JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - State test scores are in and it seems teachers and students have found ways to make up for any pandemic-related learning loss.

”They were just excited to be at school,” said Clinton 5th grade ELA teacher Robin Herring.

We met with more than a dozen Clinton School District teachers and many described students last year seeming to have a new love of learning after spending some time behind the screens. But that also came with new challenges across subject areas.

“I think that we had to individualize a lot of things, we had to realize that children learned a lot differently,” noted Stephanie Nervis, Clinton 4th grade ELA co-chair. “So I had to be a different teacher. So, instead of doing a lot of direct instruction, I had to go around and figure out what each kid needed, and be like a tutor to each child.”

“Normally they come to us fourth-grade math, a big thing is knowing their multiplication facts,” described Teresa Thomas, Clinton 4th grade math chair. “And normally, they come to us pretty much knowing them. I noticed last year that was a skill that was really lacking.”

Statewide, ELA and Science scores were the highest they’ve ever been...even pre-pandemic. Math was nearly tied with the 2019 scores.

In the Madison County School District, they looked beyond the traditional teacher-student ratio.

“One of the big factors, I think that really helped us as we utilized retired teachers from our school district to come in and do intensive tutoring with our students,” said Madison County Superintendent Charlotte Seals. “So that really helped. We have great math specialists and literacy specialists that are working with our students and our teachers.”

And they tracked progress so there weren’t as surprises at the end of the year.

“We do benchmark assessments at least three times a year,’ added Seals. “So that provides data, and that’s very good, and really helps give a big picture.”

To see the results, click HERE.

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