Summary:
Newton Municipal School District contains a single high school, Newton High School, serving grades 9–12 with 237 students in the Newton, MS area. Because this is the district’s only high school, its performance defines the district’s high school reputation, and the most meaningful comparisons are against state averages in Mississippi.
Newton High School shows several clear strengths. Its graduation rate is excellent at 95.7%, well above the state’s 89.2%. The school also performs strongly in math: 77.3% of students scored proficient on the Algebra I MAAP exam, compared to 66% statewide. U.S. History proficiency is also above average at 73.7% versus 69.7% statewide. The school has improved significantly in state rankings, moving from the 23rd percentile in 2024–2025 to the 48th percentile in 2025–2026, and its star rating rose from 1 to 2 stars. The biggest concern is English II, where only 37% of students are proficient versus 49.3% statewide, a gap that has persisted for two years. Biology proficiency (61.7%) is slightly below the state average (63.1%).
Newton High School serves a predominantly low-income student body, with 79.3% eligible for free or reduced lunch. Despite this, the school maintains a favorable student–teacher ratio of 9.8, meaning relatively small class sizes. Attendance is a notable issue: chronic absenteeism is 23.7%, nearly double the district’s overall rate of 11.7% and essentially identical to the state average. The combination of a strong graduation rate, improving math scores, and upward momentum in state rankings makes this a school with real strengths, but English II proficiency and high school absenteeism remain key areas for families to watch closely.
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