• To comply with MS Code 37-16-7 to ensure mastery of minimum competency performance standards in reading, mathematics, and written communication skills
• Is a prerequisite for high school graduation
• Is an accountability measure for local school district performance

• A criterion-referenced assessment based on core objectives from the high school curriculum structure in the areas of reading, mathematics, and written communication
• An assessment developed by Mississippi teachers who wrote test items, served on test item review committees to monitor the quality of test items used for test development, and screened test item for compliance with established SDE/OSA item bias criteria

• The primary administration is given in the fall of the junior year
• Retests are given in the spring following each fall administration
• Pupils retake only those tests not passed

• District and School Summary Report provides comparison data for the state, the district, and schools within the district
• School Performance Report provides data for instructional decision-making purposes
• Pupil Report provides individual pupil performance in the areas of reading, mathematics, and written composition
• Parent Report provides individual pupil performance and lists the description of skills, the number of items answered correctly, the number of items measuring a skill, and interpretative information

• Assists in the identification of educational needs at the district and school levels to ensure that all pupils possess minimum competencies in reading, mathematics, and written communication
• Identifies individual educational needs of pupils
• Verifies compliance with requirement for the standard high school diploma
• Required as an accountability measure for the performance-based accreditation system

Changes in assessment administration are in bold            Revised 7/7/97

Go to District-Level Test Scores
Go to Office of Student Assessment