Superintendents in the Brookhaven and Lincoln County school districts both say preliminary reviews of the results of the Mississippi Assessment Program testing show their students are on track with students across the state.

The Mississippi Department of Education released the results Thursday. Tests were taken in May.

MAP is a statewide assessment created in collaboration with Mississippi teachers. MAP, which assesses student performance in English language arts and mathematics in grades 3-8, English II and Algebra I, measures students’ progress toward higher academic goals that equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in jobs and college.

Overall, students’ test scores in most school districts remained stable or improved from 2014-15 to 2015-16 as they transitioned from previous assessments to MAP assessments. Statewide, the percentage of students scoring in Level 1 – the lowest achievement level – dropped in mathematics and English language arts while the students scoring in Level 5 – the advanced level – increased when comparing MAP results to test results from the 2014-15 school year.

Mississippi students took the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) test in the 2014-15 school year. Since the state is no longer a member of PARCC, it developed its own assessments for the 2015-16 school year.

Brookhaven School District Superintendent Ray Carlock said that since the MAP tests have only been given once, the results don’t paint a true picture of growth or proficiency. It will be next May, when students take the MAP tests again, that they’ll be able to use the results.

Next year, third-graders’ results will be compared to this year’s numbers, and they’ll also be able to compare the third-graders’ test scores from last year to the scores on the tests taken by those same students as fourth-graders, Carlock said.

That will give them a much better idea of how to change teacher instruction to improve the results.

But that’s a year away.

For now, Carlock said they’ll use the results as a guide to determine how they might be able to improve classroom instruction. The results will tell administrators what percentage of students tested at which level. “We’ve got to do what it takes to get better and this is what they’ve given us to work with,” he said.

Lincoln County School District Superintendent Mickey Myers said the results released Thursday “gives us a wealth of numbers to crunch.”

And even though their percentages district-wide were mostly on par with the state, there’s always room for improvement. He said he’d like to see high percentages of students scoring in the proficient and advanced levels.

State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carey Wright said she was pleased with the results because it shows that teachers are focusing on instruction that meets the standards. “I am proud of the hard work happening in classrooms across the state as teachers and administrators work to prepare students with the skills and knowledge they need for successful futures. The results identify where students are doing well and where they need additional support in order to meet grade-level expectations,” she said.

Students scoring at Level 4 (proficient) or 5 (advanced), the top two performance categories, are meeting or exceeding grade-level expectations. The scores suggest that students have a thorough understanding of grade-level content and are on the right track to being ready for college-level coursework.

Students scoring at Level 3 (passing) demonstrate a general mastery of the knowledge and skills required for success in the grade or course, and they are approaching expectations for that grade or course.  Students scoring a Level 1 (minimal) or 2 (basic) need more assistance in learning the content and are in need of greater supports.

“We have a lot of students in Level 3, approaching proficiency, in both math and ELA. That tells me that we have room for growth and with additional supports for teachers and students. With additional supports, I believe we will see more students reach proficiency,” Wright said.

Parents will receive their students’ score reports for the 2015-2016 school year’s assessments in the fall. Each student’s score report will indicate the students’ performance level. In future years, parents will receive score reports close to the end of the school year in which testing took place.

Here are the results of the Mississippi Assessment Program testing, which the Mississippi Department of Education released Thursday, for Brookhaven and Lincoln County school districts as well as the state.

Grade 3 English Language Arts

Brookhaven School District – Minimal: 12.9 percent, Basic: 29.6 percent, Passing: 30.4 percent, Proficient: 23.3 percent, Advanced: 3.8 percent

Lincoln County School District – Minimal: 5.2 percent, Basic: 20.9 percent, Passing: 36.9 percent, Proficient: 32.8 percent, Advanced: 4.1 percent

Mississippi – Minimal: 9.4 percent, Basic: 25.7 percent, Passing: 32.8 percent, Proficient: 27.3 percent, Advanced: 4.8 percent

 

Grade 4 English Language Arts

Brookhaven School District – Minimal: 12.2 percent, Basic: 24.4 percent, Passing: 36.7 percent, Proficient: 24.0 percent, Advanced: 2.7 percent

Lincoln County School District – Minimal: 3.0 percent, Basic: 22.9 percent, Passing: 34.2 percent, Proficient: 37.2 percent, Advanced: 2.6 percent

Mississippi – Minimal: 7.0 percent, Basic: 27.3 percent, Passing: 33.1 percent, Proficient: 29.4 percent, Advanced: 3.2 percent

 

Grade 5 English Language Arts

Brookhaven School District – Minimal: 21.3 percent, Basic: 22.9 percent, Passing: 28.8 percent, Proficient: 22.9 percent, Advanced: 4.2 percent

Lincoln County School District – Minimal: 8.5 percent, Basic: 16.9 percent, Passing: 38.1 percent, Proficient: 28.0 percent, Advanced: 8.5 percent

Mississippi – Minimal: 13.5 percent, Basic: 18.2 percent, Passing: 34.2 percent, Proficient: 28.2 percent, Advanced: 5.9 percent

 

Grade 6 English Language Arts

Brookhaven School District – Minimal: 26.6 percent, Basic: 23.8 percent, Passing: 23.8 percent, Proficient: 18.7 percent, Advanced: 7.0 percent

Lincoln County School District – Minimal: 5.5 percent, Basic: 24.9 percent, Passing: 31.6 percent, Proficient: 27.0 percent, Advanced: 11.0 percent

Mississippi – Minimal: 16.3 percent, Basic: 24.0 percent, Passing: 30.5 percent, Proficient: 21.7 percent, Advanced: 7.5 percent

 

Grade 7 English Language Arts

Brookhaven School District – Minimal: 16.0 percent, Basic: 26.6 percent, Passing: 38.8 percent, Proficient: 13.3 percent, Advanced: 5.3 percent

Lincoln County School District – Minimal: 8.4 percent, Basic: 18.0 percent, Passing: 42.0 percent, Proficient: 22.0 percent, Advanced: 9.6 percent

Mississippi – Minimal: 9.9 percent, Basic: 23.2 percent, Passing: 37.8 percent, Proficient: 20.8 percent, Advanced: 8.3 percent

 

Grade 8 English Language Arts

Brookhaven School District – Minimal: 14.6 percent, Basic: 22.0 percent, Passing: 36.6 percent, Proficient: 21.5 percent, Advanced: 5.4 percent

Lincoln County School District – Minimal: 10.1 percent, Basic: 15.4 percent, Passing: 46.3 percent, Proficient: 21.6 percent, Advanced: 6.6 percent

Mississippi – Minimal: 13.6 percent, Basic: 17.0 percent, Passing: 36.1 percent, Proficient: 25.5 percent, Advanced: 7.8 percent

 

English II

Brookhaven School District – Minimal: 8.8 percent, Basic: 25.3 percent, Passing: 31.5 percent, Proficient: 27.5 percent, Advanced: 7.0 percent

Lincoln County School District – Minimal: 4.5 percent, Basic: 16.0 percent, Passing: 36.9 percent, Proficient: 37.7 percent, Advanced: 4.9 percent

Mississippi – Minimal: 10.9 percent, Basic: 21.9 percent, Passing: 30.1 percent, Proficient: 29.3 percent, Advanced: 7.9 percent

 

Grade 3 Mathematics

Brookhaven School District – Minimal: 13.8 percent, Basic: 37.2 percent, Passing: 35.1 percent, Proficient: 9.6 percent, Advanced: 4.2 percent

Lincoln County School District – Minimal: 3.7 percent, Basic: 25.0 percent, Passing: 42.9 percent, Proficient: 21.6 percent, Advanced: 6.7 percent

Mississippi – Minimal: 8.7 percent, Basic: 26.0 percent, Passing: 32.6 percent, Proficient: 25.6 percent, Advanced: 7.2 percent

 

Grade 4 Mathematics

Brookhaven School District – Minimal: 8.1 percent, Basic: 33.9 percent, Passing: 32.6 percent, Proficient: 20.8 percent, Advanced: 4.5 percent

Lincoln County School District – Minimal: 4.8 percent, Basic: 25.5 percent, Passing: 32.9 percent, Proficient: 29.0 percent, Advanced: 7.8 percent

Mississippi – Minimal: 7.7 percent, Basic: 26.4 percent, Passing: 33.7 percent, Proficient: 25.6 percent, Advanced: 6.6 percent

 

Grade 5 Mathematics

Brookhaven School District – Minimal: 14.6 percent, Basic: 38.3 percent, Passing: 27.9 percent, Proficient: 16.7 percent, Advanced: 2.5 percent

Lincoln County School District – Minimal: 4.2 percent, Basic: 20.3 percent, Passing: 50.4 percent, Proficient: 18.2 percent, Advanced: 6.8 percent

Mississippi – Minimal: 7.5 percent, Basic: 22.7 percent, Passing: 39.9 percent, Proficient: 21.6 percent, Advanced: 8.3 percent

 

Grade 6 Mathematics

Brookhaven School District – Minimal: 10.3 percent, Basic: 28.0 percent, Passing: 32.7 percent, Proficient: 22.4 percent, Advanced: 6.5 percent

Lincoln County School District – Minimal: 5.5 percent, Basic: 32.8 percent, Passing: 38.2 percent, Proficient: 21.4 percent, Advanced: 2.1 percent

Mississippi – Minimal: 7.7 percent, Basic: 25.3 percent, Passing: 34.5 percent, Proficient: 27.1 percent, Advanced: 5.4 percent

 

Grade 7 Mathematics

Brookhaven School District – Minimal: 9.6 percent, Basic: 33.0 percent, Passing: 36.2 percent, Proficient: 20.7 percent, Advanced: 0.5 percent

Lincoln County School District – Minimal: 9.2 percent, Basic: 31.9 percent, Passing: 37.1 percent, Proficient: 21.9 percent, Advanced: 0.0 percent

Mississippi – Minimal: 6.3 percent, Basic: 25.4 percent, Passing: 34.1 percent, Proficient: 28.6 percent, Advanced: 5.5 percent

 

Grade 8 Mathematics

Brookhaven School District – Minimal: 12.3 percent, Basic: 24.0 percent, Passing: 34.3 percent, Proficient: 22.5 percent, Advanced: 6.9 percent

Lincoln County School District – Minimal: 8.8 percent, Basic: 36.1 percent, Passing: 35.2 percent, Proficient: 18.5 percent, Advanced: 1.3 percent

Mississippi – Minimal: 8.3 percent, Basic: 29.0 percent, Passing: 31.8 percent, Proficient: 24.5 percent, Advanced: 6.4 percent

 

Algebra I

Brookhaven School District – Minimal: 7.6 percent, Basic: 39.1 percent, Passing: 37.0 percent, Proficient: 14.9 percent, Advanced: 1.5 percent

Lincoln County School District – Minimal: 3.6 percent, Basic: 33.5 percent, Passing: 39.0 percent, Proficient: 23.5 percent, Advanced: 0.4 percent

Mississippi – Minimal: 4.7 percent, Basic: 30.8 percent, Passing: 38.4 percent, Proficient: 22.3 percent, Advanced: 3.8 percent