Celebrating Academic Excellence in Oxford and Lafayette County
In a fantastic development for education in Oxford and Lafayette County, both school districts have received impressive A grades from the Mississippi Department of Education for the 2023-2024 school year! Isn’t that exciting? Released just yesterday, these rankings are based on accountability results that reflect how well students performed in their studies.
A Strong Showing in Lafayette County
The Lafayette County School District shone brightly this year with a total score of 738 points, marking it as the 16th highest district in all of Mississippi. Notably, every single school within the district earned an A grade as well. We can take pride in our local schools as Lafayette High School scored an impressive 799, while the other schools in the district scored commendably: Lafayette Upper Elementary with 454, Lafayette Elementary School with 524, and Lafayette Middle School with 493.
Superintendent Jay Foster explained, “After the previous historic year, we wanted to focus on consistency; maintaining the same level of excellence in our classrooms. We studied and visited many districts known for their continued high scores, and we learned and implemented some techniques in our curriculum and classroom. We are happy to know the effort is paying off.”
Oxford’s A-Grade Performance
Down the road in Oxford, the Oxford School District also achieved an excellent overall score of 732, placing it among the top 20 districts in the state. Here, the scores were also noteworthy, with Oxford High School earning 786, Oxford Early Childhood Center and Bramlett Elementary both hitting 515, Della Davidson with 513, and Central Elementary at 486. The Oxford Middle School and Oxford Intermediate received B ratings with scores of 411 and 423 respectively.
Superintendent Bradley Roberson expressed his pride, “I am incredibly proud to share that Oxford School District remains an A district—an achievement we’ve maintained every year since the current accountability model has been in existence.” The commitment and dedication from educators have really made a difference, especially since the pandemic. According to Roberson, “These results demonstrate the power of continuous improvement and the unwavering commitment of our educators to meet the needs of every student.”
Measuring Success with Accountability Grades
But what exactly goes into earning these A grades? Schools receive points for various factors, including overall performance on statewide tests, growth from year to year, graduation rates, and how well they support their lowest-achieving students in improving their skills in key subjects like reading, math, history, and science.
In the Lafayette County School District, the statistics are very encouraging: 54.5% of students are proficient in reading, 72.9% in math, 85.8% in history, and 75.1% in science, all with a graduation rate of 89.6%. Similarly, the Oxford School District reported that 62.1% of students are proficient in reading, 69.4% in math, 85.5% in history, and 73.3% in science, boasting an impressive graduation rate of 90.4%.
A Bright Future Ahead
As we look to the future, it’s clear that Oxford and Lafayette County schools are on a great path. With their commitment to academic excellence and continuous improvement, there’s a lot to celebrate in our community. So let’s keep the spirit of achievement alive as we support our local schools and the incredible educators who work hard every day to ensure our students shine!
