Both districts are among 31 of 148 rated A under the state's tougher 2025-26 scale. Oxford's 746 points rank ninth. Every school's grade is below.
The Oxford School District and the Lafayette County School District both earned an A from the state for the 2025-26 school year. That puts them among 31 of Mississippi’s 148 districts to get the top grade.
The Mississippi Department of Education released the grades Thursday. They are the first issued under higher standards, so fewer districts made the cut. In 2025, 52 districts earned an A, according to the department’s 2026 results file. This year it was 31.
How the two districts scored
Districts are scored out of 1,000 points. The state’s results file shows:
- Oxford School District: A, 746 points, the ninth-highest total in the state
- Lafayette County School District: A, 703 points, 26th
Bay St. Louis-Waveland led the state with 773 points. The Oxford district said it ranks seventh when tied scores share a place. Two pairs of districts above it tied, at 763 and 755 points.
The Oxford district said this is its 12th straight A. The state cautions that this year’s grades “cannot be compared to grades from previous school years” because the bar moved.
Where Oxford ranks, and where it does not
The state’s file ranks the Oxford district third in Mississippi on three measures:
- reading growth, at 73.7
- achievement readiness, which counts diploma endorsements, at 80.4
- assessment readiness, which counts the ACT, SAT and WorkKeys, at 73.4
Its reading proficiency of 64.5% ranks fourth among districts, and math proficiency of 73.5% ranks ninth.
One measure sits well back. The district’s graduation rate of 89.9% ranks 80th of the 137 districts with a rate. Lafayette County’s is 91.6%.
The Oxford district said proficiency rose in all three tested subjects:
| Subject | 2024-25 | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Reading (ELA) | 63.8% | 64.5% |
| Math | 72.9% | 73.5% |
| Science | 74% | 80% |
“We definitely want to take time to celebrate the achievements of our students and staff. At the same time, we know many of our students did not perform to the levels they are capable of,” Interim Superintendent Germain McConnell said in the district’s release.
Every school’s grade
High schools are scored out of 1,000 points. Elementary and middle schools are scored out of 700, and need 457 for an A under the new cut scores the State Board of Education approved in November 2025. High schools need 769.
Oxford School District
| School | Grade | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Oxford High School | A | 839 of 1,000 |
| Bramlett Elementary School | A | 480 of 700 |
| Oxford Early Childhood Center | A | 480 of 700 |
| Central Elementary School | A | 475 of 700 |
| Della Davidson Elementary School | A | 473 of 700 |
| Oxford Middle School | A | 462 of 700 |
| Oxford Intermediate School | B | 435 of 700 |
Lafayette County School District
| School | Grade | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Lafayette High School | B | 765 of 1,000 |
| Lafayette Elementary School | A | 529 of 700 |
| Lafayette Upper Elementary School | A | 464 of 700 |
| Lafayette Middle School | B | 425 of 700 |
Oxford High’s 839 points are the seventh-highest of the state’s 231 scored 1,000-point schools. Lafayette High missed an A by four points. Bramlett Elementary and the Oxford Early Childhood Center carry identical figures in the state file.
What it means for you
- Check your child’s school. Every school’s full breakdown is on the Mississippi Succeeds Report Card, which the state said would show official results after the board’s approval Oct. 15.
- Compare like with like. A 700-point school and a 1,000-point school are on different scales.
- Not sure which district you are in? Our Oxford public schools guide has both districts’ boundary maps and every school’s address.
Sources: Mississippi Department of Education news release and 2026 accountability media file (Excel), Oct. 15, 2026; Oxford School District release. Ranks are our count from the state’s file.
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