SR1 CPSA Kindergarten Scholars Deliver Standout Spring Reading Results

Mississippi’s only STEM + College Prep charter school reports 69% of kindergartners reading at or above benchmark

CANTON, MS, UNITED STATES, May 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- She is five years old. She just finished kindergarten. And she reads better than the average American fourth grader.

A second scholar closed the year reading at a mid-3rd-grade level, scoring in the 98th percentile nationally. Several others finished reading like solid second graders, landing between the 88th and 91st percentile. These are not isolated bright spots. They are the front of a class that moved forward together — and at SR1 CPSA, that is exactly the point.

Those scholars are kindergartners at SR1 College Preparatory & STEM Academy — Mississippi's first and only STEM-focused college preparatory charter school, located in Canton and now in its third year of operation. The school operates under what it calls the Vanguard approach: leading the way for Mississippi students by combining rigorous academics with the belief that excellence has no ZIP code and no age limit. This spring, 69% of SR1 CPSA's kindergarten class finished at or above benchmark on the Renaissance Star Early Literacy assessment, with every single student completing the screening window.

The stakes behind those numbers are well-established: decades of research show that students who finish kindergarten reading on or above grade level are dramatically more likely to reach third-grade proficiency, graduate high school on time, and succeed in college and career. For the families in central Mississippi, SR1 CPSA's results suggest that trajectory is already in motion.

"These results reflect what is possible when scholars are challenged, supported and inspired from the very beginning," said La'Tesha Roby, Provost of SR1 CPSA. "Our students are proving that excellence has no age limit, and we are proud to see them developing a lifelong love for reading and learning."
The kindergarten results arrive alongside another milestone: 88% of SR1 CPSA third graders recently passed Mississippi's state ELA reading assessment on their first attempt, outperforming the most recent statewide average by more than 10 percentage points.

"Dr. Elayne Anthony, our late Board Chair and former acting Jackson State University President, believed deeply in the limitless potential of Mississippi's children, and we are honored to carry that vision forward," said Dr. Tim Ward, Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Support at Millsaps College and current Board Chair of SR1 CPSA. "What we are seeing at SR1 CPSA is transformational — not only for scholars and families, but for the future of education in our state."

"As we continue expanding our high performance, our focus remains on building confident scholars equipped to lead, innovate and succeed," said Dorlisa Hutton, Vice President of SR1 CPSA. "These literacy outcomes demonstrate the power of intentional instruction, strong family partnerships and a school culture rooted in high expectations. This is the Vanguard — leading the way for what Mississippi schools can be."

SR1 CPSA will expand to serve fourth grade students during the 2026–2027 school year. For enrollment information, tours or to begin an application, visit sr1cpsa.org or email enrollment@sr1cpsa.org.

About SR1 College Preparatory & STEM Academy
SR1 College Preparatory & STEM Academy is a tuition-free public charter school in Canton, Mississippi, serving scholars in kindergarten through third grade and expanding to fourth grade in the 2026–2027 school year. As Mississippi's only STEM and college preparatory charter school, SR1 CPSA leads the way — Vanguard — in delivering rigorous academics, intentional character development and a strong focus on science, technology, engineering and math, preparing every scholar for college and a lifetime of purposeful achievement.

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Dorlisa Hutton
SR1 CPSA
info@sr1cpsa.org
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