The Mississippi State Board of Education on Nov. 20 approved higher cut scores that reset how schools and districts will earn A–F ratings beginning in the 2025–26 school year.

Board members voted 'aye' after staff described a hybrid standard‑setting process carried out earlier in 2025 that combined norm‑referenced and criterion approaches. Allen, who led the presentation, told the board the committee worked from school profile impact data and performance‑level descriptors developed in meetings on Sept. 9 and Oct. 13 and that a memo from the Center for Assessment documents the process.

Why it matters: The change adjusts expectations statewide for proficiency and growth and will affect school and district ratings used for public reporting and planning. Staff said the committee included legislators, superintendents, assessment and accountability practitioners, and a board representative and that the process allowed members to view live impact data as they set cut points.

What staff said: Allen described the technical steps and said the committee used live impact tools to assess distributions and potential effects on school and district counts. He noted the state's long‑term goal that subgroups reach 70% proficiency by 2027 and that standard setting aimed to align policy priorities with defensible expert judgments.

Board discussion and vote: Members praised the committee's work and urged continued support for schools as expectations rise. After a motion and second, the board voted in favor and the chair announced the cuts would take effect for 2025–26.

Next steps: Staff said they will run 2024–25 data with the new cuts as a planning exercise to show districts where they would have landed under the revised standards. The board also acknowledged the need to continue supporting literacy and math interventions tied to accountability expectations.