Best Public Schools in Merigold, MS

Hayes Cooper Center is the only public school in Merigold, Mississippi, serving grades PK–6 with an enrollment of 304 students as part of the Cleveland School District. The school stands out as a high-performing elementary school despite serving a student population where 100% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a common indicator of economic disadvantage. Hayes Cooper Center currently ranks 120th out of 377 elementary schools in Mississippi, placing it in the 68th percentile with a 3-star rating, and it has shown steady improvement in recent years, moving from 144th in 2023–2024 to 121st in 2024–2025 and now 120th in 2025–2026.

Academically, Hayes Cooper Center outperforms its district in 8 of 9 subject and grade combinations, with 4th grade math being the only exception. The school's greatest strength is upper-elementary mathematics, where 5th grade math proficiency is 78.8% compared to the district's 35.7% and the state's 49.6%, and 6th grade math proficiency is 82.8% versus 61.0% for the district and 52.7% for the state. Early grades are also improving, with 3rd grade ELA rising from 41.9% to 57.5% and 3rd grade math rising from 44.2% to 55.0%, both now above state averages. The school also reports a chronic absenteeism rate of just 7.0%, dramatically lower than the district's 22.7% and the state's 23.9%, suggesting strong attendance contributes to academic success.

There are a few areas worth monitoring. Sixth grade ELA proficiency dropped sharply from 86.7% in 2024–2025 to 58.6% in 2025–2026, though it remains above both district and state averages. Fourth grade appears to be a relative weak point, with ELA at 42.1% (above district, below state) and math at just 29.0%, trailing both the district and state. Since Hayes Cooper Center only serves through 6th grade, students must transition to other schools in the Cleveland School District for middle and high school. Overall, Hayes Cooper Center is a bright spot in Merigold: a high-poverty school that ranks in the top third of Mississippi elementary schools, beats its district nearly everywhere, and appears to be doing more with less.