Summary:
West Jasper School District contains one elementary school, Bay Springs Elementary School, serving grades PK–5 in Bay Springs, MS. This high-poverty school—where nearly 97% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch—stands out for its strong attendance, with a chronic absenteeism rate of 16.5% compared to 23.7% for the West Jasper School District and 23.9% statewide. Academically, the school has notable bright spots, especially in 5th grade: in 2025-2026, 5th graders beat state averages in ELA, math, and science, with 73.6% proficient in science and 56.6% in both math and ELA. The previous year, 3rd grade ELA and math also far exceeded state averages.
However, the most recent data reveals serious concerns. The biggest red flag is 4th grade math, which collapsed from 53.5% proficiency in 2024-2025 to just 14.5% in 2025-2026—a 39-point drop that is 22 points below the district and 37 points below the state. Fourth grade ELA also declined sharply, from 57.1% to 38.7%. As a result, the school’s state ranking slipped from 154th (60th percentile, 3 stars) in 2024-2025 to 219th (42nd percentile, 2 stars) in 2025-2026. The school now trails its district in nearly all subjects, with the widest gaps in math.
The year-to-year swings suggest results may be heavily influenced by cohort differences rather than consistent schoolwide trends. Still, the pattern points to early-elementary math as the clearest area for improvement. While 5th grade science and math show that the school can achieve strong outcomes, the dramatic 4th grade decline warrants attention. For parents, Bay Springs offers a caring environment with good attendance and some excellent grade-level results, but recent performance—especially in 4th grade math—should prompt questions about how the school supports students as they move through the elementary grades.
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