Mississippi Readiness Policies
Mississippi
High School and Postsecondary Alignment
SREB’s Challenge to Lead 2020 goals call for states to align middle grades and high school policies with college-readiness standards, to recognize multiple paths to graduation and to provide students with diverse postsecondary options and resources. The following tabs summarize how Mississippi aligns its policies to promote smooth transitions for students through high school and beyond.
Mississippi
College and Career Readiness Definitions
The state has not adopted a statewide definition.
Mississippi
College and Career Planning in K-12
The Mississippi Department of Education created the Career Development Pacing Guide for counselors and school personnel to deliver college- and career-planning activities for students in grades 6-12. The state department requires students to develop Individual Success Plans by the end of the seventh grade and to update them annually. ISPs guide course selection and career exploration through high school. By the ninth grade, students choose whether they want to enroll in additional coursework and earn diploma endorsements in addition to the traditional diploma.
With guidance from their counselor and parents, students must select one career cluster and identify at least one high school diploma endorsement prior to entering the ninth grade.
Mississippi State University, in partnership with the Woodward Hines Education Foundation administers a statewide, federally funded GEAR UP program to help low-income students prepare for college. GEAR UP provides “targeted college access services and other benefits to students in the Greenville, McComb, and Meridian public school districts, beginning in middle school with the goals of increasing: readiness for college; high school graduation rates; access to information on postsecondary schools, career options, and financial aid; and college enrollment.”
Students also have access to My Way Mississippi, a repository of online college and career planning resources. These include WHEF’s Get2College statewide web portal and counseling service designed to help students and their families plan and pay for college.
The Mississippi Office of Student and Financial Aid provides resources for students and their families to apply for financial aid and lets high school counselors, superintendents and financial aid administrators view and update student accounts.
Mississippi
High School Graduation Requirements
Course and Diploma Requirements for Students Entering the Ninth Grade in 2018 and Beyond
Students must complete at least 24 units to earn a high school diploma.
|
Subject |
Credits |
Courses |
Notes and Substitutions |
|---|---|---|---|
|
English |
4 |
English I English II Two other credits |
Approved AP, IB, and dual enrollment course options |
|
Math |
4 |
Algebra I Three other math courses |
Approved AP, IB, and dual enrollment course options |
|
Science |
3 |
Biology I Two other science courses |
Approved AP, IB, and dual enrollment course options |
|
Social Studies |
3 1/2 |
World History U.S. History 1/2 U.S. Government 1/2 Economics 1/2 Mississippi Studies |
Approved AP, IB, and dual enrollment course options |
|
Health |
1/2 |
|
|
|
Physical Education |
1/2 |
||
|
Art |
1 |
||
|
College and Career Readiness |
1 |
Must occur in the student’s junior or senior year, or in the student’s completion of a 4-year sequence. |
|
|
Technology or Computer Science |
1 |
|
|
| Electives |
5 1/2 |
||
| Total Credits | 24 | ||
Diploma Endorsements
Students pursuing a Traditional High School Diploma should identify an endorsement before entering the ninth grade from these three options: Career and Technical, Academic or Distinguished Academic. Students who earn an academic or distinguished academic diploma endorsement from a public high school will be accepted into any of the state’s public universities. Endorsement requirements can only be changed with parental permission. The additional requirements for each endorsement are as follows:
Career and Technical Endorsement
- Complete a total of 26 credits and earn an overall GPA of 2.5.
- Earn Silver level on ACT WorkKeys.
- Complete a four-credit sequential CTE program of study.
- Successfully complete one of the following:
- One CTE dual credit or earn articulated credit in the high school CTE course;
- Work-Based Learning experience or Career Pathway Experience; or
- Earn a State Board of Education-approved national credential.
Academic Endorsement
- Complete a total of 26 credits and earn an overall GPA of 2.5.
- Courses must meet the Mississippi IHL college preparatory curriculum.
- Earn ACT sub scores of 17 English and 19 Math or the SAT equivalency sub score.
- Successfully complete one of the following:
- One AP course with a C or higher and take the corresponding AP exam;
- One IB course with a C or higher and take the appropriate IB exam; or
- One dual credit course with a C or higher.
Distinguished Academic Endorsement
- Complete a total of 28 credits and earn an overall GPA of 3.0.
- Courses must meet the Mississippi IHL college preparatory curriculum.
- Earn ACT sub scores of 18 English and 22 Math or the SAT equivalency sub score.
- Successfully complete one of the following:
- One AP course with a B or higher and take the corresponding AP exam;
- One IB course with a B or higher and take the appropriate IB exam; or
- One dual credit course with a B or higher.
Assessment Requirements
Mississippi administers the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program and Subject Area Testing Program, Second Edition and the ACT to high school students in their junior year. MAAP comprises Algebra I and English II exams while SATP2 comprises Biology I and U.S. History assessments. Subject area test scores will constitute 25% of a student’s final grade. Students may meet the assessment requirements for graduating with a standard diploma in one of three ways:
- Passing all four subject area tests
- Using a concordance table by combining grades and scale score values
- Using a combined score of 646 with results from all four subject area tests
Beginning with school year 2016-2017, all students enrolled in a course for the first time that has a corresponding SATP exam must participate in the assessment in order to earn the Carnegie Unit. State Board Policy 3804 allows students to satisfy assessment requirements through alternative means, such as qualifying ACT sub-scores, earned college credit, or an earned industry certification.
Mississippi
Accelerated Learning Options in High School
Career and Technical Education
The Pathways to Success initiative has developed career pathway documents that align with the 16 fields contained in the National Clusters Framework. Each one-page fact sheet contains course recommendations for core and elective credits, including career-technical courses for students pursuing the career and technical education endorsement on their high school diploma. Students may earn nationally recognized industry credentials when they complete a CTE pathway and pass the corresponding exam.
Dual Enrollment and Dual Credit
Dual Enrollment Students are dually enrolled in high school and in a community/junior college or institute of higher education. These students may earn up to one semester’s worth of college credit (15 hours for a community/junior college or 12 hours for a university).
These are different from Dual Credit Students who are still enrolled both at the secondary and postsecondary level, but who also earn dual credit (credit both at the high school and college levels) for courses. Any course that is required for subject-area testing as a requirement of graduation is not eligible for dual credit.
Eligibility requirements vary based on whether students choose to enroll in academic or career and technical education courses. Students may qualify for either the Dual Enrollment or Dual Credit programs based on the following:
- Meet entrance requirements set by postsecondary institution
- Earn a minimum high school GPA of 3.0 for academic and 2.0 for career-technical courses
- Receive a written approval/recommendation from counselor, principal, or CTE instructor
- Complete 14 core high school units OR have a minimum ACT composite score of 30 (or SAT equivalent) for students interested in enrolling in academic courses
- Be in Grade 10 or higher if interested in enrolling in CTE courses
Admission and placement testing requirements, as well as tuition and fees, vary locally and by institution. Tuition and costs for university-level courses must be paid from grants, foundations, or other private sources.
The Mississippi State Board of Education authorizes school districts to develop Middle College Programs in which high school juniors and seniors attend a portion of their school day at a postsecondary institution as either a dually enrolled or dual credit student.
Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate
AP offerings vary by school and are required to be taught by College Board-certified teachers. Students who score a 3 or higher on an AP exam may be able to earn college credit for the corresponding high school course. Credit transfer policies vary by institution. The Mississippi Department of Education provides funding directly to local school districts to help cover testing fees for low-income students.
Early College High Schools
Mississippi’s early college high schools are small independent high schools located on postsecondary campuses. The schools offer high school students the opportunity to earn up to 62 hours of college credit and receive an associate degree or career credential while pursuing high school diplomas. Students attending early colleges do not pay college tuition or textbook costs.
Early High School Graduation
The Mississippi Early Exit Diploma is available to students who are college ready, will not need remediation courses, have earned the 17.5 specific credit minimum, and have met all core content requirements, including benchmarks on EOC and ACT or IHL exams. Students who meet the requirements of the Mississippi Early Exit Diploma may continue to take Advanced Placement or dual credit courses, enroll full-time in a career-technical education program or graduate high school early and enroll in a local community college.
Mississippi
Postsecondary Admission Requirements
Four-Year Institutions
The Board of Trustees for the Institutions of Higher Learning sets the minimum admissions requirements for public universities. All applicants must complete the required college-preparatory curriculum to receive full admission. The board has also created a more rigorous recommended preparatory curriculum. Students may substitute Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses for specific subject-area requirements.
The board requires institutions to grant students full admission if they complete the College Preparatory Curriculum and meet one of the following qualifications: 1) 3.2 GPA; 2) 2.5 GPA or Top 50% Class Rank and ACT composite of 16 or higher; 3) a minimum 2.0 GPA and an ACT Composite of 18 or higher; or 4) students who are “full-qualifiers” or “academic redshirts” according to NCAA Division I standards for student-athletes are accepted as equivalent to the admission standards.
Universities may admit students who do not meet full admissions requirements through enrollment in the Summer Development Program. Successful completion of the program entitles students to continue enrollment in the fall semester. Institutions also may enroll students in Yearlong Academic Support Programs. Some credits earned through the yearlong program do not count toward graduation.
Institute of Higher Learning College-Preparatory Curriculum
|
Subject |
Required Units |
Recommended Units |
Course Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
|
English |
4 |
4 |
Must require substantial communication skills |
|
Math |
4 |
4 |
Algebra I or equivalent Other units higher than Algebra I |
|
Science |
3 |
4 |
Biology I or its equivalent Other units higher than Biology I |
|
Social Studies |
3 |
4 |
American & World History (1 unit each) American Government (1/2 unit) Economics or Geography (1/2 unit) Recommended units include Introduction to World Geography and Mississippi Studies (or a state/local government course in any other state) |
|
Arts |
1 |
1 |
Units in visual and performing arts |
|
Advanced Electives |
2 |
2 |
Option 1: Foreign Language I and Foreign Language II Option 2: Foreign Language I and Advanced World Geography Option 3: Any combination of English, Mathematics higher than Algebra I, Science higher than Biology I, Advanced Elective category, any AP course, any IB course |
|
Technology |
1 |
1 |
A course that emphasizes the use of technology as a productivity tool |
| Total | 18 | 20 |
Two-Year and/or Technical Colleges
Academic and technical students must meet one of the following Mississippi Community College Board admissions criteria to enroll at an institution:
- An earned high school diploma or approved equivalency certificate
- The completion of at least one unit less than the minimum acceptable high school units as prescribed by law (20 credits)
- Mississippi Occupational Diploma or state-approved Career Certificate
- Official transcript from accredited postsecondary institution
Two-year institutions may enroll students in career programs based upon qualifying scores on a federal assessment that demonstrates their ability to benefit from postsecondary instruction.
Mississippi
Postsecondary Placement Policies
Four-Year Institutions
Students who do not meet the requirements for unconditional admission may be admitted but must participate in an on-campus placement process at the institution.
Students who score below 16 on the ACT English, reading or math subtest must take intermediate courses. The board allows institutions to require students with an ACT sub-score between 17 and 19 to enroll in intermediate courses. However, students are exempt from the intermediate course requirement if they completed an SREB Math Ready and/or Literacy Ready courses with a grade of 80 or higher.
Students required to take two or more intermediate courses must enroll in the year-long Academic Support Program.
Two-Year and/or Technical Colleges
Institutions have the right to set their own placement thresholds for entry into college-level English and math courses. However, the Mississippi Community College Board convenes a group of 14 of the 15 community colleges’ chief academic officers who have agreed to use an ACT English score of 17 or higher for placement in English Composition and an ACT math score of 19 or higher for placement in College Algebra.
Entering freshmen enrolled at a public postsecondary institution who have an ACT math, reading or English subtest score of 16 or less are required to take Intermediate Algebra or Intermediate English during their first semester of college. Institutions may also require that students who score between 17 and 19 take the intermediate course(s).
However, students are exempt from the intermediate course requirement if they completed an SREB Math Ready and/or Literacy Ready courses with a grade of 80 or higher. Students taking two or more intermediate courses must enroll in the year-long Academic Support Program or equivalent courses.
Mississippi
State Financial Aid for Undergraduates
The state funds three grant programs: the Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant, Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant and the Higher Education Legislative Plan for Needy Students, or HELP.
All three grant programs require the completion of 15 credits per semester and the maintenance of initial grade-point average requirements. Since fall 2017 students may receive only one state grant, for up to 8 semesters or until they complete a degree, whichever comes first. The Office of Student Financial Aid reviews continuing eligibility every semester.
Merit-Based Aid
Students may qualify for the Resident Tuition Assistance Grant with a minimum high school GPA of 2.5 and ACT Composite score of 15 or higher (810 SAT). The maximum award is $500 for freshmen and sophomores and $1,000 for juniors and seniors.
National Merit Finalists and Semifinalists may qualify for the Eminent Scholars Grant with a minimum high school GPA of 3.5 and ACT Composite score of 29 or higher (1350 SAT) or be named a National Merit Finalist or Semi-Finalist. The maximum award is $2,500 per academic year.
Need-Based Aid
N/A
Hybrid
Students may qualify for the HELP Grant if they demonstrate financial need, graduate with a minimum high school GPA of 2.5 and earn a minimum ACT Composite score of 20 (1020 SAT). The standard award covers tuition and fees at public institutions. Students who attend nonpublic institutions will receive an amount equal to tuition and fees at the nearest comparable public institution.
Mississippi
Postsecondary Feedback to High Schools
Mississippi Lifetracks releases annual state-level data. The site highlights statewide trends and reports the following postsecondary data by subgroup:
- Postsecondary enrollment rates
- Number and rate of graduates taking remedial courses
- Graduates attaining 24 credit hours within two years of enrollment
- Freshman retention rates
- Graduation rates of public university freshmen who graduated from, or transferred to, a university within four, six and eight years after their first enrollment
Lifetracks also compares these to workforce participation information.
