testing, the same day as schools using a traditional school calendar. These dates will be published yearly by MDE. 2.3 The beginning and ending dates will be included in the calculation of FAY. Calculations will be based on calendar days, not instructional days. Weekends and holidays will be included in the calculations. 2.4 If a student meets FAY at a school other than the school where he/she is enrolled at the time of testing, his/her scores will count at the school where he/she met FAY. 2.5 This definition of FAY will not be applied to students for previous years where a previous definition of FAY was applied. If no FAY was calculated for a student in a previous year, this method will be applied. 2.6 FAY will be calculated at the school level as well as at the district level. Therefore, it is possible for a student who transfers within a district to meet FAY for a district and be included in the calculations for the performance classification for the district but not be included in the calculations for a school. Scores of all students will be included in the state level calculations regardless of FAY status. 2.7 If a student enrolls and withdraws in the same or different school on the same day, the student will be considered as having been enrolled for one (1) day in the receiving school. 2.8 (Deleted) Rule 2.9 supersedes. 2.9 If FAY cannot be calculated or discerned because of incorrect MSIS coding, the student will be forced to meet FAY at the school/district if the movement of the student appears to be within the same school/district. 2.10 If a student drops out of school and re-enrolls within the same school year, the re-entry date of the student will be included as the next enrollment date for the student. 2.11 If a student has concurrent enrollment in more than one (1) school/district, the period of concurrent enrollment will be included in FAY calculations at both locations.

3.

N-Count Minimums 3.1 School Totals 3.1.1 In order for a school to earn a performance classification, the school must have a minimum often (10) valid test scores in each of the required components. Schools that do not have the minimum of ten (10) valid test scores for each of the components will have data from prior years combined with the current year [up to three (3) years of data] in order to achieve the minimum N-count. See Sections 15, 22, and 24 for exceptions to this rule. 3.2 N-Count Minimums for the Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student Subgroup

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3.2.1

3.2.2

3.2.3

Note:

This subgroup must have a minimum of ten (10) valid test scores. If there are less than ten (<10) students in the Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup, the subgroup will consist of all students except for the students scoring at the highest achievement level. If this calculation still results in a number less than ten (<10), then all students will be included in the calculation of the Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup. At the grade-level, a minimum of four (4) students with valid scale scores are required to identify the Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Students subgroup. If a grade has less than four (<4) students with valid scale scores for the subject, there will be no students identified as being in the subgroup for that grade level for that subject. In order to ensure the inclusion of students with disabilities in the Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup, no N-Count minimum will apply in the identification of the Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup for students taking the alternate assessment. See Section 7 for more information on the Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup.

4.

Participation Rates 4.1 If a school/district does not meet an overall 95% participation rate, the school/district will automatically be dropped one (1) performance classification and will have 95% of its enrollment included in proficiency calculations, as required by federal regulation. Participation rates are not rounded. 4.2 Elementary schools with no assessments (K, 1, and 2) will not be assigned a participation rate. Therefore, these schools will not be impacted by the participation rate minimum requirements. 4.3 Students may be removed from the denominator of testing participation calculations if he/she meets the criteria set forth by the Office of Student Assessment as having a Significant Medical Emergency which made participation in the state testing impossible. For details regarding the definition of Significant Medical Emergency and the process of requesting a student be removed from the calculations, please contact the Office of Student Assessment. 4.4 High School participation rates will be calculated based on the Senior Snapshot. Data from all statewide end-of-course, subject area assessments, and the ACT will be used in the participation calculations. Students enrolled in grades 3-8 with any month 8 enrollment will be included in participation calculation for each required assessment in the school/district of final enrollment in month 8. 4.5 Deleted 4.6 Deleted 4.7 If a student is expelled but is still enrolled in MSIS for the school/district during the testing window, he/she will be included in the denominator. If the student does not test, the student will count as “not tested.”

5.

Proficiency 5.1 Proficiency will be determined by the percentage of students who achieve a performance/proficiency of Proficient and above. No additional credit will be given for students scoring in a performance/proficiency level above proficient (e.g., “Advanced”). No partial credit will be given for students scoring in any performance level below proficient. 5.1.1 For proficiency components worth 50 points, the weighted percentage of students proficient will be multiplied times 0.5 to determine the points applied to the component. 5.1.2 The science proficiency component for schools with a 12th grade will be based on all science assessments administered at that school. Therefore, for schools with a 12th grade that also have a 5th and/or 8th grade, the science component for that school will still be worth 50 points. 5.2 Assessments included in the proficiency calculations will consist of all federally required statewide assessments in Reading/Language Arts/English, Mathematics and Science, and any additional endof-course, subject area assessments. This includes all Alternate Assessments based on Alternate

40

Achievement Standards (AA-AAS) for SCD students. Note: This rule will need to be reviewed with the implementation of any new statewide assessments. 6.

Growth 6.1

6.2

6.3 6.4

6.5

6.6

6.7

Growth is determined by whether or not a student increases in performance/proficiency levels from one (1) year to the next based on the following criteria: • An increase of ANY performance/proficiency level • Staying at Proficient from one (1) year to the next • An increase within the lowest three (3) performance/proficiency levels that crosses over the midpoint of the level. Example: Bottom half of Basic to top half of Basic. Following the implementation of new assessments, a linking/equating process will be used to establish comparable scales across the new and old assessments and to determine the criteria for meeting growth as defined above. Additional weight in the numerator is given for the following increases: • Staying at Advanced from one (1) year to the next will be given a weight = 1.25. • Any increase of two (2) or more performance/proficiency levels will be given a weight = 1.25. • Any increase to the highest performance/proficiency level will be given a weight = 1.25. Note: Although this section allows for additional weight in the student growth calculation, no accountability component may exceed the maximum allocated points for the component. Any decrease in performance/proficiency levels = 0. The lowest three (3) performance/proficiency levels will be split into half at the mid-point of the range. If the range is an odd number and cannot be split into two (2) equal halves, the lower half of the performance/proficiency level will be one (1) point larger than the upper half. (Example: If the range of the performance/proficiency level is thirteen (13) scale score points, the bottom half of the range will be seven (7) scale score points and the upper half of the range will be six (6) scale score points.) The splitting of the lowest three (3) performance/proficiency levels into half at the mid-point range is not intended to create three (3) new separate performance/proficiency levels. Therefore, students who move from the bottom half of the lowest performance/proficiency level to the bottom half of the second lowest performance/proficiency level will not be given additional weight for increasing two (2) performance/proficiency levels. That student will be considered to have increased one (1) performance/proficiency level. Note: Rules regarding the splitting of the lowest three (3) performance/proficiency levels are subject to review and change with the implementation of any new assessments. Assessments used for calculation of growth will include: • Grade-level (3-8) assessments in English Language Arts; • Grade-level (3-8) assessments in Mathematics; • High School level assessments in English Language Arts; • High School level assessments in Mathematics; • Alternate Assessments (3-8 and High School) in English Language Arts; and • Alternate Assessments (3-8 and High School) in Mathematics. Students taking Algebra I, in 7th or 8th grade, are required by federal regulation to also take the grade-level assessment in mathematics. Therefore, these students will have two (2) growth calculations: grade-level to grade-level and grade-level to Algebra I. The grade-level to grade-level growth calculation will be applied to the current school. The grade-level to Algebra I growth calculation will be banked until the student’s 10th grade year. To calculate growth for the high schools for Math-All Students, Math-Lowest Performing Students, Reading-All Students and Reading-Lowest Performing Students, the 8th grade grade-level assessments will be used as the baseline. The exceptions to this are as follows: • If a student takes Algebra I during his/her 8th grade year, his/her 7th grade grade-level assessments will be used as the baseline and banked until the student is in the 10th grade.

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•

6.8 6.9 6.10

6.11

6.12

6.13 6.14 6.15

7.

If a student takes Algebra I in the 7th grade, his/her 6th grade grade-level math assessment will be used as the baseline and banked until the student is in the 10th grade. If a student does not have a previous year’s assessment, the student will be excluded from the growth calculation(s) except in the cases of the end-of-course, subject area assessments. For students taking end-of-course, subject area assessments in grades lower than 10th grade, growth will be banked until the student’s 10th grade year and then applied. If a student does not take the end-of-course, subject area assessments until 11th or 12th grade year, growth will be calculated and applied in the first year he/she has a valid score. The exception to this will be for students taking the alternate assessment. For students taking the alternate assessment, a cap of two (2) years will be applied to the growth calculations. Therefore, if a student takes the alternate assessment in 8th grade and does not take the high school level alternate assessment until 11th or 12th grade, he/she will not be included in the growth calculations. Students who are retained in 3rd through 8th grades will have a growth calculation based on the retained grade from the previous year. (Example: A 4th grade student who was retained will have growth calculated based on his/her previous year’s 4th grade assessment scores.) For K-3 schools, growth of 4th grade students in the district will be used for the growth calculations of the K-3 school in which they met FAY. Growth of the 3rd grade students who are retained will be included with the 4th grade student growth calculations. The student must meet FAY for the current year in order to be included in the growth calculations but is not required to meet FAY for the previous year. Growth will not be calculated for students who take the Alternate Assessment in the current year but took the grade-level general education assessment the previous year or vice versa. The denominator for the growth calculation includes any FAY student with two (2) valid assessment scores (as defined above). The numerator will include any student included in the denominator who has demonstrated growth as defined above and weighted accordingly.

Lowest Performing Students 7.1 Calculation methodology for students whose baseline assessment score is 3rd through 7th grade: 7.1.1 The Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup in reading and the Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup in mathematics are determined using the same method but applied separately to reading data and to mathematics data. The procedure used to identify the lowest performing students in a school is applied separately by grade, and the identified students are combined across all grades to comprise the Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup and to determine learning gains. Note: The Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup will be determined by identifying the percentage of students, as defined by Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6, who are the lowest performing students in a given subject area. The process: 1. Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, the scores of all students participating in the general education and alternate assessments will be standardized by subject area, grade level, assessment type, and school year. 2. Sort the standardized scores of all FAY students in a grade from highest to

3.

lowest based on their prior year standardized scores. Students without an eligible score from the previous year are not included. See Section 6 and Rule 7.1.3 for additional clarification. Divide the number of students in the list by four (4). If the result is not a whole number, then automatically round up to meet the 25% minimum.

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4.

7.2

7.3 7.4

8.

Count, from the lowest score up, the number of students identified in step 3. Then identify the standardized score that corresponds to that student. This standardized score becomes the boundary score. 5. Identify all students with the boundary score determined in step 4. All students with the same boundary score or lower standardized score will be included in the Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup for that subject/grade. 6. Repeat the process for each grade for the subject then combine students to form the Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup for the school for the subject. Note: The number of students in the Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup must meet the minimum N-count as defined in Section 3.2. If the minimum Ncount is not met, the rules outlined in Section 3.2 will be applied. See Section 3. It is possible for the Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup to be more than 25% when steps 5 and 6 are applied. 7.1.2 Deleted 7.1.3 The Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Students subgroup for schools whose highest grade is lower than 4th grade will be identified based on the students who attended the school, not based on their 4th grade school’s Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup. Therefore, a student may be identified in the Lowest subgroup in one (1) school, but not the other. 7.1.4 In order to ensure the inclusion of students with disabilities, the Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup for students taking the alternate assessment will be identified by subject but not by each grade level. The Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup for a district will be identified using the same method described above [i.e., the district will be calculated as if it were one (1) school]. Therefore, it is possible that some students may be identified as members of the Lowest Performing Students subgroup for their school but not for their district, or for their district but not their school. The Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup for the state will be identified using the same method [i.e., the state will be calculated as if it were one (1) school]. Because students may take end-of-course assessments prior to the 9th grade, any assessment scores used in the identification of the Lowest Performing Twenty-Five Percent Student subgroup for grades 10 through 12 will be standardized to the 8th grade-level assessment for the identification process.

Graduation Rate 8.1 The federally approved four-year graduation rate will be used. Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6 Definition: The number of students who graduate in four (4) years from a school and LEA with a regular high school diploma or state-defined alternate diploma divided by the number of students who entered four (4) years earlier as first-time 9th graders, with adjustments for deaths, emigrations, and transfers in and out. Ninth (9th) grade students who repeat 9th grade will stay in their original cohort. Definition: A “regular high school diploma” is the standard high school diploma that is fully aligned with the state’s academic content standards. 8.2 Ungraded students will be assigned to their peer-age cohort, based on the year in which the student obtains the age of 14 prior to September 1. 8.3 The schools/district graduation rate will be multiplied by 2.0 to calculate the points applied to the graduation component for schools/districts. 8.4 In the calculation of graduation rates, students are assigned to the school and district of longest enrollment during the federally defined, four-year adjusted cohort window. In the event a student has equal enrollment in one (1) or more schools or districts, the student will be assigned to the school and district of final enrollment. 8.5 The school/district graduation rate applied in the graduation component is lagged one (1) year.

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9.

Acceleration (Readiness) Indicator 9.1 Beginning in school year 2015-2016, high schools will have an Acceleration component in their calculations. 9.2 The Acceleration component refers to the percentage of students taking and passing the assessment associated with accelerated courses which include Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), dual credit or SBE-approved industry certification courses and associated assessments administered through the MDE. For students taking dual credit courses, passing refers to students who are passing the course with an unweighted “C” or above. For AP courses, the student must score at least three (3) on the AP exam. For IB courses, the student must score at least four (4) on the IB exam. For AICE courses, the student must obtain a passing score on the exam. (Passing scores of “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, and “E” on the AICE exams are not based on the American “A-F” grading scale.) For industry certification courses, the student must pass the exam. 9.2.1 Dual credit courses must be credit-bearing courses at both the high school and postsecondary institution with a minimum of three (3) semester hours credit, and beginning in school year 2019 - 2020, shall be limited to the list of articulated courses found in Appendix V of the current Procedures Manual for the State of Mississippi Dual Enrollment and Accelerated Programs document. Refer to the current edition of the Approved Courses for Secondary Education for approved Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses. 9.2.2 Beginning in school year 2020 – 2021, schools must enter non-weighted course grades for dual credit courses in MSIS. These non-weighted grades will be used in the performance measure for dual credit courses. 9.2.3 AP assessments must be reported directly by the College Board to the MDE to be included in the acceleration indicator. 9.3 The Acceleration component will consist of a Participation and a Performance component. Each of these components will have a score calculated by dividing the numerator by the denominator and multiplying the resulting value by 50. These two (2) components scores will then be added together and reported as one (1) score worth a maximum of fifty (50) points. 9.4 Calculation of Participation 9.4.1 The numerator for the Participation component calculation will be the number of students taking accelerated courses and/or related exams as defined in Section 9.2. 9.4.2 The denominator for the Participation component calculation shall include all students whose Mississippi Student Information System (MSIS) grade or peer-grade equivalent is 11th or 12th grade plus any 9th or 10th grade students who take and pass accelerated assessments and associated courses where applicable. 9.5 Calculation of Performance 9.5.1 The numerator for the Performance component calculation will be the number of successful accelerated assessments/courses such as AP, IB, AICE, dual credit, dual enrollment, or industry certification courses based on the definition above. 9.5.2 The denominator for the Performance component calculation will consist of all accelerated assessments/courses attempted. 9.5.3 Students who are enrolled in accelerated courses but do not take the required assessment will be considered as “not proficient” in the performance calculations. 9.6 For students taking and passing multiple accelerated courses, an additional tenth of a point will be applied to the performance numerator for each additional assessment/course beyond the first. 9.7 In the calculation of participation, students who take an accelerated course during their 11th grade year but do not take an accelerated course during their 12th grade year will be counted in the denominator both years, but in the numerator during their 11th grade year only. 9.8 Students enrolled in a block schedule must meet FAY either in the fall or spring to be included in the acceleration component. Students enrolled in a traditional schedule must meet FAY for the traditional schedule to be included in the acceleration component. 9.9 Deleted 9.10 For students in 9th through 12th grade that participate in IB courses as described in Section 9.2 that are designed with a two (2) year curriculum and do not have an associated assessment in the first year, the student will be included in participation calculations but will be excluded from

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9.11

9.12

10.

performance measures in the first year and will be included in both participation and performance measures in year two (2). In the event that accelerated credential, as defined in Section 9.2, is reported for a student that is not associated with a course, the credential will be included in the calculation for the final school in which the student meets FAY. Ungraded SCD students, as defined in 16.4.1, will not be included in participation or performance measures once the student has been enrolled in grade 13.

Banking Scores: End-of-course, subject area assessments taken before 10th grade 10.1 Scores of students taking Algebra I, Biology, or English II end-of-course, subject area tests assessments in a grade below 10th grade will be “banked” for proficiency/achievement and growth calculations until the student is in the 10th grade and then applied to the student’s 10th grade school (if the student met FAY requirements the year he/she was assessed and met traditional schedule FAY during his/her 10th grade year). See Section 6 for additional clarification on Growth. 10.2 If a student transfers out of the district before or during their 10th grade year, his/her scores (achievement and growth) will not be applied to the school of origin or receiving school in the new district. Note: See Section 4 (Participation) and 6 (Growth) for additional information. 10.3 If a student matriculates from the 9th grade to the 11th grade without enrolling in the 10th grade, banked scores will be included in accountability measures when the student is enrolled in the 11th grade. Note: For the 2021-2022 School year only, accountability measures in proficiency and growth will not include banked scores from prior years but will include all high school, end-of-course, subject area assessments taken during the 2021-2022 school year, regardless of grade level. For any schools with end-of-course assessments that do not contain 12th grade, scores will be assigned to the high school that the current school feeds to. Scores will also be banked in accordance with Rule 10.1 for use in future school years; therefore, some students’ scores will be included in accountability measures twice. For 10th grade students taking end-of-course assessments included in accountability calculations during the 2021-2022 school year that do not have a prior-year score due to the suspension of assessments during the 2019-2020 school year, growth will be measured using the 2018-2019 school year as the baseline year. Districts with ten (10) or more 7th grade students enrolled in Algebra I during the spring of the 20192020 school year, will have scores from 7th grade Algebra I students testing during the 2022-2023 school year included in accountability measures in 2022-2023. For any schools with end-of-course assessments that do not contain 12th grade, scores will be assigned to the high school that the current school feeds to. Scores will also be banked in accordance with Rule 10.1 for use in future school years; therefore, some students’ scores will be included in accountability measures twice.

11.

Comprehensive Support and Improvement Schools (CSI) 11.1 High Schools with a graduation rate less than or equal to 67 percent shall be identified as a Comprehensive Support and Improvement school. This identification will occur on a three (3) year cycle. Note: For the 2022-2023 Academic School Year Only, the identification cycle is reduced to one (1) year. 11.2 Title IA schools with a three (3) year average composite accountability score in the bottom five (5) percent of overall accountability index will be identified as a Comprehensive Support and Improvement school. This identification will occur on a three (3) year cycle. Note: For the 2022-2023 school year, the identification cycle is reduced to one (1) year. 11.3 Beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year, a school previously identified as an Additional Targeted Support and Improvement school that fails to exit after 3 years and has three (3) consecutive years of subgroup score in ELA or math at or below that of all students in the bottom five (5) percent of Title IA schools shall be identified as a Comprehensive Support and Improvement school. This identification will occur on a three-year cycle.

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12.

Note: Performance data from the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years will not be used in the identification described in Section 11.3. For the 2022-2023 school year, the identification cycle is reduced to one (1) year. Targeted Support and Improvement Schools (TSI) 12.1 A school with a subgroup composite score that is in the lowest 50 percent and in the lowest quartile of the three (3) year average gap-to-goal, and in the lowest quartile of the three (3) year improvement toward gap-to-goal closure shall be eligible to be identified as a Targeted Support and Improvement school. Note: Performance data from the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years will not be used in the three (3) year average. 12.2 Schools meeting the requirements in Section 12.1 will be rank-ordered, using the composite accountability score, and the bottom five (5) percent of all schools not identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement will be identified as a Targeted Support and Improvement school. This identification will occur on an annual cycle.

13.

Additional Targeted Support and Improvement Schools (ATSI) 13.1 A school with a three (3) year average subgroup performance score at or below that of all students in the lowest performing five (5) percent of Title IA schools shall be identified as an Additional Targeted Support and Improvement school. Note: Performance data from the 2019-2022 and 2020-2021 school years will not be used in the three (3) year average. This identification will occur on a three-year cycle.

14.

Deleted

15.

English Learners (EL) 15.1 The scores of English learners who have attended a U.S. school for less than 12 months will only be included in participation calculations in the first (1st) year. In the second (2nd) year, growth will be included, and in third (3rd) year, growth and proficiency will be included in accountability measures. 15.1.1 Local Education Agencies (LEA) shall identify English learner students, who have attended a U.S. school for less than 12 months, to be designated for exclusion on or before February 1, annually. Note: For more information, contact the Office of Federal Programs. 15.2 An EL performance component will be calculated for each school and district beginning with the 2017 - 2018 school year and will be included in the calculation of accountability grades beginning in the 2018 - 2019 school year. The EL performance component will be equal to the average EL progress rate of students as defined in Section 15.4, multiplied by the total points assigned to the EL component for that school/district. 15.2.1 Each school or district must meet the minimum N-count for EL students in order to have an EL performance measure calculated. 15.2.2 The performance measure will be equal to 5% of total available points in the accountability system. All other components will be reduced by a total of 5% when the EL performance measure is included. 15.2.3 The component score for districts and schools will be adjusted such that an average student rate of 0.9 or higher shall receive the maximum score for this component. This adjustment will be applied uniformly to all other averages below 0.9, effectively increasing each value by 10 percent. 15.3 Progress toward proficiency will be calculated for all EL students using the state English Language Proficiency Test (ELPT). An annual progress goal will be calculated for each student based on reaching overall proficiency on the ELPT within five (5) years of entry into an EL program. The annual progress goal will be equal to the minimum overall scale score needed to achieve proficiency at year five (5), minus the prior year overall scale score, divided by the number of years the student had remaining to exit the EL program in the prior year. 15.3.1 In year five (5) and beyond, the annual progress goal is equal to the minimum scale score needed to achieve overall proficiency, minus the prior year overall scale score.

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15.4

EL performance will be measured by the annual progress achieved by EL students. Each student will have a rate ranging between zero (0) and one (1) based on the student’s current year ELPT overall scale score, minus the prior year overall scale score, divided by the annual progress goal as defined in 15.3. Any student who does not demonstrate progress will have a rate of zero (0). No student will receive a rate higher than one (1). 15.4.1 The student must meet FAY requirements in the current year but is not required to meet FAY requirements in the prior year. 15.4.2 The student must have a prior year score to be included in the calculation. 15.4.3 EL students who have reached overall proficiency on the ELPT shall not be included in the EL Performance component in subsequent years.

16.

Students with Disabilities 16.1 United States Department of Education (USDE) regulations limit the number of scores of children taking alternate assessments for SCD students scoring proficient or above to one percent (1%) of the students at the state and district level. This rule does not apply at the school level because these regulations recognize that some schools offer specialized services or are near specialized medical facilities that attract higher numbers of students with significant special needs. Therefore, if a district has greater than one percent (1%) of their total population scoring proficient or above on an alternate assessment, the percent above one percent (1%) will count as not proficient in accountability calculations. 16.2 All eligible SCD students will be expected to participate in statewide assessments per the schedule provided by the Office of Student Assessment. Note: This rule will need to be updated and revised with the implementation of any new alternate assessment. 16.3 Non-SCD students are not allowed to participate in alternate assessments. If any such students have alternate assessment data, the test data shall be considered invalid. 16.4 Students with disabilities will be those students whose SPED indicator in MSIS is "Y" (Yes) at the end of month eight (8) (closest approximation to the test administration dates). 16.4.1 In order for a student to be counted as SCD, his/her SCD indicator and SPED indicator must be set to “Y” (Yes) in MSIS.

17.

Duplicate Test Scores 17.1 If a student takes the general education (grade-level) assessment AND the alternate assessment, the scores from the general education assessment will be used in the school/district accountability calculations. 17.2 If MSIS records indicate two (2) valid assessment scores for the same assessment in the same year, the score from the first administration date will be used. If MSIS records indicate two (2) valid assessment scores for the same assessment on the same date, the higher of the two (2) scores will be used in the school/district accountability calculations.

18.

Invalid Test Scores 18.1 Students with invalid test scores will be counted as “not tested” for participation calculations. 18.1.1 Following an invalidated score, when a student retests, the first valid test score will be used in the proficiency, growth, and participation calculations. 18.2 If an invalid score is validated after the accountability calculations are performed and final school/district performance classifications have been assigned, the school/district’s performance classifications will not be recalculated and adjusted to reflect the validated score. If during the next year, the student tests again and has a valid test score, that test score, although it was not the student’s first test score, will be used during the next year’s calculations. Please refer to the Office of Student Assessment regarding deadlines for appealing invalid test scores. 18.3 For students in 3rd grade through eighth 8th grade, if a student’s MSIS grade level does not match his/her assessment grade level, the student’s scores will not be included in the numerator for participation, growth, or proficiency calculations, and the student will count as not proficient, not meeting growth, and not tested. Likewise, the student’s scores will not be used the following year in growth calculations.

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Note: This rule does not apply to end-of-course, subject area assessments or high school alternate assessments. 19.

Rounding 19.1 In the calculation of each of the components in the statewide accountability system, the final value of each component will be rounded to one (1) decimal place (tenths place). Any weighting of components is then applied to the rounded value. After the weighted components are summed, the total value will be rounded to a whole number and reported for the final performance classification calculation. Note: Other rounding rules are embedded in the explanations of the specific components.

20.

School Reconfigurations or Redrawing of District Lines 20.1 A school’s accountability calculations will be based on the grade configuration of the school (and the students in that school) on the date that corresponds with the FAY at the time of testing. See Section 2 for details on FAY. The calculations are applied to the school the following year, regardless of any reconfigurations or redistricting that takes place during the summer after testing or during the school year before testing. 20.2 Consolidated districts/schools who maintain the same grade configuration and/or student population as existing in the previous school district will receive the eligible scores or statuses of students who previously attended the school in the previous school district.

21.

Alternative, Career, Technical, and Child Development Centers 21.1 Effective before and with the 2017 – 2018 academic year, no performance classifications will be assigned to alternative, career and/or technical programs, or child development centers authorized in Miss Code Ann. §37-23-91. Scores of students attending these programs will be included in the accountability calculations of the student’s official MSIS home school of residence. 21.2 Performance data on available indicators will be reported for students enrolled in child development centers.

22.

Schools without Tested Subjects or Grades 22.1 Elementary/Middle Schools 22.1.1 For any elementary/middle school that does not have reading or math scores because the school does not have the required grade level, the scores from the students in the next higher grade in the tested subject within the same district will be applied back to the student’s lower elementary school of origin. In order for the scores to be applied, the student must meet FAY at the lower grade school, the current school and if there is a gap in years, anywhere in the district for the years in between. Example 1, Pre-K through 2nd grade School: • Reading and Math Proficiency - The reading and math scores from students in 3rd grade who attended the Pre-K through 2nd grade school and are still in the same district will be used to calculate the math and reading proficiency for Pre-K through 2nd grade school. • Science Proficiency - An equating process will be used to adjust the scores for this component. • Growth - The reading and math scores from students in 4th grade who attended the Pre-K through 2nd grade school and are still in the same district will be used to calculate the growth for Reading-All Students, Math-All Students, Reading-Lowest Performing Students, and Math-Lowest Performing Students for that Pre-K through 2nd grade school. The students would have to have met FAY in o the Pre-K through 2nd grade school during 2nd grade, o the 4th grade school in the same district, and o any school within the same district during 3rd grade.

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Example 2, Pre-K through 3rd Grade: • Reading and Math Proficiency - The reading and math scores from students in the3rd grade will be used to calculate the math and reading proficiency for that school. • Science Proficiency - An equating process will be used to adjust the scores for this component. • Growth - The reading and math scores from students in 4th grade who attended the Pre-K through 3rd grade and are still in the same district will be used to calculate the growth for Reading-All Students, Math-All Students, Reading-Lowest Performing Students, and Math-Lowest Performing Students for Pre-K through 3rd grade. • All applicable FAY rules will apply. Example 3, Pre-K through 4th Grade: • Reading and Math Proficiency - The reading and math scores from students in 3rd and 4th grades at the school will be used to calculate the math and reading proficiency for Pre-K through 4th grade. • Science Proficiency - An equating process will be used to adjust the scores for this component. • Growth - The reading and math scores from students in 3rd and 4th grades at the school will be used to calculate the growth for Reading-All Students, Math-All Students, Reading-Lowest Performing Students, and Math-Lowest Performing Students for Pre-K through 3rd grade. • All applicable FAY rules will apply.

22.2

22.3

22.4

Example 4, 6th and 7th grade: • Reading and Math Proficiency - The reading and math scores from students in 6th and 7th grade at the school will be used to calculate the math and reading proficiency for that school. • Science Proficiency - An equating process will be used to adjust the scores for this component. • Growth - The reading and math scores from students in 6th and 7th grade at the school will be used to calculate the growth for Reading-All Students, Math-All Students, Reading-Lowest Performing Students, and Math-Lowest Performing Students for 6th and 7th grade. • All applicable FAY rules will apply. 22.1.2 An equating process to adjust the points required will be used for elementary/middle schools that do not have science scores because the school does not have a 5th or 8th grade. High Schools 22.2.1 Schools with missing data for components specific to high schools will have available proxy data applied in the following order of availability; three (3) year historical school average, two (2) year historical school average, prior year school score, current year district score, prior year district score. If no proxy data is available, an equating process will be used to adjust for the missing components. Schools with only Pre-Kindergarten and/or Kindergarten will be assigned the school performance classification of the next level school to which that school feeds. If the school feeds to multiple schools, the performance classification will be assigned from a weighted average of the composite scores of the schools to which it feeds. Charter Schools For any charter school that does not have reading or math scores because the school does not have the required grade level, the scores from the students in the next higher grade in the tested subject within the same served area (within the geographic boundaries of the traditional local education agency or agencies in which the charter school operates) will be applied back to the student’s school of origin. In order for the scores to be applied, the student must meet FAY at the lower grade school,

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the current school and if there is a gap in years, anywhere in the served area for the years in between. 23.

State and Other Special Schools 23.1 Mississippi School of the Arts (MSA) and Mississippi School for Math and Science (MSMS) 23.1.1 The Mississippi School of the Arts and Mississippi School for Math and Science will not be assigned performance classifications but will have performance on available indicators reported consistent with other schools/districts. 23.1.2 If a student takes an end-of-course, subject area assessment for the first time while at MSA or MSMS, his/her scores will be sent back to their school/district of origin and rolled into the state totals. 23.1.3 Students enrolled at MSA and/or MSMS during the time of the Senior Snapshot will have their Assessment and Acceleration (Readiness) Indicator scores sent to their high school of origin. 23.1.4 For students enrolled at MSMS or MSA, the school/district of origin is defined as the school/district where the student was enrolled and met FAY requirements in the school year immediately prior to enrollment at MSMS or MSA. 23.2 Mississippi School for the Blind (MSB) and the Mississippi School for the Deaf (MSD) 23.2.1 The MSB and MSD will not be assigned performance classifications but will have performance on available indicators reported consistent with other schools/districts. 23.2.2 Students enrolled in the MSB and MSD will have performance measures included in the performance classification of the school/district of residence. 23.3 Other State/Special Schools 23.3.1 State agencies (i.e., Hudspeth, Ellisville State School, etc.) will not be assigned performance classifications. 23.3.2 Students placed in non-public schools (special private schools; i.e., Millcreek, CARES, etc.) but are enrolled in regular Mississippi public schools will have their performance measures included in the calculations of the school/district in which he/she is enrolled in MSIS. 23.3.3 Students enrolled in special/non-public schools with codes 200 and 500 have no enrollment and are not used for any of the usual statistical and reporting purposes. If a student is enrolled in a public school during the testing window, he/she would have to be tested (and counted in the testing participation rates) and his/her score (if FAY) would be used for accountability purposes. 23.3.4 University-based schools will not receive performance classifications. 23.4 Students in Correctional Facilities/Juvenile Justice System 23.4.1 According to the USDE, these facilities are considered “programs” not schools and would not be assigned performance classifications. 23.4.2 If a student, who is still enrolled in MSIS, is in such a program and is not tested, the student will count as “not tested” in the participation rate calculations of the school/district. If the student is tested, his/her scores will count at his/her MSIS resident school. 23.5 Virtual Public Schools 23.5.1 Only schools classified under the USDE’s Education Data Exchange Network (EDEN) reporting requirements as a separate school entity will receive a performance classification. 23.6 Early College High Schools 23.6.1 Students enrolled in an Early College High School will have their performance measures included in the performance classification of the school/district of residence. 23.6.2 Early College High Schools will not be assigned performance classifications but will have performance on available indicators reported consistent with other high schools.

24.

9th Grade Only Schools 24.1 Scores of a 9th grade only school will be combined with the high school to which that school feeds and calculated as one (1) school but reported as two (2) separate schools. In other words, both schools will earn the same performance classification because it will be based on the same data calculations.

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25.

Assessment (Readiness) Indicator 25.1 The ACT Superscore or ACT National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC), SAT, and ASVAB assessments will be used in the Assessment measure of the Readiness Indicator. 25.2 The highest available ACT Superscore, ACT NCRC, SAT score, or ASVAB score for each student at the end of month nine (9) will be used in the Assessment measure of the Readiness Indicator. 25.3 A student’s scores will be applied to the school in which the student is enrolled in MSIS at the time of the Senior Snapshot. 25.4 The participation rate numerator will include the state administration or non-state administration of the ACT. The denominator will include all students in the Senior Snapshot. 25.5 The denominator for the Assessment measure of the Readiness Indicator will consist of all students identified in the Senior Snapshot. 25.6 The numerator for the Assessment measure of the Readiness indicator will be calculated per student with a score between 0 and 1 as follows: Numerator Student Measure

26

0 No qualifying Score

.25 ACT: 15-16 SAT: 850-929 NCRC: Bronze ASVAB: 31-49

.50 ACT 17-19 SAT 930-1039 NCRC: Silver ASVAB: 50-64

.75 ACT: 20-24 SAT: 1040-1209 NCRC: Gold ASVAB: 65-92

1 ACT ≥ 25 SAT ≥ 1210 NCRC: Platinum ASVAB ≥ 93

Achievement Measure (Readiness Indicator) 26.1 The denominator for the Achievement measure of the Readiness indicator will consist of all students identified in Senior Snapshot. 26.2 The numerator for the Achievement measure of the Readiness indicator will be calculated per student with a score between 0 and 1 based on the withdrawal or completion status entered by June 30th of the Senior year as follows: Numerator Student Measure

0 No Qualifying Completion

.25 Diploma Equivalency or Traditional Diploma in 5th Year

.50 Traditional Alternate Diploma

or

.75 Diploma with Academic, CTE, or JROTC Endorsement

1 Distinguished Diploma

26.3 A diploma equivalency is defined for the purposes of 26.2 as a high school diploma equivalency issued by the school district, or successful completion of a high school diploma equivalency issued by the Mississippi Community College Board as reported directly to the MDE through the MIBEST program. 26.4 Traditional diploma and diploma endorsements are defined for the purposes of 26.2 in Appendix A. 26.5 Distinguished Diploma includes a Distinguished Academic Diploma as defined in Appendix A-9, or a diploma with a CTE or JROTC endorsement as defined in Appendix A-7 in which the student also earns 28 credits, an overall GPA of 3.0 or greater, and a gold or platinum NCRC WorkKeys certificate. 26.6 Students included in Senior Snapshot that do not have a withdrawal or completion status by June 30th of the fourth year of their graduation rate cohort will be carried forward to the next year for inclusion in the fifth-year measure. The final status of these students will be the withdrawal or completion status entered by month nine of their fifth year. 26.7 Students included in Senior Snapshot that have a completion status entered after June 30th of their fourth year of the graduation rate cohort will be included in the Achievement Measure in the following year. 26.8 Credit for endorsements or distinction as defined in 26.2 will only be given for students that receive a diploma within the four year federally defined graduation rate cohort window. 27.

Senior Snapshot 27.1 Senior Snapshot is a method of identifying high school students for the high school assessment participation rate calculation and Readiness Indicator. Senior Snapshot captures ALL students who

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have been enrolled in a Mississippi public school starting in month one (1) of the 10th grade and continuing without interruption until either the end of month 9 of the 12th grade or until a completion status is entered, whichever comes first. If the student does not meet the enrollment criteria, he/she will not be included in the denominator for participation rate calculations or Achievement and Assessment (Readiness)measures. 27.2 Each required end-of-course assessment and the ACT are included in Senior Snapshot participation calculations. 27.3 Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, students with a dropout status entered in month 9 or later of the 11th grade or at any time in the 12th grade will be included in Senior Snapshot in the same manner as a student with an early completion status, as described in 27.1. 28.

Other 28.1 Deceased Students Students indicated in MSIS as deceased will not be included in any accountability calculations. 28.2 Foreign Exchange Students Beginning in school year 2013-2014, foreign exchange students will automatically be included in accountability calculations just as any other students. However, if a district wishes to have a foreign exchange student excluded from the accountability calculations, the request should be made through the Internal Review Process and documentation of the student’s participation in the foreign exchange program must be provided in the request.

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APPENDIX A-1

Effective school year 2020 – 2021 Appendix A-1 is no longer applicable.

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APPENDIX A-2 Effective school year 2020 – 2021 Appendix A-2 is no longer applicable.

54

APPENDIX A-3 Effective school year 2020 – 2021 Appendix A-3 is no longer applicable.

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APPENDIX A-4 Effective school year 2020 – 2021 Appendix A-4 is no longer applicable.

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APPENDIX A-5 ADDITIONAL OPTIONS IN LIEU OF PASSING THE END-OF-COURSE ASSESSMENT MISS. ADMIN. CODE 7-3: 36.5, STATE BOARD POLICY CHAPTER 36, RULE 36.5 (EFFECTIVE 2013 - 2014 SCHOOL YEAR AND THEREAFTER) Mississippi Admin. Code 7-3: 36.5, State Board Policy Chapter 36, Rule 36.5 provides approved options for students to meet high school end-of-course (EOC) assessment requirements for graduation through approved alternate measures. Mississippi Admin. Code 7-3: 36.5, State Board Policy Chapter 36, Rule 36.5, applies to past, current, and future graduates and allows a student to meet the graduation requirements once he or she has failed to pass any required end-of-course (EOC) assessment one (1) time. The following graduation options provide opportunities for students to obtain a certain score or level on the ACT, ASVAB, ACT WorkKeys, or other state-approved industry certifications. Students also may obtain a grade of “C” or higher in a dual credit/dual enrollment course, corresponding to the EOC assessment that was not passed. Notes: • ACT sub-scores resulting from non-college reportable accommodations can be used for graduation options, but the scores are non-college reportable. • ACT sub-scores resulting from Residual ACT Testing cannot be used for graduation options. • This option is available regardless of when the student took the SATP2, PARCC, or MAP/MAAP assessments. • The college credit option is only applicable if the student is enrolled in high school and college at the same time. Student must meet the dual enrollment/dual credit admissions requirements of the community college partnering with the school district. • The Graduation Options listed below are applicable to any EOC assessment. Assessment Options

Math

ACT Dual Credit/ Enrollment

17 C or higher in College Algebra

ASVAB + Industry Certification ACT Work Keys + Industry Certification

Science 17 C or higher in College Biology & corresponding lab

English 17 C or higher in College English Comp I

Social Studies (Prior to 25-26 SY) 17 C or higher in College American History II

ASVAB (PICAT prescreen scores are not allowable) score of 36 plus the following: Earn approved Industry Certification specified in the Career Pathway’s Assessment Blueprint. (If the blueprint specifies two industry certifications, both must be earned.) WorkKeys Silver Level plus the following: Earn approved Industry Certification specified in the Career Pathway’s Assessment Blueprint. (If the blueprint specifies two industry certifications, both must be earned.)

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APPENDIX A-5 UNIVERSAL CONCORDANCE TABLE EFFECTIVE 2021 – 2022 SCHOOL YEAR Concordance tables, effective beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, provide opportunities for students who do not obtain a passing score on an EOC assessment to utilize a different graduation option, using a combination of the assessment scores with the final course grade. The tables provide the final course grade required to use with the scale score obtained on the EOC assessment. Students shall be enrolled in school to utilize the concordance table option. The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) and the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) developed one universal concordance table that shall be used for each of the EOC assessments. The concordance tables were developed during each of the EOC test administrations, and the universal concordance table concept will alleviate confusion in determining which concordance table to apply for each test administration. UNIVERSAL CONCORDANCE TABLE

Concordance Table Grade in Course A B C D

1049-1048 Pass Pass Pass Pass

Scale Score 1047-1046 1045-1044 Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Fail Fail Fail

58

1043-1042 Pass Fail Fail Fail

APPENDIX A-5 Composite (Combined) Score MISS. ADMIN. CODE 7-3: 36.4(3) State Board Policy Chapter 36, Rule 36.4(3) (EFFECTIVE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR) Composite (Combined) Score Calculations provide opportunities for students who do not obtain a passing score on one or more EOC assessments. Students may utilize an additional graduation option by taking the average of all EOC assessments and achieving a minimal combined score of 1050. The student must have four scores (Algebra I, English II, Biology, and U.S. History). These four scores are added together and divided by 4. The student must have a 1049.5 or above. If a student has a COVID-related waiver from the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 school year(s) for any required EOC assessment, the student is not eligible to use this option. Students shall be enrolled in school to utilize the composite score option.

Example Calculate the student’s composite (combined) score by determining the average score across all four assessments. Assessment

Scale

Algebra (EOC)

1039

English II (EOC)

1048

Biology (EOC)

1055

*US History (EOC)

1056

Average Composite (Combined) Score = 1039+1048 +1055 +1056 = 4,198 = 1049.5 = 1050 4 4 In the example above, the student can use the Composite Combined Score for Algebra I and English II. *Beginning School Year 2025-2026, the US History End-of-Course assessment will no longer be administered. Students that do not have scores on all four (4) end-of-course assessments are ineligible to use this option.

59

APPENDIX A-5 The Student Portfolio and Exhibit MISS. ADMIN. CODE 7-3: 36.4(3) State Board Policy Chapter 36, Rule 36.4(3) (EFFECTIVE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR) The Student Portfolio and Exhibit option hereby known as the Bridge-to-Career Course provides an opportunity for students who (A) do not obtain a passing score on one or more End-of-Course (EOC) assessments and (B) do not meet the criteria for other options outlined in Appendix A-5 of the MS Public School Accountability Standards, 2025. Students may utilize an additional graduation option by completing the required components as outlined in the Bridge-to-Career Course. Students who meet all requirements for the Bridge-to-Career Course in addition to all other graduation requirements shall be eligible for the Traditional MS Diploma or the Traditional MS Diploma with a CTE Endorsement or JROTC Endorsement.

1. Course Overview: Beginning in school year 2025-2026 The Bridge-to-Career Course is a graduation option available to second semester seniors who (A) do not obtain a passing score on one or more EOC assessment and (B) do not meet the criteria for other options outlined in Appendix A-5 of the MS Public School Accountability Standards, 2025. The course serves as an alternative pathway to demonstrate academic and career readiness through the completion of the following components: •

•

•

Portfolio Development: The course requires students to develop a comprehensive portfolio that highlights their academic growth, professional development, and post-graduation aspirations. This will include academic projects, skills demonstrations, professional documents (e.g., resumes), and evidence of career exploration activities such as job shadowing and skill-based certifications. Exhibit Creation: Students shall create an exhibit showcasing their academic and career readiness. This exhibit will include evidence of completed projects, reflections on academic progress, and documentation of any workbased learning or training experiences. Remediation and Support: Before enrollment in the course, students shall complete targeted remediation for any failed EOC assessments and be reassessed during each administration. The goal is to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery in the areas where they initially struggled, based on MAAP and additional benchmark data that aligns with the MAAP assessment. The school administering the remediation shall maintain records of the data used, remediation implemented, and any progress made.

2. Course Enrollment and Requirements: •

•

Eligibility: Students who (A) have not achieved a passing score on one or more EOC assessments shall be eligible for the Bridge-to-Career Course and (B) do not meet the criteria for other options outlined in Appendix A-5 of the MS Public School Accountability Standards, 2025. Prior to enrolling in this course, students shall: o Demonstrate a commitment to targeted remediation and improvement o Maintain an overall 2.0 GPA during the junior and senior year o Have an overall attendance rate of 83% or higher during the junior and senior year. Any absence excused or unexcused will count against this record. o Receive no more than six (6) nonviolent referrals during the students' junior and senior years. Students with violent behavior referrals may be ineligible for the course at the Superintendent’s discretion. o Assess each time the EOC assessment is administered o Obtain written recommendation from the District Superintendent and school principal Course Enrollment: Students shall be enrolled in the Bridge-to-Career Course no sooner than during the final semester of the graduating year aligned with their ninth-grade cohort or peer-age cohort. The course shall be taken alongside other senior-year coursework.

60

APPENDIX A-5 o

•

Districts on a traditional schedule or alternating block schedule will offer this course as a .5 Carnegie unit option. o Districts on a 4X4 or 5X5 block schedule will offer this course as a 1.0 Carnegie unit option. Grading and Completion: Students must achieve a grade of C or higher in the Bridge-to- Career Course for the course to substitute for one or more EOC assessments.

3. Course Components and Expected Outcomes: The Bridge-to-Career Course is divided into key sections focused on academic recovery, career exploration, and portfolio curation. The school shall verify that the students enrolled do not meet the criteria for other options outlined in Appendix A-5 of the MS Public School Accountability Standards, 2025. The Bridge-to-Career Course should be used as the last option for student graduation. Students shall: •

•

•

•

Build a Professional Portfolio: Students shall work collaboratively with the school counselor, Work-Based Learning teacher, Career Coach (if the school participates in the State, regional or district Career Coach Model) and/or the MS Department of Vocational Rehabilitation to develop a comprehensive Commencement Level Career Plan that includes at the minimum: o Academic achievements (projects, essays, assessments). o Extracurricular involvement (clubs, sports, volunteer work). o Career-related documents (professional resumes, cover letters, certificates). o Personal reflections on the learning process and career aspirations. Professional Resume: Students shall create a professional resume tailored to a specific job or career path of interest. This resume should highlight skills, achievements, and work experiences, giving students a practical tool for post-graduation employment or college applications. Training and Credentials: Students shall have the opportunity to complete specific training programs or earn certifications from an approved MDE list related to their career goals. This may include job-readiness programs, technical certifications, or specialized training relevant to industries they wish to pursue. Job Shadowing and Career Exploration: Students shall work with the Bridge- to- Career Course teacher to explore potential careers, gain insight into job markets, and understand the skills needed for success in their chosen fields. Students should work with the school counselor, Work-Based Learning teacher, and/or Career Coach (if the school participates in a State, regional or district Career Coach Model) and/or the MS Department of Vocational Rehabilitation to engage in job shadowing or other work-based learning activities. This will provide students with real-world experience and insight into potential career fields, enhancing their employability and professional development.

4. Outcomes: Upon successful completion of the course, students will have: • A professional resume that is tailored to a specific job or career path. • Training and credentials required for employment or continued education in a specific field. • A comprehensive Commencement Level Career Plan that outlines their post-secondary transition and life plan These outcomes are designed to ensure that students are not only equipped with academic knowledge but also prepared for life after high school, whether that be in a career, further education, or other post-graduation plans. The final Portfolio/Exhibit and all supporting artifacts must be maintained in the student’s cumulative folder for MDE access and review. 5. Remediation and Reassessment: •

EOC Remediation: Prior to enrolling in the Bridge-to-Career Course, students who have not passed one or more of the EOC assessments shall undergo remediation. The school shall provide targeted support for these students, addressing the specific areas in which they did not meet the required standards. Documentation of a student’s EOC remediation shall be maintained in their cumulative folder.

61

APPENDIX A-5 •

Reassessments: Students shall demonstrate progress in their deficient knowledge and skills before being considered eligible for enrollment in the course. Student progress does not have to be reflected through EOC retest scores but can be shown through intervention and remediation assessment methods. 6. Consequences for Non-Compliance: Students who do not meet the required criteria for course completion (i.e., earning a grade of C or higher) or who fail to submit a complete portfolio, and exhibit, shall not be eligible for graduation. In such cases, students may be referred for additional support.

Conclusion: The Bridge-to-Career Course provides an option for students who (A) have not passed one or more EOC assessments and (B) do not meet the criteria for other options outlined in Appendix A-5 of the MS Public School Accountability Standards, 2025, enabling them to demonstrate readiness for graduation through alternative means. This course emphasizes professional development, career exploration, and remediation to ensure that all students have the skills and documentation needed to transition successfully to post-secondary endeavors. Through this initiative, the state aims to support students in their academic and career journeys while maintaining high graduation standards. This policy shall be reviewed annually to assess its effectiveness and ensure alignment with student needs and state educational requirements.

62

APPENDIX A-6 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS STANDARD 14 TRADITIONAL DIPLOMA (Entering ninth graders in 2018-2019 and thereafter) Each student graduating from a secondary school in an accredited school district will have earned the required Carnegie units as specified in the following table. Contents of each required and elective course must include the core objectives identified in the Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards. Course titles and identification numbers must appear in the current edition of the Approved Courses for Secondary Schools of Mississippi. (See Miss. Admin. Code 73:28.2 and 28.3, State Board Policy, Chapter 28, Rules 28.2 and 28.3.) Students enrolled in grades 7 – 12 may be awarded a Carnegie unit credit provided the course content is a Carnegie unit bearing course in the current edition of the Approved Courses for the Secondary Schools of Mississippi. Enrollment in online courses listed in this document must have prior approval granted by the principal. Any student who completes the minimum graduation requirements as specified below and has met the requirements for each of the required high school assessments is eligible to receive a high school diploma. The local school district may establish additional local requirements approved by the local school board as authorized under Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-7. Beginning school year 2018-2019 and thereafter, all entering ninth graders will be required to have a minimum of 24 Carnegie units as specified below. Student may earn the following endorsements to be added to the traditional diploma: Career and Technical Endorsement, Academic Endorsement, and/or Distinguished Academic Endorsement. The local school district may establish additional local requirements approved by the local school board as authorized under Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-7. CURRICULUM AREA

CARNEGIE UNITS

REQUIRED SUBJECTS

1

English I, English II

4

2

Algebra I

3

Biology

ENGLISH

4

MATHEMATICS SCIENCE

3

1 World History4 1 U.S. History4 SOCIAL STUDIES

½ U.S. Government4

3½

½ Economics5 ½ Mississippi Studies6 PHYSICAL EDUCATION

½

HEALTH

½

TECHNOLOGY or COMPUTER SCIENCE

7

½ Physical Education

8

½ Contemporary Health

9

1

10

THE ARTS

1

COLLEGE- and CAREER-READINESS

1

ELECTIVES

5½

TOTAL UNITS REQUIRED

11

12, 13, 14

24

1

Carnegie units earned for Supplemental English courses cannot be included as any of the four (4) English Carnegie units required for graduation; however, Carnegie units earned for these courses may be included in the general elective graduation requirements. Supplemental English may be taken only if a credit-bearing English course is taken in the same

63

APPENDIX A-6 school year. English I is a required prerequisite course for English II. English I may not be taken after a student completes English II. 2

Carnegie units earned for Supplemental Mathematics courses cannot be included as any of the four (4) Math Carnegie units required for graduation; however, Carnegie units earned for these courses may be included in the general elective graduation requirements. Supplemental Mathematics may be taken only if a credit-bearing Math course is taken in the same school year. CCR Mathematics Grade 8, Ready for High School Mathematics, and Foundations of Algebra cannot be taken after a student has received a Carnegie unit in the CCR Algebra I course. The Ready for High School Mathematics course shall only be available for 8th grade or 9th grade students. Foundations of Algebra shall only be available for 9 th grade students. MYP Geometry, MYP Algebra II, IB-DP Mathematics I, IB-DP Mathematics II, IB-DP Mathematical Studies II, and IB-DP Mathematical Studies I are allowable mathematics courses higher than Algebra I for IB students. Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics I may be accepted in lieu of Algebra I. One (1) of the four (4) required Carnegie units for mathematics may be in AP Computer Science Principles. If used for a mathematics unit, AP Computer Science Principles cannot then also be used for a science or computer science unit. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 3

One (1) of the three (3) required Carnegie units for science may be in AP Computer Science Principles. If used for a science unit, AP Computer Science Principles cannot then also be used for a mathematics or computer science unit. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. Coordinated Science I or Cambridge IGCSE Biology may be accepted in lieu of Biology. The following courses may be accepted for a science credit above Biology: any AP, Cambridge, or IB-DP science course, any approved dual credit natural or physical science course, any MDEapproved Special Topics in Science course, Botany, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Environmental Science, Genetics, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Marine and Aquatic Science I and II, Physical Science, Physics, Zoology I and II, PLTW Principles of Engineering, PLTW Engineering Design and Development, PLTW Human Body Systems, PLTW Medical Interventions. 4

Based on the 2022 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Social Studies, AP World History, DC World Civilization I, AP European History, or DC Western Civilization I may be accepted in lieu of the required World History from the Age of Enlightenment to Present course. AP United States History or DC United States History II may be accepted in lieu of the required U.S. History from Post-reconstruction to Present course. AP Government and Politics: United States and DC American National may be accepted in lieu of the required United States Government course. IBDP History of the Americas I may be accepted in lieu of the required U.S. History course for students enrolled in the IB program. IB-DP History of the Americas II may be accepted in lieu of the required Mississippi Studies, Economics, and/or U.S. Government courses for students enrolled in the IB program. MYP U.S. Government may be accepted in lieu of the required Government course for students enrolled in the IB program. Cambridge IGCSE American History or Cambridge International AS level history may be accepted in lieu of the required U.S. History from Post-reconstruction to Present course. 5

A.P. Macroeconomics, A.P. Microeconomics, DC Macroeconomics, or DC Microeconomics can be taken in lieu of the required Economics course. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 6

The Carnegie credit earned for a State/Local Government course in any other state by an out-of-state transfer student can stand in lieu of Mississippi Studies or Mississippi State and Local Government. If a transfer enters without a State/Local Government course, then any other one-half (½) unit social studies course (e.g., Civics, Law Related Education, Participation in American Democracy, Law and Policy, Contemporary Issues, etc.) may be accepted excluding U.S. Government and Economics. IB-DP History of the Americas II is accepted in lieu of the required Mississippi Studies, Economics, and/or U.S. Government courses for students enrolled in the IB program. 7

The graduation requirement for one-half (½) unit in physical education may include participation in interscholastic athletic activities, choral performance courses for show choir (i.e., Choral, Music-Choral-Ensembles), instrumental performance courses (i.e., Band, Music Instrumental Ensembles, Strings), dance courses or JROTC that meet the instructional requirements specified in the Fitness through Physical Education Framework and that are sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association. Only one (1) elective unit in physical education including participation in interscholastic athletic activities, choral performance courses for show choir (i.e., Choral, Music- Choral-Ensembles), instrumental performance courses (i.e., Band, Music Instrumental Ensembles, Strings), dance courses or JROTC that

64

APPENDIX A-6 meet the instructional requirements specified in the Fitness through Physical Education Framework and that are sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association may be applied each year to the minimum 24 required Carnegie units. If a local district has graduation requirements above the state requirements, the district may award additional units as outlined in the local school board policy. 8

Successful completion of JROTC I and JROTC II shall be accepted as requirement met for Contemporary Health to meet the graduation requirement for one-half (½) Carnegie unit in Health. Dual credit Personal and Community Health may be accepted in lieu of the graduation requirement for one-half (½) Carnegie unit in Health. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 9

For approved course substitutions see Appendices A-12 and A-13.

10

The Arts refers to Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. Any course(s) in one of these areas can fulfill the required Carnegie unit in the Arts. The following dual credit classes: Music Appreciation, Theatre Appreciation, or Art Appreciation may be accepted in lieu of the Arts requirement for students. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 11

The purpose of the College and Career Readiness Course is to provide planning and instruction for postsecondary transition. The following courses are approved substitutions for the CCR course: 1. One (1) credit-bearing Carnegie unit of Career and Technical Work-Based Learning 2. Dual Credit SmartStart 3. JROTC III 4. Advanced Placement Seminar or equivalent International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Courses 5. Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior MS College and Career Readiness Seminar course for Early College High Schools. *An out-of-state student who transfers after the completion of the first semester of their senior year may substitute any other one (1) unit social studies course or a combination of one-half (½) Personal Finance and one-half (½) social studies course. The CCR course may be taught in one of the following sequences: a. One (1) Carnegie unit Senior year only b. One (1) Carnegie unit Junior year only c. One-half (½) Carnegie unit in either freshman, sophomore, or junior year with the remaining one-half (½) Carnegie unit taught in either junior or senior year d. One-fourth (¼) Carnegie unit per year beginning with the freshman year 12

Additional requirements above the 24 Carnegie units and the assessment requirements include: • Students must identify an endorsement area prior to entering 9 th grade. Endorsement requirements can only be changed with parental permission this includes dropping the endorsement to earn only the Traditional diploma. • For early release, students must meet College- and Career-Readiness benchmarks of 17 in English and 19 in Math on the ACT sub-score OR earn a Silver level on the ACT WorkKeys suite of assessments. For seniors that have not met the benchmarks, to qualify for early release students, excluding those enrolled in credit-bearing work-based learning, must meet the following requirements: o Have a GPA of 2.5 and have passed or meet the assessment option requirements for all three end-ofcourse assessments AND o Are on track to meet the diploma requirements AND o Are concurrently enrolled in the appropriate Essentials for College Math or another mathematics course above their Junior year mathematics course and/or Essentials for College Literacy or another English Language Arts course above their Junior level English Language Arts course. OR

65

APPENDIX A-6 o o o

Have a GPA of 2.5 and have passed or meet the assessment option requirements AND Are on track to meet the diploma requirements AND Students meet postsecondary requirements for placement and are enrolled in ENG Comp I and/or MAT College Algebra or have previously earned credit for ENG Comp I and/or MAT College Algebra

13

Additional recommendations (not requirements) above the 24 Carnegie units and assessment requirements include: • For early graduation, a student should successfully complete an area of endorsement • Student should take a math or math equivalency senior year

14

Courses designed using the Mississippi Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (MS AAAS) shall not be used as substitute courses or electives for students obtaining a traditional academic diploma with or without endorsements.

66

APPENDIX A-7 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS STANDARD 14 TRADITIONAL DIPLOMA WITH CAREER AND TECHNICAL OR JROTC ENDORSEMENT (Entering ninth graders in 2018-2019 and thereafter) Each student graduating from a secondary school in an accredited school district will have earned the required Carnegie units as specified in the following table. Contents of each required and elective course must include the core objectives identified in the Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards. Course titles and identification numbers must appear in the current edition of the Approved Courses for Secondary Schools of Mississippi. (See Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 28.2 and 28.3, State Board Policy, Chapter 28, Rules 28.2 and 28.3.) Students enrolled in grades 7 – 12 may be awarded a Carnegie unit credit provided the course content is a Carnegie unit bearing course in the current edition of the Approved Courses for the Secondary Schools of Mississippi. Enrollment in online courses listed in this document must have prior approval granted by the principal. To earn the Career and Technical or JROTC Endorsement, a student must complete the minimum graduation requirements as specified below, meet the requirements for each of the required high school assessments and complete all career and technical endorsement additional requirements. The local school district may establish additional local requirements approved by the local school board as authorized under Miss. Code Ann. § 37 -16-7. Beginning school year 2018-2019 and thereafter, all entering ninth graders will be required to have a minimum of 26 Carnegie units as specified below to earn a Traditional Diploma with a Career and Technical Endorsement. The local school district may establish additional local requirements approved by the local school board as authorized under Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-7. CURRICULUM AREA

REQUIRED SUBJECTS

CARNEGIE UNITS

ENGLISH

4

1

English I English II

MATHEMATICS

4

2

Algebra I

3

Biology

SCIENCE

3

SOCIAL STUDIES

3½

PHYSICAL EDUCATION HEALTH

½ 8 ½

TECHNOLGY or COMPUTER SCIENCE

1

THE ARTS

1

COLLEGE- AND CAREER- READINESS

1

CAREER and TECHNICAL/JROTC ELECTIVES

4 3½

TOTAL UNITS REQUIRED

1 World History4 1 U.S. History4 ½ U.S. Government4 ½Economics5 ½ Mississippi Studies6 ½ Physical Education

7

½ Contemporary Health

9 10 11

12, 13, 14

26

67

APPENDIX A-7 1

Carnegie units earned for Supplemental English courses cannot be included as any of the four (4) English Carnegie units required for graduation; however, Carnegie units earned for these courses may be included in the general elective graduation requirements. Supplemental English may be taken only if a credit-bearing English course is taken in the same school year. English I is a required prerequisite course for English II. English I may not be taken after a student completes English II. 2

Carnegie units earned for Supplemental Mathematics courses cannot be included as any of the four (4) Math Carnegie units required for graduation; however, Carnegie units earned for these courses may be included in the general elective graduation requirements. Supplemental Mathematics may be taken only if a credit-bearing Math course is taken in the same school year. CCR Mathematics Grade 8, Ready for High School Mathematics, and Foundations of Algebra cannot be taken after a student has received a Carnegie unit in the CCR Algebra I course. The Ready for High School Mathematics course shall only be available for 8th grade or 9th grade students. Foundations of Algebra shall only be available for 9 th grade students. MYP Geometry, MYP Algebra II, IB-DP Mathematics I, IB-DP Mathematics II, IB-DP Mathematical Studies I, and IB-DP Mathematical Studies II are allowable mathematics courses higher than Algebra I for IB students. Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics I may be accepted in lieu of Algebra I. One (1) of the four (4) required Carnegie units for mathematics may be in AP Computer Science Principles. If used for a mathematics unit, AP Computer Science Principles cannot then also be used for science or computer science unit. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 3

One (1) of the three (3) required Carnegie units for science may be in AP Computer Science Principles. If used for a science unit, AP Computer Science Principals cannot then also be used for a mathematics or computer science unit. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. Coordinated Science I or Cambridge IGCSE Biology may be accepted in lieu of Biology. The following courses may be accepted for a science credit above Biology: any AP, Cambridge, or IB-DP science course, any approved dual credit natural or physical science course, any MDEapproved Special Topics in Science course, Botany, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Environmental Science, Genetics, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Marine and Aquatic Science I and II, Physical Science, Physics, Zoology I and II, PLTW Principles of Engineering, PLTW Engineering Design and Development, PLTW Human Body Systems, PLTW Medical Interventions. 4

Based on the 2022 Mississippi College- and Career- Readiness Standards for Social Studies, AP World History, DC World Civilization II, AP European History, or DC Western Civilization II may be accepted in lieu of the required World History from the Age of Enlightenment to Present course. AP United States History or DC United States History II may be accepted in lieu of the required U.S. History from Post-reconstruction to Present course. AP Government and Politics: United States and DC American National may be accepted in lieu of the required United States Government course. IBDP History of the Americas I may be accepted in lieu of the required U.S. History course for students enrolled in the IB program. IB-DP History of the Americas II may be accepted in lieu of the required Mississippi Studies, Economics, and/or U.S. Government courses for students enrolled in the IB program. MYP U.S. Government may be accepted in lieu of the required Government course for students enrolled in the IB program. Cambridge IGCSE American History or Cambridge International AS level history may be accepted in lieu of the required U.S. History from Post-reconstruction to Present course. 5

A.P. Macroeconomics, A.P. Microeconomics, DC Macroeconomics, or DC Microeconomics can be taken in lieu of the required Economics course. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 6

The Carnegie credit earned for a State/Local Government course in any other state by an out-of-state transfer student can stand in lieu of Mississippi Studies or Mississippi State and Local Government. If a transfer student enters without a State/Local Government course, then any other one-half (½) unit social studies course (e.g., Civics, Law Related Education, Participation in American Democracy, Law and Policy, Contemporary Issues, etc.) may be accepted excluding U.S. Government and Economics. IB-DP History of the Americas II is accepted in lieu of the required Mississippi Studies, Economics, and/or U.S. Government courses for students enrolled in the IB program. 7

The graduation requirement for one-half (½) unit in physical education may include participation in interscholastic athletic activities, choral performance courses for show choir (i.e., Choral, Music-Choral-Ensembles), instrumental performance courses (i.e., Band, Music Instrumental Ensembles, Strings), dance courses or JROTC that meet the

68

APPENDIX A-7 instructional requirements specified in the Fitness through Physical Education Framework and that are sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association. Only one (1) elective unit in physical education including participation in interscholastic athletic activities, choral performance courses for show choir (i.e., Choral, Music- Choral-Ensembles), instrumental performance courses (i.e., Band, Music Instrumental Ensembles, Strings), dance courses or JROTC that meet the instructional requirements specified in the Fitness through Physical Education Framework and that are sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association may be applied each year to the minimum 24 required Carnegie units. If a local district has graduation requirements above the state requirements, the district may award additional units as outlined in the local school board policy. 8

Successful completion of JROTC I and JROTC II shall be accepted as requirement met for Contemporary Health to meet the graduation requirement for one-half (½) Carnegie unit in Health. Dual credit Personal and Community Health may be accepted in lieu of the graduation requirements for one-half (½) Carnegie unit in Health. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 9

For approved course substitutions see Appendices A-12 and A-13.

10

The Arts refers to Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. Any course(s) in one of these areas can fulfill the required Carnegie unit in the Arts. The following dual credit classes: Music Appreciation, Theatre Appreciation, or Art Appreciation may be accepted in lieu of the Arts requirement for students. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 11

The purpose of the College and Career Readiness Course is to provide planning and instruction for postsecondary transition. The following courses are approved substitutions for the CCR course: 1. One (1) credit-bearing Carnegie unit of Career and Technical Work-Based Learning 2. Dual Credit SmartStart 3. JROTC III 4. Advanced Placement Seminar or equivalent International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Courses 5. Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior MS College and Career Readiness Seminar course for Early College High Schools. *An out-of-state student who transfers after the completion of the first semester of their senior year may substitute any other one (1) unit social studies course or a combination of one-half (½) Personal Finance and one-half (½) social studies course. The CCR course may be taught in one (1) of the following sequences: a. One (1) Carnegie unit Senior year only b. One (1) Carnegie unit Junior year only c. One-half (½) Carnegie unit in either freshman, sophomore, or junior year with the remaining one-half (½) Carnegie unit taught in either junior or senior year d. One-fourth (¼) Carnegie unit per year beginning with the freshman year 12

Additional requirements above Traditional Diploma Option and the 26 Carnegie units and the assessment include: • Earn an overall GPA of 2.5 • Earn Silver level on ACT WorkKeys • Must successfully complete one (1) of the following: o One (1) academic OR CTE dual credit and earn a C or higher in the course o Credit-bearing Work-based Learning o Earn a State Board of Education approved national credential o One (1) AP, Diploma Program-IB, or Cambridge (AICE) course aligned to their career pathway. Students must earn a C or higher and take the appropriate exam. o NOCTI/JROTC Leadership and Employability Skills Credential • For early release, students must meet College- and Career-Readiness benchmarks of 17 in English and 19 in Math on the ACT sub-score OR earn a Silver level on the ACT WorkKeys suite of assessments. For seniors that have not met the benchmarks, to qualify for early release students, excluding those enrolled in credit-bearing work-based learning, must meet the following requirements:

69

APPENDIX A-7 o

o o

Have a GPA of 2.5 and have passed or meet the assessment option requirements for all three end-ofcourse assessments AND Are on track to meet the diploma requirements AND Are concurrently enrolled in the appropriate Essentials for College Math or another mathematics course above their Junior year mathematics course and/or Essentials for College Literacy or another English Language Arts course above their Junior level English Language Arts course. OR

o o o

Have a GPA of 2.5 and have passed or meet the assessment option requirements AND Are on track to meet the diploma requirements AND Students meet postsecondary requirements for placement and are enrolled in ENG Comp I and/or MAT College Algebra or have previously earned credit for ENG Comp I and/or MAT College Algebra

13

Additional recommendations (not requirements) above 26 Carnegie Units and assessment requirements include: • For early graduation, refer to Rule 36.7, Early Graduation Policy. • Students should take a math or math equivalency senior year

14

Courses designed using the Mississippi Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (MS AAAS) shall not be used as substitute courses or electives for students obtaining a traditional academic diploma with or without endorsements.

70

APPENDIX A-8 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS STANDARD 14 TRADITIONAL DIPLOMA with an ACADEMIC ENDORSEMENT (Entering ninth graders in 2018-2019 and thereafter) Each student graduating from a secondary school in an accredited school district will have earned the required Carnegie units as specified in the following table. Contents of each required and elective course must include the core objectives identified in the Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards. Course titles and identification numbers must appear in the current edition of the Approved Courses for Secondary Schools of Mississippi. (See Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 28.2 and 28.3, State Board Policy, Chapter 28, Rules 28.2 and 28.3.) Enrollment in online courses listed in this document must have prior approval granted by the principal. Any student who completes the minimum graduation requirements as specified below and has met requirements for each of the required high school assessments is eligible to receive a high school diploma. Students enrolled in grades 7 – 12 may be awarded a Carnegie unit credit provided the course content is a Carnegie unit bearing course in the current edition of the Approved Courses for the Secondary Schools of Mississippi. Beginning school year 2018-2019 and thereafter, all entering ninth graders will be required to have a minimum of 26 Carnegie units as specified below to earn a Traditional Diploma with an Academic Endorsement. The local school district may establish additional local requirements approved by the local school board as authorized under Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-7. CURRICULUM AREA

CARNEGIE UNITS

1

ENGLISH

4

MATHEMATICS

4

SCIENCE

3

SOCIAL STUDIES

3½

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

½

HEALTH

½

TECHNOLOGY or COMPUTER SCIENCE

1

THE ARTS

1

COLLEGE- and CAREER- READINESS

1

ELECTIVES

7½

2

3

REQUIRED SUBJECTS English I English II Two (2) additional English Courses above English II Algebra I Two (2) additional Math Courses above Algebra I Biology Two (2) additional science courses above Biology 1 World History4 1 U.S. History4 ½ U.S. Government4 ½ Economics5 ½ Mississippi Studies6

7

½ Physical Education

8

½ Contemporary Health

9

10

11

71

Must Include two (2) advanced electives of the College Preparatory Curriculum requirements (This information is available from Institutions of Higher Learning.)

APPENDIX A-8 TOTAL UNITS REQUIRED

26

12, 13, 14

1

Carnegie units earned for Supplemental English courses cannot be included as any of the four (4) English Carnegie units required for graduation; however, Carnegie units earned for these courses may be included in the general elective graduation requirements. Supplemental English may be taken only if a credit-bearing English course is taken in the same school year. English I is a required prerequisite course for English II. English I may not be taken after a student completes English II. 2

Carnegie units earned for Supplemental Mathematics courses cannot be included as any of the four (4) Math Carnegie units required for graduation; however, Carnegie units earned for these courses may be included in the general elective graduation requirements. Supplemental Mathematics may be taken only if a credit-bearing Math course is taken in the same school year. CCR Mathematics Grade 8, Ready for High School Mathematics, and Foundations of Algebra cannot be taken after a student has received a Carnegie unit in the CCR Algebra I course. At least two (2) of the four (4) required mathematics Carnegie units must be earned in courses higher than the CCR Algebra I course. The Ready for High School Mathematics course shall only be available for 8th grade or 9th grade students. Foundations of Algebra shall only be available for 9th grade students. MYP Geometry, MYP Algebra II, IB- DP Mathematics I, IB-DP Mathematics II, IB-DP Mathematical Studies I, and IB-DP Mathematical Studies II are allowable mathematics courses higher than Algebra I for IB students. Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics I may be accepted in lieu of Algebra I. One (1) of the four (4) required Carnegie units for mathematics may be in AP Computer Science Principles. If used for a mathematics unit, AP Computer Science Principles cannot then also be used for a science or computer science unit. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 3

One (1) of the three (3) required Carnegie units for science may be in AP Computer Science Principles. If used for a science unit, AP Computer Science Principles cannot then also be used for a mathematics or computer science unit. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. Coordinated Science I or Cambridge IGCSE Biology may be accepted in lieu of Biology. The following courses may be accepted for a science credit above Biology: any AP, Cambridge, or IB-DP science course, any approved dual credit natural or physical science course, any MDEapproved Special Topics in Science course, Botany, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Environmental Science, Genetics, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Marine and Aquatic Science I and II, Physical Science, Physics, Zoology I and II, PLTW Principles of Engineering, PLTW Engineering Design and Development, PLTW Human Body Systems, PLTW Medical Interventions. 4

Based on the 2022 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Social Studies, AP World History, DC World Civilization II, AP European History, or DC Western Civilization II may be accepted in lieu of the required World History from the Age of Enlightenment to Present course. AP United States History or DC United States History II may be accepted in lieu of the required U.S. History from Post-reconstruction to Present course. AP Government and Politics: United States and DC American National may be accepted in lieu of the required United States Government course. IBDP History of the Americas I may be accepted in lieu of the required U.S. History course for students enrolled in the IB program. IB-DP History of the Americas II may be accepted in lieu of the required Mississippi Studies, Economics, and/or U.S. Government courses for students enrolled in the IB program. MYP U.S. Government may be accepted in lieu of the required Government course for students enrolled in the IB program. Cambridge IGCSE American History or Cambridge International AS level history may be accepted in lieu of the required U.S. History from Post-reconstruction to Present course. 5

A.P. Macroeconomics, A.P. Microeconomics, DC Macroeconomics, or DC Microeconomics can be taken in lieu of the required Economics course. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 6

The Carnegie credit earned for a State/Local Government course in any other state by an out-of-state transfer student can stand in lieu of Mississippi Studies or Mississippi State and Local Government. If a transfer student enters without a State/Local Government course, then any other one-half (½) unit social studies course (e.g., Civics, Law Related Education, Participation in American Democracy, Law and Policy, Contemporary Issues, etc.) may be accepted excluding U.S. Government and Economics. IB-DP History of the Americas II is accepted in lieu of the required Mississippi Studies, Economics, and/or U.S. Government courses for students enrolled in the IB program.

72

APPENDIX A-8 7

The graduation requirement for one-half (½) unit in physical education may include participation in interscholastic athletic activities, choral performance courses for show choir (i.e., Choral, Music-Choral-Ensembles), instrumental performance courses (i.e., Band, Music Instrumental Ensembles, Strings), dance courses or JROTC that meet the instructional requirements specified in the Fitness through Physical Education Framework and that are sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association. Only one (1) elective unit in physical education including participation in interscholastic athletic activities, choral performance courses for show choir (i.e., Choral, Music- Choral-Ensembles), instrumental performance courses (i.e., Band, Music Instrumental Ensembles, Strings), dance courses or JROTC that meet the instructional requirements specified in the Fitness through Physical Education Framework and that are sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association may be applied each year to the minimum 24 required Carnegie units. If a local district has graduation requirements above the state requirements, the district may award additional units as outlined in the local school board policy. 8

Successful completion of JROTC I and JROTC II shall be accepted as requirement met for Contemporary Health to meet the graduation requirement for one-half (½) Carnegie unit in Health. Dual credit Personal and Community Health may be accepted in lieu of the graduation requirement for one-half (½) Carnegie unit in Health. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 9

For approved course substitutions see Appendices A-12 and A-13.

10

The Arts refers to Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. Any course(s) in one of these areas can fulfill the required Carnegie unit in the Arts. The following dual credit classes: Music Appreciation, Theatre Appreciation, or Art Appreciation may be accepted in lieu of the art requirement for students. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 11

The purpose of the College and Career Readiness Course is to provide planning and instruction for postsecondary transition. The following courses are approved substitutions for the CCR course: 1. One-credit of Career and Technical Work-Based Learning 2. Dual Credit SmartStart 3. JROTC III 4. Advanced Placement Seminar or equivalent International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Courses. 5. Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior MS College and Career Readiness Seminar course for Early College High Schools. *An out-of-state student who transfers after the completion of the first semester of their senior year may substitute any other one (1) unit social studies course or a combination of one-half (½) Personal Finance and one-half (½) social studies course. The CCR course may be taught in one (1) of the following sequences: a. One (1) Carnegie unit Senior year only b. One (1) Carnegie unit Junior year only c. One-half (½) Carnegie unit in either freshman, sophomore, or junior year with the remaining one- half (½) Carnegie unit taught in either junior or senior year d. One-fourth (¼) Carnegie unit per year beginning with the freshman year 12

Additional requirements above the Traditional Diploma Option, the 26 Carnegie units and the assessment requirements include: • Earn an overall GPA of 2.5 • Two (2) elective courses must meet MS IHL college preparatory curriculum (CPC) requirements • Must successfully complete one (1) of the following: o ACT sub scores of 17 in English and 19 in Math o Students with ACT subscore below 17 in English must enroll in Essentials for College Literacy (in the senior year). Students with ACT subscore below 19 in Math must enroll in Essentials for College Math (in the senior year). o Students meet postsecondary requirements for placement and are enrolled in ENG Comp I and/or MAT

73

APPENDIX A-8

•

•

College Algebra and earned a C or higher in either course or have previously earned credit for ENG Comp I and/or MAT College Algebra with a C or higher. o SAT equivalency subscore Must successfully complete one (1) of the following: o One (1) AP course with a C or higher and take the appropriate AP exam o One (1) Diploma Program-IB or Cambridge (AICE) course with a C or higher and take the appropriate exam o One (1) dual credit course and earn a C or higher in the course For early release, students must meet College- and Career-Readiness benchmarks of 17 in English and 19 in Math on the ACT sub-score OR earn a Silver level on the ACT WorkKeys suite of assessments. For seniors that have not met the benchmarks, to qualify for early release students, excluding those enrolled in credit-bearing work-based learning, must meet the following requirements: o Have a GPA of 2.5 and have passed or meet the assessment option requirements for all three end-ofcourse assessments AND o Are on track to meet the diploma requirements AND o Are concurrently enrolled in the appropriate Essentials for College Math or another mathematics course above their Junior year mathematics course and/or Essentials for College Literacy or another English Language Arts course above their Junior level English Language Arts course. OR o o o

Have a GPA of 2.5 and have passed or meet the assessment option requirements AND Are on track to meet the diploma requirements AND Students meet postsecondary requirements for placement and are enrolled in ENG Comp I and/or MAT College Algebra or have previously earned credit for ENG Comp I and/or MAT College Algebra

13

Additional recommendations (not requirements) above 26 Carnegie units and assessment requirements include: • For early graduation, refer to Rule 36.7, Early Graduation Policy. • Students should take a math or math equivalency senior year

14

Courses designed using the Mississippi Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (MS AAAS) shall not be used as substitute courses or electives for students obtaining a traditional academic diploma with or without endorsements.

74

APPENDIX A-9 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS STANDARD 14 TRADITIONAL DIPLOMA with a DISTINGUISHED ACADEMIC ENDORSEMENT (Entering ninth graders in 2018-2019 and thereafter) Each student graduating from a secondary school in an accredited school district will have earned the required Carnegie units as specified in the following table. Contents of each required and elective course must include the core objectives identified in the Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards. Course titles and identification numbers must appear in the current edition of the Approved Courses for Secondary Schools of Mississippi. (See Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 28.2 and 28.3, State Board Policy, Chapter 28, Rules 28.2 and 28.3.) Enrollment in online courses listed in this document must have prior approval granted by the principal. Any student who completes the minimum graduation requirements as specified below and has met the requirements for each of the required high school assessments is eligible to receive a high school diploma. Students enrolled in grades 7 – 12 may be awarded a Carnegie unit credit provided the course content is a Carnegie unit bearing-course in the current edition of the Approved Courses for the Secondary Schools of Mississippi. Beginning school year 2018-2019 and thereafter, all entering ninth graders will be required to have a minimum of 28 Carnegie units as specified below to earn a Traditional Diploma with a Distinguished Academic Endorsement. The local school district may establish additional local requirements approved by the local school board as authorized under Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-7. CARNEGIE UNITS

CURRICULUM AREA 41

English I English II Two (2) additional English Courses above English II

42

Algebra I Two (2) additional Math Courses above Algebra I

43

Biology Two (2) additional science courses above Biology

4

1 World History4 1 U.S. History4 ½ U.S. Government4 ½Economics5 ½ Mississippi Studies6

½7

½ Physical Education ½ Contemporary Health

ENGLISH

MATHEMATICS

SCIENCE

SOCIAL STUDIES

PHYSICALEDUCATION HEALTH TECHNOLOGY or COMPUTER SCIENCE THE ARTS COLLEGE- and CAREER-READINESS

½8 19 110 111 8

Must Include two (2) advanced electives of the College Preparatory Curriculum requirements (This information is available from Institutions of Higher Learning).

ELECTIVES TOTAL UNITS REQUIRED

REQUIRED SUBJECTS

28 12,13,14

1

Carnegie units earned for Supplemental English courses cannot be included as any of the four (4) English Carnegie units required for graduation; however, Carnegie units earned for these courses may be included in the general elective graduation requirements. Supplemental English may be taken only if a credit-bearing English course is taken in the same

75

APPENDIX A-9 school year. English I is a required prerequisite course for English II. English I may not be taken after a student completes English II. 2

Carnegie units earned for Supplemental Mathematics courses cannot be included as any of the four (4) Math Carnegie units required for graduation; however, Carnegie units earned for these courses may be included in the general elective graduation requirements. Supplemental Mathematics may be taken only if a credit-bearing Math course is taken in the same school year. CCR Mathematics Grade 8, Ready for High School Mathematics, and Foundations of Algebra cannot be taken after a student has received a Carnegie unit in the CCR Algebra I course. At least two (2) of the four (4) required mathematics Carnegie units must be earned in courses higher than the CCR Algebra I course. The Ready for High School Mathematics course shall only be available for 8th grade or 9th grade students. Foundations of Algebra shall only be available for 9th grade students. MYP Geometry, MYP Algebra II, IB-DP Mathematics I, IB-DP Mathematics II, IB-DP Mathematical Studies I, and IB-DP Mathematical Studies II are allowable mathematics courses higher than Algebra I for IB students. Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics I may be accepted in lieu of Algebra I. One (1) of the four (4) required Carnegie units for science may be in AP Computer Science Principles. If used for a mathematics unit, AP Computer Science Principles cannot then also be used for a science or computer science unit. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 3

One (1) of the four (4) required Carnegie units for science may be in AP Computer Science Principles. If used for science unit, AP Computer Science Principles cannot then also be used for a mathematics or computer science unit. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. Coordinated Science I or Cambridge IGCSE Biology may be accepted in lieu of Biology. The following courses may be accepted for a science credit above Biology: any AP, Cambridge, or IB-DP science course, any approved dual credit natural or physical science course, any MDEapproved Special Topics in Science course, Botany, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, Environmental Science, Genetics, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Marine and Aquatic Science I and II, Physical Science, Physics, Zoology I and II, PLTW Principles of Engineering, PLTW Engineering Design and Development, PLTW Human Body Systems, PLTW Medical Interventions. 4

Based on the 2022 Mississippi College- and Career- Readiness Standards for Social Studies, AP World History, DC World Civilization II, AP European History, or DC Western Civilization II may be accepted in lieu of the required World History from the Age of Enlightenment to Present course. AP United States History or DC United States History II may be accepted in lieu of the required U.S. History from Post-reconstruction to Present course. AP Government and Politics: United States and DC American National may be accepted in lieu of the required United States Government course. IBDP History of the Americas I may be accepted in lieu of the required U.S. History course for students enrolled in the IB program. IB-DP History of the Americas II may be accepted in lieu of the required Mississippi Studies, Economics, and/or U.S. Government courses for students enrolled in the IB program. MYP U.S. Government may be accepted in lieu of the required Government course for students enrolled in the IB program. Cambridge IGCSE American History or Cambridge International AS level history may be accepted in lieu of the required U.S. History from Post-reconstruction to Present course. 5

A.P. Macroeconomics, A.P. Microeconomics, DC Macroeconomics, or DC Microeconomics can be taken in lieu of the required Economics course. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 6

The Carnegie credit earned for a State/Local Government course in any other state by an out-of-state transfer student can stand in lieu of Mississippi Studies or Mississippi State and Local Government. If a transfer student enters without a State/Local Government course, then any other one-half (½) unit social studies course (e.g., Civics, Law Related Education, Participation in American Democracy, Law and Policy, Contemporary Issues, etc.) may be accepted excluding U.S. Government and Economics. IB-DP History of the Americas II is accepted in lieu of the required Mississippi Studies, Economics, and/or U.S. Government courses for students enrolled in the IB program. 7

The graduation requirement for one-half (½) unit in physical education may include participation in interscholastic athletic activities, choral performance courses for show choir (i.e., Choral, Music-Choral-Ensembles), instrumental performance courses (i.e., Band, Music Instrumental Ensembles, Strings), dance courses or JROTC that meet the instructional requirements specified in the Fitness through Physical Education Framework and that are sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association. Only one (1) elective unit in physical education including participation in interscholastic athletic activities, choral performance courses for show choir (i.e., Choral, Music- Choral-Ensembles),

76

APPENDIX A-9 instrumental performance courses (i.e., Band, Music Instrumental Ensembles, Strings), dance courses or JROTC that meet the instructional requirements specified in the Fitness through Physical Education Framework and that are sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association may be applied each year to the minimum 24 required Carnegie units. If a local district has graduation requirements above the state requirements, the district may award additional units as outlined in the local school board policy. 8

Successful completion of JROTC I and JROTC II shall be accepted as requirement met for Contemporary Health to meet the graduation requirement for one-half (½) Carnegie unit in Health. Dual credit Personal and Community Health may be accepted in lieu of the graduation requirement for one-half (½) Carnegie unit in health. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 9F

or approved course substitutions see Appendices A-12 and A-13.

10

The Arts refers to Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. Any course(s) in one of these areas can fulfill the required Carnegie unit in the Arts. The following dual credit classes: Music Appreciation, Theatre Appreciation, or Art Appreciation may be accepted in lieu of the art requirement for students. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 11

The purpose of the College and Career Readiness Course is to provide planning and instruction for postsecondary transition. The following courses are approved substitutions for the CCR course: 1. One-credit of Career and Technical Work-Based Learning 2. Dual Credit SmartStart 3. JROTC III 4. Advanced Placement Seminar or equivalent International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Courses 5. Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior MS College and Career Readiness Seminar course for Early College High Schools. *An out-of-state student who transfers after the completion of the first semester of their senior year may substitute any other one (1) unit social studies course or a combination of one-half (½) Personal Finance and one-half (½) social studies course. The CCR course may be taught in one (1) of the following sequences: a. One (1) Carnegie unit Senior year only b. One (1) Carnegie unit Junior year only c. One-half (½) Carnegie unit in either freshman, sophomore, or junior year with the remaining one- half (½) Carnegie unit taught in either junior or senior year d. One-fourth (¼) Carnegie unit per year beginning with the freshman year 12

Additional requirements above the Traditional Diploma Option, the 28 Carnegie units and the assessment requirements include: • Earn an overall GPA of 3.0 • Two (2) elective courses must meet MS IHL CPC recommended requirements • Must successfully complete one (1) of the following: o ACT sub scores of 18 in English and 22 in Math o SAT equivalency sub score • Must successfully complete one (1) of the following: o One (1) AP course with a B or higher and take the appropriate AP exam o One (1) Diploma Program-IB or Cambridge (AICE) course with a B or higher and take the appropriate exam o One (1) dual credit course earning a B or higher in the course • For early release, students must meet College- and Career-Readiness benchmarks of 17 in English and 19 in Math on the ACT sub-score OR earn a Silver level on the ACT WorkKeys suite of assessments. For seniors that have not met the benchmarks, to qualify for early release students, excluding those enrolled in credit-bearing work-based learning, must meet the following requirements:

77

APPENDIX A-9 o

o o

Have a GPA of 2.5 and have passed or meet the assessment option requirements for all three end-ofcourse assessments AND Are on track to meet the diploma requirements AND Are concurrently enrolled in the appropriate Essentials for College Math or another mathematics course above their Junior year mathematics course and/or Essentials for College Literacy or another English Language Arts course above their Junior level English Language Arts course. OR

o o o

Have a GPA of 2.5 and have passed or meet the assessment option requirements AND Are on track to meet the diploma requirements AND Students meet postsecondary requirements for placement and are enrolled in ENG Comp I and/or MAT College Algebra or have previously earned credit for ENG Comp I and/or MAT College Algebra

13

Additional recommendations (not requirements) above 28 Carnegie units and assessment requirements include: • For early graduation, refer to Rule 36.7, Early Graduation Policy. • Students should take a math or math equivalency senior year

14

Courses designed using the Mississippi Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (MS AAAS) shall not be used as substitute courses or electives for students obtaining a traditional academic diploma with or without endorsements.

78

APPENDIX A-10 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS STANDARD 14 ALTERNATE DIPLOMA OPTION NOTE: This option shall be offered by districts for incoming ninth graders with significant cognitive disabilities in 2018-2019 and thereafter. Only students identified by their Individualized Education Program Committee as having a significant cognitive disability, as defined by the current edition of Testing Students with Disabilities Regulations and Miss. Admin Code 7-3: 78.1, State Board Policy Chapter 78, Rule 78.1, may be eligible to earn the Alternate Diploma. Each student graduating from a secondary school in an accredited school district with the Alternate Diploma will have earned the required units as specified in the following table. Contents of each required and elective course must include the core objectives identified in the State Board approved Alternate Academic Achievement Standards. Course titles and identification numbers must appear in the current edition of the Approved Courses for Secondary Schools of Mississippi. (See Miss. Admin. Code 73: 28.2 and 28.3, State Board Policy, Chapter 28, Rules 28.2 and 28.3.) Students with significant cognitive disabilities enrolled in grades 7 – 12 may be awarded a credit provided the course content is a credit bearing course in the current edition of the Approved Courses for the Secondary Schools of Mississippi. Any student with a significant cognitive disability who completes the minimum graduation requirements as specified below and has achieved a level of Passing or Proficient on the end-of-course alternate assessments, is eligible to receive an Alternate Diploma. Students must participate in the alternate assessments during the year the student is enrolled in the corresponding courses (Alternate Biology, Alternate English II, Alternate Algebra). The local school district may establish additional local requirements approved by the local school board as authorized under Miss. Code Ann. § 3716-7. The Alternate Diploma meets the requirements for graduation rate in the same manner as a Traditional Diploma. Students with this diploma must contact the postsecondary institution to determine Ability to Benefit (ATB) and eligibility for enrollment. CURRICULUM AREA

ENGLISH

CARNEGIE UNITS

41

REQUIRED SUBJECTS Alternate English I Alternate English II

Alternate English III Alternate English IV

Alternate Math I

MATHEMATICS

42

Alternate Math II

Alternate Math III

79

GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE SUBSTITUTION CCR English I CCR English II CCR English III CCR English IV Broadcast Journalism Debate Foundations of Journalism Mississippi Writers Oral Communications Print Journalism Survey of African American Writing Technical and Workplace Writing World Literature CCR Compacted Math 7 CCR Compacted Math Grade 8 with Algebra I (prior to entering HS) Foundations of Algebra (Grade 9 only) CCR Compacted Math Grade 8 with Algebra I (prior to entering HS) Foundations of Algebra (Grade 9 only) Advanced Technical Mathematics Advanced Technical Mathematics (must be taken prior to CCR Algebra I) CCR Geometry

APPENDIX A-10 CURRICULUM AREA

CARNEGIE UNITS

REQUIRED SUBJECTS

Alternate Algebra Alternate Biology

SCIENCE

2

Alternate Science II

Alternate History

SOCIAL STUDIES

2

HEALTH

½3

Alternate Health

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

½4

Physical Education

CAREER READINESS

45

Career Readiness I-IV

45

Life Skills Development I-IV

16

The Arts

LIFE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT THE ARTS ELECTIVES TOTAL UNITS REQUIRED

Alternate Social Studies

GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE SUBSTITUTION CCR Algebra II (contingent on passing CCR Algebra I) CCR Algebra I Biology Courses worth 1 Carnegie Unit Physical Science Earth and Space Science Human Anatomy and Physiology Foundations of Biology OR Courses worth ½ Carnegie Unit Environmental Science Genetics Geology Zoology I Zoology II Astronomy Botany Foundations of Science Literacy US History Courses worth 1 Carnegie Unit World History Courses worth ½ Carnegie Unit Economics US Government Mississippi Studies Psychology Sociology World Geography Contemporary Health Healthcare & Clinical Services I Theory and Application of Health Sciences JROTC I and II Physical Education Career Readiness was designed specifically for the Alternate Diploma Life Skills Development was designed specifically for the Alternate Diploma Any Carnegie unit credit bearing courses or a combination of ½ Carnegie unit credit bearing courses

2 24

1

Carnegie units earned for Supplemental English courses cannot be included as any of the four (4) English Carnegie units required for graduation; however, Carnegie units earned for these courses may be included in the general elective graduation requirements. Supplemental English may be taken only if a credit-bearing English course is taken in the same school year. 2

Carnegie units earned for Supplemental Mathematics courses cannot be included as any of the four (4) Math Carnegie units required for graduation; however, Carnegie units earned for these courses may be included in the general elective

80

APPENDIX A-10 graduation requirements. Supplemental Mathematics may be taken only if a credit-bearing Math course is taken in the same school year. 3

Successful completion in JROTC I and JROTC II shall be accepted as requirement met for Contemporary Health to meet graduation requirement for one-half (1/2) Carnegie unit in Health. Dual credit Personal and Community Health may be accepted in lieu of the graduation requirement for one-half (½) Carnegie unit in Health. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 4

The graduation requirement for one-half (½) unit in physical education may include participation in interscholastic athletic activities, choral performance courses for show choir (i.e., Choral, Music-Choral-Ensembles), instrumental performance courses (i.e., Band, Music Instrumental Ensembles, Strings), dance courses or JROTC that meet the instructional requirements specified in the Fitness through Physical Education Framework and that are sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association. Only one (1) elective unit in physical education including participation in interscholastic athletic activities, choral performance courses for show choir (i.e., Choral, Music- Choral-Ensembles), instrumental performance courses (i.e., Band, Music Instrumental Ensembles, Strings), dance courses or JROTC that meet the instructional requirements specified in the Fitness through Physical Education Framework and that are sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association may be applied each year to the minimum 24 required Carnegie units. If a local district has graduation requirements above the state requirements, the district may award additional units as outlined in the local school board policy. 5

Evidence of proficiency in technology is embedded in the course strands for both Career Readiness and Life Skills Development so that students with significant cognitive disabilities may be taught these skills within the natural environment assuring greater application and generalization of the skills. 6

The Arts refers to Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. The following dual credit classes: Music Appreciation, Theatre Appreciation, or Art Appreciation may be accepted in lieu of the art requirement for students. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12.

81

APPENDIX A-11 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS STANDARD 14 CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION Note: This option shall be offered by districts for incoming freshmen beginning in school year 2018-2019 and thereafter. A Certificate of Completion is not a high school diploma or an Alternate Diploma, but rather an acknowledgement of the student’s participation in and completion of his/her Individualized Education Program (IEP). Students eligible to receive a Certificate of Completion should fall into one (1) of the following categories: 1.

Students without a Significant Cognitive Disability at the end of 8 th grade who: • Are 16 years old or older; AND • At least three (3) or more grade levels below their peers in reading and math; AND • Have a signed statement from the parent acknowledging the Certificate of Completion is not a traditional high school diploma and will not meet the requirements for entry into careers or post-secondary opportunities requiring a diploma.

2.

Students without a Significant Cognitive Disability who have not yet turned sixteen (16) by the end of the eighth grade should transition to the ninth grade on a diploma path.

3.

Students with a Significant Cognitive Disability at the end of 8th grade who: • Have extremely limited or no receptive and expressive communication skills AND • Have a signed statement from the parent acknowledging the Certificate of Completion is not a traditional high school diploma and will not meet the requirements for entry into careers or post- secondary opportunities requiring a diploma.

4.

Students with or without a Significant Cognitive Disability at the end of their third year of high school (6 semesters) who: • Have not earned at minimum of 3 English units, 3 math units, 2 science units, 2 social studies units, and 5 electives; AND • Have a signed statement from the parent acknowledging the Certificate of Completion is not a traditional high school diploma and will not meet the requirements for entry into careers or post-secondary opportunities requiring a diploma; AND • Have evidence of 3 or more years of intensive intervention implemented in middle and/or high school to earn Carnegie units. Evidence may include, but is not limited to: o Progress monitoring data from reading intervention programs or math intervention programs o Documentation of accommodations and modifications provided in the general education courses and assessments o Course schedules outlining dedicated time for intervention.

The student’s IEP committee determines the course of study for the Certificate of Completion. Areas of instruction should be developed based on the unique needs of the individual student. Course work shall be appropriate for the student and may include: • Intensive remediation in deficit area skills • Career preparation courses • Life skills courses Students earning the Certificate of Completion should have completed at least four (4) years of high school and/or be at least 19 years of age at the time of graduation. Students pursuing a Certificate of Completion are required to participate in the Mississippi statewide assessment program deemed appropriate by their Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) Committee.

82

APPENDIX A-11 Students working toward the Certificate of Completion who meet the criteria for a Significant Cognitive Disability are required to participate in the high school end-of-course alternate assessment during the school year the student is enrolled in the corresponding alternate course (Alternate Biology, Alternate English II, Alternate Algebra). Students working toward the Certificate of Completion who do not meet the criteria for a Significant Cognitive Disability are required to participate in the regular high school end-of course subject area test(s) during the school year the student is enrolled in the corresponding course(s). It is ultimately the responsibility and decision of the IEP Committee to determine the appropriate exit option for a student with disabilities based on the appropriate data.

83

APPENDIX A-12 ACCEPTABLE SECONDARY COURSE SUBSTITUTIONS FOR TECHNOLOGY AND\OR COMPUTER SCIENCE Career and Technical Acceptable Course Equivalent HS Graduation Substitutions for Appendices A-6, A-7, A-8, A-9 Requirements Met CTE Curriculum Name (Course Code) Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources 1 unit of science (other than AEST Science of Agricultural Plants I (991013) Biology I) may be awarded as a (No longer offered) Requirement Met upon AEST Science of Agricultural Plants II (991023) completion of the single course. (No longer offered) No additional Carnegie units OR awarded other than the 1 Carnegie AEST Science of Agricultural Animals I unit for the CTE course. (991010) (No longer offered) AEST Science of Agricultural Animals II (991020) (No longer offered) OR AEST Science of Agricultural Environment I (991011) (No longer offered) AEST Science of Agricultural Environment II (991021) (No longer offered) Note: The above courses end with freshman cohort class 2021-2022 2 units of science (other than Agriculture & Natural Resources I (991100) Biology I) may be awarded as a Agriculture & Natural Resources II (991101) Requirement Met upon OR completion of the sequence of Fundamentals of Ag. & Nat. Resources courses. No additional Carnegie (991102) units are awarded other than the 4 Ag. & Nat. Res.: Soils and Ag. Lab Operations Carnegie units for the CTE course. (991103) Ag. & Nat. Res.: Environmental Science (991104) Ag. & Nat. Res.: Equipment Operation and Business Management (991105) Aquaculture Concepts (991600) 2 units of science (other than Aquaculture Application (991601) Biology I) may be awarded as a Requirement Met upon OR completion of the sequence of Introduction to Aquaculture (991602) Basic Aquaculture (991603) courses. No additional Carnegie Advanced Aquaculture (992604) Application of units are awarded other than the 4 Carnegie units for the CTE course. Aquaculture (991605) 2 units of science (other than Forestry I (991500) Biology I) may be awarded as a Forestry II (991501) Requirement Met upon OR completion of the sequence of Forestry Introduction (991502) courses. No additional Carnegie Forestry Surveying and Measurements units are awarded other than the 4 (991503) Forestry Cruising (991504) Carnegie units for the CTE course Forestry Marketing (991505) Horticulture I (991400) 2 units of science (other than Horticulture II (991401) Biology I) may be awarded as a OR Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie

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Equivalent IHL College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) Credit No CPC Credit

1 Science Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

1 Science Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

1 Science Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

1 Science Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

APPENDIX A-12 Career and Technical Acceptable Course Substitutions for Appendices A-6, A-7, A-8, A-9 CTE Curriculum Name (Course Code) Introduction to Horticulture (991402) Horticulture Plant Processes (991403) Horticulture Nursery (991404) Horticulture Landscape and Turfgrass (991405) Principles of Agriscience (993460) AND ANY TWO OF THE FOLLOWING: Diversified Agriculture Animals Core (993423) Diversified Agriculture Environment Core (993424) Diversified Agriculture Food Science (993425) Diversified Agriculture Mechanization Core (993426) Diversified Agriculture Plants Core (993427) Diversified Agriculture Poultry Science (993428) Diversified Agriculture Veterinary Science (993429) Diversified Agriculture Precision Agriculture (993432) Diversified Agriculture Turfgrass Management (993431) PLUS Diversified Agriculture Capstone (993433) Principles of Agriscience (993460)

Equivalent HS Graduation Requirements Met

Equivalent IHL College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) Credit

units are awarded other than the 4 Carnegie units for the CTE course.

2 units of science (other than Biology I) may be awarded as a Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie units are awarded other than the 4 Carnegie units for the CTE course.

1 unit of science (other than Biology I) may be awarded as a Requirement Met upon completion of the single course. No additional Carnegie units awarded other than the 1 Carnegie unit for the CTE course. Concepts of Agriscience (991000) (No longer 1 unit of science (other than offered) Biology I) may be awarded as a Requirement Met upon Note: The above course ends with freshman cohort class 2021-2022 completion of the single course. No additional Carnegie units awarded other than the 1 Carnegie unit for the CTE course. Introduction to Agriscience (029990) (No 1 unit of science (other than longer offered) Biology I) may be awarded as a Met upon Note: The above course ends with freshman Requirement completion of the single course. cohort class 2021-2022 No additional Carnegie units awarded other than the 1 Carnegie unit for the CTE course. Architecture and Construction Architectural Design & Drafting I (994300) 1 unit of Technology and 1 unit of Architectural Design & Drafting II (994301) Math (other than Algebra I) may OR be awarded as a Requirement Met Concepts of Drafting (994302) upon completion of the sequence Drafting and Design (994303) of courses. No additional Carnegie Architectural Drafting (994304) Architectural units are awarded other than the 4 Drafting Application (994305) Carnegie units for the CTE course.

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1 Science Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

No CPC Credit

No CPC Credit

No CPC Credit

1 Technology Credit OR 1 Math Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

APPENDIX A-12 Career and Technical Acceptable Course Equivalent HS Graduation Substitutions for Appendices A-6, A-7, A-8, A-9 Requirements Met CTE Curriculum Name (Course Code) Arts, Audio-Visual Technology, and Communications Digital Media Technology I (994100) 1 unit of Technology and 1 unit of Art may be awarded as a Digital Media Technology II (994101) Requirement Met upon OR completion of the sequence of Orientation to Digital Media (994108) courses. No additional Carnegie Fundamentals of Digital Media (994109) units are awarded other than the 4 Theory and Applications of Digital Media I Carnegie units for the CTE course. (994110) Theory and Applications of Digital Media II (994111) Simulation and Animation Design I (994400) 1 unit of Technology/Computer Simulation and Animation Design II (994401) Science and 1 unit of Art may be OR awarded as a Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence Ethics, Design Theory, and Photography of courses. No additional Carnegie (994402) units are awarded other than the 4 Design Visualization and Character Carnegie units for the CTE course. Development (994403) Audio and Video Production (994404) Business, Evaluation, and Development of Simulation and Animation Projects (994405) 1 unit of Technology and 1 unit of Multimedia Core (10801) Art may be awarded as a AND ANY TWO OF THE FOLLOWING: Multimedia – Broadcast Foundations (10890) Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence of Multimedia – Advanced Broadcast Production courses. No additional Carnegie (10891) units are awarded other than the 4 Multimedia – Digital Design (10892) Multimedia – Digital Video Production (10893) Carnegie units for the CTE course. PLUS Multimedia – Capstone (TBD for ’25-’26) Broadcasting Journalism I (994600) 1 unit of Technology and 1 unit of Broadcasting Journalism II (994601) Art may be awarded as a Requirement Met upon OR completion of the sequence of Television Broadcasting and Production I courses. No additional Carnegie (994602) units are awarded other than the 4 Television Broadcasting and Production II Carnegie units for the CTE course. (994603) Television Broadcasting and Production III (994604) Television Broadcasting and Production IV (994605) Business, Marketing, and Finance Business Fundamentals (992300) (No longer May be accepted in lieu of the ½ offered) Economics requirement for graduation. OR Business Fundamentals I (992301) (No longer offered) Business Fundamentals II (992302) (No longer offered) Note: The above courses end with freshman cohort class 2021-2022

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Equivalent IHL College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) Credit 1 Technology OR 1 Art Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

1 Technology Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

1 Technology OR 1 Art Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

1 Technology Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

½ Social Studies Credit

APPENDIX A-12 Career and Technical Acceptable Course Substitutions for Appendices A-6, A-7, A-8, A-9 CTE Curriculum Name (Course Code) Business, Marketing, and Finance I (992004) Business, Marketing, and Finance II (992005) OR Fundamentals of Business & Entrepreneurship (992404) Marketing (992403) Management (992309) Finance (992003) Health Science Core (995100) Healthcare and Clinical Services (995101) OR Health Science Core I (995102) Health Science Core II (995103) Healthcare and Clinical Services I (995104) Healthcare and Clinical Services II (995105) Health Science Core (995100) OR Health Science Core I (995102) Health Science Core II (995103) Health Science Core (995100) Sports Medicine and Therapeutic Services (9952000) OR Health Science Core I (995102) Health Science Core II (995103) Sports Medicine Theory and Application I (995202) Sports Medicine Theory and Application II (995203)

Equivalent HS Graduation Requirements Met Completion of the 4 Carnegie units may satisfy the ½ unit Personal Finance requirement. AND Completion of the 4 Carnegie units may satisfy the ½ unit Economics requirement for graduation. Health Science 2 units of science (other than Biology I) may be awarded as a Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie units are awarded other than the 4 Carnegie units for the CTE course. Requirement Met for ½ credit of Contemporary Health. No additional Carnegie units are awarded. 2 units of science (other than Biology I) may be awarded as a Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie units are awarded other than the 4 Carnegie units for the CTE course.

Information Technology Information Technology I (992206) 1 unit of Technology may be Information Technology II (992207) awarded as a Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence OR of courses. No additional Carnegie Information Technology Fundamentals I units are awarded other than the 4 (992208) Information Technology Fundamentals II Carnegie units for the CTE course. (992209) Information Technology Networking I (992210) Information Technology Networking II (992211) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Engineering I (994000) 2 units of science (other than Biology I) may be awarded as a Engineering II (994001) Requirement Met upon OR Engineering Fundamentals (994002) completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie Engineering Applications (994003) units are awarded other than the 4 Engineering Design (994004) Engineering Systems (994005) Carnegie units for the CTE course. Engineering (994000) 1 unit of Technology and 1 unit of Science (other than Biology I) may Engineering II (994001) be awarded as a Requirement Met OR

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Equivalent IHL College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) Credit 1 Social Studies Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

1 Science Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

No CPC Credit

1 Science Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

1 Technology Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

1 Science Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

1 Technology Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

APPENDIX A-12 Career and Technical Acceptable Course Substitutions for Appendices A-6, A-7, A-8, A-9 CTE Curriculum Name (Course Code) Engineering Fundamentals (994002) Engineering Applications (994003) Engineering Design (994004) Engineering Systems (994005) Polymer Science I (994500) Polymer Science II (994501 OR Introduction to Polymer Science I (994502) Introduction to Polymer Science II (994503) Advanced Topics in Polymer Science (994504) Careers in Polymer Science (994505) Unmanned Aircraft Systems I (235100) Unmanned Aircraft Systems II (235110) OR Introduction to Unmanned Aerial Systems (235130) Foundations of Unmanned Aerial Systems (235125) Applications of Unmanned Aerial Systems (235120) Advanced Unmanned Aerial Systems (235115)

Equivalent HS Graduation Requirements Met upon completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie units are awarded other than the 4 Carnegie units for the CTE course. 2 units of science (other than Biology I) may be awarded as a Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie units are awarded other than the 4 Carnegie units for the CTE course. 1 unit of Technology may be awarded as a Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie units are awarded other than the 4 Carnegie units for the CTE course.

Manufacturing 1 unit of Technology may be awarded as a Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie units are awarded other than the 4 Carnegie units for the CTE course.

Equivalent IHL College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) Credit

1 Science Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

1 Technology Credit OR 1 Advanced Elective Credit

Instrumentation I (235050) 1 Technology Credit Instrumentation II (235051) OR 1 Advanced Elective OR Credit Fundamentals of Instrumentation (235060) Application of Instrumentation (235061) Theory of Instrumentation (235062) Advanced Skills of Instrumentation (235063) Precision Machining I (993403) 1 unit of Technology may be 1 Technology Credit Precision Machining II (993404) awarded as a Requirement Met OR upon completion of the sequence 1 Advanced Elective OR of courses. No additional Carnegie Credit Fundamentals of Precision Machining units are awarded other than the 4 (993405) Application of Precision Machining Carnegie units for the CTE course. (993406) Theory of Precision Machining (993407) Advanced Skills of Precision Machining (993408) NOTE: Maximum of 2 units may be awarded as graduation requirements met for science. Technology/Computer Science Credits Technology Foundations (992307 & 110630) 1 unit of Technology may be 1 Technology Credit (No longer offered) awarded as Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie units are awarded. ICT II (CTE: 000272) (Academic: 110620) 1 unit of Technology may be 1 Technology Credit awarded as Requirement Met (No longer offered after SY 2020-2021) upon completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie units are awarded.

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APPENDIX A-12 Career and Technical Acceptable Course Equivalent HS Graduation Equivalent IHL College Substitutions for Appendices A-6, A-7, A-8, A-9 Requirements Met Preparatory Curriculum CTE Curriculum Name (Course Code) (CPC) Credit STEM Applications (000273) (No longer offered) 1 unit of Technology may be 1 Technology Credit awarded as Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie units are awarded. 1 unit of Technology/Computer 1 Technology Credit Cyber Foundations I (000284) Science may be awarded as Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie units are awarded. Cyber Foundations II (000286) 1 unit of Technology/Computer 1 Technology Credit Science may be awarded as Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie units are awarded. 1 unit of Technology/Computer 1 Technology Credit Exploring Computer Science (000283) Science may be awarded as Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie units are awarded. Computer Science and Engineering (000287) 1 unit of Technology/Computer 1 Technology Credit Science may be awarded as Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie units are awarded. E-Commerce (993430) 1 unit of Technology may be 1 Technology Credit awarded as Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie units are awarded. Exploring Careers (990002) * 1 unit of Technology may be No CPC Credit awarded as Requirement Met upon completion of the sequence of courses. No additional Carnegie units are awarded. *Please check the latest SBE-approved guidelines for Exploring Careers, formerly Keystone, as the technology credit awarded for this course should end after the 2020-2021 school year. Web and Programming Concepts (902147) 1 unit of Technology/Computer 1 Technology Credit Science may be awarded as a OR Client-side Programming (902148) Requirement Met upon 1 Advanced Elective SQL Programming (902105) Python I (902110) completion of the sequence of Credit courses. No additional Carnegie units are awarded other than the 4 Carnegie units for the CTE course.

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APPENDIX A-13 Acceptable Secondary Course Substitutions for Technology and/or Computer Science Curriculum Name (Course Code)

Equivalent HS Graduation Requirements Met Media Arts

AP - 2-D Art and Design (500738)

1 unit of Technology or Art Credit

AP - 3-D Art and Design (500739)

1 unit of Technology or Art Credit

Media Arts – Animation (Grade 9-12) (500162)

1 unit of Technology or Art Credit

Media Arts – Digital Sound Design (Grade 9-12) (500163) Media Arts – Graphic Arts and Web Design (Grade 9-12) (500169) Media Arts – Interactive & Game Design (Grade 9-12) (500167) Media Arts – Interdisciplinary Media Design (Grade 9-12) (500165) Media Arts – Introduction to Media Arts (Grade 9-12) (500160) Media Arts – Moving Image (Grade 9-12) (500161)

1 unit of Technology or Art Credit 1 unit of Technology or Art Credit 1 unit of Technology or Art Credit 1 unit of Technology or Art Credit 1 unit of Technology or Art Credit 1 unit of Technology or Art Credit

Media Arts – Performance Design and Documentation (Grade 9-12) (500170) Media Arts – Virtual Design (Grade 9-12) (500166)

1 unit of Technology or Art Credit 1 unit of Technology or Art Credit

Theatre – High-Tech Video Production (500522)

1 unit of Technology or Art Credit

Graphic Design I (070333) Graphic Design II (070334)

0.5 unit of Technology or Art Credit

DL – Web Page Design (110197)

1 unit of Technology or Art Credit

Broadcast Journalism (100104)

1 unit of Technology or Art Credit

Electronic Communication Production I (Grades 10-12) (100191)

1 unit of Technology or Art Credit

0.5 unit of Technology or Art Credit

Business Classes E-Commerce (110735)

1 unit of Technology Credit Information and Web Services

Introduction to Information Technology (110600)

1 unit of Technology Credit

PLTW: Cyber Security – CTE (232080)

1 unit of Technology Credit

PLTW: Cyber Security – Secondary (561054)

1 unit of Technology Credit

Web Design (110705)

1 unit of Technology Credit

Web Design II (110706)

1 unit of Technology Credit

Web Design and Media Rich Content (110700)

1 unit of Technology Credit Engineering

Engineering II: Robotics (450258)

1 unit of Technology Credit

PLTW: Engineering: Essentials (Academic) (561055)

1 unit of Technology Credit

PLTW: Engineering: Aerospace Engineering

1 unit of Technology Credit

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APPENDIX A-13 Curriculum Name (Course Code)

Equivalent HS Graduation Requirements Met

(Academic) (561017) PLTW Engineering: Computer Integrated Manufacturing (Academic) (561019) PLTW Engineering: Digital Electronics (Academic) (561022) PLTW Engineering: Engineering Design and Development (Academic) (561021) PLTW Engineering: Introduction to Engineering Design (Academic) (561024) PLTW Engineering: Principles of Engineering (561023) PLTW: Engineering: Aerospace Engineering (CTE) (561012)

1 unit of Technology Credit 1 unit of Technology Credit 1 unit of Technology Credit 1 unit of Technology Credit 1 unit of Technology Credit 1 unit of Technology Credit

All CS credits can count for a Technology credit. Curriculum Name (Course Code) AP Computer Science A (110141)

Equivalent HS Graduation Requirements Met 1 Unit of Computer Science Credit

Client – Side Programming (110138)

1 Unit of Computer Science Credit

AP Computer Science Principles (110145)

1 Unit of Computer Science Credit

Concepts in Programming and Web (110137)

1 Unit of Computer Science Credit

Concepts in SQL and Database (110136)

1 Unit of Computer Science Credit

Visual Basic Programming Language (110139)

1 Unit of Computer Science Credit

PLTW: Computer Science A (232070)

1 Unit of Computer Science Credit

PLTW: Computer Science Essentials (Academic) (561054) PLTW: Computer Science Principles (Academic) (232065)

1 Unit of Computer Science Credit 1 Unit of Computer Science Credit

PLTW: Computer Science Essentials (561036)

1 Unit of Computer Science Credit

PLTW: Cybersecurity – (CTE) (232080) PLTW: Cybersecurity – Academic (561054)

1 Unit of Computer Science Credit 1 Unit of Computer Science Credit

Computer Science and Engineering (000287)

1 Unit of Computer Science Credit

CSC 1113 Computer Concepts

1 Unit of Computer Science Credit

CSC 1123 Computer Applications I

1 Unit of Computer Science Credit

Cambridge and International Baccalaureate technology and computer science courses may meet the required technology/computer science requirement for graduation per MDE Office of Secondary Education approval.

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APPENDIX B-1 Effective school year 2021-2022 APPENDIX B-1 is no longer applicable.

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APPENDIX B-2 Required Courses in the Curriculum of Each Secondary School STANDARD 26 Effective Beginning in School Year 2021-2022 CURRICULUM AREA

ENGLISH

MATHEMATICS

SCIENCE

SOCIAL STUDIES

TECHNOLOGY OR COMPUTER SCIENCE2 HEALTH/PHYSICAL EDUCATION THE ARTS3 COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS4 CAREER & TECHNICAL

ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES5

ELECTIVES

COURSES

UNITS

English I English II English III English IV Essentials for College Literacy Algebra Geometry Algebra II Essentials for College Math Elective Mathematics Courses Biology Chemistry Physics Elective Science Courses1 US History US Government Mississippi Studies World History Economics Any one (1) credit Technology or Computer Science Contemporary Health Physical Education Any approved Arts course College and Career Readiness Any combination of CTE courses At least one (1) advanced placement course in each of the four (4) core areas. AP Course in Mathematics, AP Course in Science, AP Course in English Language Arts, AP Course in Social Studies Any other Advanced Elective defined by the IHL Preparatory Curriculum, as noted in Appendix C

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 ½ ½ 1 ½

TOTAL UNITS REQUIRED

1 ½ ½ 1 1 4

4

33 ½

1

For approved Career and Technical course substitutions se Appendix A-12.

2

For approved course substitutions see Appendices A-12 and A-13.

3

The Arts refers to Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. Any course(s) in one of these areas can fulfill the required Carnegie unit in the Arts. The following dual credit classes: Music Appreciation, Theatre Appreciation, or Art Appreciation may be accepted in lieu of the art requirement for students. For approved Career and Technical course substitutions see Appendix A-12. 4

The purpose of the College and Career Readiness Course is to provide planning and instruction for postsecondary transition. The following courses are approved substitutions for the CCR course: 1. One-credit of Career and Technical Work-Based Learning

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APPENDIX B-2 2. 3. 4. 5.

Dual Credit SmartStart JROTC III Advanced Placement Seminar or equivalent International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Courses Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior MS College and Career Readiness Seminar course for Early College High Schools.

The CCR course may be taught in one (1) of the following sequences: a. One (1) Carnegie unit Senior year only b. One (1) Carnegie unit Junior year only c. One-half (½) Carnegie unit in either freshman, sophomore, or junior year with the remaining one- half (½) Carnegie unit taught in either junior or senior year d. One-fourth (¼) Carnegie unit per year beginning with the freshman year 5

A school offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program and Cambridge (AICE) is exempt. Distance learning approved on-line vendor courses, or approved Mississippi Online Course Approval (MOCA) courses may be used as an appropriate alternative for the delivery of these required Advanced Placement (AP) courses.

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APPENDIX C-1 Effective school year 2021-2022 APPENDIX C-1 is no longer applicable.

95

APPENDIX C-2 Effective school year 2022-2023 APPENDIX C-2 is no longer applicable. This information is available from the Institution of Higher Learning.

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APPENDIX D Appendix D is no longer applicable.

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APPENDIX E STUDENT RECORDS STANDARD 8 1. Student records are collected, maintained, and disseminated as required by Miss. Code Ann. §§ 37- 15-1 through 37-15-3, as amended, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 20 USC Section 1231, and the Confidentiality Section of the Individuals with Disabilities Act, 1997 Amendments. 2.

Permanent records are kept in perpetuity for every person who has enrolled or is enrolled in a school.

3. The permanent record contains (a) legal name and address of the student, (b) date of birth as verified by birth certificate, (c) courses taken and grades or proficiency level earned, (d) immunization record, (e) date of withdrawal or graduation, (f) social security number {optional}, (g) record of performance on the required graduation tests, and (h) any other information determined by the State Board of Education. 4. Active permanent records are maintained in a secure and fire-resistant location in each school until the student withdraws or graduates, at which time the record may be transferred and/or placed on photographic film or microfilm in a central, fire-resistant depository. 5.

Cumulative records are maintained for each student currently enrolled in a school.

6. The cumulative record (folder) contains the same information as the permanent record, as well as results of standardized tests and other information required by school board policies or prescribed by the State Board of Education. 7.

Active cumulative records are maintained in a secure, fire-resistant location in each school.

8. Cumulative records of students who transfer or who are promoted to another school within or outside the district are to be sent to the head of the school to which the student transfers. 9. Cumulative records may be destroyed by order of the school board of the school district in not less than five (5) years after the permanent record of the student has become inactive and has been transferred to the central depository of the district. 10. Permanent and active cumulative records of any school (public or nonpublic) that closes are transferred to the central depository of the school district wherein the closed school is located. For further clarification or information, see the current edition of the Mississippi Cumulative Folders and Permanent Records Manual of Directions.

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APPENDIX F REQUIREMENTS OF THE MISSISSIPPI STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM STANDARD 16

I.

PURPOSE

It is the policy of the State Board of Education that all test procedures and results that are used in the Mississippi Statewide Assessment System and/or used in the Mississippi Statewide Accreditation System be valid and accurate for making related decisions. To protect the security and integrity of all tests administered through the Mississippi Statewide Assessment System, as well as to ensure reporting of accurate assessment results, the State Board of Education establishes the following requirements and the consequences applied when a school district or school is found in violation of any requirement. These requirements are established under the authority granted in {Miss. Code Ann. §§ 37-16-1, 37-16-3, and 37-16-4}, as amended.

II.

DEFINITIONS

The District Test Coordinator (DTC) serves as the point of contact between the Office of Student Assessment (OSA) and the district in all matters related to the Mississippi Assessment Programs. The DTC, trained by the OSA is responsible for training district personnel and school test coordinators in the administration of State Assessments, ensuring they are knowledgeable in all aspects of testing processes and test security procedures. DTCs shall possess a current and valid Mississippi educator's license that may include an administrative endorsement. The DTC shall be appointed by the Superintendent. The School Test Coordinator (STC) serves as the point of contact for the district test coordinator and a specific school within their district. The STC is ultimately responsible for the training of personnel to ensure those involved in the administration of State Assessments are trained in all aspects of testing and test security procedures. School test coordinators shall possess a current and valid Mississippi educator’s license. The District Test Security Plan is a comprehensive collection of procedures and actions that serve as a guide to ensure test security and test integrity are protected at all levels within the district. The District Superintendent and the DTC are ultimately responsible for completing the plan, reviewing, updating, and verifying all information is correct each year. The School Test Security Plan is a comprehensive collection of procedures and actions that serve as a guide to ensure test security and test integrity are protected at the school site administering State Assessments. Each individual school test security plan shall be made to fit each school, completed by the STC and Principal and attached as a part of the district’s test security plan. Secure test materials include, but are not limited to, student testing login tickets, all paper that contains access codes, scratch paper, reference charts, and writing rubrics. A possible testing irregularity is any alleged incident(s) before, during or after the test administration that deviates from the statewide assessment requirements as established under SBE authority, representing a potential violation to test security and questions the validity of the assessment data. A verified testing irregularity is a confirmed violation of one or more of the statewide assessment requirements as established by the SBE. A prohibited electronic device is a device that maintains one or more of the following functionalities: cellular/internet connectivity, Bluetooth connectivity, unallowable calculator functions, and image or audio capture capabilities.

III.

REPORTING AND USE OF TEST DATA

The school district will release test score information to parents, legal representatives, teachers, students, educators, the media, and the public in a timely manner and provide interpretive material as necessary. The school district will use test scores appropriately in making decisions regarding students. Additional retesting opportunities may be available for assessments that apply to the Literacy-Based Promotion Act and Graduation Requirements. Refer to appendix A-5 found in the current edition of Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards for more information.

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APPENDIX F IV.

REQUIREMENTS

The following is not an exhaustive list of requirements. Responsibilities of the District Test Coordinator (DTC) 1. The DTC shall be appointed by the District’s Superintendent. The DTC shall hold a current and valid Mississippi educator’s license that may include an administrative endorsement and possess knowledge and experience regarding assessment procedures. The Superintendent shall notify the Office of Student Assessment in writing (email is permissible) of DTC personnel changes. 2.

The DTC shall attend all State Assessment training sessions sponsored by the Office of Student Assessment.

3. The DTC shall submit to the OSA the District and School Test Security Plan each year no later than the 3 rd Tuesday in January for the full calendar year. This is required, so a plan will be in place for the next school year’s fall testing. a. The District and School Test Security Plan shall contain all components as required by the Office of Student Assessment. b. The district Superintendent and DTC are responsible for creating and completing the District Test Security plan, reviewing, updating, and verifying all information is correct each calendar year. Once approved by the district school board, the plan is signed by the district Superintendent, the DTC, and the chairman of the school board. c. The School’s Principal and STC are responsible for creating and completing the School Test Security plan, reviewing, updating, and verifying all information is correct each calendar year. Once approved by the DTC, the School Test Security Plan, which is a part of the District Test Security Plan, is signed by the school Principal, STC, and the DTC. d. The District Test Security Plan shall identify all individuals who have access to the secure materials storage area at the district and school sites. Test Materials 4. Testing tickets shall be printed from the appropriate vendor platform in advance of the scheduled assessment. Reproduction and/or the dissemination of test ticket information via an alternate method is prohibited. (i.e., Handwritten, reading ticket information aloud) 5. Except during actual test administration, secure test materials shall be kept in a locked storage room/area designated for this purpose. Access shall be limited to only those individuals identified in the test security plan(s) as responsible for their security. a. All printed secure testing materials are inventoried and accounted for at the district and/or school level. Printed secure materials are inventoried and logged on a district-developed tracking sheet documenting the material’s chain-of-custody during the entire testing window. This tracking documentation shall be available for review by an OSA auditor. b. Deliverable secure testing materials are required to be inventoried by the DTC upon receipt from the vendor. The materials delivered shall match the vendor’s ledger prior to distribution to the school site(s). After delivery to the school(s), the STC shall sign for, inventory, and maintain a log detailing the chain of custody of deliverable materials during the entire testing window. This tracking documentation shall be available for review by an OSA auditor. c. While secure test materials are in the district or in a school, anyone listed as having access to the secure area shall be accompanied by a second test security trained person when entering the secure storage area. d. Test Administrators and Proctors shall have access and handle secure test materials as described in the district and school test security plans and or as described in the vendor’s test administration manual or test coordinator manual. e. Reproducing or disclosing secure test material (including pilot material) and student responses before, during, or after test administration is prohibited. Reproduction or disclosure of secure test materials includes but is not limited to the following: reviewing, reading, or looking at secure test material in a manner that is inconsistent with

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APPENDIX F test security regulations and/or procedures outlined in the Test Administrators Manual. Use of unreleased test items in any form (including rewording of such test items) is strictly prohibited. f. All secure materials shall be returned according to the schedule published by test vendors and OSA. If a secure testing document has been contaminated by health-related hazards or severely damaged, the STC/DTC shall follow destruction procedures provided by the MDE. This procedure shall be included in the District Test Security Plan. Training and Testing Personnel 6. The OSA and the respective vendors are responsible for the initial training of the DTCs in advance of the test administration windows. The DTCs shall be responsible for training all district personnel and STCs who will be involved in state assessments. 7. Any person involved in any phase of the Mississippi Statewide Assessment System shall meet the outlined criteria and be trained by their district in appropriate assessment administration and test security procedures. a. The district shall maintain complete records of all professional development on assessment training related to each assessment program. (i.e., ELPT, MAAP, MAAP-A, KRA) b. All personnel involved in the administration of an assessment shall have a signed confidentiality and electronic device agreements on file prior to testing. These documents shall be kept at the district/school for five (5) years. c. Test Administrators shall be licensed school personnel, hold a valid Mississippi Educator License, and be employed by the district. d. Proctors are not required to be licensed school personnel unless they are fulfilling the role of Second Scorer for a MAAP-A administration or administering a state assessment to a homebound or an incarcerated student. These instances require the Proctor/Second Scorer to be a licensed teacher. 8. The district and/or school shall conduct professional development training on proper test administration utilizing accommodations and accessibility features on statewide assessments. 9. The District shall maintain for five (5) years, and provide upon request, documentation demonstrating training related to each assessment program was administered. Additionally, training shall include information on test security procedures, violations of test security, and the consequences for those violations. 10. Coaching students, altering responses, or interfering with responses in any way during or after the scheduled test administration is prohibited. Coaching students is defined as providing answers by staff or other students to students in any manner during the test, including cues, clues, hints, and/or actual answers in any form-written, printed, verbal or non-verbal (including, but not limited to, charts, bulletin boards, posters, computers, hand gestures), or allowing students to alter responses after the scheduled test administration. 11. Anyone with knowledge of, or information regarding, a possible testing irregularity or alleged security violations shall report the alleged irregularity/violation to an appropriate authority. {See Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-4(1)(f)} Policies for Mississippi Assessments 12. The Mississippi Statewide Assessment System ensures the inclusion of all students in the assessment programs {Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-3(2)}; Literacy-Based Promotion Act, {Miss. Code Ann. §37-177-11}; e-CFR 200.5 (a)(1)(2)(3); Mississippi English Learner Guidelines: Regulations, Funding Guidance, and Instructional Supports, 2018R . a. Accurate student attendance data during testing windows shall be maintained by the district/school. For example, if a student is taking the English II assessment and misses their World History class, the student should not be counted absent. b. If a student is assigned to take a test and is absent, the student shall be counted absent. Districts/schools shall make sure attendance is maintained during testing windows as to who is present and who is not present. c. Students who drop a course for which an end-of-course Subject Area Test is required after the dates noted below shall still take the appropriate end-of-course Subject Area Test. Traditional Schedule

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APPENDIX F •

Students enrolled in a course at the end of January (5th month) shall be tested. Fall Block • Students enrolled in a course at the end of October (2nd month) shall be tested. Spring Block • Students enrolled in a course at the end of March (7th month) shall be tested. d. Students enrolled in and taking courses for the first time for which end-of-course Subject Area Tests is required shall take the appropriate Subject Area Tests. These students shall take the appropriate end-of-course Subject Area Test, as listed the Approved Courses for the Secondary Schools of Mississippi includes the words Accelerated, Enrichment, or Advanced Placement. e. Each student enrolled in and re-taking courses for which end-of-course Subject Area Tests are required to take the appropriate Subject Area Test only if the student has not previously met the graduation requirement for the Subject Area Test. f. Each student shall take the appropriate end-of-course Subject Area Test at the end of the course regardless of the grade level in which the course is offered. g. Students enrolled in a Mississippi public school will be required to pass end-of-course Subject Area Test in a course for which the school accepts Carnegie units earned by the student through enrollment in summer school, virtual school, or any other non-standard school as defined by the Office of Accreditation. See State Board Policy Chapter 36, Rules 36.2, 36.4, and 36.5. Accommodations and Accessibility Features 13. All guidelines listed in the current edition of the Mississippi Testing Accommodations Manual shall be followed. Appropriate accommodations and/or accessibility features shall be provided for each individual student (except those noted as non-allowable for specific assessments) per the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP), Section 504 Plan, and/or Language Service Plan (LSP). 14. The medical monitoring policy shall be followed for any student or staff member that utilizes an electronic device in the testing environment due to monitoring a medically diagnosed condition. The school shall have the appropriate documentation on file, to include both a signed confidentiality and an electronic device form. Test Administration 15. A specific schedule for each school administering a Statewide assessment within the district shall be submitted to the Office of Student Assessment 30 calendar days prior to the start of any test window. A school shall test in accordance with the schedule provided, unless administering a make-up session or the change is a result from inclement weather conditions or technology issues that prevented the assessment administration occurring on the day originally scheduled. a. A school’s testing schedule is developed by the DTC/STC in coordination with the school’s Principal. b. It is the responsibility of the Principal to notify students and parents/ guardians of their school’s testing schedule. c. A testing schedule shall be provided to the OSA for each 3rd grade reading retest opportunity. d. Screeners/placement tests do not require a testing schedule. Schools must test within the time specified by the program. 16. Make-up testing shall be provided during the State administration window for the respective assessment for students who are absent during the district/school scheduled test administration, including all 3 rd grade reading test sessions. 17. Both a trained Test Administrator (TA) and a Proctor shall actively monitor students by frequently moving unobtrusively about the room. a. At least two (2) trained people shall be present from the time testing materials are distributed to the Test Administrator until all test materials have been returned to the STC to return to the secure material storage area.

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APPENDIX F b. Tests shall be administered according to the standard procedures defined in the Test Administrator's Manual/Test Coordinator Manual, and or other assessment related documentation. c. Test Administrators and Proctors shall maintain a written record/log of any testing irregularities which may occur within the testing room during statewide assessments. d. A seating chart is required for each room/site used for any statewide assessment, including retest and makeup test sessions. Seating charts shall be legible, and reflective of the room’s seating layout. Each chart shall maintain the following information: subject area tested, any accommodations provided (if applicable to the test session administered), the date of test administration, name of Proctor, name and Mississippi teachers license number of the TA. Each seating chart shall be signed by the STC and TA verifying the accuracy of the chart. e. Tests are to be administered in an environment that provides an adequate test setting for students. Such an environment should provide adequate lighting, comfortable room temperature, reduced noise level, and adequate spacing to ensure that a secure and fair testing environment is in place for all students. Students should be seated in a manner to minimize opportunities to view the work of others. If adequate spacing cannot be achieved, then cardboard dividers shall be utilized. Electronic Devices 18. The MDE prohibits the possession and/or use of any prohibited electronic communication device during the administration of statewide assessments. A prohibited electronic device is any device that gives a student a possible unfair advantage due to the capabilities it possesses. 19. A school’s Principal is responsible for the development of procedures and implementation of the policy prohibiting the possession of an electronic devices for students and staff within testing areas at their school site. a. The Principal ensures the policy on the prohibition of electronic devices and the consequences for violations to this policy have been properly disseminated to staff, students, and parents/ guardians. Students and staff shall have a signed electronic device agreement on file. b. The District Test Coordinator, designated technology support staff, and any other testing personnel, as outlined by OSA during DTC training, may have an electronic device in the testing environment to address emergency and/or technological related issues. Test Security Violations and Forensic Data 20. The District Superintendent shall investigate all district reports of alleged violations of test security and/or possible educator misconduct. The findings of all investigations shall be submitted to the OSA. 21.

V.

The Superintendent will be notified by MDE for investigation when data forensic analysis indicates: • statistically significant similar or identical patterns of responses; • anomalous erasures are noted in students' responses; and/or • statistically significant group or individual scores are inconsistent with established patterns of achievement are noted. INVESTIGATION

The Office of Student Assessment follows a systematic procedure to ensure that all evidence indicating possible testing irregularities is investigated. Corrective action will be taken when warranted. A. PROCEDURE FOR INVESTIGATION Identifying and investigating possible testing irregularities involves a variety of data sources. These include formal testing audits, self-reports of testing irregularities, allegations/complaints related to possible testing irregularities, and results of analyses and reports designed to identify possible irregularities, including the percent of students tested, changes in enrollment, score exceptionalities, erasure report results, and missing documents reports during the entire testing window in the district, school, and/or classroom/room where the test was administered.

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APPENDIX F The procedure for handling testing irregularities is repeated for each test administration. The Office of Student Assessment will notify the school district in writing when a possible testing irregularity has been identified. Within fifteen (15) working days following a reported potential irregularity/violation and/or receipt of the written notification from the Office of Student Assessment, the district will submit a written report to the Office of Student Assessment. The Office of Student Assessment reserves the right to conduct an independent investigation. The Office of Student Assessment will evaluate the district report to determine whether the possible testing irregularity has been resolved or the testing irregularity has been verified. If the possible testing irregularity has been resolved, the Office of Student Assessment will notify the district that no further action is required. If a testing irregularity has been verified, the Office of Student Assessment will notify the district superintendent. In the case of any verified testing irregularity that jeopardized or may have jeopardized the security and integrity of the test(s) or the accuracy of the test results, the Office of Student Assessment will report the irregularity to the Office of Accreditation for appropriate action and follow-up. (See CONSEQUENCES.) In the case of improper student behavior supported by a data forensics company and not disproved in the district report, the Office of Student Assessment will respond to the district superintendent with a request on behalf of the State Superintendent of Education that the district superintendent ask for the invalidation of the suspect test scores and prepare for the students with the suspect test scores to participate in the next test administration. If the district refuses to invalidate the suspect scores, the State Superintendent will have the authority to invalidate the scores. In case of an allegation of an irregularity that prompts a need for an investigation by the Mississippi Department of Education and the investigation provides substantial evidence that an irregularity has occurred, the State Superintendent will have the authority to invalidate suspect scores. The district superintendent will be notified of the invalidated suspect scores and of the need to prepare students with the suspect scores to participate in the next test administration. B. PROCEDURES FOR PERSONNEL MISCONDUCT INVESTIGATION If an irregularity that represents misconduct or other breaches of test security on the part of district personnel within a school district is identified, the superintendent of the district will be notified of the irregularity. It is the responsibility of the district to investigate the allegation and report its findings to the Office of Student Assessment. If the Office of Student Assessment concludes that the irregularity was resolved, the district is notified that no further action is necessary. If the Office of Student Assessment concludes that the irregularity was verified, the district superintendent is notified that the Office of Accreditation is being apprised of the finding. In case of an allegation of an irregularity or in the case of statistical analyses that prompt a need for an investigation by the Mississippi Department of Education and the investigation provides substantial evidence that an irregularity has occurred, the State Superintendent will have the authority to invalidate suspect test scores. The district superintendent will be notified of the invalidated suspect scores and of the need to prepare students with the suspect scores to participate in the next test administration. The district superintendent will be notified that the Office of Accreditation is being apprised of the findings. The district attorney may investigate allegations of violations of test security on his own initiative following receipt of allegations, at the request of a school district, or at the request of the Mississippi Department of Education. After a conviction, the personnel in question will be notified in writing that the evidence of conviction will be presented to the Commission on Educator Licensure and that the Commission is required to take action pursuant to the authority granted in Section 37-16-4, Code of 1972, as amended. In the case of improper student behavior supported by the data forensics company and not disproved in the district report, the district superintendent will be asked to request the invalidation of the suspect test scores and prepare for the students with the suspect test scores to participate in the next test administration.

VI.

CONSEQUENCES

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APPENDIX F A.

LETTER OF WARNING If a violation has been verified that did not result in a substantial probability that the security, accuracy, or validity of the test results has been jeopardized, then the Office of Student Assessment may issue a letter of warning to the school district superintendent to be placed in the district and/or school file. Multiple and/or repeated minor violations that indicate the district and/or school has not corrected issues addressed in previous letters of warning or that the district and/or school has continued to be in noncompliance with the numbered issues listed in Requirements (Section IV) may result in a recommendation for a citation to be placed on the accreditation record. (See Section B below.) In the case of improper student behavior supported by the data forensics company and not disproved in the district reports, the district will be asked to request the invalidation of the suspect scores. If the improper student behavior is determined to be isolated to an individual student's or to individual students' behavior and not supported or condoned by the district, the district will not receive a letter of warning. The district will be asked in an official letter by the Office of Student Assessment to put measures in place to address and prevent the possibility of such improper behavior being repeated. However, multiple administrations resulting in suspect scores may result in further investigation by the Office of Student Assessment that may lead to further consequences. (See CONSEQUENCES.)

B.

CITATION PLACED ON THE ACCREDITATION RECORD WITH NO IMMEDIATE ACTION TO DOWNGRADE THE ACCREDITATION STATUS 1. Multiple Letters of Warning Multiple and/or repeated violations as outlined in Section A above may result in a recommendation for a citation to be placed on the district’s Accreditation Record Summary. The Office of Accreditation will note the citation of noncompliance on the district’s accreditation record and notify the superintendent of this action. No immediate action to downgrade the district accreditation status will be recommended. This citation will remain on record until the district has successfully completed the next scheduled administration of the same test for which the irregularity was originally verified. The Office of Student Assessment may recommend to the Commission on School Accreditation that the school’s annual performance classification include the label School in Violation of Test Security.

2.

Substantial Probability That the Security, Accuracy, or Validity of the Test Results Has Been Jeopardized If a verified violation has resulted in a substantial probability that the security, accuracy, or validity of the test results has been jeopardized, the Office of Student Assessment will issue written notification to the district superintendent. The Office of Student Assessment will note the violation on the school and/or district Assessment Record and notify the Office of Accreditation. The Office of Accreditation will note the citation of noncompliance on the district’s accreditation record and notify the superintendent of this action. No immediate action to downgrade the district accreditation status will be recommended. This citation will remain on record until the district has successfully completed the next scheduled administration of the same test for which the irregularity was originally verified. For example, if the citation is issued for the December online and or paper/pencil Subject Area Administration of the Biology Test, the next scheduled administration for the same test will be the December online or paper/pencil Subject Area administration the following year. The Office of Student Assessment may submit a recommendation to the Commission on School Accreditation that the school’s annual performance classification include the label School in Violation of Test Security.

C.

CITATION PLACED ON THE ACCREDITATION RECORD THAT MAY RESULT IN IMMEDIATE ACTION TO DOWNGRADE OF ACCREDITATION STATUS If it is determined that a violation of a testing requirement jeopardizes the security and integrity of the test(s) or the accuracy of test results, the Office of Student Assessment will issue written notification of the violation to the superintendent of the school district and to the Office of Accreditation. The Office of Accreditation will note the citation of noncompliance on the district’s Accreditation Record Summary and notify the superintendent of this action. The citation of noncompliance will be presented to the Commission on School

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APPENDIX F Accreditation for appropriate action. This citation will remain on record until the district has successfully completed the next scheduled administration of the same test for which the irregularity was originally verified. For example, if the citation is issued for the December online and or paper/pencil Subject Area Administration of the Biology Test, the next scheduled administration for the same test will be the December online and or paper/pencil Subject Area administration the following year. The Office of Student Assessment may recommend to the Commission on School Accreditation that the school’s annual performance classification include the label of School in Violation of Test Security.

D. 1.

INVALIDATION OF SCORES Student Retest and Score Invalidation Procedure In the case of findings that reveal misconduct at the district or school level, the State Superintendent of Education may order the local school district to have students retake the examination(s) at the district's expense for all areas in question. Should the local district choose not to have students re-examined to establish validity, the State Superintendent of Education will have the authority to have affected scores invalidated. At such time, the local district will be notified. A school will not receive a school performance classification if the test data have been invalidated, and the school performance classification will be noted as Test Data Invalidated. (See Accreditation Policy 3.3.) In the case that the Office of Student Assessment has requested the district superintendent ask for the invalidation of a student's (or students') suspect scores based upon the analyses by the data forensics company and the district superintendent refuses to do so, the State Superintendent will have the authority to have suspect score(s) invalidated. At such time, the local district will be notified.

2.

Individual Irregularity Procedure If there is evidence that confirms one (1) or more individual testing irregularities on the Subject Area Tests or other tests that have high stakes consequences for individual student(s) resulting in the student or students not being able to graduate in the current school year, the individual(s) in question shall be notified in writing of the irregularity by the district superintendent and given an opportunity to provide an explanation and evidence that the questioned score(s) is/are consistent with other test scores or other academic performance. If retesting of individuals on the test is required and the retesting yields scores that would deny students a diploma or affect promotion/retention decisions after all retesting opportunities have been exhausted, affected individuals will be given an opportunity to appeal to the State Board of Education the decision to invalidate their original scores on the test. No hearing will be granted to any student who has not completed all other requirements for graduation or promotion and exhausted all retake opportunities.

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APPENDIX F Procedure for Handling Possible Testing Irregularities (The procedure for handling testing irregularities is repeated for each test administration.) Test Administration Activities

Analyses of Test Data

Testing Audit Irregularities,

Statistical Irregularities

Self-reported Violations, and

• % of Students Tested

Allegations/Complaints

• Changes in Enrollment

•

Anonymous or Signed

•

Verbal or Written

•

With or Without

• Score Exceptionalities Erasure Report Results Missing Documents Report

Documentary Evidence Initial Notification Office of Student Assessment notifies districts in writing of possible testing irregularity.

15 Working Days

District responds.

Office of Student Assessment evaluates district response. Final Notification

Irregularity Resolved: Office of Student Assessment notifies district that no further action is required.

Irregularity Verified that did not jeopardize the security and integrity of the test(s) or the accuracy of the test results: Office of Student Assessment issues letter of warning to district and/or school with copy to Office of Accreditation.

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Irregularity Verified that did jeopardize the security and integrity of the test(s) or the accuracy of the test results: Office of Student Assessment notifies district and/or school that Office of Accreditation is being notified of findings.

APPENDIX G Effective school year 2024-2025 APPENDIX G is no longer applicable.

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APPENDIX H CONSEQUENCES FOR NONCOMPLIANCE WITH FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIREMENTS STANDARDS 4 AND 5 The Office of Internal Accountability will review the accreditation standards to determine if there is a violation. The following consequences will be implemented for violations of the financial accountability requirements and accreditation standards. A.

LETTER OF WARNING: MINOR ACCOUNTING OR AUDIT VIOLATION

If a violation of financial accountability requirements has been verified, then the Office of Internal Accountability will notify the Office of Accreditation. The Office of Accreditation will issue a letter of warning to the school district and place the letter of warning in the district file. Four (4) consecutive violations of the same process standard reported to the Office of Accreditation will result in a citation placed on the district’s Accreditation Record Summary. (See Section B below.) B. CITATION OF NONCOMPLIANCE ON RECORD WITH NO IMMEDIATE ACTION TO DOWNGRADE THE ACCREDITATION STATUS When four (4) consecutive violations of the same process standard have been verified, then the Office of Internal Accountability will notify the Office of Accreditation. A citation of noncompliance will be placed on the district’s Accreditation Record Summary, and the Office of Accreditation will notify the district superintendent and school board chairperson of this action. No immediate action to downgrade the district’s accreditation status will be recommended. The deficiencies will remain on record until the district has successfully demonstrated compliance with all financial accountability requirements and accreditation standards. If the deficiencies remain on record at the time annual accreditation statuses are assigned, the district’s accreditation status will be downgraded, and the district will be required to develop a corrective action plan to address the deficiencies. Note: Districts that missed the March 31, 2023, deadline for FY2022 audits, will be held harmless for the SY22-23 violation. Any previous violations on record for failure to meet the deadlines established by the Office of the State Auditor will continue to apply and accumulate toward the district’s cumulative record until cleared by the Office of the State Auditor. C. CITATION OF NONCOMPLIANCE ON RECORD WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO IMMEDIATELY DOWNGRADE THE ACCREDITATION STATUS Any verified violations of financial accountability requirements that are considered to be a serious financial condition as defined by the Office of the State Auditor will result in a recommendation to immediately downgrade the district’s accreditation status. When the Office of Internal Accountability has determined that a verified violation of financial accountability requirements is of such serious nature that immediate action is warranted, the Office of Accreditation will be notified. The Office of Accreditation will note the citation of noncompliance on the District’s Accreditation Record Summary and notify the district superintendent and school board chairperson of this action. The citation of noncompliance will be presented to the Commission on School Accreditation with a recommendation to immediately downgrade the District’s accreditation status. Commission Takes Action to Immediately Downgrade the Status. If the Commission takes action to immediately downgrade the accreditation status, the district will be required to develop a corrective action plan to address the deficiencies. The deficiencies will remain on record until the district has successfully demonstrated compliance with all financial accountability requirements and accreditation standards. Commission Does Not Take Action to Downgrade the Status. If the Commission does not take immediate action to downgrade the accreditation status, the deficiencies will remain on the District’s Accreditation Record Summary until the district has successfully demonstrated compliance with all financial accountability requirements and accreditation standards. If the deficiencies remain on record at the time annual accreditation statuses are assigned, the district’s accreditation status will be downgraded, and the District will be required to develop a corrective action plan to address the deficiencies.

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GLOSSARY

The following definitions are established for the purpose of implementing the Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards established by the State Board of Education and authorized under Miss. Code Ann. §§ 37-17-1 through 13 and §§ 37-18-1 through 7. ACADEMIC CORE Required course offerings in which specific skills contained in the Mississippi College- and Career- Readiness Standards and Mississippi Curriculum Frameworks must be taught. Subjects in the academic core are English/language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, world languages, and the arts (dance, media arts, music, theatre, visual arts). ACADEMIC YEAR The amount of time that must be scheduled in the educational calendar and that consists of a minimum of 180 teaching days. See teaching day. Two (2) of the 180 days may be 60% days provided there are 198 minutes of actual instruction, and the remainder of each day is used for professional development and/or testing. ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM The entire process that holds all stakeholders (students, parents, teachers, principals, superintendents, and school boards) accountable for student achievement (growth and achievement). The accountability system includes the statewide assessment system, individual student accountability standards (grade level benchmarks and graduation requirements), an accreditation model that includes a system of rewards and sanctions for both school districts and individual schools, and procedures for interventions in Schools At-Risk and schools that fail to improve over time. ACCREDITATION RECORD SUMMARY A continuous record maintained on each school district in the state reflecting the extent to which accreditation requirements are met and used as the basis for assigning annual accreditation statuses. The Accreditation Record Summary is updated as citations of noncompliance with requirements are added or deleted, and school district officials are notified in writing of such. ACCREDITATION STANDARDS The performance-based accreditation system for public schools that holds school districts accountable for process standards and individual schools accountable for performance standards (growth and achievement). ACCREDITATION STATUS The annual status for a school district assigned by the Commission on School Accreditation and approved by the State Board of Education based on compliance with process standards using verified accreditation data from the previous school year. The accreditation statuses are Accredited, Probation, and Withdrawn. (See Accreditation Policy 2.3.) ADMINISTRATOR Any staff member employed by a school board who is assigned the responsibility for coordinating, directing, supervising, or otherwise administering programs, services, and/or personnel under the auspices of the program, school, or district. ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP®) A program of college level courses and examinations for secondary school students administered by the College Board. High schools providing advanced placement courses must follow guidelines published by the College Board. ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL A public elementary/secondary school that addresses needs of students that typically cannot be met in a regular school, provides nontraditional education, serves as an adjunct to a regular school, and falls outside of the categories of regular education, special education, or career technical education. Students who are placed in an alternative school will remain enrolled in the school they would normally attend if not placed in an alternative school program. Test

110

GLOSSARY

results for students placed in an alternative school program will be reported at the school the student would normally attend. See Miss. Admin. Code 7-3: 36, State Board Policy Chapter 36.

ALLOCATED TIME A scheduled period of time that provides for the achievement of prescribed objectives. The schedule of allocated instructional time should be in written form showing time designated for activities during the school day, week, month, or year. ANNUAL FINANCIAL AUDIT REPORT The report issued at the close of each fiscal year by a private Certified Public Accountant (CPA) under the guidelines of the Office of the State Auditor, and approved by the Office of the State Auditor, bearing the official opinion on the financial statements and internal processes of the school district. ANNUAL PERFORMANCE CLASSIFICATION See School Performance Classification. ASSISTANT TEACHER A school district employee assigned to assist a licensed teacher and who works under the direct supervision of a licensed teacher. ATTENDANCE CENTER A school in a school district that is located on one (1) school site and has one (1) principal administering the educational program for all the grades in the school. BASIC SKILLS Specific learning objectives that represent the most fundamental knowledge in the areas of reading, language arts, and mathematics. CARNEGIE UNIT A standard measure of high school work indicating the minimum amount of time that instruction in a subject has been provided. Awarding of one (1) Carnegie unit indicates that a minimum of 140 hours of instruction has been provided in regular and laboratory classes over a school year; awarding of one-half (½) Carnegie unit indicates that a minimum of 70 hours has been provided. (See Process Standard 13.2 for exceptions.) CLASSROOM A school room in which student instruction takes place. COMPULSORY SCHOOL AGE CHILD A child who has attained or will attain the age of six (6) years on or before September 1 of the calendar year and who has not attained the age of seventeen (17) years on or before September 1 of the calendar year; and shall include any child who has attained or will attain the age of five (5) years on or before September 1 and has enrolled in a full-day public school kindergarten program. Provided, however, that the parent or guardian of any child enrolled in a full-day public school kindergarten program shall be allowed to disenroll the child from the program on a one-time basis, and such child shall not be deemed a compulsory-school-age child until the child attains the age of six (6) years. See Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-91. CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN A plan to correct deficiencies on record that shall be developed by the Mississippi Department of Education, in conjunction with the school district, when a school district is assigned a PROBATION accreditation status. CREDIT RECOVERY

111

GLOSSARY

A course-specific, skill-based learning opportunity for students who have previously been unsuccessful in mastering content/skills required to receive course credit or earn promotion. Any LEA who provides a Credit Recovery Program shall develop and implement a Credit Recovery Program that has been adopted by the schoolboard and that includes rules, regulations, and processes.

CRITERION-REFERENCED TEST (CRT) A test designed to reveal what a student knows, understands, or can do in relation to specific performance objectives. CRTs are used to identify student strengths and weaknesses in terms of specific knowledge or skills that are goals of the instructional program. CURRICULUM The course content listed in the Mississippi College-and Career-Readiness Standards. DEPARTMENTALIZED CLASS A class in which an educator teaches one (1) or more core academic subjects to more than one (1) group of students. DEVELOPMENTAL COURSE A course designed to be taught in any grade 7-12 (or any combination of grades 7-12 served within a school) which does not appear as an approved course in the current edition of the Approved Courses for the Secondary Schools of Mississippi but has received approval to be taught in a school district during the developmental process. DEFICIENCY The failure of a school district to comply with an accreditation requirement. DIRECT INSTRUCTION Act or process in which a teacher is actually guiding (instructing) students toward achieving specific learning objectives. NOTE: As a result of COVID-19, staff time spent on activities necessary to deliver instruction via different learning modes (hybrid, remote, one-on-one virtual) may be considered direct instruction as a part of the teacher workday. DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES Courses utilizing telecommunications technologies including satellites, telephones, and cable-television systems to broadcast instruction from a central site to other classrooms. DISTRICT LEVEL ACCREDITATION The accreditation status of all public school districts based on compliance with process standards as determined annually by the Commission on School Accreditation. Annual accreditation statuses are assigned in the fall of each school year and are based on verified accreditation data from the previous school year. DISTRICT OF TRANSFORMATION A state of emergency in a district declared by the governor which gives the State Board of Education several options for action as described in Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6. DROPOUT A student who leaves a school at any time and for any reason, except death, before graduation or completion of a program of studies and without transferring to another school. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM

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Kindergarten and assistant teacher programs that comply with Mississippi Kindergarten Guidelines and approved by the State Board of Education and published by the Mississippi Department of Education. (See also kindergarten and pre- kindergarten.) EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION Practices and behaviors designed to establish and implement conditions that promote student learning. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Primary, elementary, and intermediate division of the educational system within the school district comprising grades/levels Pre-K through 6 or Pre-K through 8 or any combination of such grades.

ELIGIBLE STUDENTS Students who are required to be tested in the Mississippi Statewide Assessment System. A student may be eligible for testing based on the student’s grade level enrollment in a specific course. All eligible students must be tested. (See Process Standard 22.) ENRICHMENT PROGRAM An academic course with defined objectives, evaluation criteria, and mastery requirements that exposes students to material or instruction that would not otherwise be part of a student's curriculum during the normal sequence of his/her educational experiences. EVALUATION Formal appraisal (assessment) of educational experiences, including the performance of schools, educational programs, personnel, and students. Evaluations are conducted to determine strengths and areas which need improvement and may involve the use of various measurements designed to appraise the effects of educational experiences. EVALUATION TEAM A trained evaluation team assigned to a School At-Risk within fifteen (15) days after notification that the school has been designated as a School At-Risk. The evaluation team shall be independent of the school being evaluated and may include employees of the State Department of Education. The team may include retired educators who have met certain standards and have completed all necessary training. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES School district sponsored student activities that require administrative supervision and student involvement outside the allocated time for instruction. Student participation in extracurricular activities may be noted on the student’s transcript, but academic credit may not be awarded. EXTENDED YEAR PROGRAM A program of instruction offered by the district after the close of the regular academic year that is designed for students who need extra time to complete course objectives/requirements (not ESY provided through special education programs). FAILING SCHOOL A school performance classification based on the Letter Grade achieved by the school. FAILING SCHOOL DISTRICT A district that fails to meet both the absolute student achievement standards and the rate of annual growth expectation standards as set by the State Board of Education for two (2) consecutive years. A school district that has been designated as failing as defined by the State Board of Education shall also establish a community- based

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prekindergarten through higher education council comprised of a broad spectrum of the community and is required to publicly report progress to the community as a whole. (See Miss. Code Ann. § 37-18-5.) (See Process Standard 12.) FINANCIAL EXCHANGE TRANSFER SYSTEM (FETS) The system used to collect financial data from each district at the close of the fiscal year. FRAMEWORKS Competencies (required learning standards for all students) and objectives (learning outcomes indicating how the competencies can be fulfilled) for Career and Technical Education courses approved by the State Board of Education. FULL ACADEMIC YEAR This term refers to (approximately) 70% of the instructional time from the beginning of the school year to the time students are assessed. Only students who have been enrolled in the school for a full academic year (approximately 70%) are included in the Mississippi Statewide Accountability System.

FUNCTIONAL LITERACY SKILLS Specific learning objectives that represent the application of basic skills to everyday life situations and that are tested through the Functional Literacy Examination. GENERAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT (GED) OPTION GED Option is an integral component of a high school curriculum that provides another option to obtain a high school level credential. The GED Option is targeted for a subgroup of students who have the capabilities to complete high school requirements, but for a variety of adjustment and life circumstance obstacles are behind in the credits needed to graduate with their class and are at risk of leaving school without a high school credential. The GED Option provides these students with a viable second opportunity to stay in school and acquire the necessary high school level knowledge and skills to pass the GED Tests and earn a high school diploma/credential within the same time frame as their peers. (See the American Council on Education (ACE) Guidelines.) GENERALLY ACCEPTED AUDITING STANDARDS The rules by which a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) must conduct himself while performing an audit of a company or government entity's financial statements. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants establishes these guidelines. GRADE LEVEL PROFICIENCY STANDARD A performance standard that establishes the percentage of students proficient in each school based on a demonstrated range of performance in relation to content as reflected in the Mississippi Curriculum Frameworks. HALF-TIME Any staff person who devotes 50% of the instructional schedule to the assigned duties. HIGHLY QUALIFIED See the Guidelines for Mississippi Educator Licensure. HIGH SCHOOL The secondary division within the educational system of the school district comprising grades 9-12 or any combination of such grades. HIGHEST LEVELS OF ACCREDITATION STANDARDS

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A school or district with a Letter Grade in the top two (2) ranges of the accountability rating system will be identified as meeting the highest levels of accreditation standards. INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS AUTHORIZED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION Programs of study approved by the Mississippi Board of Education that are designed to provide innovative approaches to teaching and learning. These programs are designed to better prepare students for postsecondary education and direct entry into the workplace. INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF Employees of a school district who are professionally trained and licensed to provide instruction and services to students enrolled in the schools of the district. INVESTIGATIVE EVALUATION (COMPLAINT AGAINST DISTRICT) An evaluation that is conducted in a school district in response to a formal written complaint. All formal complaints made against schools or districts must be submitted to the Commission in writing and bear the signature of the individual(s) filing the complaint. The written complaint shall contain specific details concerning alleged violations. When the complaint is received, the superintendent is notified in writing of the nature of the complaint and informed that the district is subject to an unannounced audit to investigate the allegations. If the complaint addresses an area over which the Commission has no authority, the individual filing the complaint is notified. (See Accreditation Policy 5.0)

KINDERGARTEN That portion of the elementary school serving children who have reached the age of five (5) years on or before September 1. KINDERGARTEN INSTRUCTIONAL DAY At this level, the school day. (For specific requirements, see the current edition of the Mississippi Kindergarten Guidelines.) LABORATORY Room or rooms basically/appropriately equipped and used by students for the supervised study of some branch of science or the application of scientific principles. LEARNING CENTER An area in the kindergarten classroom that contains a collection of materials and activities to introduce, teach, reinforce, and/or enrich a skill or concept. LEARNING CENTER ACTIVITIES Activities housed in the kindergarten learning centers that promote student participation through developmentally appropriate instructional techniques. LEARNING OBJECTIVES Statements of what a student will know, feel, or do when a course is completed. LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER A specially designed space in each school equipped for centrally housing an organized collection of materials and equipment representing a broad range of current learning media, including instructional technology. The facility contains areas for individualized study and for large and small group instruction. The facility is organized and administered to function as a learning laboratory where the use of all media is purposeful, planned, and integrated with the educational program and instructional processes of the school. (See Mississippi School Library Media Guide.)

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LIBRARY RESOURCES Includes all print materials, non-print materials, and other current multimedia resources and technologies that meet the curriculum goals, needs, and interests of the school community. LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY (LEA) A local education agency is any one (1) of the 144 public school districts in Mississippi. LOWEST PERFORMANCE LEVEL OF ACCREDITATION STANDARDS A school or district that is identified as failing after one (1) year or identified as at-risk of failing or low performing for two (2) consecutive years will be identified as accredited at the lowest performance levels. MIDDLE SCHOOL A school with any configuration of intermediate grades 4-8 whose principal may be licensed as an elementary school administrator or a secondary school administrator. MISSION STATEMENT A school district's statement of purpose that is used in strategic planning as the basis for educational decisions. MISSISSIPPI STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM A program of statewide assessment designed to improve the operation and management of public schools by providing educators, parents, students, legislators, and the general public with meaningful achievement data from the school, district, and state levels. The program consists of two (2) components: (1) a norm-referenced achievement testing program to be administered in selected grades and (2) a criterion-referenced testing program which assesses basic skills and knowledge and application of selected high school subjects.

NORM-REFERENCED TEST (NRT) A test that provides information about the performance of examinees relative to other examinees. A norm- referenced test yields a measure of relative performance of the individual or group by comparison with the performance of other individuals or groups taking the same test. ONLINE COURSE Instruction delivered via the Internet. ON-SITE Any geographical location selected by the local professional development committee for a professional development activity as planned by the school district and provided during contractual time at the school district’s expense. ON-SITE EVALUATIONS On-site evaluations or investigations of a school district that the State Board of Education, the State Superintendent of Education, or the Commission on School Accreditation has the authority to call at any time. If deficiencies are found in meeting accreditation standards, the superintendent is notified in writing and given thirty (30) days from the receipt of notification to provide a written response. The report of findings is filed in the current accreditation records in the Office of Accreditation. (See Accreditation Policy 5.0) PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Standards for individual schools and districts based on student achievement data using established proficiency levels and a reasonable expectation for annual growth in student achievement. Output or product standards that address selected components of the statewide testing program and other outcome measures related to the performance of a school or district.

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PERSONNEL ACCREDITATION DATA REPORTING SYSTEM School district employee information required by the Mississippi Department of Education on an annual basis. This information is transmitted electronically, reflects the daily schedule of each employee, and is used to determine district compliance with a number of accreditation standards. PHYSICAL EDUCATION The instructional requirements for physical education are specified in the Fitness through Physical Education Framework. Elective units for graduation include participation in interscholastic athletic activities that meet the instructional requirements specified in the Fitness through Physical Education Framework and that are sanctioned by the Mississippi High School Activities Association. Beginning with school year 2008-2009 (seniors of 2011-2012), onehalf (½) Carnegie unit in physical education is required for graduation. PLANNING PERIOD An unencumbered period of time during the teaching day or week required for each classroom teacher except career technical teachers who teach in time blocks of fifty (50) minutes or more. (See Process Standard 24.) POLICY A statement of official intent adopted by the school board and recorded as official action in school board minutes. The school district must comply with all school board policies. PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM Instructional program serving children who have reached the age of four (4) years on or before September 1. PRINCIPAL The individual who is responsible for the total program of a school and who holds valid and appropriate administrator certification. PROBATION STATUS An accreditation status assigned to a district that complies with fewer than 100% of the Accreditation Policies and Process Standards. The district will be required to develop a corrective action plan to address the deficiencies. (See Accreditation Policy 2.8) PROCEDURE A statement of processes by which policies, regulations, and standards are carried out. PROCESS STANDARDS Input standards that address accepted educational principles and practices believed to promote educational quality. See Accreditation Policy 2.2. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT The growth-promoting learning process that empowers stakeholders (teachers, administrators, staff, and other school personnel) to improve the educational organization. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR EDUCATORS As part of the school improvement plan for a School At-Risk, the professional development plan that is prepared and implemented in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-18-7 for those school administrators, teachers, or other employees who are identified by the evaluation team as needing improvement. PROFESSIONAL STAFF Any employee of the school district whose assigned duties require state licensure.

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PROFICIENCY An established criterion level based on the demonstrated range of performance in relation to content as reflected in the Mississippi College-and Career-Readiness Standards. PUBLIC NOTICE After a state of emergency has been declared for a school district, the public notice that the Commission on School Accreditation files at least once a week for at least three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper published within the immediate or general vicinity of the affected school district in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6(12). REMEDIAL INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS Programs designed to provide interventions and supports for students who have been unsuccessful in mastering content/skills. SCALED SCORE A transformation of the raw score to have a desired mean and standard deviation for ease of interpretation. Scaled scores provide meaningful year-to-year comparisons, but they cannot be used across subject areas or subtests. Scaled scores represent approximately equal units on a continuous scale. Therefore, a difference of five (5) points between two (2) students’ scores represents the same amount of difference in performance wherever it occurs on the scale. Scaled scores can be designed to have any range and midpoint (e.g., 200 through 500, with a midpoint of 350). SCHOOL An institution that exists for the purpose of teaching school-aged children, consists of one (1) physical plant located on one (1) school site, includes instructional staff members and students, and is in session each school year. SCHOOL AT-RISK A school level performance classification. Previously defined as priority schools. A school shall be identified as a School At-Risk and in need of assistance if the school: (a) does not meet its growth expectation and has a percentage of students functioning below grade level as designated by the State Board of Education; (b) is designated as a Failing School; or (c) is designated as At-Risk of Failing or Low Performing for two (2) consecutive years. SCHOOL BOARD As used in this document, the policy-making body of a public school district. SCHOOL DAY That portion of the calendar day which includes the teaching day, intermissions, and any additional time included in the employee contract. School day defines the normal working day for employees. SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELOR School guidance counselors shall provide comprehensive counseling services, including the following: academic and personal/social counseling; student assessment and assessment counseling; career and educational counseling; individual and group counseling; crisis intervention and preventive counseling; referrals to community agencies; educational consultations and collaboration with teachers, administrators, parents, and community leaders; educational and career placement services; follow-up counseling services; conflict resolution; and other counseling duties or other duties as assigned by the school principal. No individual shall be employed as a school guidance counselor without a minimum of a master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling, or in an emergency situation, an appropriate certification as determined by the Commission on Educator Licensure. School guidance counselors shall abide by the American School Counselor Association Code of Ethics. (See Miss. Code Ann. § 37-9-79.) SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN A plan that a School At-Risk is required to develop based on the findings of the evaluation team report and the results of a public meeting. The Mississippi Department of Education and evaluation team leader shall assist the school

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principal and other local school officials in the development of a school improvement plan. A local parents/citizens advisory council shall be established by the evaluation team at the school to provide input and guidance into the development of the school improvement plan and its evaluation. The school improvement plan shall be developed and approved by the principal of the School At-Risk, the superintendent of the local school district, the local school board, and a majority of the teachers at the school. SCHOOL PERFORMANCE CLASSIFICATION A classification assigned to a school based on student achievement and growth. (See Accreditation Policy 3.3.) SCHOOL SAFETY PLAN The foundation document a school uses to maintain a safe and secure educational environment. SECONDARY SCHOOL A school that contains any or all of grades 9 through 12 and may include grades 7 and 8. SELF-CONTAINED CLASS A classroom in which an educator teaches all core subjects to a group of students. SHOW CAUSE HEARING The hearing that the Commission on School Accreditation conducts to allow the officials of the affected district to present evidence or other reasons as to why the accredited status should not be withdrawn. This occurs before the Commission recommends to the State Board of Education that the accredited status of a district be withdrawn in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. § 37-17-6(11)(a). SPECIAL DIPLOMA OR CERTIFICATE Upon meeting all applicable requirements prescribed by the district school board, students with disabilities shall be awarded a special diploma in a form prescribed by the state board. Any such student who meets all special requirements of the district school board for his exceptionality but is unable to meet the appropriate special state minimum requirements, shall be awarded a special certificate of completion in a form prescribed by the state board. See Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-11. SPECIAL SCHOOL A school that serves students with disabilities in accordance with Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and applicable state statutes and regulations.

SPECIAL TEST AUDITS Audits that include reports regarding potential testing irregularities or test security violations and audits that are regularly conducted on-site before, during, and following scheduled assessments to promote the integrity and security of the Mississippi Assessment System. STANDARD DIPLOMA A standard high school diploma is awarded to a student who has met all the requirements established by the local board of education and by the State Board of Education. (See Miss. Code Ann. § 37-16-7.) STANDARDS Criteria by which school districts and schools are assessed. The two (2) types of standards used in the performancebased accreditation system are performance classifications (A-F grading system for districts and schools) and process (Accreditation status assignments for districts). STATEWIDE TESTING PROGRAM

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See Mississippi Statewide Assessment System. STUDENT ACTIVITIES School district sponsored activities which require administrative supervision and student involvement during the teaching day. (See teaching day.) Student participation in extracurricular activities may be noted on the student's transcript, but academic credit may not be awarded. STUDENT SUPPORT PERSONNEL A professional qualified to offer student support services (e.g., psychologist, guidance counselor, social worker, psychometrist, etc.). STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAM A program of activities designed to assist and/or complement instructional activities for all students through the following types of activities: planned counseling, consultation, student appraisal, diagnosis, remediation, and follow up. SUBJECT AREA A division or field of organized knowledge for which state curriculum guidelines have been prepared. SUBJECT AREA TESTS End-of-course assessments which measure content knowledge in the subject areas of Algebra I, English II, Biology, and U.S. History from 1877. Note: Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, the US History end-of-course assessment will no longer be administered. SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM A program of instruction offered by the district during the summer months after the close of the regular academic year. The program of instruction is designed for students who need extra time to complete course requirements and/or for students who wish to enroll in new courses/subjects. SUPERINTENDENT The school board employee who is responsible for administering the operations and activities of schools within the district and for implementing the decisions of the school board. The superintendent holds a valid Class AA license in school administration. SUPERVISOR An individual who provides direct assistance to instructional and support staff and who holds a valid Class AA license in supervision or administration. SUPPLEMENTAL COURSE A supplemental course is an additional educational course designed to provide extra learning opportunities, support or reinforcement to help students better understand or master a subject. These courses typically complement regular coursework and are often used to fill gaps in knowledge, review content, or offer specialized learning in a specific area. SUPPORT STAFF Persons employed by an educational organization to provide services to students and staff. TEACHER Any person employed by the school district who is required by law to obtain a teacher's license from the State Board of Education and who is assigned an instructional area of work as defined by the Mississippi Department of Education

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(e.g., employment in an official capacity for the purpose of imparting knowledge, skills, information, and ideas to students in an instructional setting). (See Miss. Code Ann. § 37-19-1.) TEACHING DAY A day in which a minimum of 330 minutes of instruction and/or evaluation and/or district approved group testing is provided. TEST AUDITS See Special Test Audits. TEXTBOOK Any medium or manual of instruction which contains a systematic presentation of the principles of a subject, and which constitutes a major instructional vehicle for that subject. Whenever any book under contract is displaced by a new adoption, the board may continue to require the schools to use the recently purchased books from any previous adoption; however, such period of use shall not exceed four (4) years. See Miss. Code Ann. §37-43-31(2) and refer to the current edition of the Textbook Administration Handbook Rules and Regulations. UNQUALIFIED OPINION An opinion is said to be unqualified when the auditor concludes that the financial statements give a true and fair view in accordance with the financial reporting framework used for the preparation and presentation of the financial statements. This type of report is issued by an auditor when the financial statements presented are free of material misstatements and are represented fairly in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). WITHDRAWN STATUS The status of a school district when the accreditation of the school district is withdrawn due to noncompliance with its corrective action plan or as a result of action taken by the Commission on School Accreditation. The status is listed as “Withdrawn Not Accredited” and the record of that district will continue to be maintained. See Accreditation Policy 2.3.

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