Best Public Schools in Newton, MS

Newton, Mississippi is served by three public schools — Newton Elementary School (PK–5), N H Pilate Middle School (6–8), and Newton High School (9–12) — all part of the Newton Municipal School District. The district ranks in the bottom quarter of Mississippi districts, and all three schools serve a largely low-income population, with free/reduced lunch rates ranging from 75.2% at the elementary school to 90.45% at the middle school.

Newton High School is the district's clear standout. It is the only school with a 2-star rating, and its state ranking jumped from the 23rd to the 48th percentile in one year. Its Algebra I proficiency rate of 77.3% and 95.7% graduation rate both exceed state averages. In contrast, N H Pilate Middle School has declined sharply, dropping from the 34th percentile in 2023–2024 to the 15th percentile in 2025–2026, with 6th grade math proficiency falling from 42.9% to just 12.9%. Newton Elementary School, the largest of the three with 367 students, ranks in the 12th percentile and trails the state in most subjects, particularly science.

Attendance is not the district's biggest problem — chronic absenteeism is just 7.0% at the elementary school and 6.5% at the middle school, far below the 23.9% statewide average. However, science proficiency is a major concern across the board, with only 37% of 5th graders proficient versus 71.5% statewide. There are bright spots worth celebrating: the high school improved in both Algebra I and English II, and 5th grade math at the elementary school rose from 29.7% to 41.3%. The strongest takeaway is that the high school proves students in this district can succeed, making middle school math intervention and stronger science instruction the clearest priorities for improvement.