Vendor makes thousands of scoring errors on Mississippi State tests, says Education Department

The preliminary state test results for Spring 2024 that were provided to districts across Mississippi were found to have been scored incorrectly, prompting the Mississippi Department of Education to terminate their contract with the company responsible for the error.

Upon learning of the scoring discrepancy, school districts statewide were tasked with reassessing the accurate data to guide decisions on graduation requirements and instructional strategies for the current school year. Some students who met graduation criteria went on to graduate during the summer.

The inaccurate data stemmed from the Northwest Evaluation Association, with whom the state had contracted for test provision and processing. The State Board of Education voted on July 18 to sever ties with the company, ending a collaboration that had spanned since 2015. The assessment program covers English Language Arts, math, science, and U.S. history.

The annual contract with the company averaged $8,161,518.84.

Paula Vanderford, MDE’s chief accountability officer, expressed surprise at the error, noting, “We were not aware that there was any type of error when we initially received the files from the vendor, but we were concerned.”

While the state saw a decline in proficiency scores initially, MDE staff couldn’t pinpoint the inaccuracy until districts received the data and observed anomalies in student performance.

Districts like DeSoto County Public Schools detected unexpected results upon receiving the data, prompting a reevaluation of student progress assessments and instructional adjustments.

MDE released the faulty data to districts on June 17, only to confirm its inaccuracies on July 2, necessitating a reissue of correct data.

Central offices faced a tight turnaround in reprocessing the results, necessitating expedited actions to rectify the situation.

MDE identified the error and collaborated with the vendor to rectify the programming glitch that had resulted in incorrect scoring.

While alternative assessments are handled by a different vendor, all state test results underwent re-evaluation for accuracy, according to State Superintendent of Education Lance Evans.

Following the termination of NWEA’s contract, an emergency contract was awarded to Data Recognition Corp. for the upcoming school year. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt remains the provider for the state’s alternative assessments on a continued basis.

Simona Beattie, NWEA’s communication director, acknowledged the scoring oversight that led to inaccurate thresholds affecting student performance, expressing disappointment in MDE’s decision.

The recalibration of scores revealed 12 students from seven districts qualified for graduation, resulting in their successful graduation this summer. Notably, none of the scoring adjustments caused these students to pass the tests required for graduation.