Summary:
The Hancock School District in Mississippi is home to four elementary schools — East Hancock Elementary School, South Hancock Elementary School, Hancock North Central School, and West Hancock Elementary — serving grades PK–5, with West Hancock serving K–5, in a district ranked 9th out of 134 in Mississippi with a 5-star rating.
East Hancock Elementary School is the clear standout, ranking #3 in the state with an 85.0% average proficiency and exceptional math and science scores, all while serving the largest enrollment (633 students) with the district's highest student-teacher ratio (20.7). Hancock North Central School is another top-tier school, jumping 37 places to #13 in the state, with strong science (93.1% proficiency) and a favorable student-teacher ratio of 13.9. West Hancock Elementary also earns 5 stars, ranking #29 with the district's highest science proficiency (96.7%) despite having the highest free/reduced lunch rate (75.1%) and chronic absenteeism (31.1%). South Hancock Elementary School is the outlier, ranking #143 with a 3-star rating and 60.1% average proficiency. Its 3rd-grade math scores are strong (83.3% proficient), but 4th-grade math falls to just 38.1%, well below the state average.
District-wide, science is a clear strength: even South Hancock posts 81% science proficiency, well above the state average of 71.5%. Every school improved from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026, with West Hancock making the largest gain (+9.4 points). Poverty does not fully explain performance — West Hancock and South Hancock have similar free/reduced lunch rates (75.1% vs. 73.8%), yet West Hancock outperforms South Hancock by nearly 14 percentage points. The biggest concern is the gap between East Hancock and South Hancock — a 24.9-point difference in average proficiency — and South Hancock's persistent upper-elementary decline, which suggests a need for targeted math and literacy support in 4th and 5th grades.
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