Best High Schools in Decatur, MS

Decatur, Mississippi is served by a single public high school, Newton County High School, which enrolls 768 students across grades 7–12 in the highly regarded Newton County School District, ranked in the top 9% of Mississippi districts with a 5-star rating.

As the only high school in Decatur, Newton County High School stands out on its own merits. It currently ranks 59th out of 224 Mississippi high schools (74th percentile, 4 stars), a major jump from 95th the previous year. The school’s graduation rate is 93.8%, well above the state average of 89.2%. Its biggest academic strengths are mathematics and science: 8th grade math proficiency reached 84.9% versus the state’s 51.4%, while 8th grade science hit 85.8% compared to the state’s 57.8%. Algebra I end-of-course proficiency is also strong at 85.4% versus the state’s 66.0%. English Language Arts is more mixed—8th grade ELA is excellent at 65.1% versus the state’s 40.9%, but 7th grade ELA dipped to 32.3%, below the state average of 36.7%, and English II is essentially at the state average. Even with nearly half of students (48.05%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, the school consistently outperforms state averages across most subjects, indicating effective teaching and support systems.

One area to monitor is chronic absenteeism: 21.9% of students were chronically absent, which is better than the state average of 23.9% but higher than the district’s 18.0%. That means roughly 1 in 5 students misses enough school to be considered chronically absent. Overall, Newton County High School is a strong and improving school with a top-tier district, excellent math and science outcomes, and a high graduation rate. The main opportunities for growth are 7th grade English Language Arts and improving attendance rates to align with the district’s stronger performance. Families in Decatur have access to a single, well-ranked high school that is clearly gaining momentum and delivering solid results for its students.