Bay High School

Bay High School is a public high school in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, serving 491 students in grades 9–12 as part of the Bay Waveland School District, which is currently rated the #1 district in Mississippi out of 134 districts. Bay High itself ranks 16th out of 224 Mississippi high schools, placing it in the 93rd percentile with a 5-star rating, and it is the smallest school among its nearby comparison peers—Gulfport High enrolls 1,702 students, while West Harrison High has 1,216 and Hancock High has 1,184.

What makes Bay High particularly noteworthy is that it achieves top-tier results while serving a student body where 100% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch—a far higher economic need than nearby schools like Long Beach High (51.1%) or Pass Christian High (55.1%). The school's graduation rate is 94.8%, well above the state average of 89.2%, and it has stayed above 91% for five straight years. Bay High's strongest subjects are Biology (84.5% proficiency vs. a 63.1% state average) and U.S. History (88.1% vs. 69.7% statewide). In both subjects, Bay High outperforms Gulfport High and Hancock High, and it trails only Long Beach and West Harrison among nearby schools.

The clearest area for improvement is English II, where 61.6% of students are proficient—above the state average but below Long Beach (69.7%) and West Harrison (76.2%). English scores have fluctuated in recent years, which is common at a school of this size where each graduating class has a large impact on results. Chronic absenteeism is a moderate concern at 24.3%, though it is in line with the state average and lower than Hancock (34.5%) and Long Beach (28.3%). Despite these challenges, Bay High's consistent graduation rates and its recovery to a #16 statewide ranking after a dip the prior year suggest a school with strong support systems and a resilient culture that helps students succeed regardless of economic circumstances.