Summary:
Sumner, Mississippi has just one school, R.H. Bearden Elementary, a K-6 campus serving 251 students in the West Tallahatchie School District, an area with very high economic need. This school is the sole public school in the city, meaning parents have a single option for their children’s education from kindergarten through sixth grade. The school operates within a district ranked 113 out of 134 districts in Mississippi, earning a one-star rating.
R.H. Bearden Elementary stands out for its rapid improvement. The school moved from the 12th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 32nd percentile in 2025-2026, climbing from a one-star to a two-star rating. One of its clearest strengths is 6th-grade math, where 74.2% of students scored proficient in 2025-2026 — more than 20 points above the state average of 52.7%. Even the previous year, 6th-grade math was far above the state norm. The school also posts a chronic absenteeism rate of 20.9%, which is better than both the district’s 31.8% and the state’s 23.9%. This suggests that despite high poverty, students are showing up consistently, which may be helping drive academic gains.
Still, there are serious areas of need. English Language Arts proficiency remains below state averages in every grade, with the largest gap in 3rd grade: just 26.5% proficient versus 48.5% statewide. Science is the biggest relative weakness, as only 47.3% of 5th graders reached proficiency compared to 71.5% across Mississippi. Math in earlier grades also lags, though 5th grade improved substantially. The school's overall trend is encouraging, but most students are still not at grade level in key subjects. Parents should see R.H. Bearden Elementary as a school making meaningful progress, with one strong subject area and clear opportunities for improvement in literacy and science.
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