Summary:
Perry County School District in Mississippi is home to two elementary schools—South Perry Elementary School and Runnelstown School—serving grades K-5 in a rural, economically challenged area.
South Perry Elementary is the clear standout in this small district. Despite having a higher poverty rate (88% free/reduced lunch) than Runnelstown (76%), South Perry outperforms its counterpart in nearly every subject and holds a better statewide ranking (286th vs. 307th out of 377 elementary schools). South Perry also has a much lower chronic absenteeism rate at 18%, compared to Runnelstown’s 25%, which exceeds both district and state averages. Runnelstown does have smaller classes (10:1 student-teacher ratio vs. 12:1 at South Perry), but that advantage has not translated into better academic results. In fact, Runnelstown saw sharp declines in 5th grade ELA and science from the prior year, and its ranking fell from 259th to 307th. South Perry, meanwhile, improved its rank and leads in 6 of the 7 most recent subject-grade test combinations.
Both schools struggle significantly with math, averaging around 30% proficiency compared to a 50% state average. The most striking gap is in 5th grade math, where only 24% of South Perry students and 19% of Runnelstown students are proficient. Science is a relative strength: South Perry posts 62% proficiency and Runnelstown 57%, both within roughly 10 points of the statewide average. Chronic absenteeism appears to be a major differentiator, especially at Runnelstown, and likely contributes to its declining performance. With small enrollments, year-to-year swings can be dramatic—a few students can shift percentages by large amounts—so these results should be interpreted carefully. Overall, Perry County’s elementary schools rank in the bottom quarter of Mississippi, and improving math proficiency and attendance, particularly at Runnelstown, are the most pressing needs.
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