Best High Schools in Nettleton, MS

Nettleton, Mississippi is served by a single high school, Nettleton High School, which enrolls 316 students across grades 9 through 12 and is part of the Nettleton School District, a 3-star district ranked 60th out of 134 districts statewide. Because Nettleton High School is the only high school in the city, its performance directly reflects the high school experience for the entire district, making it the standout school by default. The school serves a predominantly low-income student body, with 80.38% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, and it maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12.5.

Nettleton High School demonstrates several notable strengths. The graduation rate stands at 92.5%, above the state average of 89.2%, and the school excels in Biology and U.S. History, with proficiency rates of 74.4% and 80.7%, respectively, both well above state averages. The school has also shown improvement in Algebra I, rising from 49.4% to 58.5% proficiency, though it still trails the state average of 66.0%. However, English II proficiency remains a serious concern, with only 39.1% of students scoring proficient, roughly 10 points below the state average. The most alarming statistic is the chronic absenteeism rate of 47.1%, which is nearly double the state average of 23.9% and far above the district rate of 28.1%.

The school's statewide ranking has improved recently, moving from the 35th percentile in 2024–2025 to the 44th percentile in 2025–2026, despite maintaining a 2-star rating. This positive momentum is also reflected in Biology, where proficiency jumped 26.9 percentage points in a single year, from 47.5% to 74.4%. The combination of a low student-teacher ratio and a graduation rate that exceeds the state average suggests the school is effectively supporting students through to completion, even in the face of high poverty and significant absenteeism. For parents, the key takeaway is that Nettleton High School offers strong outcomes in science and history, but addressing chronic absenteeism and English literacy will be critical to sustaining improvement across all subjects.