Summary:
The Stone County School District in Mississippi is home to two elementary schools serving grades K-5: Stone Elementary School in Wiggins (714 students) and Perkinston Elementary School in Perkinston (503 students). The district is highly rated overall, ranking 14th out of 134 Mississippi districts with a 5-star rating, and both schools perform above state averages on nearly every measure.
The balance of power has shifted significantly in recent years. Perkinston Elementary is now the district's top-ranked school, improving from 108th to 67th in the state over three years, while Stone Elementary has slipped from an elite 27th to 96th. Perkinston posted the highest single subject score in the entire dataset at 82.9% proficiency in 5th grade science and also leads in 4th grade math (78.0%). It benefits from a lower student-to-teacher ratio (15.7 vs. 18.7) and a lower share of economically disadvantaged students (60.44% vs. 68.35% free/reduced lunch). Stone still excels in 3rd grade math (80.7% proficiency), but its 4th grade math score of 46.3% is the lowest result in the dataset, suggesting a notable transition issue between grade levels.
Despite their different trajectories, the two schools have remarkably similar overall test averages (Stone at 66.7% and Perkinston at 67.4% combined proficiency). Both schools also have strong attendance, with chronic absenteeism rates near 20.6%—better than both the district (25.2%) and state (23.9%) averages. Science is a clear strength at both schools, and nearly all of the 28 reported test scores exceeded Mississippi state averages. The data suggests two solid schools with very different momentum: Perkinston is rising steadily, while Stone, though still capable, is heading in the wrong direction relative to its previous elite status. For parents, both schools offer strong academics, but Perkinston currently has the edge in ranking, resources, and trajectory.
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