10/15/2026
The 2026 Mississippi assessments introduced more rigorous accountability standards, increasing the number of points required for schools and districts to achieve higher letter grades. While these changes created the potential for ratings to decline statewide, the Laurel School District maintained its C rating, demonstrating continued progress amid increased expectations.
“Throughout the past school year, the Mississippi Department of Education did a great job of communicating with superintendents about the anticipated changes,” said Laurel School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Eubanks. “We were told that some districts and schools could earn more points than in previous years yet receive lower letter grades, and that this should not be interpreted as a decline in school quality.”
While this scenario didn’t play out for the district as a whole, it did for several schools in the district. In 2025 Oak Park Elementary received a C-rating with 336 points, while in 2026 the school received a D-rating with 344 points, and in 2025 Laurel High School received a B-rating with 679 points, while in 2026 the school received a C-rating with 688 points.
“The scores for Oak Park and Laurel High give an example of how the points required to reach a letter grade have increased. State law required that when 65 percent of schools or districts achieved a B-rating or higher, the standards had to increase,” Eubanks said.
Even with these changes, the district has much to celebrate, along with opportunities for continued growth that will guide its efforts moving forward.
Laurel Magnet School of the Arts maintained an exemplary A-rating and ranked 15th among elementary schools statewide. Laurel High School finished just one point shy of a B, reflecting continued progress and a commitment to expanding opportunities through advanced coursework, Career & Technical Education, Middle College, and dual-credit programs.
Nora Davis maintained a C-rating and demonstrated strong growth among its lowest-performing 25 percent of students, with 80.1 percent achieving reading growth and 66.9 percent achieving math growth.
Although Oak Park Elementary’s accountability grade is based on the growth of students who have transitioned to Nora Davis Elementary, the school demonstrated promising results on the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment. A total of 79.63 percent of pre-kindergarten students and 61.24 percent of kindergarten students scored proficient, exceeding state averages at both levels.
“I am proud of the work that has been done in the Laurel School District,” Eubanks said. “However, there is still much work to be done, and I know that our parents, teachers, and administrators will continue to put in the work necessary to see our children reach their full potential.”
