Newton County School District

Newton County School District in Mississippi is a top-ranked, 5-star district serving approximately 1,650 students across two schools: Newton County Elementary School (grades PK–6, 882 students) and Newton County High School (grades 7–12, 768 students), ranking 12th out of 134 districts statewide in the 91st percentile.

Newton County Elementary School is the early academic standout, ranking 43rd out of 377 elementary schools (89th percentile) with 4 stars. Its 3rd grade proficiency is exceptional: 81% in math and 85.5% in ELA, compared to state averages of 48.8% and 48.5%. Despite a higher poverty rate (61.79% free/reduced lunch), chronic absenteeism is just 14.4%, well below the state's 23.9%. Newton County High School, meanwhile, shines in STEM and graduation: it jumped 36 spots to 59th out of 224 high schools (74th percentile), with 8th grade math at 84.9%, 8th grade science at 85.8%, Algebra I at 85.4%, and a graduation rate of 93.8% vs. the state's 89.2%. Its main weakness is 7th grade ELA at 32.3%, below the state's 36.7%.

Both schools outperform state averages in nearly every subject, though Newton County Elementary School sees a sharp proficiency drop after 3rd grade (e.g., ELA falls from 85.5% in 3rd to 63.9% in 4th and 64.5% in 5th), suggesting upper-elementary support could be strengthened. Chronic absenteeism at Newton County High School is 21.9%, higher than the elementary school's 14.4% but still below the state rate. Overall, this two-school district offers a seamless PK–12 pipeline with strong early academics, secondary math/science excellence, and a graduation rate that exceeds the state, making it a compelling choice for families.