FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 15, 2026
11:05 AM
Lafayette County School District
662-234-3271
Lafayette County School District Earns Ninth Consecutive A Rating Under New State Standards
OXFORD, Miss. — Lafayette County School District (LCSD) earned an A rating for the ninth consecutive year, maintaining its record of academic excellence under the Mississippi Department of Education’s (MDE) newly elevated accountability standards. LCSD is one of only 31 districts in the state to earn an A rating under the new standards.
For the 2025–2026 school year, the district earned 703 points on the MDE accountability model. Lafayette students continue to demonstrate strong academic performance, ranking 12th in the state in English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency and 13th in mathematics proficiency.
“With this being the first district grades under the new higher MDE standards, we knew to expect stricter guidelines. However, as a district, we are confident in our commitment to supporting teachers with instructional strategies and curriculum input from veteran academic coaches. We saw students grow and move into proficiency in several categories,” said Superintendent Jay Foster.
Elementary and middle school students demonstrate academic growth
Lafayette Upper Elementary School (LUES) continued to distinguish itself with outstanding academic performance, ranking among the top five schools statewide in fourth-grade ELA and mathematics. The school also ranked in the top 10 in sixth-grade ELA and third-grade mathematics, and in the top 25 in third-grade ELA, fifth-grade ELA, and fifth-grade science.
Lafayette Elementary School (LES) and Lafayette Middle School (LMS) each increased their overall scores by 53 points compared with the previous year. LES demonstrated significant improvement in reading growth, while LMS made notable gains in mathematics growth. At the middle school, seventh-grade students ranked 10th statewide in mathematics and 11th in ELA. LMS also improved its overall accountability rating from a C in 2025 to a B under the new accountability model.
“Our focus on teacher preparation, benchmark testing, and student monitoring, along with a focus on high-quality materials, is showing positive gains in the right areas. It allows us to push students to the best of their abilities as we maintain a growth mindset for each student while adapting to the new state standards,” added Patrick Robinson, Assistant Superintendent.
Lafayette High School builds momentum for continued improvement
At Lafayette High School (LHS), students ranked 11th statewide in Algebra I and 16th in biology. The school’s overall score increased by two points, with notable improvements in science, reading, and mathematics.
Although LHS finished four points short of an A rating under the new accountability model, the school continues to demonstrate strengths in graduation rate, acceleration, and assessment performance. Career and Technical Education (CTE) students enrolled in industry-certified programs also achieved a 100% passing rate, highlighting opportunities to build on this success and expand offerings into additional industries and programs.
“We are proud of our students, staff, and parents for their commitment to excellence and the ongoing steadfast success of students and this district. These new measures only provide a glimpse of the goals we have for our students as we focus on their overall success beyond the classroom,” concluded Foster.
We congratulate our students, educators, and staff on another great year and for always being Anchored To Excellence. We will celebrate our Champions of the Classroom, faculty, and staff at the October 16th home football game.