Summary:
Leake County School District in rural Mississippi has two elementary schools—Leake Central Elementary School (PK–5, 850 students) and Leake County Elementary School (PK–6, 317 students)—both serving 100% low-income families, with the district itself ranking in the bottom 15% of Mississippi. Despite that, Leake County Elementary is the clear academic standout: it ranks in the 40th percentile statewide (2 stars) versus Leake Central’s 16th percentile (1 star), beats the state average in 3rd grade reading and math, and outperforms Leake Central in every tested subject. It also has a lower student–teacher ratio (12.1 vs. 15.8) and a smaller enrollment, suggesting a more personalized environment may be helping.
Looking at 2025–26 MAAP scores, Leake County Elementary averages 47% proficiency in ELA and 42% in math, while Leake Central Elementary trails at 32% and 31%. Both schools actually do relatively well in 5th grade science—around 59–60%—but that is still below the state’s 71.5%. Meanwhile, Leake Central has much better attendance (14.8% chronically absent vs. 26.0% at Leake County), yet far lower test scores, which is an interesting paradox. Leake Central also showed extreme volatility: 4th grade math collapsed from 39.7% to 16.3% in one year, while its 3rd grade reading jumped from 12.1% to 30.3%.
For parents, the key takeaway is that Leake County Elementary is the higher-performing school and is trending upward, with big gains in 5th grade science and a statewide rank that improved from the 28th to 40th percentile. Leake Central Elementary struggles academically, especially in 4th grade, despite better attendance. Even in a low-performing, high-poverty district, a smaller school with a lower student–teacher ratio can produce encouraging results—so families may want to consider what makes Leake County Elementary successful and whether those practices could be replicated across the Leake County School District.
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