Best Public Schools in Leakesville, MS

Leakesville, Mississippi is served by three public schools in the Greene County Schools district, covering grades PK-12 with a combined enrollment of about 1,200 students. The district is rated 3 stars, ranking 58th out of 134 Mississippi districts at the 57th percentile. A defining feature is economic need: all three schools report approximately 99% free/reduced lunch eligibility, making this a very high-poverty population. Despite similar demographics, academic outcomes vary dramatically from school to school.

The clear standout is Greene County High School, ranked 15th out of 224 high schools statewide (93rd percentile, 5 stars) in 2025-26, a major jump from 54th the prior year. Biology proficiency is exceptional at 93.4% versus 63.1% statewide, and Algebra I is 87.5% versus 66.0% statewide. The graduation rate is 93.2%. Leakesville Junior High sits in the middle, ranked 94th out of 260 middle schools (64th percentile, 3 stars). It is competitive in ELA and strong in 8th grade science (64.6% vs. 57.8% statewide), but math is a persistent weakness: 5th grade math is just 31.6% versus 49.6% statewide. Leakesville Elementary School is the area of greatest concern, ranked 212th out of 377 elementary schools (44th percentile, 2 stars), trailing state averages in nearly every tested subject.

Several insights stand out. High poverty does not prevent high achievement: the high school sits in the top 7% of Mississippi despite 99% poverty. The district's 3-star rating masks a wide split between an excellent high school and a struggling elementary school. Chronic absenteeism at the high school is high at 28.6%, yet it still outperforms; the elementary school has the lowest absenteeism (15.1%) but the weakest scores. Elementary students appear to fall behind early, making early intervention critical. Middle school math is unstable, with 7th grade math swinging from 63.4% to 48.7% between years. The high school's small student-teacher ratio of 11.9 may contribute to its success. Top priorities should be improving elementary proficiency, stabilizing middle school math, and addressing high school absenteeism.