Best Public Schools in Pontotoc, MS

The city of Pontotoc, Mississippi, is served by 8 schools—3 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 2 high schools—covering grades PK-12 and enrolling about 4,010 students across the Pontotoc City School District and the Pontotoc County School District. Both districts are 4-star rated: the city district (5 schools, ~2,400 students) ranks 21st out of 134 districts in Mississippi, while the county district (3 schools, ~1,610 students) ranks 28th. All three county schools are "South Pontotoc" schools sharing one campus at 1523 South Pontotoc Rd, while the city schools are spread across multiple campuses.

Among elementary schools, DT Cox Elementary School stands out with the best attendance record (16.3% chronic absenteeism) and a 77th-percentile ranking, with 4th grade math proficiency at 73.9% versus 51.5% statewide. South Pontotoc Elementary School also exceeds state averages in most subjects despite a 99.61% free/reduced lunch rate and 42.7% absenteeism. At the middle school level, Pontotoc Junior High School is the highest-ranked at the 75th percentile, while Pontotoc Middle School posted an 18.3-point gain in 5th grade math and strong 6th grade math (71.0% vs. 52.7% statewide). South Pontotoc Middle School, however, has declined in ranking every year. At the high school level, South Pontotoc High School leads with a 92.2% graduation rate, while Pontotoc High School excels in Algebra I (79.6% proficient) and U.S. History.

The most defining feature of the data is the divide between districts: county schools average about 99.4% free/reduced lunch and 41.7% chronic absenteeism, while city schools average about 72.2% poverty and 25.2% absenteeism—near the state rate of 23.9%. Despite these challenges, county schools still produce wins, including the highest graduation rate in the area. The clearest opportunities for improvement are chronic absenteeism (48.3% at South Pontotoc High School), inconsistent science scores at multiple grade levels, and middle school ELA, particularly at South Pontotoc Middle School. Overall, Pontotoc has strong math foundations across elementary, middle, and high school, but attendance and science are the areas most likely to hold the district back from reaching its full potential.