Best Public Schools in Rolling Fork, MS

Rolling Fork, Mississippi, is served by the South Delta School District and has just two schools: South Delta Elementary School (grades PK–5, 234 students) and South Delta High School (grades 9–12, 176 students), with no middle school listed, leaving a gap in grades 6–8. Both campuses serve extremely high-poverty populations, with near-universal free/reduced lunch eligibility, and both have low student-to-teacher ratios (13:1 elementary, 8:1 high school). The district overall ranks 117 out of 134 in Mississippi (13th percentile) and carries a 1-star rating.

Compared side by side, the elementary school is the clear academic leader. In 2025–2026 it ranked in the 20th percentile of Mississippi elementary schools and earned 1 star, while the high school ranked in the 1st percentile and earned 0 stars. The elementary school also has a far lower chronic absenteeism rate (23.2% vs. 49.7% at the high school) and shows real momentum, with 5th grade ELA proficiency jumping from 25.9% to 50% and 5th grade science reaching 63.4%. However, elementary math remains a major weakness, with the highest proficiency score just 30%. The high school presents a striking paradox: it has a 94.6% graduation rate, well above the state average of 89.2%, yet its end-of-course proficiency rates are extremely low—Algebra I at 14.3%, English II at 21.3%, and Biology at 30.6%—all far below state averages.

The most concerning trend is at the high school, where Algebra I proficiency collapsed from 53.5% to 14.3% in one year, and chronic absenteeism exceeds 49%, more than double the state average. Meanwhile, the elementary school’s improvements suggest targeted efforts are working, particularly in reading and science. Small class sizes at both schools have not translated into high test scores, reflecting the deep challenges of poverty and attendance in Rolling Fork. The high school’s high graduation rate, despite 1st-percentile test performance and near-50% absenteeism, raises legitimate questions about diploma rigor and whether students are truly prepared for postsecondary success. For parents, the elementary school offers cautious optimism, while the high school, despite a strong graduation rate, demands serious attention to academics and attendance.