By Rupert Howell
Superintendent Tim Wilder credited principals and classroom teachers Friday for setting high goals that resulted in very noticeable gains in test scores in grades kindergarten through second in his first year as South Panola’s leader.

“I can’t say enough how proud I am of results,” Wilder said.

At  last Tuesday’s monthly school board meeting Wilder told trustees that he  was “happy with results,” of recent progress testing of elementary students in the South Panola District while explaining reports to the board of trustees.

Wilder introduced data that indicated large trends of progress in areas of reading and math that were recently tabulated for kindergarten through second grade students.

Grades K-2 are  not included in the MCT2 testing Wilder explained but affirmed that MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) testing done in those grades by the district was viable while explaining that results of upper grade testing will not be available until later in the summer.

“This is their (K-2) ‘state test,’” Wilder explained as he shared numbers that revealed growth in both areas of reading and math.

“Teachers and students are the ones that got it done. That’s where you see results,” Wilder said.
Wilder also mentioned that laws including the third grade reading test that will cause schools to retain students who do not pass and mandates to screen students to grade level have helped push educators’ accountability to a different level from top to bottom, including the superintendent.

“Teachers . . . set very high goals. They may have been uncomfortable,” Wilder noted saying that the goal at Batesville Elementary was 70% growth on the math assessment.

Data revealed growth at that school went from 67 to 89 in kindergarten and 59 to 84 in first grade comparing the current school year with 2012-13.

“They worked hard, constantly tracked data and adjusted based on problem areas,” he said.