Best Elementary Schools in Laurel, MS

The city of Laurel, Mississippi is home to 7 elementary schools, a mix of public and public magnet schools serving grades ranging from PreK-6. These schools are spread across two school districts - Jones County School District and Laurel School District.

Among the standout schools is Laurel Magnet School Of The Arts, a public magnet school that consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in the state with exceptional test scores. Another high-performing school is Glade Elementary School in the Jones County district, which also has strong test scores, particularly in Math. East Jones Elementary School, also in the Jones County district, has impressive ELA and Math proficiency, especially in 3rd and 5th grades.

However, the data reveals a wide range in academic performance across the schools, with proficiency rates ranging from as low as 12% to as high as 95% depending on the school, grade, and subject. There is also a stark difference in performance between the two school districts, with Jones County schools generally outperforming Laurel schools by 20-30 percentage points on state assessments. Additionally, all schools reported high chronic absenteeism rates of 23.9%, which is a concerning trend that likely impacts student learning and achievement.