Mississippi
Mississippi’s reading scores improve dramatically over last decade
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JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Other states are taking notice of Mississippi’s education system, specifically our reading scores. But a decade ago, we were the brunt of their jokes.
The change in scores has been the result of intentional changes, including your kids stepping up to the plate.
Mississippi has gone from 49th in 2013 to 21st in 2022 in fourth-grade reading scores. But it wasn’t by accident.
“There is this ‘Mississippi miracle’ phrase,” said Kristen Wynn, Mississippi State Literacy Director. “I mean, it does something to us I think because it really… it’s not for us a miracle that we took the time to stop and say there is a problem. And we need to fix this problem. But instead, it was a lot of hard work, nine to ten years of hard work.”
The state recognized the problem and started looking at ways to turn the tide. Even further back, Jim Barksdale made a $100,000,000 investment in 2000 that started the Barksdale Reading Institute.
“We worked shoulder to shoulder with teachers to improve how they were teaching reading using evidence-based practices,” explained Kelly Butler, CEO of the Barksdale Reading Institute. “We introduced coaching to the state and high-quality materials, purposeful interventions, and really created a literacy block and literacy model. So when the Literacy-Based Promotion Act passed in 2013, the state was really ready to take this model to scale.”
That act is relatively simple. Third graders have to pass the test in order to advance to fourth grade.
Here’s why that window of time is particularly important.
“Kindergarten through second grade and around third-grade students are learning to read, they are developing the foundational knowledge that they need when we’re looking at phonics instruction,” noted Wynn. “And we know that. So by the time they move on to fourth grade, they start to transition to reading to learn.”
Since the reading gate was put into practice, the state’s gone back and upped the passing score.
“Now students have to score a level three or above, which puts them closer to proficiency,” added Wynn. “And so that’s what we want. So, our students have leveled all the way up.”
This year’s initial pass rate for the third-grade reading gate will be released Thursday. Last year, those scores were nearly back to pre-pandemic levels.
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Mississippi
Missing Mississippi man found deceased in the woods
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The body of a missing Winston County, Mississippi man was discovered on Saturday morning.
56-year-old Clovis Parker Jr. of Noxapater was found in the woods about 400 yards from his home. A neighbor found his body while mowing their lawn.
Winston County Sheriff Mike Perkins stated that he would the body to the State Crime Lab for an autopsy.
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Mississippi
Mississippi River Crest Could Come Early in Eastern Iowa | AM 600 WMT – NewsRadio
Mississippi
2 Mississippi inmates captured after escape from jail – UPI.com
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July 6 (UPI) — Two inmates held on murder charges are back behind bars Saturday after they escaped from a Mississippi jail.
Claiborne County Sheriff Edward Good said deputies found 24-year-old Tyrekennel Collins and 18-year-old Dezarrious Johnson at an abandoned home Saturday morning after the two had escaped the Claiborne County Detention Center at around 2:20 a.m. Friday. Clairborne County is 60 miles south of Jackson, Miss.
They will be transported to Jefferson County and Copiah County, respectively, where they were originally arrested for murder. Their escape will land them additional charges, which carry up to five years in prison, Good said.
Chief Deputy Christy Sykes told NBC News the inmates escaped by climbing through a ceiling panel in the common area of the jail. From there, they made their way to a window and used bed sheets to rappel to the ground.
Other inmates immediately alerted jail staff that the two had escaped.
Johnson injured his leg during the escape and had a bad limp, according to authorities.
The sheriff’s department warned residents to “take necessary precautions.” The two were not believed to be armed during their escape but were still considered dangerous.
Collins was arrested in 2023 in connection with the murder of his 46-year-old cousin.
Johnson is charged with murder and aggravated assault in the killing of one person and injury of two others in 2022.
Sykes said this isn’t the first time Claiborne County inmates have been able to escape through a panel in the ceiling.
“It’s been an issue,” she said. “We’re working closely with the board of supervisors to get this taken care of as soon as possible.”
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