Jones County School District

Jones County School District in Mississippi serves approximately 8,693 students across 9 schools — 6 elementary schools serving grades PK–6 and 3 high schools serving grades 7–12, with no standalone middle schools — and ranks 34th out of 134 districts statewide, placing it in the top quartile with a 4-star overall rating.

For parents, the standout elementary school is Moselle Elementary School, the district’s highest-ranked elementary at 59th out of 377 schools (84th percentile, 4 stars). It posts outstanding 5th grade science proficiency of 87.3% and math scores well above state averages at every grade level, all while serving a student body where 71.5% qualify for free or reduced lunch. East Jones Elementary has the district’s best 3rd grade ELA and math scores (74.8% each) but fades by 5th grade, while South Jones Elementary School has the district’s lowest poverty rate at 62.4% and a solid 70th percentile ranking. Among high schools, South Jones High School is the clear leader, ranked 61st out of 224 (73rd percentile, 4 stars), with the strongest Algebra I, English II, and Biology scores and a 92.5% graduation rate. Northeast Jones High School has the district’s highest graduation rate (93.2%) and best Biology score (80.6%), along with the lowest student-teacher ratio at 10.4, though it also has the district’s highest chronic absenteeism at 29.9%.

Families should note some concerns. North Jones Elementary School is the district’s lowest-ranked school at 291st out of 377 (23rd percentile, 1 star), with a sharp three-year decline and proficiency rates 15–25 points below state averages, alongside the district’s highest poverty rate at 82.4%. West Jones High School presents a split profile: excellent 7th and 8th grade math scores but weak End-of-Course results, especially Biology at 53.9% versus the state’s 63.1%, which likely explains its drop from the 65th to 43rd percentile in one year. District-wide, English II proficiency fell nearly 11 points in a single year across all three high schools, and chronic absenteeism exceeds state averages at each high school. Despite these challenges, Glade Elementary posts the district’s best 3rd grade math score at 85.7%, and middle-grade math plus elementary science are clear strengths worth celebrating.