Summary:
The Tupelo Public School District serves about 6,870 students across 11 schools in Tupelo, Mississippi, including eight elementary campuses, two middle-level campuses, and one high school. Overall, the district ranks 56th percentile among Mississippi districts, but school performance varies widely by grade level and subject, so it helps to look closely at individual campuses.
For parents comparing schools, Tupelo Middle School is the district’s academic leader, ranking in the 69th percentile statewide and posting extraordinary Algebra I results (98.8% proficiency), though its 7th and 8th grade general math and ELA scores are closer to average. Rankin Elementary is the top-ranked elementary school (55th percentile) with the district’s lowest chronic absenteeism rate (15.2%) and the best 5th-grade science score (81.1% proficient), but its 5th-grade math is a weak spot (31%). Milam Elementary, the standalone 6th-grade campus, also beats state averages in both 6th-grade ELA and math. Meanwhile, Lawndale Elementary has seen a sharp decline, dropping from the 63rd to 39th percentile in one year, with major proficiency drops across math and ELA. Schools like Pierce Street Elementary and Lawhon Elementary sit near the middle of the pack, while the K-2 campuses (Carver, Joyner, Parkway, Thomas Street) lack test-based rankings entirely.
The biggest district-wide concerns are chronic absenteeism, which climbs from roughly 15-28% in elementary schools to 36% at Tupelo Middle and 41.5% at Tupelo High School, where the graduation rate (84.2%) also trails the state. Elementary math, especially 3rd grade, is consistently below state averages across all four 3-5 campuses. On the positive side, 5th-grade science is a real strength, and the advanced math pathway at Tupelo Middle shows what students can achieve. For parents, the clear takeaways are: great acceleration options and science instruction exist, but attendance, high school graduation, and early elementary math need attention.
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