Schools in Union, MS

The city of Union, Mississippi, is served by the Union Public School District, which includes three schools — Union Elementary School (PK–4), Union Middle School (5–8), and Union High School (9–12) — enrolling about 976 students total. The district ranks in the 86th percentile statewide with a 4-star rating, and it serves a very high-poverty population (roughly 99% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch).

Union High School is the district's clear academic leader, ranking 24th out of 224 high schools (89th percentile) and outperforming state averages by 10–20 percentage points on every End-of-Course subject, including Algebra I (86.7% proficient vs. 66.0% statewide) and U.S. History (91.7% vs. 69.7%). Its graduation rate is 96.9%, nearly 8 points above the state average, and it benefits from the district's lowest student-teacher ratio at 9.2. Union Middle School is the most consistent school, earning 4 stars three years running, with strong 5th-grade science (75.8% proficient) and math (69.5% in 6th grade), plus the lowest chronic absenteeism in the district at just 13.4%. However, its 8th-grade science dropped sharply from 74.3% to 54.3%, falling below the state average. Union Elementary School excels in 3rd grade (67.6% ELA, 67.2% math, both well above state averages) but shows a troubling 4th-grade slump, with proficiency falling to 44% in both subjects.

Districtwide, rankings have slipped from high levels over three years — the elementary fell from the 91st to 63rd percentile, the middle from 82nd to 71st, and the high school from 97th to 89th. While high school chronic absenteeism (24.7%) is a concern, the district remains a strong performer overall: every school beats state averages in several key subjects, and the 96.9% graduation rate reflects a solid foundation. The main watch items are the 3rd-to-4th grade transition, the 8th-grade science decline, and high school attendance.