I. T. Montgomery Elementary School

I T Montgomery Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Mound Bayou, Mississippi, serving grades PK-6 with a total enrollment of 212 students. The school is part of the North Bolivar Consolidated School District, which is ranked 83 out of 130 districts in Mississippi and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

I T Montgomery Elementary has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 16.1% to 26.2% over the past few years, significantly higher than the state average. The school's performance on the MAAP (Mississippi Academic Assessment Program) tests is generally below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts ranged from 30.4% to 50%, compared to the state average of 46.7% to 55.9%. In Mathematics, the proficiency rates ranged from 42.8% to 57.7%, compared to the state average of 48.3% to 56.6%. However, the school has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 12.5 to 15 over the past few years, which could be an advantage in providing more individualized attention to students.

When comparing I T Montgomery Elementary to other schools in the North Bolivar Consolidated School District and the surrounding area, it becomes clear that the school is underperforming academically. For example, Brooks Elementary School, which is also in the North Bolivar district, consistently outperforms I T Montgomery on MAAP tests, with proficiency rates often 10-20 percentage points higher. The high chronic absenteeism rates at I T Montgomery are not unique to the school, as many of the nearby schools, such as West Bolivar Elementary, also have similarly high rates. Additionally, the fact that 100% of I T Montgomery's students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch is not surprising, given the school's location in Mound Bayou, a small community with high poverty levels.