East Tallahatchie School District Superintendent Raymond Russell and West Tallahatchie School District Superintendent Tony Young were contacted by The Sun-Sentinel for comment on the Mississippi Department of Education's release this week of its report on 2025-26 school district and school-level achievement ratings.
A story about those ratings is here.
The state's actual report is available here.
The school superintendents' comments follow.
ETSD Superintendent Raymond Russell:
We are proud of the hard work our students and staff are putting in across East Tallahatchie. The district earned 588 points and a C rating in this year’s accountability results — our highest reported accountability point total in the past 10 years.
One accomplishment we are especially proud of is East Tallahatchie having the highest Algebra I proficiency rate of any school district in Mississippi, with 91.8% of students scoring proficient or advanced. That is an outstanding achievement for our students and teachers and shows what our students can accomplish with strong instruction and support.
Charleston High earned 714 points and a B rating. Charleston Middle earned 340 points and a D rating, with its point total representing its highest in the past 10 years. Charleston Middle’s 340 points would have placed it in the C range under the state’s previous grading thresholds. The middle school also improved in reading and math proficiency and growth.
Charleston Elementary earned 293 points and a D rating, with improvements in reading proficiency and overall reading growth. We want stronger overall results at both the elementary and middle schools, and these gains give us encouraging signs of progress to build on.
We are also pleased with the graduation rates reflected in this year’s results: 91% districtwide and 92.4% at Charleston High. Both increased by 4.1 percentage points from the rates reported the previous year.
This year’s ratings reflect higher expectations for schools across Mississippi, and we are focused on building on our students’ progress and helping them meet those expectations.
We know there is more work ahead, and we are approaching it with confidence in our students and staff. Our priorities remain strong classroom instruction, support that meets students’ needs, and high expectations at every school.
On behalf of our school board and district leadership, I want our students and staff to know how proud we are of their hard work and dedication. I appreciate our teachers, administrators, staff, families, and community for their commitment to our children, and our school board for its continued support. We have reasons to be proud and a clear responsibility to keep improving. We intend to keep moving forward together.
WTSD Superintendent Tony Young:
I am pleased to share the accountability results for the West Tallahatchie School District. Our district received an overall grade of C, with R.H. Bearden Elementary School earning a B and West Tallahatchie High School earning a C.
First, I want to express how proud I am of our students, teachers, administrators, and support staff for their hard work and dedication. These results reflect the commitment and determination of individuals who show up every day with the goal of making a difference in the lives of our children.
I am especially pleased with R.H. Bearden Elementary School for earning a B for two consecutive years. This accomplishment dem-onstrates what can happen when strong leadership, effective instruction, teamwork, and high expectations come together. I commend the entire elementary school team for their efforts.
At West Tallahatchie High School, we recognize the work that has gone into earning a C, but we also understand that there is room for continued growth. We will remain focused on strengthening instruction, increasing student achievement, and providing the necessary support to help our high school reach the next level.
As Superintendent, I have always believed that we should celebrate our successes without becoming comfortable with where we are. While I am pleased with our results, I am certainly not satisfied. Our goal is to have every school in this district performing at a B level or higher.
I want to thank our school board members, parents, community stakeholders, and everyone who continues to support the West Tallahatchie School District. Improving student achievement takes a collective effort, and we cannot do it alone.
We are going to continue holding ourselves accountable, supporting our teachers, challenging our students, and making the necessary decisions to move this district forward.
The West Tallahatchie School District is moving in the right direction, but our work is far from finished.
We will celebrate today, continue working tomorrow, and never lose sight of our ultimate goal: providing every child with the quality education he or she deserves.
