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Jackson County schools warn: new multimodal ELA test will delay reading scores until late 2026
Summary
District teaching-and-learning staff told the Jackson County Board of Education the state's new multimodal English/language-arts assessment (including video and audio tasks) will delay ELA score reports until November or December; math, science and social-studies scores are expected on the usual spring schedule.
District officials told the Jackson County Board of Education on April 16 that a statewide shift to a multimodal English/language-arts assessment will push ELA score reporting into late 2026, changing the timeline families and schools usually expect for accountability and placement decisions.
Dr. Hardigree and members of the teaching-and-learning team told the board the new ELA test adds listening and video components on top of traditional reading and writing. Martha Wilson and Sandy Aken explained the change will require new statewide standard-setting work, and that the state's timeline means ELA and CCRP (college and career readiness) results likely will not be available until November or December rather than the usual late spring.
The presenters said math, science and social-studies scores should still be available earlier in the year as in prior years, but the late ELA reporting will alter when schools and the district can finalize placements and some accountability measures. Staff noted the state's literature-and-composition exam (formerly an 11th-grade American literature EOC) moved to a 10th-grade Lit/Comp 2 EOC this year; the district said the 10% course-grade weight ordinarily applied to an EOC will be waived for the Lit/Comp 2 test in 2026.
District staff also reviewed the volume of spring tests: about 970 students are taking 23 different AP exams, roughly 82 students take about 165 IB assessments, and approximately 710 students will sit for 27 end-of-pathway credentialing exams. Officials said AP and IB scores are delivered directly to students (typically in July), while many pathway assessments provide industry credentials students carry after graduation.
Board members asked whether the late ELA reporting is a permanent change; staff said it is expected only for this year while the new test and standard-setting are implemented. Officials emphasized that teachers and school test coordinators have run practice administrations and that district technology and monitoring supports are in place to administer the new format.
The district said it will update families and schools as score-release dates become firm and reiterated support services such as after-school tutoring and targeted summer programs to help students between now and fall.
