State board starts public comment on consolidated plan, shifts accountability points and removes US history end‑of‑course from graduation testing

At its April 17 meeting the Mississippi State Board of Education approved three related items that change how school accountability and high school graduation requirements are measured.

The board voted to approve edits to the Mississippi Public Schools Accountability Standards and related nonpublic standards after public comment (Item 1), to release consolidated state plan amendments for Administrative Procedures Act (APA) public comment (Item 2), and to remove the U.S. history end‑of‑course test as a graduation requirement (Item 3). Together, the actions shift the assessment points previously allocated to the U.S. history exam into a newly expanded Mississippi readiness component of the accountability model.

Wendy Clemons of the Office of Secondary Education presented the proposed standards and described clarifications made after public comment, including corrections and operational details for a new “Bridge to Career” portfolio exhibit. Clemons noted the portfolio would begin in the 2025–26 school year, be limited to second‑semester seniors, require an 83% attendance threshold across junior and senior years, and use a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 for eligibility. She told the board the attendance threshold equates to about 61.2 days of allowable absence across junior and senior years.

Dr. Vanderford, who led the consolidated plan presentation, said the most substantial change is the expansion of the Mississippi readiness index to include employment, enrollment and enlistment measures — an effort to give more weight to college- and career-readiness outcomes. “The biggest change, is around the new Mississippi readiness component,” he told the board.

Staff and the accountability task force recommended transferring the 50 points previously in the model for U.S. history proficiency into the readiness index so the model better reflects college and career acceleration. Paula Columbus explained the board would maintain the U.S. history course and Carnegie unit requirement but would no longer require the state U.S. history end‑of‑course assessment as a graduation gate. “The proposal…is to not require the continued administration of the US History test as a high school end of course graduation requirement,” she said.

Board members asked about academic rigor and whether course grades and district finals would continue to demonstrate content mastery. Presenters said districts would still teach and grade U.S. history and that remediation opportunities remain for students who are deficient on required assessments. Staff emphasized the decision removes one state‑level test requirement but does not eliminate the course or local district assessment practices.

Procedurally, the board approved releasing the consolidated plan for the required 25‑day APA public‑comment period and retained final approval authority for later rule adoption. Board members were told the plan must be finalized in time for August implementation and that the department will run side‑by‑side analyses to show districts the impact of the new business rules before standards are formally reset.

Votes at a glance: Item 1 (Accountability Standards 2024) — motion presented by Wendy Clemons; motion carried. Item 2 (consolidated plan APA for business rules, including expansion of Mississippi readiness index) — motion moved by Matt Miller; motion carried. Item 3 (remove U.S. history end‑of‑course test as a graduation requirement) — motion moved by Matt Miller; motion carried.

Ending: Board members directed staff to publish the APA notice, complete required analyses for standards-setting later this year, and return to the board for final rule adoption following public comment and federal review where applicable.