Okolona School District

The Okolona School District is a small, three-school district in Mississippi serving approximately 512 students in grades K-12 across Okolona Elementary School (K-5, 238 students), Okolona Middle School (6-8, 125 students), and Okolona High School (9-12, 149 students), with every student eligible for free/reduced lunch. The district ranks 102nd out of 134 Mississippi districts with a 1-star rating, yet each school has its own notable strengths worth considering.

Okolona High School is the district's academic standout, posting a Biology I proficiency rate of 81.1% in 2025-2026 — 18 points above the state average — for the second consecutive year above state levels, along with a graduation rate of 89.1% that essentially matches the state. Okolona Middle School excels with a 5.9% chronic absenteeism rate, less than one-fourth the state average of 23.9%. Okolona Elementary School shows bright spots in 3rd grade math, where 51.5% proficiency tops the state's 48.8%, and in 5th grade science at 69.7% in 2024-2025, also above the state. Despite these strengths, the high school ranks at the 37th percentile, the middle school at the 28th, and the elementary school at the 17th percentile statewide.

The district's biggest challenge is English Language Arts proficiency, which trails state averages by 20-30 points across all grade levels, from 3rd grade through English II. Algebra I at the high school also dropped dramatically from 82.1% to 47.5% in just one year. Notably, low chronic absenteeism district-wide does not automatically translate into high test scores, and small class sizes — including a 7.5-to-1 ratio at the high school — do not guarantee proficiency. What is clear is that Okolona has genuine areas of excellence, including strong science instruction, an exceptional attendance culture, and early-grade math success. Families will find a caring, tight-knit environment with pockets of achievement that offer a foundation for broader improvement, even as literacy remains a district-wide priority.