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Pearman Elementary School

Public Grades 1-6

375^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 377 Mississippi Elementary Schools

Better than 1% of Mississippi elementary schools

Summary

Pearman Elementary School serves 186 students in grades 1–6 in Cleveland, Mississippi, as part of the Cleveland School District, where 100% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school has ranked near the very bottom of Mississippi's elementary schools for years, placing 375th out of 377 schools statewide in the 2025–2026 school year — the 1st percentile. Over the past ten reported years, it has never exceeded the 21st percentile, and in five of those years it ranked at or below the 1st percentile.

Academically, Pearman's proficiency rates on the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) are dramatically below district and state averages in every subject. Average proficiency is roughly 22.7% in English Language Arts and 17.1% in math, compared to district averages of 42.0% and 42.3% and state averages of 51.2% and 50.7%. The contrast with other schools in the same district is striking: Bell Academy and Hayes Cooper Center achieve proficiency levels of 57–65% in both subjects — more than three times Pearman's rate. In 6th grade math, Bell Academy reached 94.3% proficiency and Hayes Cooper 82.8%, while Pearman managed just 20.5%. In 3rd grade math, only 10% of Pearman students were proficient, compared to the state's 48.8%. Math is the school's most acute weakness.

There is one notable bright spot: chronic absenteeism has fallen from 25.9% in 2020–2021 to 13.0% in 2023–2024 — well below the district rate of 22.7% and the state rate of 23.9%. This means poor attendance cannot explain Pearman's low scores. Nearby West Bolivar Elementary, one of the few schools in the region with a similarly low ranking (374th), has an absenteeism rate of 24.8% — nearly double Pearman's. Pearman's student–teacher ratio rose to 15.7 in 2024–2025, higher than nearby D.M. Smith Elementary (12.7) and I. T. Montgomery Elementary School (12.7). Since Bell Academy and Hayes Cooper Center serve the same high-poverty population with far better results, the evidence suggests that school-level instruction and leadership — not poverty or attendance — are the key areas where improvement is needed.

186

Students ?

15.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,390

Per pupil spending ?

50.0%

Directly certified for free meals (2024-25) ?

All students receive free meals (Community Eligibility, 2024-25)

306 Merritt Drive
Cleveland, MS 38732

(662) 843-4484

District: Cleveland School District

Racial breakdown:

African American:

75.8%

Hispanic:

10.2%

White:

8.6%

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 1st percentile in 2016 → 1st in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Mississippi average (22% vs 53% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (1st percentile)

!Science scores 37 pts below the Mississippi average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school22%

District avg44%

Mississippi avg53%

375^th of 377

Mississippi public elementary schools ?

Bottom 1%▬ steady since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Mississippi Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 5Elementary Schools in the Cleveland School District

89^th of 133Cleveland School District among Mississippi districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Mississippi percentile	Rating
2026	5.5	375 of 377	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	10.1	357 of 380	6.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	12.4	352 of 380	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	8.1	348 of 358	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	9.9	338 of 355	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	19.4	287 of 352	18.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	7.4	352 of 354	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	14.2	327 of 351	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	14.7	367 of 406	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	8.9	390 of 394	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	21.5	334 of 402	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	31.4	304 of 394	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	36.1	277 of 408	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2012	35.9	286 of 414	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2011	57.2	182 of 418	56.5%	★★★☆☆
2010	51.8	205 of 403	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2009	62.1	146 of 392	62.8%	★★★☆☆
2008	56.6	176 of 394	55.3%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Mississippi (2025-2026) ?

Science35%-37 vs state

English Language Arts23%-28 vs state

Mathematics17%-34 vs state

★

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Schools Near Pearman Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				MAAP English Language Arts (2026)				MAAP Mathematics (2026)				MAAP Science (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Directly certified (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MAAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MAAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MAAP Science 5th Grade	Total
Pearman Elementary School	Public	1-6	306 Merritt Drive	Cleveland	38732	Bolivar County	Cleveland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 843-4484	186	12	15.7	50.0%	16 (8.6%)	141 (75.8%)	19 (10.2%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.8%)	5.5	375^th of 377 public elementary schools	0.5%		10.1	357^th of 380 public elementary schools	6.1%	18	26.6	21.4	28.0	14.7	10.0	21.4	16.3	20.5	34.9	$13,390
Nailor Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	600 Cross Street	Cleveland	38732	Bolivar County	Cleveland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 843-4528	256	14	18.7	74.2%	2 (0.8%)	245 (95.7%)	3 (1.2%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.0%)								(n/a)										$12,045
Parks Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1301 Terrace Road	Cleveland	38732	Bolivar County	Cleveland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 843-3166	265	17	16.0	53.2%	94 (35.5%)	120 (45.3%)	19 (7.2%)	10 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (8.3%)	31.1	272^nd of 377 public elementary schools	27.9%		21.1	323^rd of 380 public elementary schools	15.0%	51	40.0	48.3	44.1	54.2	28.6	37.9	14.7	54.2	47.1	$13,034
D.M. Smith Elementary	Public	3-6	715 Martin Luther King Dr	Cleveland	38732	Bolivar County	Cleveland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 843-4355	233	18	12.7	65.7%	1 (0.4%)	218 (93.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.2%)	28.2	289^th of 377 public elementary schools	23.3%		24.9	299^th of 380 public elementary schools	21.3%	10	12.9	33.8	46.6	38.3	23.0	38.3	29.3	55.3	70.7	$13,039
Bell Academy	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	1016 Taylor Street	Boyle	38730	Bolivar County	Cleveland School District	No	Yes	No	Yes	(662) 843-4572	327	19	17.6	30.6%	115 (35.2%)	175 (53.5%)	11 (3.4%)	6 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (6.1%)	64.4	125^th of 377 public elementary schools	66.8%		71	108^th of 380 public elementary schools	71.6%	17	48.6	52.6	52.7	74.3	51.3	63.2	50.0	94.3	61.1	$11,436
Hayes Cooper Center	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	500 Martin L. King	Merigold	38733	Bolivar County	Cleveland School District	No	Yes	No	No	(662) 748-2734	304	21	14.7	19.1%	139 (45.7%)	132 (43.4%)	20 (6.6%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.3%)	65.3	121^st of 377 public elementary schools	67.9%		67.7	121^st of 380 public elementary schools	68.2%		57.5	42.1	69.7	58.6	55.0	29.0	78.8	82.8	72.7	$10,835
Isaiah T. Montgomery Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	202 Martin L. King Drive	Mound Bayou	38762	Bolivar County	North Bolivar Consolidated School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 333-8952	185	15	12.7	61.1%	0 (0.0%)	139 (75.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (24.9%)	41.8	223^rd of 377 public elementary schools	40.8%		43.6	219^th of 380 public elementary schools	42.4%	4	31.8	37.9	40.0	37.5	36.3	41.4	60.0	56.3	90.0	$14,831
McEvans Elementary School	Public	K-6	601 Hwy 61 NORTH	Shaw	38773	Bolivar County	West Bolivar Consolidated School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(662) 754-6109	204	17	12.3	61.3%	3 (1.5%)	151 (74.0%)	3 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (23.0%)	23.9	305^th of 377 public elementary schools	19.1%					(n/a)	29.0	60.9	33.3	20.0	31.6	69.5	8.3	5.7	58.3	$15,446
Ruleville Central Elementary	Public	K-5	410 L F Packer Drive	Ruleville	38771	Sunflower County	Sunflower County Consolidated School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 756-4276	271	18	14.8	61.3%	6 (2.2%)	259 (95.6%)	4 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	13.7	336^th of 377 public elementary schools	10.9%		19.1	328^th of 380 public elementary schools	13.7%	8	32.5	22.4	43.2		35.0	6.1	18.9		50.0	$12,259
A.W. James Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	400 South Blvd	Drew	38737	Sunflower County	Sunflower County Consolidated School District	No	No	No	Yes	(662) 745-8892	219	17	12.6	60.7%	1 (0.5%)	207 (94.5%)	7 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.8%)	46.1	208^th of 377 public elementary schools	44.8%		39.4	235^th of 380 public elementary schools	38.2%	27	47.0	47.0	48.4		55.9	52.9	38.7		58.1	$15,006

Frequently Asked Questions about Pearman Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Pearman Elementary School?

Students at Pearman Elementary School are 76% African American, 10% Hispanic, 9% White, 5% Two or more races.

What district is Pearman Elementary School in?

Cleveland School District

How many students attend Pearman Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 186 students attended Pearman Elementary School.

Is Pearman Elementary School a good school?

Pearman Elementary School ranks in the bottom 0.5% of Mississippi elementary schools.

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Latest Mississippi data All new data »

2025–26 attendance data & graduation ratesNewOct 15, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataOct 6, 2026

2025–26 MAAP test scoresAug 21, 2026

2023–24 school spending dataSep 26, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Mississippi Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.