Hinds County School District is celebrating meaningful accomplishments across multiple student groups, with state report card results showing strengths in academic proficiency, growth, graduation, and advanced coursework participation.
The Mississippi Department of Education’s online report card shows HCSD students exceeding their corresponding statewide student groups on a variety of measures. These accomplishments recognize the determination of the district’s Achievers and the commitment of educators, school leaders, support staff, and families.
The results also provide direction for the district’s continued work to raise achievement and close gaps in student outcomes.
“Our Achievers deserve to have their accomplishments recognized, and these results give us meaningful reasons to celebrate,” said Dr. Mitchell M. Shears, Superintendent & Chief Learner. “Our responsibility is to build on these strengths while ensuring that every student receives the instruction, support, and opportunities needed to succeed.”
African American Achievers Exceed Statewide Peers in Proficiency and Growth
African American students in HCSD exceeded African American students statewide in all three reported proficiency subjects:
HCSD Achievers surpassed statewide performance in every subject shown. Science led the way at 58.9%, outpacing the state’s 51.7% by 7.2 percentage points. Mathematics followed with a strong 6.4-point advantage, while English language arts exceeded the state by 2.5 points. These results highlight academic strengths across all three core subjects, with the largest leads in science and mathematics.
They also surpassed their statewide peers on all four reported mathematics and English growth measures, including growth among students in the lowest-performing 25%.
The four-year graduation rate for African American HCSD students reached 90.2%, exceeding the statewide African American rate of 89.0%.
Together, these results show strengths in academic achievement, progress, and high school completion.
Advanced Coursework Participation Stands Out Across Student Groups
Participation in advanced coursework is a shared success across several HCSD student groups.
HCSD Achievers exceeded their statewide peers in advanced coursework participation across four student groups. Participation reached 68.8% for African American students, compared with 54.5% statewide; 75.0% for White students, compared with 64.5%; and 65.0% for Hispanic or Latino students, compared with 55.4%. Students with disabilities recorded the largest advantage, with 50.5% participating compared with 32.0% statewide, a difference of 18.5 percentage points.
Advanced coursework includes opportunities such as dual credit and dual enrollment, Advanced Placement, and industry certification.
These results highlight participation in courses that can connect classroom learning with future educational and career opportunities.
Additional Strengths in Science, Mathematics, English, and Graduation
Students identified in the report as Two or More Races earned a science proficiency rate of 73.2%, exceeding their statewide peers’ rate of 65.3%. Their English proficiency rate reached 50.0%, compared with 47.8% statewide.
Their graduation rate was 92.3%, compared with 91.6% for the same subgroup statewide.
Hispanic or Latino Achievers exceeded their statewide peers in mathematics proficiency, 52.9% compared with 51.7%, and graduation, 90.0% compared with 87.0%.
Among White students in the lowest-performing 25%, HCSD’s mathematics growth score reached 62.1%, exceeding the corresponding statewide score of 55.2% by 6.9 percentage points.
Students with Disabilities Demonstrate Academic Growth
Alongside their strong advanced coursework participation, HCSD students with disabilities exceeded their statewide peers in English growth, earning a score of 54.9%, compared with 49.4% statewide.
Students with disabilities in the lowest-performing 25% also exceeded corresponding statewide growth scores in both subjects:
Mathematics: 66.5%, compared with 60.3% statewide.
English: 58.4%, compared with 53.5% statewide.
These accomplishments provide strengths to build upon as the district continues working to improve proficiency through individualized instruction and support.
Students Experiencing Homelessness Record Standout Mathematics Growth
HCSD students experiencing homelessness exceeded their statewide peers in reported mathematics and English proficiency and growth.
Their mathematics growth score reached 82.7%, compared with 58.0% statewide, an advantage of 24.7 percentage points. Their English growth score was 55.8%, compared with 51.6% statewide.
These results recognize the academic progress of Achievers experiencing housing instability and reinforce the importance of consistent access to learning and student support.
Building on Success to Address Achievement Gaps
HCSD’s goal extends beyond exceeding statewide subgroup results. The district seeks to increase achievement for every student while reducing differences in outcomes among student groups.
The report demonstrates why continued attention is necessary. Although African American Achievers surpassed their statewide peers in English proficiency, their proficiency rate remained 37.9%. Students with disabilities demonstrated strengths in growth and advanced coursework participation, while mathematics and English proficiency rates remained 15.3% and 16.2%, respectively.
These findings reinforce the district’s focus on literacy, strong classroom instruction, targeted interventions, individualized support, attendance, and challenging learning opportunities.
The current results identify accomplishments and continuing needs. Comparing subgroup outcomes across multiple years will be necessary to determine where achievement gaps are narrowing.
“Celebrating success and addressing unfinished work are both part of our responsibility,” Shears said. “We will use these results to recognize what our Achievers are accomplishing and sharpen our focus on what they need next. Every Achiever deserves the opportunity to reach high expectations.”
As HCSD pursues F.L.E.X. to “A”: The Road to 700, the district remains committed to building on these accomplishments and helping more Achievers graduate prepared for college, careers, and life.
Source: Mississippi Department of Education, Mississippi Succeeds Report Card, Hinds County School District, displayed as 2025–2026. All statewide comparisons refer to the corresponding student subgroup. Proficiency figures represent students scoring Proficient or Advanced. Growth scores represent the percentage of possible accountability growth points earned. Student groups overlap, and smaller groups’ percentages can vary substantially with changes in a few students.