NATCHEZ — Mississippi’s Kindergartner Readiness test results show that Natchez-Adams School District students made significant progress during the 2017-2018 school year — so much progress that they moved ahead of the state average when tested last spring.

The annual assessment of the state’s more than 36,000 kindergartners includes two tests — one in the fall and one in the spring. The tests measure the progress kindergartners made during the academic year.

NASD kindergartners in the district’s three elementary schools all started the year behind the state average of 504. But by the end of the year, NASD kindergartners in all three schools surpassed the state average for the spring test of 710.

The district started 19 points behind the state average with an average score of 485 in the fall and ended up 20 points ahead of the state average by the end of the school year with a score of 730 on the spring test.

In the fall, Frazier Elementary students scored 495, McLaurin Elementary students scored 475 and West Elementary students scored 493.

In the spring Frazier Elementary students scored 714 (an increase of 219 points from the fall test), McLaurin Elementary students scored 739 (an increase of 264 points) and West Elementary students scored 732 (an increase of 239 points).

“We are quite proud of the work of our students and staff,” said Zandra McDonald, NASD assistant superintendent. “The results that we experienced are the results of a increased understanding of state standards by our teachers, focus on data-driven-instruction and strategy of providing students with individualized, targeted instruction and interventions.

“As we continue to have consistency in our administrative and teaching staff and focused, job-embedded professional development, we expect to continue to see academic gains throughout our district.

“Our curriculum department/academic coaches have also been instrumental in providing support to teachers in the classrooms. We are also building stronger collaboration between early childhood centers and with parents to build the level of support students receive at home and before entering kindergarten. It is extremely important that students enter school with early literacy skills, making them ready to meet kindergarten expectations.”

The Mississippi Department of Education said statewide test results show that the majority of the state’s youngest students have made significant gains during the academic year.

More than 36,000 kindergarteners took the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment in the fall and spring of the 2017-18 school year. The state average score for the fall test was 504. The average score climbed to 710 on the spring test.

Every district in the state showed progress among their kindergarten classes, though student achievement varied. District average scores ranged from 626 to 794. The target end-of-year score for kindergarten is 681, and 123 school districts met or exceeded this target score.

Progress in kindergarten remained steady from 2016-17 to 2017-18, with, 65 percent of kindergarteners scoring at or above 681 both years. At the end of the 2015-16 school year, 63 percent met the target score, up from 54 percent in 2014-15.

The Kindergarten Readiness Assessment evaluates skills such as the ability to recognize letters and match letters to their sounds and a student’s recognition that print flows from left to right. The exam produces reports for parents and teachers that detail each child’s early reading skills. Teacher reports also include diagnostic information and instructional plans for every student.

“These results validate the hard work of kindergarten teachers across the state who have successfully helped students build their foundational literacy skills,” said Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education. “Reading instruction must remain a major focus through the third grade and beyond so that all children develop strong reading skills. Reading is the gateway to learning.”