JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Mississippi students are among the top performers in the country, according to a new study. The 2026 Kids Count Data Book ranks Mississippi 16th in the nation for education. This marks the second year in a row the state has held this ranking. “Ranked 16th in the nation, we’ll take it any day, any time,” said Dr. Darein Spann, president of the Mississippi Association of Educators. “For so many years, we’ve always been rank…