As the next school year approaches, there is good news for the Vicksburg Warren School District after the Mississippi Department of Education recently released the results of the kindergarten and pre-K assessments for the last school year.

According to MDE, VWSD scored 697 for the 2017-18 school year, which is 16 points higher than the state benchmark score of 681.

The assessments are given twice during the school year, in the fall and spring semesters.

VWSD Superintendent Chad Shealy was very pleased with the results, noting the average pre-K score increased by more than 150 points from the beginning of the year and the average kindergarten score increased more than 180 points from the fall to the spring.

“The board’s decision to invest in the pre-K continues to pay off and our students are entering kindergarten more prepared and ready to learn,” Shealy said. 

According to MDE, the test “evaluates skills such as the ability to recognize letters and match letters to their sounds and a student’s recognition that print flows from left to right.”

The state average for the fall kindergarten test was 504, and it jumped to 710 in the spring. VWSD scored 517 in the fall and gained 180 points on the spring test.

MDE said kindergarteners who hit the target of 681 should be on a solid path to meet third-grade reading requirements.

All elementary schools within the Vicksburg Warren School District exceeded the 681 score, except for two — Redwood Elementary hit 680 and South Park Elementary scored 658.

Warrenton and Bovina elementary schools had the top two scores in the district at 724 and 723, respectively.

Students who scored between 675 and 774 have “mastered alphabet skills and letter sound relationships,” according to the testing criteria. “The student can identify many beginning and ending consonant sounds and long and short vowels, and is probably able to blend sounds and word parts to read simple words.”

The VWSD also did well in the Pre-Kindergarten Readiness Assessment, which was conducted on all state-funded pre-K programs for 4-year-olds. The state benchmark was 498 and VWSD cleared that easily with a scored of 580, which was 154 points higher than the fall score and 30 points higher than the state average.

All VWSD elementary schools with pre-K programs scored above the state benchmark.

Bovina Elementary lead the school district with a score of 671, more than 200 points higher than their fall score. Warrenton Elementary was next at 618.

A score of at least 530 is considered achieving a mastery of the Mississippi State Standards.

“This year, the district expects 300 pre-K students in 15 classrooms throughout the district,” Shealy said. “The job these teachers have is so important as they give our children the foundation they need for academic success. I am extremely proud of the work that our teachers and administrators are doing to ensure bright futures for our students.”

 

Pre-Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Results

Benchmark for 2016-2018 is 498. 67% of Mississippi students scored at or above the 498 benchmark in the state

State average: 2016 – 552; 2017 – 549; 2018 – 550

VWS District Average

Fall: 426

Spring: 580

Total Gain: 154

Spring Test Takers: 309

Here’s how VWSD schools scored on the 2018 Fall and Spring Pre-Kindergarten Readiness Assessment and their total gain

Beechwood Elementary

Fall: 414

Spring: 528

Total Gain: 114

Spring Test Takers: 77

Bovina Elementary

Fall: 462

Spring: 671

Total Gain: 209

Spring Test Takers: 19

Dana Road Elementary

Fall: 430

Spring: 601

Total Gain: 171

Spring Test Takers: 76

Redwood Elementary

Fall: 411

Spring: 601

Total Gain: 190

Spring Test Takers: 39

Sherman Avenue Elementary

Fall: 432

Spring: 556

Total Gain: 124

Spring Test Takers: 59

South Park Elementary

Fall: 439

Spring: 604

Total Gain: 165

Spring Test Takers: 20

Warrenton Elementary

Fall: 424

Spring: 618

Total Gain: 194

Spring Test Takers: 19

Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Results

Benchmark for Spring 2016-2018 is 681. 65% of Mississippi students scored at or above the 681 benchmark in the state

State average: 2016 – 703; 2017 – 710; 2018 – 710

VWS District Average

Fall: 517

Spring: 697

Total Gain: 180

Spring Test Takers: 549

Here’s how VWSD schools scored on the 2018 Fall and Spring Kindergarten Readiness Assessment and their total gain

Beechwood Elementary

Fall: 499

Spring: 696

Total Gain: 197

Spring Test Takers: 81

Bovina Elementary

Fall: 519

Spring: 723

Total Gain: 204

Spring Test Takers: 46

Bowmar Elementary

Fall: 595

Spring: 718

Total Gain: 123

Spring Test Takers: 73

Dana Road Elementary

Fall: 500

Spring: 699

Total Gain: 199

Spring Test Takers: 113

Redwood Elementary

Fall: 527

Spring: 680

Total Gain: 153

Spring Test Takers: 40

Sherman Avenue Elementary

Fall: 497

Spring: 687

Total Gain: 190

Spring Test Takers: 109

South Park Elementary

Fall: 492

Spring: 658

Total Gain: 166

Spring Test Takers: 50

Warrenton Elementary

Fall: 528

Spring: 724

Total Gain: 196

Spring Test Takers: 37