Summary:
Calhoun City, Mississippi, is served by two public schools in the Calhoun County School District: Calhoun City High School, which serves grades 5–12 with 379 students, and Calhoun City Elementary, which serves grades PK–4 with 235 students. Because there is no separate middle school, the high school spans both middle and high school grade levels, creating a unique structure within the district.
Calhoun City High School is the standout for improvement, jumping from the 16th percentile to the 43rd percentile in statewide ranking in a single year and earning two stars after previously holding one. The school shows relative strengths in science — 8th grade science (61.3% proficiency) exceeded the state average of 57.8% — and its Algebra I scores (62.8%) came close to the state's 66.0%. Meanwhile, Calhoun City Elementary has much better attendance, with a chronic absenteeism rate of just 13.6% compared to the high school's 25.3%, and its 4th graders exceeded the state average in ELA (55.3% vs. 52.1% in 2024–2025) despite a 91.5% free/reduced lunch rate.
Despite these bright spots, both schools face challenges. The high school's chronic absenteeism rate of 25.3% exceeds the district's 15.8% and the state's 23.9%, and its graduation rate of 86.3% trails both the district (89.4%) and state (89.2%). Middle school math lags significantly, with 6th grade math proficiency at just 35.0% versus 52.7% statewide, and English II proficiency also trails the state. The elementary school saw a sharp 12.9-point drop in 3rd grade math proficiency, from 50.0% to 37.1%. Overall, Calhoun City Elementary is the more stable school with better attendance and solid early-grade performance, while Calhoun City High School is showing promising momentum but still needs significant work in literacy, math, and attendance.
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