Smilow Collegiate

Smilow Collegiate is a K-4 elementary school in Jackson, MS, serving 547 students in a high-poverty area, and it operates as its own district—Joel E. Smilow Collegiate—rather than part of Jackson Public Schools. The school currently ranks in the bottom 10% of Mississippi elementary schools, earning 0 stars and placing 347th out of 377 schools in the 2025-26 school year. Its district rank is also very low, at 128th out of 134 districts.

Academically, Smilow trails state averages by wide margins, especially in math. In 2025-26, only 14.4% of 3rd graders and 23.9% of 4th graders were proficient in math, compared to state averages near 49-52%. Reading scores are somewhat better—4th grade ELA proficiency is 36.3%—but still well below state levels. When looking at nearby schools, Smilow outperforms Boyd Elementary in several subjects and beats Green Elementary in both ELA grades. However, schools just minutes away post dramatically higher scores: McWillie Elementary and Casey Elementary rank in the 84th and 85th percentiles, with proficiency rates two to five times higher than Smilow’s in nearly every subject.

There are some positives to note. Chronic absenteeism has improved sharply, falling from 42% in 2021-22 to 20.8% in 2023-24—now better than the state average. This is a strong foundation, especially compared to nearby Boyd Elementary’s 41.7% rate. Smilow’s relative strength is 4th-grade reading, which outpaces several neighboring schools. That said, the most urgent concern is the sudden collapse in 3rd-grade math proficiency, which dropped from 29.5% to 14.4% in one year. With continued improvement in attendance and focused attention on early math, there is potential for Smilow to rebuild toward its 2021-22 performance, when it ranked in the 23rd percentile.