The Mississippi Department of Education today announced that 46 Mississippi high schools have received the prestigious 2022 College Success Award from GreatSchools.org, the nation’s leading nonprofit providing school information to parents and families.

Now in its fifth year, the annual recognition honors public high schools that excel at preparing students to enroll and succeed in college, as determined by available data in each state.

Mississippi’s recipients are among 1,742 winners from 25 states that have demonstrated successful track records of graduating students who enroll in two- or four-year colleges, are ready for college-level coursework, and persist on to their second year. Despite the many challenges brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic, these schools have continued to uphold many best practices to support their students’ college preparation and success.

“Before our students leave eighth grade, we emphasize the three Es; enroll, enlist, or employee. We want our students to be prepared when they leave high school in whatever their plan is to be successful; to be the best they can be,” said Lafayette counselor Tammy Quarles. “And in order to do that, it does take all the teachers and everybody in the school building; everyone working with the students, encouraging them to do whichever one it is they choose to do.”

The College Success Award is possible because Mississippi is leading the nation in both collecting and transparently sharing information on how students perform after high school, which is valuable information for families, educators, and policymakers.

“We applaud Mississippi for prioritizing a high-quality public education that puts students on the path to bright futures,” said Jon Deane, CEO of GreatSchools. “It’s inspiring to see how entire school communities — students, teachers, and families — can work together in pursuit of a common goal: success for all. Congratulations to these 46 schools for receiving the College Success Award as proof of their hard work and dedication.”

In response to the recognition, Quarles added, “It just makes us very proud to see that they’re being recognized because they are following through with those plans they’ve made.”

Community members can join in celebrating Mississippi’s winning schools on social media using #CollegeSuccessAward. To learn more about the College Success Award and view the complete list of winners, visit bit.ly/3QQORim.

The 46 Mississippi high schools are:
1. Baldwyn High School
2. Biggersville High School
3. Booneville High School
4. Brandon High School
5. Center Hill High School
6. Clinton High School
7. DeSoto Central High School
8. East Central High School
9. East Union Attendance Center
10. Enterprise High School
11. Germantown High School
12. Golden Triangle Early College
13. Grenada High School
14. Ingomar Attendance Center
15. Lafayette High School
16. Lewisburg High School
17. Loyd Star School
18. Madison Central High School
19. Mississippi School for Math and Science
20. Mississippi School of the Arts
21. Murrah High School
22. Natchez Early College Academy
23. Neshoba Central High School
24. Northeast Lauderdale High School
25. Northwest Rankin High School
26. Noxapater Attendance Center
27. Oak Grove High School
28. Ocean Springs High School
29. Oxford High School
30. Pearl High School
31. Petal High School
32. Pine Grove High School
33. Pisgah High School
34. Ray Brooks School
35. Richland High School
36. Ridgeland High School
37. Saltillo High School
38. Shaw High School
39. Stone High School
40. Thrasher High School
41. Tupelo High School
42. Wesson Attendance Center
43. West Bolivar High School
44. West Lauderdale High School
45. West Lincoln School
46. Winona Secondary School