Summary:
Carroll County School District is a small, rural district in Mississippi with only two schools—Marshall Elementary School (PK–6, 391 students) and J.Z. George High School (grades 7–12, 343 students)—serving a high-poverty community where nearly all students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
Marshall Elementary School is the district's only elementary school and holds a 0-star rating, ranking in the 7th percentile statewide. Its best news is a dramatic improvement in 5th grade science, which jumped from 41.6% to 60.5% proficiency in one year, and math improved in three grade levels. However, every English Language Arts and math score remains 20 to 30 points below state averages, and its state ranking has slipped from the 14th percentile to the 7th percentile over three years. By comparison, J.Z. George High School, the district's only secondary school, ranks higher at the 12th percentile with a 1-star rating. Its graduation rate (88.9%) is nearly at the state average, and its U.S. History End-of-Course exam beat the state by 4.4 points in 2024-25. Still, it has a severe 8th grade math problem—only 13.6% proficiency versus 51.4% statewide—and every tested subject declined year over year.
The most concerning finding is the district's overall direction: both schools have lost ground in statewide rankings over three straight years, and chronic absenteeism is high, especially at J.Z. George High School at 27.6%. The district's 5th percentile ranking reflects widespread achievement gaps despite favorable class sizes—J.Z. George has a 10.6 student-teacher ratio and Marshall has 14.6. Positive signs are narrow but real: the science improvement at Marshall Elementary School, near-average graduation at J.Z. George High School, and relatively strong Algebra I scores (56.3%). Ultimately, these two schools carry the entire district, and families should expect significant academic challenges tied to very high poverty levels, though the bright spots show local progress is possible.
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