Best Public Schools in Magnolia, MS

The city of Magnolia, Mississippi, is served by the South Pike School District, which operates four public schools—South Pike High School (grades 9–12), Eva Gordon Lower Elementary School (grades PK–3), South Pike Junior High (grades 7–8), and Eva Gordon Upper Elementary School (grades 4–6)—together enrolling about 1,247 students in one of the highest-poverty districts in Mississippi, where 98.73% to 100% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

Across these schools, poverty is universal and academic performance generally lags the state, but there are notable differences. South Pike High School has the largest enrollment (425) but ranks in the bottom 6th percentile of Mississippi high schools, with a 78.4% graduation rate, 24.9% chronic absenteeism, and proficiency gaps of 30 or more points below state averages in Algebra I and Biology. South Pike Junior High has declined sharply from the 50th to the 13th percentile in state rankings over three years, with 8th grade ELA at just 22.4% proficiency versus 40.9% statewide. Meanwhile, Eva Gordon Upper Elementary School stands out for the district’s lowest chronic absenteeism rate (12.7%) and a 6th grade math proficiency of 51.1%, just 1.6 points below the state. Eva Gordon Lower Elementary School achieves near-state 3rd grade reading (45.6% vs. 48.5%) but saw 3rd grade math drop from 50% to 42.9%.

Every reported test score in every school falls below the Mississippi state average, and roughly 1 in 5 students at the high school does not graduate in four years. However, several bright spots show improvement is possible: high school English II proficiency rose 11.1 points, 4th grade ELA at Upper Elementary gained 14.8 points, and 8th grade math at the junior high improved 6.3 points, even as overall rankings have trended downward. For parents, the picture is clear—these Magnolia schools face severe economic challenges and deep academic gaps, but the strongest attendance at Upper Elementary and targeted subject gains at each campus offer foundations to build on.