Best High Schools in Marks, MS

Marks, Mississippi, is served by just one high school, Madison Palmer High School, part of the Quitman County School District, which enrolls 239 students across grades 9–12. This small rural school faces significant economic hurdles: every single student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, and chronic absenteeism runs at 37.3% — far above the district’s 25.7% and the state’s 23.9%. The student-teacher ratio of 11.5 to 1 is favorable, meaning class sizes are relatively small, which could allow for more individual attention despite the challenges.

Academically, Madison Palmer has been inconsistent. Its state accountability rank has swung wildly: from 131st (43rd percentile) in 2023–2024, to 83rd (64th percentile) in 2024–2025, then tumbling to 185th (17th percentile) in 2025–2026, with a corresponding drop from 3 stars to 1 star. Test scores tell a similar story. In 2024–2025, English II proficiency reached 56.9%, above the state average of 49.5%, and U.S. History hit 73.4% compared to 69.7% statewide. But the next year, English II fell to 29.1% and Algebra I remained persistently low at 37.7% versus 66.0% statewide. Biology improved from 37.1% to 56.2%, nearly matching the state’s 63.1%. This volatility makes it hard to identify a stable trend, though it does show the school can approach or exceed state averages in certain subjects.

Graduation is a relative bright spot: 85.4% of students graduate, just 3.8 points below the state average of 89.2%. Still, with universal poverty and chronic absenteeism at 1.5 times the state rate, sustaining that number will be difficult. Because Madison Palmer is the only high school in the district, the district’s ranking of 103rd out of 134 reflects this school’s performance directly. For parents, the key takeaway is that Madison Palmer offers small class sizes and occasional academic sparks, but high absenteeism and fluctuating test scores are serious concerns to watch closely.