The 3rd grade Reading Summative Assessment scores were released Friday, and showed that 100 percent of Pearl River Central Upper Elementary students passed.
PRC was the only school in the county to have 100 percent of their students pass.
In the Picayune school district, 77 percent of Nicholson Elementary students passed, 86 percent of Roseland Park Elementary students passed, 87 percent of South Side Elementary students passed and 92 percent of West Side Elementary students passed.
In the Poplarville school district, 94 percent of Poplarville Upper Elementary students passed.
Statewide, an average of 85 percent of 3rd graders passed the assessment.
PRC began screening students last August to get a better idea of each student’s reading ability. The school then came up with an individualized reading plan for each 3rd grader, said PRC Upper Elementary Principal Darlene Hall.
Once the individual plans were established, PRC started Target Time, a daily 30-minute period where each student got individual attention in the areas they were struggling. It was mainly teachers and support staff who ran these groups, said Hall.
“Their hard work is the reason our students were so successful,” Hall said.
Third grade teacher Rhonda Lindseth, was quick to credit the entire school for her students’ high scores.
“Hard work and dedication from everyone was behind 3rd grade making this goal,” said Lindseth.
Kimberly Alford, curriculum/tier director, said PRC is excited that the preparation for the test paid off.
“We began planning for this last May, and we have never had anything like this for 3rd grade before so to have all of our students pass is a really big deal,” said Alford.
According to a release from the Mississippi Department of Education, students had to achieve a score of at least 926 out of a possible 1,200. Statewide the average score was 980.