Best Public Schools in Walnut, MS

Walnut, Mississippi, is a small community served by two schools in the North Tippah School District—Walnut Attendance Center (grades K-12, 480 students) and Chalybeate Elementary (grades PK-8, 264 students)—together educating about 744 students across a rural area with high poverty levels.

For parents, the standout school in Walnut is Chalybeate Elementary. It posts an average test proficiency of about 58% across 14 MAAP tests, well ahead of both the district (46%) and state (52%), and it does so while serving a student body where nearly 79% qualify for free or reduced lunch. Chalybeate shines in 3rd grade math (67% vs. 49% statewide), 6th grade ELA (70% vs. 48%), and 8th grade science (79% vs. 58%). By contrast, Walnut Attendance Center has a more mixed profile. Its high school outcomes are impressive—a 94.4% graduation rate, 86% proficiency in Biology, and 75% in Algebra I—and its 7th grade math score of 92.6% is extraordinary. However, early elementary math is a serious concern, with only 10% proficient in 3rd grade math and 16% in 4th grade math, creating a sharp "U-shaped" pattern where younger students lag badly but older students excel.

Both schools keep chronic absenteeism remarkably low (14.8% at Walnut Attendance Center and 12.2% at Chalybeate) compared to the state average of 23.9%, and both have favorable student-teacher ratios around 13:1. Science is a district-wide strength, and the high school graduation rate exceeds the state figure. The two schools complement each other: Chalybeate Elementary is the consistent academic leader in early and middle grades, while Walnut Attendance Center shines at the secondary level. The main takeaway is that Walnut has solid foundations—strong attendance, small classes, and excellent upper-grade results—but early-grade math at Walnut Attendance Center needs urgent attention to ensure all students build strong skills from the start.