Summary:
Walnut Grove, Mississippi, is served by two public schools within the Leake County School District—Leake County Elementary School (grades PK–6) and Leake County High School (grades 7–12)—which together enroll 583 students in a district ranked 114th out of 134 in Mississippi, with both schools serving overwhelmingly high-poverty populations.
The two schools present contrasting pictures. Leake County Elementary School is the stronger and more improved school, jumping from the 28th to the 40th percentile in state rankings and earning 2 stars. It outperforms its district in nearly every subject, with 3rd grade math and ELA proficiency rates of 65.9% and 61%, respectively—well above state averages. The school also posted major year-over-year gains in 3rd grade ELA (+20.5 points), 3rd grade math (+18.3 points), and 5th grade science (+22.4 points). However, upper-elementary proficiency fades sharply; by 5th grade, math drops to just 25.7%. In contrast, Leake County High School has a standout 93.8% graduation rate, far above the district’s 82.1%, but its state ranking fell from the 44th to the 16th percentile. Algebra I proficiency collapsed from 81.9% to 43.7%, and overall test scores are volatile, with only about 35% proficient across subjects.
Chronic absenteeism is a major concern at both schools: 26.0% at the elementary and 32.4% at the high school, versus a 23.9% state average. Both schools maintain excellent student–teacher ratios of roughly 12:1, meaning class size is not the primary obstacle. Given that 100% of elementary students and 99.62% of high school students qualify for free or reduced lunch, poverty and attendance challenges likely weigh heavily on academics. Still, the elementary school’s strong early-grade gains and the high school’s high graduation rate offer clear bright spots, showing progress despite the district’s low overall ranking.
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