Summary:
Caledonia, Mississippi, is served by three public schools—Caledonia Elementary (PK–5), Caledonia Middle School (6–8), and Caledonia High School (9–12)—all part of the Lowndes County School District, a three-star district. The elementary school is the clear standout: it has earned five stars in every reported year, ranks in the top 8–10% of Mississippi elementary schools, and posts outstanding test scores despite having the highest share of low-income students (51%). Its chronic absenteeism rate is just 9.6%, less than half the state average, and its 5th-grade science proficiency (89.6%) far exceeds the state (71.5%).
Caledonia Middle is a strong above-average school with a special strength in accelerated math: its Algebra I end-of-course proficiency is 97.2%, compared with 66.0% statewide and 64.2% at the high school. The middle school also improved sharply in 8th-grade science (from 56.9% to 68.5%) and keeps chronic absenteeism (17.5%) below both district and state rates. Caledonia High remains solid overall, but it is the weakest link in the pipeline. Its state ranking fell from the 94th to the 83rd percentile in one year, driven by sharp drops in Algebra I (down 11 points to 64.2%) and Biology (down 20 points to 73.9%). Its graduation rate (91.6%) is above the state average, but chronic absenteeism is a concern at 26.3%—the only Caledonia school above the state rate.
For parents, the big picture is encouraging: all three schools outperform the district and state in most subjects, and science is a consistent strength K–12. The elementary and middle schools are highly effective despite moderate poverty levels. The main red flag is the high school, where rising absenteeism and declining end-of-course scores suggest a need for targeted attention. If the district can address those high-school issues, Caledonia’s schools have the demonstrated capacity to be top-tier at every level.
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