Forest Municipal School District

Forest Municipal School District in Mississippi includes three schools—Forest Elementary (PK–4), Hawkins Middle School (5–8), and Forest High School (9–12)—serving about 1,638 students in a high-poverty area where 84–87% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

The district’s brightest spot is Forest Elementary, which has climbed from the 17th to the 38th percentile in state rankings over two years and is the only school in the district to earn a 2-star rating. Its 4th grade math proficiency of 67.8% now exceeds the state average by 16 points, a remarkable jump from 52% the prior year, despite having the largest class sizes in the district (18.3:1). In contrast, Hawkins Middle School has fallen to the 8th percentile statewide, the lowest of any school in the district. While its students improved in most subjects year-over-year, math gaps widen dramatically by 8th grade—5th grade math trails the state by about 13 points, but 8th grade math trails by 32 points, with only 19.4% proficient. Forest High School shows mixed results: Biology proficiency surged from 35.6% to 55.1% and English II rose from 25.6% to 37.8%, but Algebra I dropped to 39.8% (vs. 66% statewide), and the graduation rate is just 78.3% compared to the state’s 89.2%.

Chronic absenteeism is a major concern at the high school, where 39.8% of students are chronically absent—double the district rate and 16 points above the state. This likely contributes to the low graduation rate. Across the district, poverty is widespread, yet Forest Elementary proves progress is possible, and its 4th grade math success could be a model. Meanwhile, Hawkins Middle School needs urgent attention to reverse its downward trend, and Forest High School must tackle attendance and Algebra I to keep students on track for graduation. For parents, the elementary school is the clear strength, while the middle and high schools face significant challenges that require targeted support.