Summary:
The Cleveland School District in Mississippi serves 2,793 students across 8 schools—6 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high school—in a high-poverty area where essentially every student at every school qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. The district overall ranks 89th out of 134 Mississippi districts with a 2-star rating, but performance varies dramatically from school to school.
Bell Academy and Hayes Cooper Center are the district's bright spots. Both rank in the top third of Mississippi elementary schools (124th and 120th of 377, respectively) and exceed state averages in multiple subjects despite 100% poverty. Bell Academy posts a remarkable 94.3% proficiency in 6th grade math versus a 52.7% state average, while Hayes Cooper reaches 82.8%. These two schools also have the lowest chronic absenteeism rates in the district (6.2% and 7.0%). On the other end, Pearman Elementary School ranks 375th of 377 elementary schools with 0 stars and just 10% proficiency in 3rd grade math. Cleveland Central High School also struggles, ranking in the 9th percentile of high schools with a 38.7% chronic absenteeism rate and a 78.2% graduation rate.
A troubling pattern emerges in the middle grades: Cleveland Central Middle School ranks in the 23rd percentile, and 8th grade math proficiency falls to 22.1% versus the state's 51.4%, despite strong elementary preparation at Bell and Hayes. The high school is also declining, dropping from the 28th to 9th percentile in a single year, with Algebra I proficiency falling from 45.9% to 30.8%. Chronic absenteeism tracks performance closely—lower-achieving schools like Parks Elementary School (22.9%), Nailor Elementary School (24.6%), and Central Middle (26.8%) all have elevated absenteeism. The success of Bell Academy and Hayes Cooper proves that high-poverty schools can outperform state averages, offering a potential roadmap for the rest of the district.
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