Summary:
Marion County School District in Mississippi includes two high schools serving grades 9–12: West Marion High School in Foxworth and East Marion High School in Columbia, both relatively small schools with enrollments of 347 and 216, respectively.
West Marion High School is the district’s academic standout, earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the 70th percentile statewide for 2025–2026. It excels in STEM subjects, with Biology proficiency at 84.9% and Algebra I at 77.9% — both well above state averages. However, English II remains a weak spot, dropping to 43.7% proficiency in 2025–2026, below both the district and state. East Marion High School has a lower overall ranking but leads the district in graduation rate at 87.8%, above West Marion’s 83.7%. East Marion also posted the largest year-over-year gain in any subject, jumping from 42.2% to 51.2% in English II, now above the district and state averages. Both schools have improved dramatically over two years, with West Marion rising 44 rank positions and East Marion rising 48.
Poverty is nearly universal — over 98% of students at both schools qualify for free/reduced lunch — yet math and science scores are strong, especially at West Marion. Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide concern, with rates above 30% at both schools, roughly 8–9 points higher than the state average, and this may be holding back literacy and history scores. Both schools trail the state in U.S. History by double digits. With student–teacher ratios between 10.4 and 11.6, classes are small enough for personalized attention, but getting students to school remains the key challenge. Overall, families in this district have two schools that are on an upward trajectory, each with distinct strengths: West Marion for STEM achievement and East Marion for graduation and English improvement.
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