Summary:
Richton, Mississippi is a small town with three schools—Richton Elementary School, Richton High School, and Sand Hill School—serving a combined 853 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade under two separate districts: Richton School District and Greene County Schools. There is no standalone middle school; instead, Richton High covers grades 7–12 and Sand Hill spans PK–8. All three schools are in districts rated 3 out of 5 stars, placing them mid-range among Mississippi schools.
Richton Elementary stands out for outstanding upper-grade math scores, with 5th and 6th grade proficiency around 25 points above state averages, yet it struggles in other areas such as 4th-grade math (26.3% proficient) and 6th-grade ELA (31.6%). Richton High posts a strong 94.1% graduation rate and excellent Algebra I scores, but 32.7% of its students are chronically absent—well above the state average and nearly triple the rate at Richton Elementary. Sand Hill School, despite having a 98.88% free/reduced lunch rate, is the most stable school in the area, with the lowest chronic absenteeism (16.0%) and several subjects above state averages, including 5th-grade ELA and science.
Parents will find a mixed picture. Richton Elementary can be excellent in math one grade level and far below average the next, suggesting inconsistent classroom experiences. Richton High’s absenteeism is a red flag that may eventually affect its good graduation numbers. Sand Hill is arguably the most impressive because it remains steady near the middle of the state despite severe economic disadvantage. The biggest opportunities for improvement are reducing high-school absenteeism and raising ELA and science performance across all three schools, while building on the clear strengths in elementary math and Algebra I.
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