Education Week - September 4, 2019 - 13

Confronting challenges

A
MISSISSIPPI

LOUISIANA

OKLAHOMA

Enrollment: 471,000

Enrollment: 717,000

Enrollment: 699,000

K-12 Budget: $2.5 billion

K-12 Budget: $5.3 billion

K-12 Budget: $2.3 billion

Like many other Southern states, Mississippi scored

Louisiana ranked 49th on the Chance for Success

Oklahoma made national headlines in 2018 when

low on the Chance for Success Index, which tracks a

Index, scoring a 71.1, or a C-minus. Weaknesses

teachers walked out of classrooms and stormed

host of socioeconomic factors that can affect a state's

include a ranking of 49th in family income,

the statehouse to demand higher pay and more

environment for school quality. Within that index,

50th in parent education, and 49th in parental

funding for their classrooms.

it ranked 50th on family income, 48th on parent

employment.

employment, and 44th on parent education.

And the data show the state does struggle with

Those lower well-being indicators correlated with

school finance. It ranked 44th out of 49 states on

State leaders have sought to address achievement

poor academic performance. The state ranked

the School Finance Index, where its weaknesses

gaps by expanding children's access to

51st, worse than all others, in both 4th grade math

include a ranking of 46th in per-pupil spending.

prekindergarten and by working to build the quality

and 8th grade math.

of existing early-childhood programs.

Superintendents say funding shortfalls and

The state's leaders have emphasized

low teacher salaries have exacerbated teacher

Participants in the state's 14 early-learning

improvement in educational outcomes, rather

shortages. Districts in surrounding states, like

collaboratives administer kindergarten readiness

than raw proficiency data. While the Pelican State

Arkansas and Texas, often offer more-competitive

tests to gauge the success of their efforts. Overall, the

ranked 47th for the K-12 achievement analysis

pay, and some even post billboards to recruit

state ranked ninth on the Quality Counts measure

in overall graduation rates at 78.1 percent, it

Oklahoma teachers. State lawmakers sought to

of preschool coverage, with 52.2 percent of students

ranked 11th in the rate of improvement in those

address that in 2018 by enacting a $6,000 teacher

enrolled.

rates between 2014 and 2017, with a gain of 3.5

pay increase.

In 2014-15, the state began to implement a "3rd

percentage points.

One bright spot in the state's school funding is

grade reading gate" that requires schools to deny

Louisiana's Every Student Succeeds Act plan

equity, where it ranked 14th and earns a grade of

promotion and offer additional support to students

places a heavy emphasis on academic growth.

B-plus.

who are not proficient in reading by the end of 3rd

The state has developed a tool that allows

grade.

teachers to set individual growth targets for each

The state's Every Student Succeeds Act plan calls

Third grade reading proficiency is widely seen as an

student and to make adjustments as they track

important milestone and a key indicator of academic

their progress over time.

for improving teacher recruitment and retention
through additional training and leadership
opportunities. It also includes supports for

success.

nonacademic barriers to learning, like hunger, by

In 2018-19, 75 percent of 3rd grade students passed

calling for expanded use of universal free meals

the state's reading assessment on the first try, and 83

and breakfast in the classroom programs.

percent passed a retest after they received additional
support, the state's education department said.

Mississippi ranked 49th in 4th grade reading in the
Quality Counts analysis.

NEVADA

NEW MEXICO

Enrollment: 499,000

Enrollment: 336,000

K-12 Budget: $2.3 billion

K-12 Budget: $2.8 billion

Nevada ranked 50th on the Chance for Success

New Mexico ranked lower than all other states

Index, where it was outranked by all other states

on the Chance for Success Index, with a grade of

in both postsecondary participation and parent

D-plus and a score of 68. That's due in part to being

education.

at the bottom of the rankings on family income

The Silver State also ranked 48th out of 49

and near the bottom on other indicators, like for

states on the School Finance Index, where its

rates, where it ranked 50th.

spending. The state spends about $9,200 per

But New Mexico's scores on some financial

student.

indicators outperformed other states with overall

Until this year, Nevada had one of the nation's

low Quality Counts ratings.

oldest state education funding formula. Districts

The state got a B-plus in funding equity, ranking

complained the model, created in 1967, was

23rd, and it ranked 19th in the percent of total

opaque and unpredictable.

taxable resources spent on education, about 3.5

Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat, signed a new

percent.

funding formula into law in June, but some

In 2018, a state court ruled New Mexico had

education advocates weren't satisfied with the

violated students' constitutional rights to an

measure.

adequate education and ordered it to provide

The legislature created a $5 million incentive fund

more funding, particularly for "at-risk" children-

for teachers who work in Title I schools, which
enroll high concentrations of students from low-

students from poorer households, students with
disabilities, Native American students, and English-

income families.

language learners.

The state also redirected funds generated by a

In April, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat,

tax on marijuana sales from a rainy day fund to
an educational fund, estimating the move would

These snapshots were written by Education Week staff writer

the 2015-16 school year high school graduation

weaknesses included a rank of 47th on per-pupil

signed a state budget that includes a $446 million
raise in education spending, about a 16 percent

generate about $120 million in additional school

increase over the previous budget.

funding over the next two years.

She also signed bills to create frameworks for
community schools and wraparound services
designed to address nonacademic issues related to
poverty that can stifle student achievement.

Evie Blad, with research assistance from intern Hector Arzate.

Note: All enrollments are for the 2018-19 school year, and budget
figures are for the 2019 fiscal year.

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