Kindergarten readiness scores remain low in 2015

Only about a third of Mississippi kindergartners were prepared to start school this fall, and only eight of the Coast's elementary schools out of 51 had average test scores deemed kindergarten ready.

The kindergarten assessment results, released Thursday by the state Department of Education, were strikingly similar to those of 2014, the first time the state administered the test.

In 2015, 36.2 percent of students scored a 530 or above, the cutoff score established by the state as a minimum for kindergarten readiness. In 2014, that number was 34.6 percent.

Statewide, less than 1 percent of the 37,512 students who took the test achieved a score placing them in the "probable reader" category, meaning they are becoming proficient at recognizing words and can "blend sounds and word parts to read words and sentences more quickly, smoothly and independently" than others.

Less than 5 percent of students scored as "transitional readers," meaning they have mastered alphabet skills and letter-sound relationships but are still using a variety of strategies to figure out words, such as pictures, story patterns and phonics.

The remainder of the students were equally split between those who can identify most letters and match them to sounds and those who are just beginning to understand that printed text has meaning.

Educators have said having children ready for kindergarten is a crucial first step in preparing them for success later in their educational careers. Falling behind early affects students' ability to learn to read, which in turn affects their performance in every other subject.

Districts across the Coast and state, as well as state officials, have responded by increasing programs to help kindergartners who fall behind.

In May, the same children who took the first 2014 assessment were tested again and 56 percent were deemed ready for first grade. More than 90 percent achieved a score that was considered ready for kindergarten.

Statewide ACT scores

The Education Department on Thursday also released the first round of statewide ACT scores. This is the first year the ACTs have served as the statewide assessment for high school juniors.

The state average was 17.6. Fourteen of the 16 Coast high schools averaged better than that and one of the remaining schools averaged a 17.

Gulfport performed best, with an average score of 21. Long Beach and Ocean Springs high schools had average scores of 20.7 and 20.5 respectively.

This story was originally published December 18, 2015 at 8:20 PM with the headline "Kindergarten readiness scores remain low in 2015 ."