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Oxford School District Earns All A’s in State Rankings

Image courtesy of Oxford School District

Earns First Time Ranking as an A-Rated School District from State Education Officials

The Mississippi State Department of Education (MDE) released statewide accountability ratings with the Oxford School District earning a first-time ranking as an all A-rated school district. The Oxford School District is one of only two districts in the entire state where every school earned an “A” rating.

“We are proud of these accomplishments for our school district, which are all direct results of the hard work of our students on testing day and the dedication of our faculty and staff to be the best school district possible in the state of Mississippi,” said Oxford School District Superintendent Brian Harvey. “Last year’s Quality of Distribution Index (also known as the QDI score) for our school district was 188. This year, our QDI score is 202. That’s a 14-point increase.”

The accountability model measures student performance on rigorous curricula and assessments. MDE issues a letter grade, or rather the performance classification letter grades of “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” and “F.” This year, each school district’s graduation rates were factored into the state’s accountability measures model.

Harvey says the school district saw improvements across the board from students who were tested, and that the school district continues to see continual growth with the lowest-performing students.

“While we are excited as a school district to earn high marks, what’s even more rewarding is to see each individual school within our school district jump in double-digit numbers in the area of accountability,” said Harvey.

Each year, every school in the district strives for the “A” designation, which was achieved this year by scoring above a 200 in QDI scores. A breakdown of each school’s QDI score in the state’s 2013 accountability rankings include:

Oxford Elementary 200 QDI score

Della Davidson

202 QDI score

Oxford Middle School 201 QDI score (had the biggest increase in QDI score by 18 points)

Oxford High School 219 QDI score

School officials credit hard work and determination by students and dedication of school faculty, staff, parents, and families.

“These scores show a solid assessment of our teachers’ effectiveness and that our students are learning,” said Harvey. “We have worked diligently to keep students in school and help them graduate, but we have not done it alone. There are a lot of people who should be commended for their hard work and accomplishments around our students’ achievement.”

Harvey added, “We are committed to providing resources and assistance, so that all students have the opportunity for higher achievement. We are going to continue to challenge them to climb and successfully perform. Our teachers, staff, and administration are going to work with lower-performing students and incorporate interventions for them to continue to reach their needs and goals.”

Oxford school officials encourage parents and families to support their children throughout the school year. Harvey said that parents should be involved in the day-to-day instruction, staying involved in their child’s learning process.

“We encourage parents and families to attend parent-teacher conferences, make sure that your child’s homework is being done, and be involved in your child’s education process and growth,” he advised. “Always continue to encourage and help your child to be their best.”

The overall state’s QDI score is up to 168 this year from 162 in 2012.

To view the complete 2013 Accountability results for schools and districts visit http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/ and click on Reports, and then Accountability. For more information on the Oxford School District, visit www.oxfordsd.org.

· Oxford Elementary 5 Year QDI

Photo courtesy of Oxford School District

· Della Davidson Elementary School 5 Year QDI

Photo courtesy of Oxford School District

· Oxford Middle School 5 Year QDI

Photo courtesy of Oxford School District

· Oxford High School 5 Year QDI

Photo courtesy of Oxford School District

· Oxford School District 5 Year QDI

Photo courtesy of Oxford School District

– Kelly Graeber, Communications Coordinator

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